This is the recipe Tim used to win the 2011 Portland Pie Off.

Winning Pie

Ingredients

• 3 Large Eggs
• 5 1/3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/4 Cup Pecans
• 1 Ready Pie Crust or Your Own Pie Crust

Tim with his pie trophy

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Melt Butter
3. Lightly beat eggs and combine with corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, salt, and butter.
4. Pour pecans into bottom of uncooked pie shell.
5. Pour combined ingredients over pecans. Pecans will float to the top.
6. Cover pie crust edges with foil to keep from burning.
7. Place pie in oven and cook for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.

The pie will be done when the pan is jiggled the center of the pie is firm. Getting the pie to set may take some extra time. Add 5 minutes at a time until done.

I make Mom’s bran muffins weekly with shredded carrots, nuts, cranberries or apples, tons of cinnamon (or a lemon blueberry version in season) etc. Matthew and I use them for breakfast on the go or snacks. I had a chocolate craving this morning so tried a combination of other recipes and came up with this version using Mom’s original recipe changed up a bit. I used mini chocolate chips today.  These were pretty darn yummy for something that has some healthy elements. I thought the chocoholics in the family might be interested.

4 1/2 cups bran flakes

2 cups milk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2/3 cups oil

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. instant coffee grainules

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Pour milk on top of bran flakes to soften. Add eggs, oil, coffee and sugar and mix. Sift or combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add cinnamon. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add chips and nuts if desired. Place in lined muffin cups. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Submitted by Eileen.

I came up with this recipe while trying to find a way to make a healthier version of zucchini bread in the more convenient format of muffins. These also freeze extremely well.

4 1/2 cups bran flakes
2 cups milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 to 2/3 cups oil (less oil needed when using more zucchini)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used only 1 cup)
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded zucchini (with or without peels)
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 tsp. Cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Pour milk on top of bran flakes to soften. Add eggs, oil and sugar and mix. Add zucchini. Sift or combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add cinnamon. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add chips and nuts if desired. Place in lined muffin cups. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

I played around with my Mother’s bran muffin recipe and figured out a way to use our great Michigan blueberries paired with lemon. This one is a new favorite in our house.

4 1/2 cups bran flakes
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cups oil
zest and juice of one lemon for batter
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 cups rinsed and drained blueberries, dredged in about 2 Tbs. flour

Glaze: Combine zest and juice of 1 lemon and enough powdered sugar to make light glaze.

Combine bran flakes and milk and allow flakes to soften about 5 minutes. Add sugar, eggs, oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet mixture. Fold in blueberries. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15- 20 minutes in lined muffin tins. Brush a light layer of the glaze on the muffins while they are still warm. Makes a little over 2 dozen muffins.

Fast, simple and tasty.

3 cups self rising flour*
3 Tbs. Sugar
1 can beer at room temp

Preheat oven 350. Bake 55 minutes. Less time in glass dish.

*Or 3 cups all purpose flour, 4 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt.

This is my version of Challah Bread. Traditional Challah only has a small amount of sugar to feed the yeast. Mine is stepped up a bit and tastes more like Hawaiian Bread. Challah is usually braided with at least 4 ropes of dough. I find a regular three rope braid to be much simpler and still looks quite nice.

Ingredients:
6 oz. milk
1 ½ tsp. rapid rise yeast
3 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil
4 large egg yolks (save the egg whites)
1/4 cup sugar (or more if you want it more sweet)
1 tsp salt
2 ¾ cups bread flour

Heat milk from 90-120 degrees in the microwave (or per yeast directions), add a little of the sugar, stir in the yeast and let sit for about 5 minutes to begin to develop. Combine the oil and egg yolks together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Put the mixer on low and add the yeast mixture. Combine the dry ingredients and then slowly add to the wet ingredients. Knead with a dough hook at medium-low speed for about 7 minutes (or by hand for about 10-12 minutes).

Dump into a large greased bowl and cover with clear plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 1 1/2 hours in a warm place or until the dough has doubled in size. (I use the America Test Kitchen suggestion of placing the dough in an oven that has been warmed to 200 degrees.  The heat is turned off before inserting the dough to rise.)

