"Bee Mine" Crumb Topped Cherry Pie and Chicken Noodle Soup (TLC)

 The buzz is...

it's almost Valentine's Day!!

Well, actually it's next Friday--and there is still plenty 

of time to get your plans in order.  If you need a great pie

 to share with your sweetheart...this may do the trick.

If you're battling the cold and flu season like our family...

scroll down to find the most comforting chicken noodle soup.

  I call it TLC...because it's full of Turmeric, Thyme, Lemon and Chicken...

Oh, and a whole lot of garlic too... 

My kids LOVED it... and so did I.

You can have the soup ready in about an hour... especially if your

chicken is already cooked... 

I love using leftovers --or if I'm really

 on the ball, I'll make extra

chicken for just such a soup-making occasion.

Of course, you can always use rotisserie chicken...it

works beautifully in this recipe too.

I so hope you enjoy these recipes...

Be sure to share our Blue Ribbon Kitchen Facebook Page

 with your friends...

Never miss a recipe... craft or holiday celebration!!

Xo.

Karri

Crumb-Topped Cherry Pie

Karri Perry, Blue Ribbon Kitchen

Baking temp: 375

Time: 60 minutes

Yields: 9-inch pie

Pie Dough

2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp Crisco shortening -either butter flavor or original is fine

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter

¼cup- plus 2 Tablespoons ice cold water and vodka mixed 50/50

Crumb Topping

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

6 Tablespoons softened butter

¾ cup all purpose flour

½ cup sliced almonds

Pinch of salt

1/8 tsp almond extract

Mix well, using a fork and a small bowl.  (Crumb topping when combined should resembles coarse sand, with pea-sized butter bits)

Filling

5 cups mixed cherries

 (I buy Seasonal Costco Brand Frozen Michigan Tart/Sweet/Sour Mix or Kroger Frozen Mixed Cherries) OR use about 1 ½ cup each of sour, tart and sweet cherries- canned/drained

1/8  teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup arrowroot (Bob’s Red Mill is the brand I use)

Pinch of cinnamon (I use 1/8 teaspoon)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract—and not a drop more---be careful measuring

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Step 1: Mix together flour, sugar and salt, set aside.  Make pie dough by cutting in (using a pastry blender or food processor) butter, and shortening  into the flour, sugar and salt.  Add liquid a little at a time…Once dough comes together, shape into 2 equal disks and let rest, covered tightly, at least one hour in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Roll out 1 dough round to ¼ inch thick, fill pie plate.  Set aside in refrigerator.

Step 3: Mix together the sugar, arrowroot, almond extract and cinnamon and set aside.  In a medium sauce pan add the cherries salt. Cook over medium low heat while stirring cherries, once cherries begin to release juices, add the sugar/arrowroot/lemon juice mixture to the pan.  Stir for 3-5 minutes more as the cherries begin to thaw.  Once mixture begins to thicken, turn off the heat, add the zest and let the mixture cool.  (It is ok if the cherries are not fully thawed- they will thaw during the bake)

Step 4: Make the crumb topping.

Step 5: Fill pie shell with the cooled cherry mixture.  

Top the cherry mixture with the crumb topping.

Add dough cut-outs in decorative shapes to the top of the pie if desired, OR apply a full top crust, being sure to vent the pie by making  4-5 slits in the pie dough.

Step 6: Bake in preheated 375-degree oven, on the lowest rack for 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbling in the center and the crust is golden.  Allow to cool before serving.

Consider using some of my favorite products:

Chicago Metallic Pie Drip Catcher for catching pie juices 

Pie Crust Cutters: Williams-Sonoma, Craft Stores, Baking Stores

Alphabet Letter Cut Outs:  Amazon, Wal-Mart 

For the: Bee Mine Pie:

Using small letter cut outs, cut the letters needed to create your message from the extra pie dough.  Place on a plate and keep cool or frozen until ready to use for the pie.

For Bees: Use two 1/4 inch balls of pie dough for the bee body and two small hearts for the wings.

TLC Chicken Noodle Soup

(Turmeric, Thyme, Lemon and Chicken)

Recipe by: Karri Perry, BlueRibbonKitchen.blogspot.com

Ingredients

2 Cups cooked chicken - shredded

2- 32 ounce containers chicken broth or stock

     1 Cup celery chopped (about 2-3 medium stalks)

1 Cup carrot chopped (about 2-3 medium peeled carrots)

½ Cup yellow onion chopped (about 1 medium onion)

5 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon marjoram

½ teaspoon dried ground mustard

12-16 ounces noodles, cooked according to package instructions (I used thick-cut Amish egg noodles)

Directions

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil.  To the oil, add the chopped onion, celery and carrots, cooking until slightly softened.  Add the spices, salt and pepper and stir well.  Add the minced garlic.  Cook for 1 minute more as garlic becomes fragrant. 

2.   Add the chicken broth to the pan and loosen any bits of spice on the bottom or sides of the pot.  Add the lemon zest.  Add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice (reserving the rest of the lemon juice for just before serving) and the cooked chicken.

3.  Bring the soup to a boil for three minutes and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes. Skim off any foam that might appear and discard.

4.   Cook noodles according to package instructions.  (Great choices: thick spaghetti, pearled couscous, egg noodles, or cooked rice)

 5.   Drain the noodles and add to the soup just before serving.

 6.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving add the last Tablespoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

Can be served with sprigs of fresh thyme.