Fire and Ice Marinated Vegetables

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed

1 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. sweet basil

Vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and sweet peppers

Combine all ingredients except vegetables in saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to boil and continue boiling for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and cool. Place sliced vegetables in large bowl and pour cooled marinade over them. Refrigerate and serve cold.

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, separated

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

In medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well to incorporate. Add vinegar and mix well.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until  holds peak and is stiff. Gently fold egg whites into butter mixture. Pour into 9-inch unbaked pie shell. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

West Virginia Wild Blackberry Pie

Double pastry crust for 9-inch pie

4 cups prepared wild blackberries (or any fresh blackberries)

3 Tbsp. minute tapioca

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. butter, melted

1 egg, slightly beaten for pastry wash

1 (additional) Tbsp. sugar for dusting

In large bowl, combine berries, tapioca, sugar, salt and melted butter. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Pour into prepared pie shell. Cover with pastry dough; crimp and seal edges. Cut several slits in top pastry. Brush with egg wash and dust with 1 Tbsp. sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until crust in golden brown.

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

Peaches and Cream Pie

Heavenly combination of sweet creamy filling topped with farm fresh peaches. Now this is summertime!

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

6 large fresh peaches, peeled, sliced

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (if desired)

1/4 tsp. cinnamon (if desired)

Sprinkle the bottom of pie shell with 1 Tbsp. sugar. Peel and slice peaches and arrange on unbaked shell.

In medium mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients and beat well. Pour over peaches. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking an additional 45 minutes or until custard is set.

Remove pie to baking rack and cool completely before serving.

Blueberry Girl's Pie

Pastry for double crust pie

4 cups fresh blueberries

5 Tbsp. flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 Tbsp. sugar (for dusting)

Combine all ingredients, except butter, and pile into a 9 or 10-inch pie shell. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Brush crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbling

 and golden brown.

Blackberry Cobbler

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 1/2 cups blackberries

1 Tbsp. tapioca (granulated)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Dash nutmeg (1/8 tsp.)

1 Tbsp. butter

Place fresh blackberries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with tapioca and let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Add sugar, salt and spice. Mix well.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in Crisco. Add milk and egg and stir until dough comes together. Don’t over-stir.

Divide the dough mixture in half. Place half on bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish by scooping out well rounded tablespoons of dough and flattening it to cover bottom.

Add blackberry mixture on top of cobbler dough. Dot with butter.

Use remaining dough to top cobbler by scooping out well rounded tablespoons and flatten with hands. Place on top of blackberries. Dust dough with additional sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Serve warm or cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

1 box yellow cake mix

1 can cream of coconut

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip

Prepare cake in a 9×13-inch cake pan as directed on package instructions. Remove from  oven and while hot, poke holes in top of cake with fork. (Poke a lot of holes.)

In mixing bowl or standing mixer, beat together cream of coconut and condensed milk until thoroughly combined. Pour over warm cake and allow mixture to soak into cake, about 5 minutes.

After cake fully absorbs mixture, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until cake in completely cooled. Top with Cool Whip and serve cold.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

6 cups chopped peaches

2 ½ cups sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

½ tsp. salt

3 eggs, beaten

1 qt. milk

½ pt. whipping cream

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Place peaches in bowl and sprinkle with 1 cup sugar. In saucepan, combine remaining sugar, flour and salt and blend in beaten eggs. Add milk and cook over low heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Add cream, vanilla and peaches and pour into ice cream container and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

 Makes 1 gallon

Blackberry Jam

Pure heaven when spread on fresh homemade biscuits. Nothing quite like homemade jam.

5 cups fresh blackberries, crushed

7 cups sugar

1 pouch fruit pectin

Wash jam or jelly jars, bands and lids in hot soapy water and rinse well. Dry bands and set aside. Keep jars and lids heated in saucepan of simmering water until needed.

Fill boiling-water canner half-full of hot water and keep water at a simmer with lid on.

Wash berries and place in large bowl. Using a potato masher, crush berries. Do not puree fruit in food processor.

Carefully measure prepared fruit and place into a 6-8 quart sauce-pot. Stir in pectin and bring mixture to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

Add sugar and return to a full, rolling boil for 1 minute; continue stirring. Remove from heat and skim foam from top, if necessary.

Remove jars from simmering water and ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized  jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace at top of jar. Wipe the rim and threads of each jar with a clean, damp cloth. Center heated lids on jars and screw band down evenly until resistance is met.

As each jar is filled and capped, place in canner. Add more water to canner if necessary to cover each jar by 1-2 inches. Place lid on canner and bring water to a gentle, steady boil. Process jam 10 minutes.

After processing, remove jars and set them upright on a towel to cool 12-24 hours. Do not retighten bands. Once jars are cool, test each jar for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down. (If it does, immediately refrigerate jam.)

Store in cool, dark, dry place for up to one year.

1 (18.25 oz.) packaged devil’s food cake mix

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

25 large marshmallows

1 (14 oz.) package flaked coconut

1/2 cup butter

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Prepare cake mix as directed for one 9×13-inch cake and cool.

In 2-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 of the evaporated milk and 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar. Bring mixture to rapid boil. Remove from heat and add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in coconut. Pour mixture over top of baked cake.

In separate saucepan, combine remaining sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and add butter and chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Mix in toasted almonds. Pour mixture over top of coconut topped cake. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Best prepared 1 day in advance of serving.