VP Trish: Summer Recipes

The kids and I love to be outside enjoying their swings, the sprinkler, their climbing dome, gardening, digging in the mud or simply running around. When we take a break from the heat, we often enjoy inside stuff for a bit. Painting and playing Ninja Warrior is always fun, but we still love to bake. Ryanna and I think more of summer fruits and veggies as opposed to the traditional treats and fall items.

John loves pineapple so I found this pineapple pie recipe. Ordinarily, I am not much of a pie baker but with Cheryl’s (Paterni) pie crust recipe and this pie recipe, I am baking pies more often.

LATTICE PINEAPPLE PIE

Combine in a saucepan:

• 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple (including the juice)
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Cook, stirring until thickened.

Stir in:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cool slightly.

Pour filling into unbaked 9-inch pastry shell.

Cut remaining pastry into 1-inch wide strips for lattice top.

Weave strips crisscross over pie to make a lattice top.

Pinch edges.

Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

PIE CRUST

Cheryl Paterni gave me this recipe years ago.

Using your hook attachment on  your Kitchen Aid Mixer, Mix:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon salt

Add:

• 1 ¾ cup Crisco (regular, white)

Mix until crumbly.

In a small bowl, Beat:

• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 egg

Add to flour mixture and combine.

Divide the dough into two, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for ½ hour.

I am always looking for new recipes and years ago, Emilie Baker shared her Mom’s zucchini bread recipe. It is an easy one, very good and continues the pineapple theme using the zucchini from your garden!

PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI BREAD

This recipe was given to me by Emilie Baker, daughter of Violet Zielinski.

Beat:

• 1 cup oil (I use butter)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Add:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt (I don’t use this much)
• ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom (I always add a bit of cardamom when using cinnamon and or nutmeg)

Stir in:

• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 (8 ¼ oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained

Fold in:

• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Pour into greased loaf pans, I always add granulated sugar to the bottom and sides of the pans as well as sprinkle a bit on the top of the batter.

Bake at 325 for one hour.

Ryan enjoys blue cake and for some silly reason, we can’t find blue cake mix. Yes, I know I could add blue food coloring to a white cake mix, but we found this recipe. In the past, I didn’t like to bake cakes from scratch, but these days we do.

BLUE CAKE

Whisk together and set aside:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend and set aside:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Beat:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar

Alternate between the milk mixture and the flour mixture adding to the butter mixture.

Once blended, add 5 egg whites.

Then add 3-5 drops blue food coloring.

Pour batter into prepared pans (greased and a bit of flour).

Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes.

WHITE ICING

Ryanna likes really sweet icing!

Beat together:

• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

Frost the cake once it is cool!

Enjoy your outside fun! Don’t forget to submit your walking information to Druhna Chris as she continues to change the fun with our Walking Program. June’s challenge is to walk with your Nest! Contact Druhna Chris at cpuskar@polishfalcons.org for more information or to get involved!

Czolem!