When I first pitched the idea of doing a food column to Transcript Editor-in-Chief Michael Foster, I did it with some trepidation -- I am by no means a gourmet cook or even an adventurous cook.
Unless you count a year of a weekly 4-H cooking club that was sponsored by Berkshire Gas -- and held at its Main Street branch -- I've never had any cooking instruction. (To be honest, one of my food presentations was a fruit salad that was a banana standing in a pineapple ring and topped with a maraschino cherry. It was supposed to look like a candle, but ended up looking more phallic. Not that I realized that at the ripe old age of 10.)
I learned by watching my mom and in subsequent years, chefs and cooks on various cooking shows. I learned through trial and error. I begged, borrowed and stole recipes from friends and relatives.
And I love to eat and feed my family and friends good, hearty foods.
So, it's to my surprise that readers actually seem to like my column. I love hearing their feedback and comments, whether it be on Facebook or at the supermarket.
This week I'm going to make good on a few promises I've made along the way. The first is for the reader who said my Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipe sounded good, but asked if I had a good one for the usual chocolate ones. I do and it comes from my Mom. Both her copy of the recipe and mine are tattered and stained -- a testimony to how many times they've been made.
Whoopie
2 cups flour
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons Crisco
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk
Mix the dry ingredients. Add the Crisco, egg, vanilla and milk and beat for 2 minutes with a hand mixer.
Drop by large equal-sized spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool on racks.
Filling
3/4 cup Crisco
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
Mix well until light and fluffy.
***
And for the reader who asked if I had any more "impossible pie" recipes, I offer one I tried this summer for crab cakes. (I also have many, many more!)
Impossible Mini Crab Cakes
Crab mixture:
2 cans (6 oz) crabmeat, drained, flaked
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
Baking mixture:
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
Crab cake aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
In small bowl, mix crabmeat and 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning; set aside. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onion and bell peppers in oil 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add crabmeat mixture, stirring until mixture is heated through. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.
In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup crab mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto crab mixture in each muffin cup.
Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer.
While crab cake pies are cooling, in medium bowl, mix aioli ingredients. Serve each mini pie topped with generous tablespoonful of aioli.
***
Upon hearing of my issue with pie crust, Flo Greenlaw sent me a recipe for one she claims I'll be able to pull off. She admitted to being challenged also and was given this recipe by a friend when they worked at Sprague Electric Co. many years ago. I haven't tried it yet, but will in the near future!
Pie Dough
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound lard (or 1 cup Crisco)
1/2 cup milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar added
Let dough get cold in refrigerator ( about a half-hour or more) before rolling out.
Margaret Button is the city editor of the North Adams Transcript. Send recipes for inclusion in future columns to the North Adams Transcript, 85 Main St., Suite 2, North Adams, Mass. 01247 or email them to mbutton@thetranscript.com.
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