Delicious Buttermilk Pie

While grocery shopping, I happened upon a gallon of buttermilk on clearance for just $2.00.  I don't think I've ever purchased buttermilk before, but I thought that sounded like a good deal.  As soon as I got home I started coming up with recipes to use it in.  This pie is sweet and creamy and is very easy to make.  I used premade frozen pie crusts, just regular size and this recipe made three full pies.  If I'd used the deep dish crusts I would have probably been able to get it into two.  If you decide to make it in a deep dish crust, you will probably have to extend the baking time by around 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

3 (9 inch) pie crusts
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
6 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Nutmeg to sprinkle on the top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar.  When combined and starting to get a little fluffy, add the flour and eggs.  Continue to mix well until thoroughly combined.  Add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until completely incorporated.

Place a baking sheet into the preheated oven and place the pie pan with crust onto the baking sheet.  Repeat for all three pie crusts, and you may have to place two pies on one sheet, depending on how large your oven is.  Pour the batter into the crusts when they are already on the racks as this will help prevent spillage when trying to transport them from counter to oven (the picture above shows it on the counter, but I quickly remembered where I should have been pouring it).  After the batter is in the crust, sprinkle the tops with nutmeg.

Carefully, slide the racks back into place and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

The pies will be a little jiggly when they are removed but they will firm up as the cool, so allow about an hour before serving.

Also, notice how much nutmeg I put on this pie and this is a pic of the same pie after baking.  A little goes a long way, so it just takes a sprinkling of it.

This pie turned out very delicious and reminds me a little of an egg custard pie I'd had years ago and fell in love with.  I hope you enjoy it.  I'm going to freeze one of them that I baked and I'm hoping that it will come out of the freezer being just as delicious.  I also plan on making pie crusts in bulk and freezing them, but frozen ones already in a little foil pan are a wonderful convenience.

Mouthwatering Peach Cobbler

When I picked out the peaches I was going to buy two days ago, I selected six large, firm ones.  Even though they were firm just two days ago, they are extremely soft already, so I'm scrambling to come up with recipes for using them.  I couldn't decide if I wanted muffins, bread, cake, pie, or what exactly.  Then I thought of a cobbler and knew that's what I wanted to make.  Here is the recipe.

MOUTHWATERING PEACH COBBLER

1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided 
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup vanilla yogurt
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional) 

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish or something similar, I used a stoneware pot and melted the butter in the microwave.
Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add yogurt, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool and top with ice cream, if desired.

Fresh Peach Milkshakes

My grocery store had beautiful peaches for sale for a nice price and I bought six of the biggest ones.  These peaches inspired me to come up with this milkshake recipe.

FRESH PEACH MILKSHAKES

1 large fresh peach, peeled, pit removed, and cut into chunks
1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream
1 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
1/2 t. vanilla, nut, butter flavoring, or just vanilla

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour immediately into glasses and enjoy. 

The next time I make these, I'll add more ice cream and/or less milk.  This had more of a consistency of a smoothy rather than a thick milkshake, but it was still delicious.

Crispy Garlic Dill Cucumber Chips

The cucumbers I planted this year are a long variety.  They are very mild, crispy, and delicious.  But one is usually more than enough for the whole family to each fresh.  I already made some refrigerator bread and butter pickles with a couple and since I have a few to spare, I feel safe experimenting with a few recipes.  This recipe utilized a dehydrator and only consists of a few basic ingredients.

CRISPY GARLIC DILL CUCUMBER CHIPS

1 or 2 cucumbers, depending on size
apple cider vinegar
garlic salt
dried dill weed

Wash the cucumbers well, you want to remove all the dirt as you'll be leaving the skin on them.  If you have a mandolin, use it to slice these on a medium setting.  Otherwise, slice about 1/8" to 1/4" thick.  Use an apple corer to remove the seeds, and place the cucumbers in a bowl.

Splash a couple of teaspoons of the vinegar onto the cucumbers and using your hand, stir them around.  Sprinkle on some garlic salt and dried dill weed and stir again, sprinkle with the salt and weed again and stir to coat them each evenly.

Layer each slice on to the dehydrator tray, using as many as needed so they are not touching.  Dry at 135 degrees for around 6 hours, depending on the thickness.  If they are thinner, they will dry quicker and thicker will take longer.

When they are dried to a crisp, you can eat them as they are or dip into ranch dressing or another of your favorite dipping sauces.

I'm starting to regret getting rid of the mandolin I had, my hand sliced pieces are never even, 

There are many flavor combinations you can come up with.  Add a little cayenne pepper to give them a little heat.  Let me know of any flavor combinations that sound good to you or that you try yourself.