Halloween Party Mix

Happy Halloween Everyone!

                                                        (Faye and i with our friend Sheila)

I would like to start by saying that this is my FAVORITE holiday.  My family has had an annual Halloween party since I was in college.  So it has always been a holiday of old fashion fun and good food. Being friends for so many years,  Faye and I have been able to enjoy a lot of great Halloweens with fun costumes and great recipes through the year’s.  We both love the colors, the flavors and the smells!   So when it came to this week’s recipe I wanted to go to something that I go to every year.  The funny part is that every year I lose the recipe.  So it is you’re lucky year because I just happened to find it last weekend as I was filtering through some old recipes.   So now at least with the blog it is documented for good for all future times anyone of us wants to use this great recipe.  This is a great snack to make for a party or a treat for your co-workers for any holiday.  (Which is what both Faye and I are doing! )  ENJOY!

Halloween Party Mix

Recipe by Nestle (but has been revised)

Ingredients

9 cups Chex corn cereal squares

4 cups popped popcorn ( I used Orville Redenbacher Micro Wave Natural with Light salt)

1 ½ cups dry-roasted peanuts

1 cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter

½ cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ¾ cups (holiday M&M’s, plain)

1 package (7.5 oz) milk chocolate covered or white chocolate pretzels (I used Nestles Flipz , they are located in the candy section at the store)

Directions

Preheat oven at 250 degree F.

1.       Grease a Large roasting pan , set aside

2.       Mix cereal, popped popcorn and peanuts in large bowl.  Pour it into the greased pan.

3.       Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium heavy duty sauce pan.   Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and then add the vanilla and baking soda.  Stir, it will look like a creamy caramel sauce..  Pour evenly over cereal mixture.  Stir careful to not break down the cereal so that that cereal, popped corn and peanuts have the caramel on them. (Note: But if you’re not able to get it on all the cereal do not worry , as you start cooking it, it is easier to stir)

4.       Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  (Set your timer, it helps!)

5.        Remove from heat, and then start stirring it around in the pan for about 5 minutes so it starts to cool.  (Trust me, you will thank me.  It will keep it from sticking to the pan and not clump together had a few trial and error runs )

6.        Once completely cool, stir in M&M’s and Pretzels.  Then either put in a large bowl or individual containers.  If storing, put in a airtight container

Spooky Chocolate Spice Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Icing

Halloween is still one of my favorite times of year. I love the decorations, costumes, pumpkin carving and of course the sweets. When my boys were younger, it was so much fun to dress them up in their costumes and take them trick-or-treating. As much as I wanted to dress them up in cute homemade costumes, they always wanted to be something scary and store bought. (They didn't have much faith in my costume making skills).

One of my best memories was when my youngest son, Nick, was two years old and still not quite old enough to understand what trick-or-treating was all about. We decided to take him for a quick trip around the block while his brothers went out with a group of friends. One of our neighbors was out taking her own kids trick-or-treating and had left a large bucket of candy on her porch with a note instructing kids to "take just one piece of candy" (yeah right!). Being too young to read, Nick saw the bucket full of candy, walked right up to it and promptly dumped all of his own candy into the bucket. With that, our night of trick-or-treating was done. While my secret plot to eat all of Nick's Snickers and M&M's was foiled, I got something even sweeter - the memory of a little boy selflessly giving away his Halloween candy.

Now that the boys are older, their tastes are more grown up. They actually prefer the flavor of dark chocolate over milk chocolate, but they still like their treats on the scary side. These cupcakes are made with dark cocoa with a hint of spice. The bittersweet chocolate ganache frosting is simple and not too sweet. They're so good it's scary.

Spooky Chocolate Spice Cupcakes
Adapted from The Craving Chronicals
Makes 12

Cupcake Ingredients:
1/2c fresh brewed coffee
1 stick unsalted butter
heaping 1/3 c unsweetened dark cocoa
1 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/3 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips


Frosting Ingredients:
3.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 T confectioner's sugar
2 T unsalted butter cut into pieces

Optional:
2 oz white chocolate chips (to make the spider webs)
1 c chocolate cookie crumbs or brownie crumbs (to simulate dirt)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and line 12 c muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Set aside.

