Just Desserts

I've been tagged! Michelle has kindly chosen me to participate in a blogger buddy recipe exchange. Here are the rules:

With the busy holiday season fast approaching, I thought this would be a good time for a recipe exchange. If you’d like to participate please make a new post in your blog with your favorite holiday dish. A story to go along with why that particular dish is so special to you would be great too! Then, leave a comment for me with a link to your recipe post.

Next, pick at least 5 blogger buddies to include in the recipe exchange. Leave this comment for them: "I’ve chosen you to join in a blogger buddy recipe exchange! Check out my blog to find out more about it!"

As new recipe comments come in, your blog readers will be able to enjoy others' recipes as well.

Michelle and I have several very important things in common: we are Michiganders and thus know what a "doorwall" is; we know better than to ask anyone "So, when are you going to have kids?"; we contribute in ways other than culinary to the household; and we appreciate a good dessert. For my contribution, I struggled between two recipes and just decided to go with both -- call it creative license.

The first is an apple pie recipe. Normally I am not a big fan of apple pie. Being a texture person when it comes to food, I don't think apples should be part soft, part crunchy as they often are in a pie. Second, I dislike the typical dry pie crust that covers the apples. This recipe from my maternal Grandma has neither problem. If you cut them correctly, the apples are deliciously smooth, and the crumb topping is out of this world. It is comfort food to the highest degree. Before she passed, my Grandma would lovingly bake this pie for every special family occasion. As her grandkids grew up and began consuming more of it, she would make two to ensure that there were leftovers (which would be lucky to see 24 hours once we got home). Sadly, we have to make our own pie these days, but we always think of Grandma and how she took care of us. With the holidays coming up, you can have this with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!

Grandma's "Crumby" Apple Pie

Ingredients:
3 lbs cut-up McIntosh apples (I slice them *really* thin)
1 9-inch unbaked pastry crust
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine

Directions:
Pare and cut up apples. Arrange in pie shell. Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples. Mix other 1/2 cup sugar with flour, cut in butter till crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.


My second recipe comes from my mother-in-law. She is a consummate cook, feeding a family of six every night for years and years. (I remember DH trying some of the banana bread I baked shortly after we got married and remarking, "I didn't know we had bananas in the house!" Yeah, we didn't. We had Pillsbury, water, and a mixing bowl. Did I tell that story before? I think so.) Anyway, among the treats she made were these amazing cookies. Nothing flat or boring here, you can really sink your teeth into these! They got their name because back in high school I once remarked that it took 10 minutes to eat just one because they are so densely packed with yummy. These days I can down one in closer to 10 seconds, which probably speaks to why I am 20 pounds heavier. But I still think you'll be surprised at how loaded -- and delicious -- these cookies are. Perfect to bring to a holiday party!

10 Minute Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks of margarine (melted)
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3 cups old fashion oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix sugars and margarine thoroughly. Let mixture cool a bit, then add remaining ingredients. Form into 1.5-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks and store in tightly closed tin or tupperware.


I am tagging Mary, Holly, Deb, Lisa, and Kathy. Can't wait to see what you ladies have to share!