Pear Cranberry Slab Pie

Adapted from: Martha Stewart Living, November 2013

3 hours 45 mins  45 mins  12?

TOTAL TIME    PREP  SERVINGS

INGREDIENts 

Pie Crust

1.9 cups flour, plus more for rolling
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoons granulated sugar 

1/2 cup ice water, plus more if needed
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Crumble Topping:

3/4 cups pecan halves, toasted and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick unsalted butter, soft
3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Filling

2 lb firm Anjou pears about 5 peeled , cored cut into 1 cm wedges
2 tsp lemon juice
Unfortunately, I had no 1/2 vanilla bean so vanilla extract will have to do.

1/8 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar. I will probably mix brown with white

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt
2 cups cranberries

DIRECTIONS

1. 
   

   1. Piecrust
   

   I made the dough by hand.

    Place flour, salt, and sugar to combine.

   Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal with some blueberry-size clumps.

   Add ice water and mix until just incorporated.

   Squeeze a small amount of dough to make sure it holds together.

   If dough is too dry, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

   Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.

    Bring edges of wrap together to gather dough and form into a flat rectangle. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

   Let dough stand at room temperature until pliable, then roll out to a 11-by-9 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.

   Fit into a 8-by-9-inch rimmed baking sheet, tucking overhang under all around pan.

   Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
2. 
   

   2. Crumble topping:
   Stir together pecans, flour, oats, and salt.
    Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
   Add pecan mixture and work mixture with your fingers until it forms clumps. Refrigerate until ready to use or up to 1 week.
3. 
   

   3. Filling:
   

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

   Combine pears, lemon juice, and vanilla-bean seeds.

    Stir in sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon.

   Spread mixture evenly in crust; top with cranberries.
4. 
   

   4. Crumble large clumps of topping evenly over filling.
   Bake pie until crumble is golden brown (check after about 20 minutes and tent with foil if browning too quickly) and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour.
   Let cool on a wire rack at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

COOK'S NOTES

Pie can be made 1 day ahead and stored at room temperature.

https://www.marthastewart.com/1035237/pear-cranberry-slab-pie

Fruit pizza

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-fruit-pizza-with-lemon-curd

I am going to try this one. Unfortunately, I made the greatest pizza but now I can't find it.

:(

Tortilla Soup

This soup was amazing. Fresh. Spicy.

Ingredients

• 1 dried smoked chili pepper or 1 poblano pepper (I used a poblano, but would love to try the dried)
• Olive oil
• 1 medium brown onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped.
• 1 to 2 medium jalapeños )
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
• 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 32 ounces (4 cups) vegetable stock
• 14-ounce can hominy, rinsed and drained (optional, yummy addition)
• 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• Sea salt (didn't use, but did add pepper)
• 6 corn tortillas (6-inch, taco-sized) (didn't use...used corn tortilla chips)
• 1 avocado
• 4 radishes, sliced thinly
• 2 ounces queso fresco or feta cheese (optional), crumbled
• 1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped (I forgot this, but it would have been GREAT)
• 1 lime, sliced into small wedges (more forgetfulness, :(, what is to become of me.)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep work: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Stack the tortillas and slice them into ½-inch-wide, 2-inch-long strips. Remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeno (and poblano, if using) and chop the peppers. Wash your hands. Pit, peel, and medium dice the avocado, then squeeze some lime juice over the avocado to prevent browning.
2. (I skipped this whole step.)Bake the tortillas: Coat a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil. Toss the tortilla strips in the oil to coat and arrange the strips in a single layer. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. While the strips are hot, season them with salt.
3. (Skipped this too since I used poblano)Toast the chili pepper: Place the dried chili pepper onto a baking sheet and bake for about 1 minute, or until the pepper is warmed through. When cool enough to handle, cut the pepper open and remove the seeds. (Wash your hands afterward and avoid touching your eyes!)
4. Make the soup: In a large pot. Heat olive oil on medium until hot. Add the onion first until a little sweaty, then add garlic, jalapeno and poblano peppers . Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. 
5. Stir in the cumin, then the canned tomatoes and vegetable stock. Simmer for about 3 minutes, 
6. then add the hominy, black beans and the seeded chili pepper. 
7. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve the soup:(This is my favorite part. This could be a great option for a party. People could stack their plates with whatever they like.)
   First, discard the dried chili pepper.
   Place some of the avocado, radishes, tortilla strips, and queso fresco (or feta) at the bottom of 2 to 4 bowls.
    Divide the soup between the bowls.
   Top the soup with the remaining avocado, radishes, tortilla strips, and queso fresco (or feta).
   Garnish with some cilantro
   Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.

NOTES

• Recipe adapted from Blue Apron’s tortilla soup with hominy and queso fresco recipe.
• Recipe yields 4 moderate servings.
• *I used Muir Glen’s chunky tomato sauce. It comes in a BPA-free, 28-ounce can. I saved the leftover sauce for pizza but I probably could have just added it to the pot. (I did not)

Modified from:

https://cookieandkate.com/2013/vegetarian-tortilla-soup/

https://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/11/moroccan-lentil-vegetable-stew/

Just trying this recipe. So far it tastes delicious. I am putting in fresh cauliflower and maybe I will add some parsley.

MOROCCAN LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW

 Prep Time 5 minutes

 Cook Time 45 minutes

 Total Time 50 minutes

 Servings  (1.5 cups each)

 Author Adapted from Wegmans.com

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 medium yellow onion 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 4 stalks celery- my celery was frozen, don't ask me why.
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin 
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 15 oz. can chickpeas 
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 lb. frozen cauliflower florets, I used fresh
• 6 cups vegetable broth, today I used 4 cups Swanson vegetaqble broth and 2 cups of my home made broth
• 1 cup brown lentils 
• 1 bay leaf 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté both in a large pot with olive oil over medium heat until softened. Dice the celery, then add to the pot and  sauté for 2-3 minutes more.
2. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Stir and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), chickpeas (rinsed and drained), and cauliflower florets (no need to thaw). Stir the pot until everything is well mixed. I am going to add the cauliflower 20 min before we eat.
4. Add the vegetable broth and bay leaf, turn the heat up to high, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the lentils. Stir and let it come back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the stew simmer on low, with the lid, for 30 minutes.
5. After simmering for 30 minutes, the lentils should be tender. Remove the bay leaf and give the stew a taste. Add salt if needed (this will depend on the type of vegetable broth used. I did not add any additional salt), then serve.