Place the butter and coffee in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat sour cream and egg until well combined. Gradually add coffee/cocoa mixture, beating constantly until combined. Add flour mixture and beat slowly at low speed until just combined. Fold in mini-chocolate chips.

Divide batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners. They will be a little more than 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 for approx 15-18 minutes or until done (toothpick inserted in center should come out clean). Cool cupcakes in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To make icing:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Remove from heat.

With a rubber spatula stir confectioner's sugar into the warm chocolate. Add butter a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted and incorporated.

Dip each cupcake top into the ganache. Spreading as needed.

To decorate:

Spiderwebs - in a small bowl melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave (microwave in 30 second intervals stirring well after each interval until melted). Scoop the melted chocolate into a small sandwich bag and cut a small hole in one corner of the bag to form a piping bag. Starting at the center of each cupcake and working your way outwards, pipe a spiral on top of each cupcake. Using a toothpick, start at the center and drag the toothpick through the spiral and icing several times to make a spiderweb.

After...........................................................Before

Graveyard - make crumbs with the chocolate cookies or brownies. Top the cupcake with the crumbs and insert a paper tombstone that has been taped to a toothpick on top.

Note: If you don't have dark cocoa powder, you can use regular cocoa powder, you just won't have that dark chocolate taste. The flavor of the spices is very mild, but if you want to omit them, you can.

Pumpkin and Pear bars with Cream Cheese frosting

Hello Everyone,

Well I’m back from my latest adventure, my father's home town of La Laja , Mexico.  A small town  3 hours outside of Puerto Vallarta Mexico.  The food was amazing. Wonderful homemade cheeses, delicious corn tamales and fresh fish and beef from their farms.   I was inspired on this recipe based on a breakfast we had our first morning there. We had the most wonderful pumpkin with brown sugar for breakfast with fresh milk poured over it .  Their pumpkins are not like our orange pumpkins that we make pumpkin pie with, but are green in color with white stripes, medium sized , and shaped like an American pumpkin.  They cut the pumpkin into large pieces, add brown sugar and put it on the stovetop with a small amount of water and steam it slowly for a few hours till the brown sugar melts to a rich caramel  and is absorbed into the pumpkin… yummy. I wish I would have taken a picture of it to share with you.  The funny part is Faye and I had just spoken about making something with pumpkin right before I left on the trip.   So I have taken that yummy pumpkin and made a pumpkin and pear bar with a cream cheese frosting. (Pears are in season right now, so buy them. They are perfectly ripe and tasty!)   The bar is an experiment but it came out really good. Enjoy!

Pumpkin and pear bars with Cream cheese frosting
1 box plain yellow cake mix

½ chopped pecans

4 eggs
1/2 c. brown sugar

½  c. white sugar
1 can (30 oz) pumpkin
1 c.  butter
2/3 c. 2% milk
1/2 tbl. Cinnamon

½ pumpkin pie spice

1 Bartlett pear, pealed and cropped into small cubes
1/2 c. brown sugar

Method:
1. Set aside 1 cup of the cake mix.
2. Melt ½ cup  of butter and mix with remaining cake mix and 1 beaten egg and ½ cup pecans.
3. Spread in bottom of 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish.

4. Mix together ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, the milk, cinnamon, pumpkin spice remaining 3 eggs(beaten), and pumpkin.  Add and stir in the cropped pear.
5. Pour over cake mix layer.

6. Combine the reserved cup of cake mix, ½  cup brown sugar and ½ cup the softened butter.
7. Put the last later over pumpkin layer.  It more like a paste, so take small pieces off and place over the pumpkin 

8. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.
9. Cool and then chill for one hour

Cream cheese frosting

½ butter soften

1 -8oz cream cheese soften

4 cups powder sugar

1 tea. pumpkin pie spice

1 tea. Vanilla extract

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Gradually add powder sugar and pumpkin pie spice.   Stir in the Vanilla.

Decorate bars chilled bars with cream cheese frosting to taste

Flour Bakery's Famous Banana Bread Recipe and a Bonus!

So I recently came home to a 40 lb box of bananas sitting on my kitchen table. If you don't know what 40 lbs of bananas looks like....

               (Either my husband had visions of Banana Bread loaves dancing in his head or we were adopting a monkey!)


