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It's holiday baking time. And we'll get you off to a good start by sharing two fabulously delicious desserts.
We believe every family has a special dessert that family members can't wait to dig into after a holiday meal. Carol Musulin's specialty is Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle. "My mom, who lives in Aliquippa, makes this dessert for every picnic, special occasion and holiday," said Marisa Musulin of Ross. "And I've made it for dinner parties when I needed something quick. I dress it up in a trifle bowl and top it off with peanut butter cups." We made this easy dessert and it didn't last long!
It's beginning to look a lot like ... time to bake for the holidays.
This year, Kitchen Mailbox invites you readers to submit your best recipes for holiday sweets that aren't cookies, be they cakes or pies or candy.
We'll test and pick the best and award $100 and bragging rights to our first-place winner, then share some of the other winner recipes in a story in early December.
Send your recipe, its source and your daytime contact information to: Holiday Baking Contest, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222, or e-mail food@post-gazette.com. Deadline is Dec. 1.
-- Arlene Burnett
If you have a question about pie baking, whom should you call? The Crisco Pie Hotline at 1-877-FOR PIE TIPS. The hotline features pie baking and storage tips and the option to talk to a pie-making pro. The Apple Cranberry Raspberry Pie is from Crisco.com.
Look for more holiday recipes in future Kitchen Mailbox columns.
Nancy Nixon, Eustis, Fla: "I was a young person in Pittsburgh in the '50s and was taken frequently to the Hollywood Social Club by a schoolmate whose family was a member.
I will never forget the spaghetti sauce they served. You would make a now-old person's life very happy if you could find the recipe.
Nothing has ever come close to that sauce, and I say that even after having lived in Europe and traveled extensively through so many cuisines!
Millie Lynch, Aspinwall: "Years ago, when the Gazebo restaurant was still in business on Walnut Street in Shadyside, I could not walk by the restaurant without stopping in for a sour cream chocolate chip cookie. If my memory serves me correctly, there was a small bakery in the front of the restaurant. I have tried innumerable times to recreate the cookies without success. The cookies were medium-sized and in an oblong shape. Is there somebody out there who might have this recipe?"
PG tested
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups milk
- 5.1-ounce package vanilla instant pudding
- 16-ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 5.1-ounce package chocolate instant pudding
- 8.75-ounce package Archway Chocolate Pecan Cookies, crumbled
- Chopped pecans
Mix peanut butter with milk. Add vanilla pudding mix; mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping.
In another bowl prepare chocolate pudding following directions on the box. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping.
Place half of the crumbled cookies on the bottom of a large deep glass bowl. Add a layer of peanut butter/vanilla pudding, then a layer of chocolate pudding then a layer of whipped topping. Repeat. Top with chopped pecans.
Note: Pecans can be used between the layers as well.
Serves about 12.
-- Marisa Musulin, Ross
PG tested
- Double crust (I used Crisco's pie crust recipe)
- 3 cups cored, peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples (about 3 medium)
- 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
- 10-ounce package frozen dry pack raspberries, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Sugar
Prepare recipe for double crust pie. Roll out dough for bottom crust. Place in a 9-inch pie plate. Press to fit without stretching dough. Trim even with pie plate. Set aside.
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine apples, cranberries and raspberries in large bowl. Mix sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and almond extract in small bowl. Add to fruit mixture, toss well. Spoon filling into unbaked crust.
Roll out dough for top crust. Place onto filled pie. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge. Fold top crust under bottom crust edge to seal. Crimp and flute edges. Cut slits in top crust or prick with fork to allow steam to escape.
Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush on surface of pie. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover edge with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake an additional 25 to 35 minutes or until filling in center is bubbly. Serve warm.
-- Crisco.com
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