The tartness of the cranberries is an excellent pairing to crisp apples.  In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought I’d share something from my mommy’s kitchen to yours!

Cran-Apple Pie

Yields 8-10 servings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Blend together sugar and flour in a small bowl.  Place pie crust in bottom of a 9″ pie plate.  Alternate layers of apples, cranberries, and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with apples.

Dot the top with small pats of butter.  Put on top pie crust and crimp edges.  Cut slits through the top crust to allow steam to escape.  Use a pastry brush to brush top crust with egg water mixture.

Cook for 50 minutes.

Recipe adapted by my Mom from 1981 Kenmore microwave-convection cookbook

I was originally skeptical about the cornstarch, and I still think I might play with the recipe a little to increase the sugar and decrease the cornstarch, but these were a fun little shortbread-type cookie to munch on.  The lemon flavor is really key here so don’t leave it out or feel free to increase it as I did, reflected below.

Baby Button Cookies

Makes ~ 4 dozen cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse butter and powdered sugar until combined.   To that, add cornstarch, extract, zest and flour,  processing until a soft dough forms. Remove the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece of the dough into a skinny log- about 12 inches long. Cut each log into 12 pieces, and roll each piece into a ball.

Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. These cookies spread very little. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown but the tops are still light.

While baking, mix powered sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl.  Remove the cookies from the oven and while still warm, roll in the sugar mixture.   Place on a wire rack, and use a toothpick to poke four holes in the top of each cookie to make a the buttonhole pattern.  Cool completely.

Source: RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Food and Wine)

Roasted Garlic and Dill Cannellini Dip

Yields: ~ 1 cup of dip

• 1 –  15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 bulbs roasted garlic, recipe below
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine the beans, roasted garlic, dill,  salt, and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. While the food processor is running, stream in olive oil through the top, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom a few times.

Recipe source: How Sweet It Is

Roasted Garlic

• 1 head garlic (or as many as you want to make!)
• 1- 2 tsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 375.

Chop off the top portion of the garlic head to reveal cloves. Peel any excess paper, what comes off by lightly rubbing the head of garlic, off.  Pour olive oil on top the garlic cloves and let soak for 10 minutes.

Cover with foil and roast in a baking dish for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool then squeeze from the bottom of the garlic head to remove the roasted cloves.

Recipe source: How Sweet It Is

I’ve said it before, but I love snacking.  There’s something so satisfying about watching a game surrounded by yummy things to munch on, and this was no exception.  I found myself adding this to my plate many, many times throughout the night, and everyone else was as well.  Suffice to say, there were no leftovers of this one!

Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball

Makes 12 servings

15 minutes to prep, plus an hour to refrigerate!

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for dipping
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided into 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugars, butter and 1/4 cup of the peanut butter until light and smooth. Add in the vanilla and egg, beating to combine. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Remove the dough from the bowl and set aside.

For the filling, cream together the powdered sugar and remaining 3/4 cup of peanut butter until smooth.

For the cookies, put some additional granulated sugar in a small bowl.  Portion out a generous tablespoon of chocolate cookie dough and flatten into a circle with your hands. Scoop a small amount of peanut butter filling mixture and place in the center of the chocolate dough. Wrap the chocolate dough around the peanut butter filling, pinching ends together to seal. Roll the cookie to smooth into a ball then roll it in the bowl of granulated sugar and place on the cookie sheet.

Use the bottom of a glass to slightly flatten the cookies. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes being careful not to over bake.  Move to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe source: Liv Life found at Pennies on a Platter

Rusty Bucket, however, has fabulous chili.  Although there’s other stuff on their menu I’d love to try, I have a chance to eat it so infrequently that I always have to get a cup of chili and their double-nickel salad when I’m there.  Unfortunately, there’s not one where we’re currently living in Ohio, nor was there one in Knoxville, so extensive internet searching led me to this recipe.  Although we’ve tweaked it some, it’s getting closer and I’ll post an updates of “permanent” changes we make.  If you have any suggestions, let me know!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can or jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2 handfuls fresh baby spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a small baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.

Transfer the mixture to baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Recipe found at Your Homebased Mom

Sheikh-el-Mahshi

Meat and Onion Stuffing

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pine nuts (or blanched, slivered almonds)
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• Salt and pepper
• Cinnamon, to taste

In a small saute pan, fry pine nuts in 1 Tbsp. of butter.

In a non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Saute onions over medium-high heat.  Add meat and saute until brown.  Add pine nuts, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and mix well.  Set mixture aside.

Sheikh-el-Mahshi

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 – 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
• 1 – 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Allspice, to taste
• 1 recipe sauteed meat and onion stuffing (recipe above)

Recipe from my Mommy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and pull out a 13 x 9 baking dish.

Remove stem and hulls from eggplant.  Partially peel eggplant (from top to bottom) so that you have alternating purple and white strips.  Cut eggplant horizontally into 1/2″ discs.

Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet.  Meanwhile, line a plate with paper towels.  When hot, saute eggplant on each side until they are golden brown.  Place the eggplant on the paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.  When finished sauteing all the eggplant, place each slice of eggplant side by side in the 13 x 9 dish.  Top each eggplant slice with approximately 2-3 Tbsp. of the meat and onion stuffing mixture.

On top of the meat, on each slice, place 1 whole canned tomato.  Pour the remaining tomato juice over the eggplant evenly, and then cover with the tomato sauce.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and add allspice to taste.

Bake for 20 minutes and serve on top of Lebanese rice.

Pan-Roasted Lemon Potatoes

• 12 ounces small red potatoes (about 4), halved, rinsed, and drained
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• Pepper

1. Bring the potatoes, broth, lemon juice, smashed garlic clove, and 1/4 tsp. salt to a simmer in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Uncover, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Remove and discard the smashed garlic clove and add the oil to the pan.  Arrange all the potatoes cut side down and continue to cook until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

3. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and gently toss with the lemon zest, minced garlic, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Recipe from Cooking for Two 2010- Cook’s Illustrated

Spaghetti with Red Pepper-Toasted Almond Pesto

• 1 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry with paper towels
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot for the pasta.  In a food processor, combine red peppers, Parmesan, almonds, basil, garlic, and lemon juice and process until smooth.  With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until its all incorporated in the pesto.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. Add spaghetti and 1 Tbsp. salt to boiling water and cook until al dente according to the package directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.  Add pesto to the pasta and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Recipe from The Best Simple Recipes – Cook’s Illustrated