Faye's Favorite Cranberry Dish

My mom has swooned for this dish for more than a decade. We first tried this recipe in 1998, after it appeared in the Coalfield Progress' annual gift and recipe guide. Many thanks to Barbara Younce of Haysi, Va., for sharing this gem. It is sweet and tart (very tart!) with a delicious, crumbly oat topping. We made this one for Thanksgiving and I may try it again for Christmas. My husband is a huge cranberry fan!

Cranberry-Apple Casserole

3 cups peeled, chopped apples
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar

Combine fruits, flour and sugar and place in a greased, 2-quart casserole dish.

Topping
3 packs instant oatmeal, cinnamon spice flavor (or 1/2 cup oatmeal, plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Combine all topping ingredients until crumbly and combined. Spoon over fruit. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Grandma Grace's Strawberry Pie

Four gallons of strawberries is quite a haul, but that is what I was grateful to receive from my in-laws during our Memorial Day trip to Wise, Va. I washed, hulled and froze most of them, so I can use them in the future. But I had to make one of my favorite dishes from childhood, an easy strawberry pie recipe from my maternal grandmother, Grace Fakler.

On a scale of 1 to 10, my youngest gave this an enthusiastic 10.

Grandma Grace's Strawberry Pie

1 quart of strawberries, washed, capped and sliced
1 cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons cornstarch
One baked pie shell

I used a prepared pie shell, removed it from the freezer and baked it. Be sure to prick the unbaked shell so it will not rise.

Cool the shell and add half the strawberries to the crust.

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until strawberries have cooked slightly and sauce is thick. This will take about 10-12 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and cool nearly to room temperature, stirring regularly.

Pour the strawberry glaze over the fresh strawberries in the shell. Serve the pie with whipped cream or topping; refrigerate leftovers.

I always struggle getting the first slice cut cleanly, but refrigerating the pie helps. This recipe has delicious, fresh strawberry flavor and is so easy. Try it!

Four gallons of sweet yumminess

My family spent Memorial Day in Wise, Va., with my husband's parents. They are up to their necks, almost literally, with strawberries. Like my parents, my in-laws are prolific gardeners and are eager to share with others. They sent us home with four gallons of the most delicious, juicy berries!

So far I have washed, capped and frozen two gallons of berries and made a strawberry pie. Time is working against me since strawberries are fairly fragile. I aim to get the rest of the berries frozen tonight, with maybe a few of the hardiest ones left in the fridge for snacking.

I used my grandmother's recipe for strawberry pie and got rave reviews from my youngest son. (On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best you ever had, what would you rate this pie? A 10, definitely, he said.)

Recipe and photos to come soon; got get the rest of the berries tackled first. Happy summer, friends!

Spectacular strawberries

The strawberries are coming in like gangbusters from patches all over the South. If you live in a place where you can pick your own, you must make a trip to the farm. Growing up in Norfolk, Va., I have fond memories of strawberry picking at various farms in Princess Anne County (many of those farms no longer exist, as the city of Virginia Beach has expanded and developed). Going to the Pungo Strawberry Festival is a special joy and a reason to celebrate agriculture, small towns and this delectable berry.

The truth about strawberries in my household: My husband cannot eat them. My children dearly love them in all variations: pies, jam, fruit salad or rinsed and popped in their mouths. My mother-in-law has been known to eat an entire jar of my strawberry-banana jam, given a quiet afternoon and a spoon.

When I learned to can in 1999, I started out using powdered pectin to thicken my jams and jellies. Pectin is naturally occurring in fruit, especially apples. If cooked slow and long, fruits will thicken on their own, but the added pectin gives jams and jellies a hand. I later switched to liquid pectin, which comes in foil pouches. I love the softer set jams and jellies get from the liquid pectin.

There are countless variations for strawberry jam, but I have always used the Sure-Jell recipe that comes with the pectin pouch. Here are the basics:

What You Need
5 cups prepared fruit (about 2 quarts fully ripe strawberries)
1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional)
7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

Make It
BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

STEM and crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot.

STIR pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Complete recipe information and photos are here.

Banana pudding

Banana pudding is a favorite with my children, and something I remember fondly from my own childhood. My aunt, Terry White, always made a huge bowl of the stuff for my brother and me when we came to visit the farm where my dad was raised in Sampson County, N.C. It was always special because it was a treat we never got at home. I thought it must have been quite exotic or difficult – until my aunt let me help her whip up a batch. I assume now that my parents weren’t fans, since it is one of the easiest desserts to make and an ideal recipe for making with children.

My children love the stuff, so I have been making banana pudding more recently. I have made it with cooked pudding, but prefer the easier preparation of instant pudding. I also love that you can make this with skim milk. My children get something sweet, without a ton of sugar or fat.

Banana pudding

4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups milk (I use skim or 1 percent)
20-25 vanilla wafers
2-3 bananas

In a medium bowl, mix the pudding mix and milk until fully blended. I use a whisk to eliminate lumps. After about 3 minutes of stirring, the pudding will thicken. In a medium bowl, place a layer of 8-10 vanilla wafers, then a layer of sliced bananas. Add half the pudding. Add another layer of 8-10 vanilla wafers and another layer of sliced bananas. Add the remaining pudding, then top with 4 or 5 wafers. Chill completely. This version makes about 4 servings. You can easily double it for a crowd. Don't top it with sliced bananas, unless you are going to eat it promptly -- they will brown.