Being the practical person that I am (most of the time), I made the Banana Bread. I already have my go-to Banana Bread recipe that I have been making for years. In my opinion, it is the best Banana Bread I have ever tasted. But I recently came across the recipe for Joanne Chung's famous Banana Bread from her bakery Flour in Boston. If you are not familiar with Joanne Chung, she is a baking goddess and one of my true inspirations. I have great admiration for her. Joanne graduated from Harvard with a degree in Economics then discovered her passion for baking. She opened a Bakery (Flour Bakery and Cafe) in Boston which garnered rave reviews from top pastry chefs and is the author of "Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Flour Bakery and Cafe". She even beat Bobby Flay in a Sticky Bun throwdown! Needless to say, a trip to Flour Bakery in Boston is on my bucket list.


As much as I admire Joanne, I was a little hesitant to try her recipe. Deep down inside, I was afraid to be disappointed. Would her famous banana bread measure up to or surpass the recipe I have been using for years? Since I had a few bananas to spare (haha), I decided to give the recipe a try.


The verdict? It was delicious. Did it measure up? Yes! Did it surpass my go-to recipe? I wouldn't say it did, but it is just as delicious and I will definitely be making it again. Even if you already have your own recipe that you swear by, I encourage you to give this one a try and let us know how it measures up to yours.


Flour Bakery's Famous Banana Bread
from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Flour Bakery and Cafe


Ingredients:
1 2/3c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 c + 2T sugar
2 eggs
1/2 oil
3 1/2 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 T sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (don't skip the toasting process, it makes a difference)


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and line the botton with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray.


In a medium bowl. whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.


In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy (approx 10 minutes). I used a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment so I didn't have to stand in front of the mixer for 10 minutes.

Gradually drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Mix to combine.


Fold in the dry ingredients and the nuts just until combined. Do not overmix.

Pour into lined loaf pan and bake 45 minutes to an hour or until done.


Cool in pan for 15-20 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.


Store in an air tight container for up to 2 days (if it lasts that long!)


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As a bonus, I made these delicious Banana Chocolate Chip and Espresso Muffins. Every once in a while, you come across a recipe that just blows you away and you want to share it with the world. This recipe, from one of my favorite Cookbooks, is it. If you like the combination of banana and chocolate, you will absolutely love these muffins. They are so moist and delicious, you won't be able to eat just one....


Banana Chocolate Chip and Espresso Muffins
from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients:


1 1/2c all purpose flour
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c whole milk (I used lowfat)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I recommend using the mini size chips)


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 12 c muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.


In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, vanilla and egg until well combined.


In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and espresso.


Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. You may still see small pockets or streaks of flour. This is ok, do not overmix or your muffins will be tough. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until distributed throughout the batter.


Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan making sure to divide evenly. The cups will be almost full.


Bake on the center rack of your oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean but with a few moist crumbs.


Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes, then remove them from the pan.


These muffins keep well and stay moist and delicious when stored in an air tight container for up to 2 days.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

It was my boss's birthday and I needed a savory breakfast dish to bring for a potluck since I knew most of the group would be bringing pastries. Faye and I have been making a savory muffin recipe using refrigeratged biscuit dough for a few years now, but I needed to make something quick and less time consuming. Well, sometimes experiments end up being the best thing ever! I took the same basic ingredients in the savory muffin recipe and made a Strata instead. Based on the comments I received from co-workers, this recipe is definitely a keeper. So the next time you need a quick breakfast casserole dish, give this one a try. It's fast, easy and full of flavor!

Savory Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
4-5 refrigerated biscuits (I used flakey)
2 T vegetable oil
1 c diced ham
3/4 c diced red bell pepper
3 green onions, chopped
1 c fresh spinach, chopped
6 large eggs
1 c milk
1 tsp oregano
salt & pepper to taste
1 c shredded cheese (mexican-style blend)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Spray 9x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray

Cut each biscuit into four pieces and line the baking dish with the biscuit pieces. There will be spaces in between but the biscuits will expand during the baking process. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the ham, onions and red bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute briefly, approx 1-2 minutes just to wilt the spinach. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Spoon the ham mixture evenly over the biscuit lined baking dish. Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake approx 20 minutes uncovered. At this point, the biscuits should be golden brown. Cover with foil  (this will prevent the biscuits from becoming too brown) and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove and serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Grown Up S'mores Tartlets

These tarts will make you feel like a kid again. Graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallow, all of the classic ingredients of the s'mores you enjoyed as a child, but with grown up flavor and a more elegant presentation. Don't let the recipe intimidate you. It may seem like there are a lot of steps, but each step is actually pretty fast and you can even make these the day before you want to serve them, then prepare the marshmallow topping just before serving. I hope you'll take a trip down memory lane and re-live some of your favorite childhood moments with this grown up s'mores tart.




