MUFFINS & SLICES

HOLIDAY SPECIALS

APPLE PIE SLICE

IMPOSSIBLE TACO PIE

(Serves 4)

1 lb. lean Ground Beef
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can Green Chilies, drained and chopped
1 1/4 cup Milk
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Bisquick Baking Mix
1 fresh Tomato, chopped
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

Pre-heat oven to 400-F degrees and lightly grease a pie tin with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef and onion until well cooked, and drain off any excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and spread the mixture out on the pie tin. Sprinkle the top of the beef with the chopped green chilies.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the milk, eggs, and baking mix with a whisk until well blended. Pour the mixture over the top of the meat and chilies. Sprinkle tomato and cheese over the top and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through. Let stand 5 minutes to set before slicing and serving.

Tip: If you prefer to make your own Bisquick from scratch, simply combine 4 cups All-purpose Flour, 3/4 cups Non-fat Dry Milk, 1/8 cup Baking Powder, 1/2 Tbs. Salt, and 1 cup Shortening in a very large bowl. Cut in shortening until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Store in a tightly sealed container in a cool place. Makes about 5 cups.

COCONUT, OATMEAL & PECAN PIE

3 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
8-10 shelled unbroken pecans
1 9" pie shell

FILLING: Beat eggs, melt butter and combine all ingredients except pecans in large bowl. Add chopped pecans.

DIRECTIONS FOR MICRO CONVECTION OVEN: Preheat micro convection oven to 450°. Pour filling into pastry shell. Place the shelled unbroken pecans around edge for decoration. Place pie onto broiling trivet. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Lower temperature to 375° and bake 16 minutes on LOW MIX 375°, or until set.

DIRECTIONS FOR CONVENTIONAL OVEN: Preheat oven to 400°. Fit a piece of aluminum foil into crust. Add pie weights or beans. Bake 8-10 minutes until crust is barely brown. Remove to wire rack to cool slightly. Remove foil and weights. Add filling mixture and place shelled unbroken pecans around edge for decoration. Reduce oven temperature to 325° and bake 45 minutes until set.

HASH BROWN PIES

(9" pie plate=6 servings)

1 120z pkg frozen hashbrown potatoes, thawed(1/2 of a 24 oz pkg.)
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 10oz pkg. frozen spinach, thawed
1 Tbsp. margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded low-fat Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup skim milk
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. Beau Monde seasoning
cherry tomatoes and parsley for garnishing

THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 9" pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Press thawed potatoes between paper towels to absorb moisture. Make a crust of potatoes by pressing them firmly along bottom and sides of pie plate. Use pastry brush to brush with the 1/4 cup melted margarine. Bake 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, using clean hands, squeeze excess moisture from thawed spinach. In small skillet, over medium heat, melt the 1 Tablespoon of margarine. Sautee chopped onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Crumble "dry" spinach into pan and stir in nutmeg. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Spread spinach mixture evenly over the potato crust. Mix shredded cheeses together, then spread cheeses evenly over the spinach. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

THE NEXT MORNING:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In blender or electric mixer, beat the milk, eggs, Beau Monde and pepper together until thoroughly mixed. Pour over the cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes or until puffed and cooked through.
Remove pie from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to firm up. Serve hot with garnish of cherry tomatoes and parsley.

AMARETTO-AMERETTI CHOCOLATE FUDGE PIE

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 3/4 sticks (14 tablspoons) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
30 amaretti (Italian almond macaroons, available at specialty food shops and some supermarkets), crushed
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons Amaretto
whipped cream as an accompaniment

In the top of a double boiler melt 1 ounce of the chocolate with 6 tablespoons of the butter and let the mixture cool. In a 9 x 3 inch springform pan combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar with the amaretti, stir in the chocolate mixture, and combine the mixture well. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and one-third of the way up the side of the pan and chill the crust.
In the top of a double boiler melt together the remaining 3 ounces chocolate and the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and let the mixture cool. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together the eggs and the salt, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, a little at a time, and beat the mixture until it is thick and pale yellow. Beat in the corn syrup, the heavy cream, the vanilla, the amaretto, and the chocolate mixture. Pour the filling into the crust, bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 350 deg. oven for 50 minutes and let it cool on a rack. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, and serve the pie with the whipped cream.

CINNAMON 'n' SPICE APPLE PIE

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Nutmeg
2 to 2 1/2 pounds thinly sliced, peeled tart apples (approx. 7 cups)
2 refrigerated ready-to-bake pie crusts for 9-inch pie

In large bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add apples; toss to coat. Line 9-inch pie pan with one crust; fill with apple mixture. Moisten edge of crust with water; top with second crust. Fold edge of top crust under bottom crust to seal; flute edge, using tines of fork to flatten or by pinching together tightly. Cut six 1-inch slits into top crust. Lightly brush top with water; sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F; bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown, tenting with aluminum foil, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning.

Tips: Tears in pie crust dough can be repaired by moistening edges, then pressing together.
To make decorations, cut apple and leaf shapes from additional pie crust. Moisten bottoms with water; arrange on top of pie before baking.