Of Whoopie Pies and PA Dutch Tradition---Move Along Maine!

This past week, Maine tried to steal from Pennsylvania one of the most iconic of foods, the Amish Whoopie Pie. Whoopie Pies are as PA Dutch as...as.....well, as Pot Pie! While popular in Maine for sure, there is no debate whatsoever that this is one item that belongs to PA. Maine wanted to select a state dessert, why in the world wouldn't they pick something as iconic to Maine as blueberries?
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While there are several recipes, the filling portion of a whoopie is especially critical. The Amish actually make their own marshmallow, but quicker versions can use the commercial marshmallow cream. If you don't use the marshmallow cream and lots of 10X sugar, that filling just isn't going to be right.

While traditonally chocolate cake is used for the cookie parts, around here we make them pumpkin, red velvet, oatmeal, and chocolate with peanut butter marshmallow filling. All kinds of possible variations as long as the core basic stays the same.

Amish Whoopie Pie Recipe


1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup milk

Whoopie Pie Filling (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar, and egg. In another bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the shortening mixture, alternating with the milk mixture; beating until smooth.

Drop batter by the 1/4 cup (to make 18 cakes) onto prepared baking sheets. With the back of a spoon spread batter into 4-inch circles, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cake.

Bake 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Whoopie Pie Filling. When the cakes are completely cool, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of filling. Top with another cake, pressing down gently to distribute the filling evenly. Repeat with all cookies to make 9 pies. Let finished whoopie pies completely cool before wrapping.

Wrap whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap, or place them in a single layer on a platter (do not stack them, as they tend to stick).

To freeze, wrap each whoopie pie in plastic wrap. Loosely pack them in a plastic freezer container and cover. To serve, defrost the wrapped whoopie pies in the refrigerator.

Makes 9 large whoopie pies.



Whoopie Pie Filling:

For this recipe, you are basically making a homemade Marshmallow Fluff/Creme.

3 egg whites, room temperature

2 cups light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sifted powdered (confectioner's) sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

In large bowl of an electric mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and salt. Using your electric mixer on high speed, mix for approximately 5 minutes or until the mixture is thick and volume has almost doubled.

On low speed, add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add vanilla extract just until well blended.

Your homemade marshmallow fluff/cream is now ready to use on your Whoopie Pies or other recipes. Use immediately, or refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes a large quantity.

Home Cookin' Favorites of the Polish Variety

This cold weather often has us craving a little bit heartier fare, keeping up energy out in the cold. Many of these dishes are also economical as working families here didn't have much money being farmers and miners etc. These dishes often made the most of small amounts of meat, cheap cuts of meat, and some used no meat at all.

I'll share pot pie (not a pie but a stew, the actual pie version is called meat pie here), pigeons, and haluski. Pierogis will be for another day as I can do a whole column just on them.

Pigeons (Blind Pigeons or Halupkies)

Meat Mixture:

2 lb ground beef
1/2 cooked rice
2 medium onions
3 tbs chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, beaten
3 tbs worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp pepper
dash of salt

Baste:

1 large head of cooked cabbage (best and easiest to use a stock pot and boil the head whole, save the broth)
3 slices of smoked or peppercorn bacon
3 tbs worcestershire sauce
2 cans tomatoes
2 small cans tomato paste
1 onion
2 tbsp parlsey
a little sugar (on top)

Place the bacon in the bottom of a roasting pan. Wrap the mixed meat mixture in the cooked cabbage leaves and place the wraps in the bottom of the pan. Pour reserved cabbage water, tomatoes, and tomato paste (mixed) over top to cover. Slice onion and place along with worcestershire sauce, parlsey and a little sugar over the top. Cover with lid and bake 1 hr 45min at 35.  There are many different versions, I'll share some sites with variations of these. Each family has their "way".

Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles)

This is another popular and cheap dish to make.

Dough:

2 C flour
pinch of salt
1 egg well beaten
milk

Cabbage:

1 lg chopped onion
2 tsp oil
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
2 tbs butter
garlic powder
pepper

Cabbage: saute onion in oil and add chopped cabbage. Steam until tender.

Dough: Add enough milk to make dough stiff when mixed. Roll out thin (1/8 inch) on floured board and cut into 2 in strips. Drop dough into boiling water and cook approx. 3 minutes. Drain, rinse and let dry a few minutes. Add dough to steamed cabbage to simmer about 30 minutes. I add the butter, garlic powder and pepper at this point while steaming before serving.

Pot Pie

Pot pie can be made with chicken, beef or ham. But around here, ham and chicken are the favorites. We often save the ham bone from a ham dinner or chicken bones left from a whole chicken dinner to use for the broth if using leftovers along with 3-4 cups of shredded leftover chicken or cubed leftover ham. You can make broth up in a pinch of you don't have these left overs with chicken or ham base, but it's not as good.

Meat/broth:

3-4 cups meat
2 qts water
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup diced carrots
med onion diced
4 medium potatoes cubed
garlic, salt and pepper to taste (I do not add salt to ham pot pie)
Cook meat/broth about 20-30 minutes, after coming to boil, I reduce heat to simmer.

Dough:

1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg

(for a big pot, I triple this)

Sift flour and baking powder, add egg beaten. Mix until crumbly and add just enough water to form stiff dough that can be rolled out on floured surface and cut into 2 in square patches. Do not over work or dough will be tough. Drop dough into boiling meat/broth and cook for another 15-20 minutes, turn off heat, cover, and let rest about 5 minutes.

We usually eat this on dinner plates or in shallow bowls with fresh bread, red beets, or lettuce with mayo dressing.