Grown Up S'mores Tartlets
(adapted from Cuisine at Home)

Serves 8

Crust Ingredients:
1/2 c chopped hazelnuts, ground in a blender, food processor or coffee grinder
3 c graham cracker crumbs
2 T sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Pastry Cream Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 T hazelnut syrup or liqueur (or substitute 1 T vanilla extract)
1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 c milk
1/2 c sugar
2 oz each milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate, chopped (use good quality chocolate)
2 T unsalted butter, softened

Marshmallow Meringue Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1 jar marshallow creme (7 oz)

8 tart pans with removable sides/bottoms

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, ground hazelnuts and sugar. Drizzle melted butter over the mixture and stir with a fork until combined. Mixture should be moist but not too wet. It should hold together when squeezed together in the palm of your hand. If it's too dry, add more melted butter. If too wet, add more graham cracker crumbs.

Divide the crumb mixture evenly between the 8 tart pans. Press evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Press down firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Next prepare the pastry cream:

In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs, hazelnut syrup (or vanilla extract), cornstarch and salt. Set aside. You might need to re-whisk the mixture just before adding it to the pastry cream.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and sugar. Stir to combine. Heat until steam rises. Using a whisk, gradually add both types of chocolate and whisk until melted and completely combined with the milk.

Whisk half of the milk & chocolate mixture into the egg/cornstarch mixture, then add it back to the saucepan. Continue to cook until it begins to thicken, whisking often. Boil 1 minute more, whisking just enough to ensure the mixture doesn't scorch.

Stir in 2 T of softened butter and whisk until smooth.

Divide evenly between the cooled pastry shells.

Allow to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

The tarts can be made up to 1 day ahead up to this point. Prepare the meringue just before serving.

When ready to serve, prepare the Meringue:

In a clean, dry bowl using an electrix hand mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks form (approx 2 minutes). Gradually beat in the marshmallow cream beating until stiff peaks form (approx 4-5 minutes).

Remove the tarts from the refrigerator and remove them from the tart pans (leave the bottom ring on to help stabilize). Place back on the baking sheet.

Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with the tip of your choice and pipe onto the tops of the tarts. Alternatively, you can dollop the meringue on top of the tarts using a spoon and create spikes using the back of the spoon.

Place tarts under the broiler until the meringue is golden brown. Be sure to watch carefully, once the meringue begins to brown the process goes pretty quickly.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!!

** Note: If you don't need all 8 tarts, make half of the crust and meringue and the full amount of the chocolate pastry cream. Refrigerate the leftover pastry cream and use within 2 days (top with whipped cream, use in a trifle or parfait).

You can also use this recipe to make one large tart instead of the individual tartlets using a 9" or 10" tart pan with removable bottom.

Six-Layer Coconut Cake with Mango Filling

Hello Everyone! I was inspired by my recent trip to Thailand on this recipe.  One of the best things I ate was this mango sticky rice which was made with sweet coconut milk and mango (at Supatra River House in Bangkok). All I can say is delicious!! So since Earl's birthday was this weekend, I decided to search the web for a recipe that incorporated all the flavors into one cake.Bingo! I found something (love modern technology).   This cake is a little time consuming, but it is definitely worth the effort.   The flavor is delicious! Enjoy the rich coconut cake with a creamy mango filling topped with light whipped cream.   The cake does come out a bit dense so it probably helped that I used a 9 inch pan instead of the 8 inch pan it called for since the layers came out much thinner. But Earl and my father, had no complaints about the final product.  They loved it because they could have it with a big glass of milk.  I actually spoke to Faye about the cake and we have added it to our list of “Perfecting the Recipe”, keep you all posted in the future. But for now, enjoy it!  You will definitely be pleased.

Six-Layer Coconut Cake with Mango Filling (an adaption from Kaitlyn in the Kitchen)

CAKE

• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used  regular salt)
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ( I used 3 )
• 6 egg whites

FILLING

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup mango nectar
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

TOPPING

• 2 cups large, unsweetened dried coconut flakes (Used sweetened shredded coconut)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar ( I used  31/2 tablespoons, I like frosting sweeter)

Directions

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Lightly oil and flour three 9-inch round cake
3. In a Kitchaid or Mixing bowl, Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt at low speed
4. Add the butter cut into small pieces, coconut milk, water and vanilla  to the flour mixture.  Mix at high setting for about 3 minutes
5. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Once egg whites are done, Fold half of them into the batter (lightly, to not breakdown the fluffiness of the egg white), then fold in the remaining whites until well incorporated. Divide the batter among the cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cakes should be cooked from the middle, check with tooth pick or fork, should come out clean. Cakes will appear a golden brown on top.Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then carefully removing them from their pans and let cook on a rack. ( I used spatula to help me remove them from their pans without breaking the cakes)..  Let them cook about 1 ½ hours. 

Filling

7. While cake is cooking, In a saucepan, whisk the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the mango fruit nectar, egg yolks and vanilla and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is well blended. (Mixture will look like lemon pudding). Scrape the filling into a glass bowl or ceramic bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Building Cake

8. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally to create 6 layers. Set one layer on a cake plate. Spread with 6 tablespoons of the filling. Repeat with the remaining 5 cake layers and filling, ending with a layer of cake. Refrigerate until firm, 30 hour.

Frosting and Coconut topping

9. Spread the coconut on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stirring once, until lightly toasted (you  really need to watch  this, once it starts toasting it cooks up really , really fast and can burn.  I toss one whole batch out. See picture to how it should look). Let cool for about 15 minutes.. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream with the sugar until medium-firm peaks form.

9. Frost the top and side of the cake with the whipped cream and coat with the coconut. Refrigerate for  30 minutes before serving.

Goodbye Summer Skillet Peach Pie

Goodbye Summer Skillet Peach Pie

Summer is over and it's time to say goodbye to all of the delicious berries and stone fruit that Summer offers, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, plums and peaches. Stopping at the grocery store on my way home from work tonight to grab some last minute ingredients to make dinner, I noticed peaches were on sale, and as luck would have it, they were ripe! So on impulse, I decided to make a skillet peach pie but to jazz it up with something extra special...there is a bed of caramel hiding underneath the bottom crust! Yes, you heard (or should I say read) right....caramel. How can you resist?

Ingredients:
6 T unsalted butter
3/4 c light brown sugar
1 package of premade pie crust
4-5 lbs of fresh, ripe peaches peeled and sliced in 1/2" thick slices
1/2 brown sugar, packed
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 T flour
1 egg white
2 T granulated sugar
1 T cinnamon

Bring the crusts to room temperature by setting out for 15-20 minutes

Combine the 2 T of granulated sugar and 1 T cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Put the peaches in a large bowl, toss with the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.
In a 9" cast iron skillet, melt the 6 T of butter over medium heat. Add the 3/4 c brown sugar and cook stirring constantly for approx 2-3 minutes until sugar is dissolved into the butter and bubbly.

Remove from heat. Be very careful, this mixture is extremely hot!

On a floured cutting board, roll out one of the pie crusts so that it fits into the skillet with a little overhang.

Carefully transfer it to the skillet over the brown sugar/butter mixture. Layer the peach mixture over the pie crust in the skillet.

Roll out the second pie crust and place it on top of the peaches. Fold the edges of the top crust under the edges of the bottom crust, creating a seal. Flute the edges if you like, but that is totally unnecessary since we are making a rustic style dessert.

Beat the egg white until frothy. Brush on top of the pie crust, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust.

Place the skillet on a large baking sheet to catch the drippings. Bake for 1 hour until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. If your crust browns to quickly, tent it with foil to prevent burning or overbrowning.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes to an hour so the juices can thicken.

Top with ice cream if desired (I strongly recommend it!). Enjoy!!

                                      Ahh...what a way to say goodbye to Summer, don't you think?