I mentioned some links with more recipes like this or variations. here are some good ones.

http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/472.asp

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=131981

And my favorite ( you have to read the Coal Speak dictionary to really appreciate this):
http://www.coalregion.com/home.htm

God, America, and Apple Pie!

I have had numerous folks ask for my apple pie recipe. There is a picture of it at the bottom of my blog. This is so simple, not a ton of ingredients etc. The apples you use can make a difference though. I strongly suggest that if you are baking fruit pies, you learn the best varieties for what you want. Some folks want crunch in their apple pie, some want it very soft etc. What kind of apples you use can determine that. http://www.tooter4kids.com/Apples/types_of_apples.htm   And you can also use this recipe for making a straight pear pie. I have a recipe for a pear custard that is to die for.

This is just the filling, I can give a great pie crust recipe later.

Mom's Apple Rum Pie

6-7 thinly sliced apples
3/4 - 1 C sugar
2 tbs flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
splash of fresh lemon
2 tbs rum
2 tbs butter

In a 1 gallon zip lock baggie, I combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Seal and shake together well, mixing it. Then ass the apples, reseal, and shake till all is coated. Place in pie crust in layers. Sprinkle lemon juice and rum over top, then cut butter into bits and dot the top before placing the top pie crust on.

Bake @ 425 for 40-50 minutes. This is for one pie.

The Best Peanut Butter Icing.....

Today is my 40th birthday. To quote Jack Benny,

"Age is strictly a case of mind over matter.

If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

...-Jack Benny
 
To which I say AMEN!  My favorite cake and icing is actually the hazelnut torte that is a recipe from a great family friend, but I am not allowed to share that with threat of death. So next in line is chocolate cake with peanut butter icing.
 
I have to say I am very critical of most peanut butter icings. Most recipes call for using butter or shortening, which I HATE. It makes the icing less peanut-buttery, and often there is grease or lardy after taste plus it makes it heavy and very stiff. Ick.
 
Mine is CREAMY. Peanut buttery richness. And folks, the brand of peanut butter DOES make a huge difference. So don't substitute.
 
Peanut Butter Icing
 
1 C peanut butter (Skippy is best, Jiff in a pinch, no other substitutes)
4 C 10x (confectioners sugar)
10 tbs milk or more to creaminess desired
2 tsp vanilla
 
Combine all ingredients and mix slowly to start, can increased when mixed. Start with the 20 tbs milk, if you want it a little creamier, just keep adding in small amounts until desired creaminess is reached.
 
Chocolate Cake
 
3 C flour
2 C sugar
6tbs nestle quick
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbs vinegar
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 C oil or applesauce
2 C cold water
 
Combine ingredients and mix for about 2 minutes. Bake in a 9X11 baking dish @ 350 for 40 minutes or done.  There are variations on this that also use chocolate pudding mix too.

Turnips? Oh Yes!

A favorite casserole over fall and winter here is turnip casserole. Before you wrinkle your nose at turnips, they are absolutely delicious and soulful this way! Basically, a scalloped version.

Turnip Casserole
Cube a potato pan full of turnips, cook until tender and drain.
You will also need 1-2 C mild or medium cheddar cheese, sliced or shredded, italian bread crumbs, and a few tbs of butter aside.

White Sauce
1/4 C butter
1/4 C flour
2 1/2 C Milk
1 tsp salt

Melt butter on low heat, stir in flour makeing a rue and add milk slowly, stirring.

In a casserole dish, layer turnips, cover with mixture and shake to be covered. Add pats of butter and grated cheese or cheese slices on top and then sprinkle with italian bread crumbs. Bake @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Red Velvet

Well, since Valentine's Day is around the corner, Red Velvet cake with cooked icing should be a thought! This is my other half's favorite cake, and is made for many of the family birthdays as well. This is his mom's recipe and it rocks.

RED VELVET CAKE
1 stick butter
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 red food color
2 tbs. cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 C buttermilk
2 C cake flower
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbs vinegar

Cream butter, add sugar and eggs. Beat thoroughly. Make paste of the cocoa and food coloring. Add to creamed mixture. Mix together salt, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add to creamed mixture alternately with four. Mix thoroughly low speed 3 minutes. Mix soda and vinegar and fold into batter. Do NOT beat after folding in soda/vinegar mixture. Bake @ 350 degrees 30 minutes for 9X13 pan.

COOKED ICING
1 C Milk
5 tbs flour
1/2 C butter
1/2 C butter crisco
1 tsp vanilla
1 C sugar

Shake flour and milk together until no lumps. Simmer on low heat and stir until thick, about 8 minutes.  Let cool. In large mixer cream butter and crisco. Add vanilla and sugar. Add COOL flour mixture. Beat high speed until it loses grainy texture, like whipped cream, aproximately 10 minutes. Keep refridgerated.

New Year, New Goals!

          First, I need to apologize. I sure meant to post long before now, especially with holiday/winter recipes. But I guess it still isn't too late. I was so swamped with work November and December and then got sick for Christmas besides that I just didn't have the time nor energy until this point. My goal is to update at least monthly, and eventually, weekly.
          Some New Year traditions include eating surf and turf New Year's Eve, and then having pork and saurkraut with mashed potatoes, dumplings and corn on New Year's Day. The custom to eat pork on the first day of the year is because pigs root and dig ahead, and so eating pork on this day brings good luck of moving ahead in the coming year. Oviously, this will leave my kosher friends out but we have meals for them as well for celebrating the JewishNew Year which is already past
       So, I am going to start sorting and sharing some recipes here, and try to make up for some lost time. It's cold and icy out, so a good time to look through recipes!