I then divide the dough into 3 parts, form each part into a rope, and braid into a loaf on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. (If you are pickier than I am, weighing the portions to ensure they are equal results in a nice, neat and even braid.) Place in a warm location (away from drafts) again for about 30 minutes for the second rise. Beat some of the egg white with a little water and brush over the dough. (This creates a rich golden brown surface when baked.) Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes.

This makes one very large loaf so you may want to make two smaller loaves instead. It may also be formed in loaf pans for a more uniform shape.  When it gets a little stale, it is super as toast or french toast.

This will be more of a list of ingredients than a true recipe. The problem is when I make ham salad I am simply using up the end of the ham we had for a holiday or special occasion. Obviously, not all hams are created equal, so you will need to tweak the recipe to get it to taste the same each time you make it . One of this households favorite hams is a “Honey Baked Ham.” This gives you a little sweeter tasting salad. If I am using just a plain old ham I add a little raw sugar to get the sweetness plus the molasses flavor.

I use the food processor to chop up the ham, but a grinder works fine. You might even be able to use a blender, but be careful not to over chop. The ham salad can get a little mushy.

In the old deli days you could buy something the called “ham salad,” but it was all the ends of the meats and cheeses sold at the deli counter. To get that “pink” ham look the butchers used to use strawberry or cherry jello as a food coloring and sweetener. Now you are getting something like that only it’s called sandwich spread.

Ingredients

• 4 cups ground fully cooked ham
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 1 or 2 ribs finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup  finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I usually just spoon this out of the jar mixing as I go until I get the consistency I want.)
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar (optional)

Directions

Combine all the ingredients mixing well. If it is not quite creamy enough add more mayo. Want it a little sweeter add more relish. It’s best if chilled, but I usually can’t get people to wait. Serve on any type cracker or bread. It also tastes good on flour tortilla shells.

This is another one of my combination recipes …took a little of this, took a little of that. Experiment on you own and post what happens.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
• 3/4 cup prepared mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions In a large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, onion, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream, sweet pickle, and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The hard boiled eggs can either be chopped up and incorporated into the dish or sliced and put on top. Chill before serving for best flavor.

1 cup Eggbeaters
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. basil
2 cups shredded cheese such as Colby Jack or Cheddar
Pam spray or other cooking spray
Quiche fillings such as sauteed onions and mushrooms, cooked and squeezed dry spinach, ham, bacon, turkey sausage, red pepper, etc.

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Spray pie dish with Pam. Gently press cheese onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Mix Eggbeaters, cream and basil together and pour into pie plate. (Add salt if not using meat.) Drop other fillings into plate, distributing them as evenly as possible. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before slicing. (This recipe came from my friend and investment genius, Susan Martz.)

Thankfully, Ed had secured instructions for making what we call “Regawar” from our Grandma, Louise Marrinan. As I recall, the regawar were cut about 2.5 to 3 inches long and about 3/4 of an inch across at their fattest point. Here is the recipe as provided by Ed in his words:

I certainly am not the expert, but Rega Wargeln is another way of serving potatoes in Germany. My speculation is our way of serving leftover potatoes, simply became “Regawar.” There never was a recipe to my knowledge, but I obviously made the “noodles” on many occasions with the following instructions from Grandma.

Ingredients:
-Leftover mashed potatoes, or maybe about 4 medium potatoes
-2 tablespoons of flour+
-2 eggs
-1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste
-Butter
-Milk (optional)

Preparation:
Add the flour, eggs, salt and pepper, mix into a stiff dough. Add a little more flour, if necessary, to make the dough manageable. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Place dough on a floured board, and form into a “log.” Cut the log into pieces. Form each piece into a tapered cylinder by rolling between your hands. It should be thicker in the middle.

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Carefully add the noodles in a single layer and sauté on all sides until golden brown. Remove from pan, and serve warm with “pork and sauerkraut.”

Grandma always added a cup of “scalded milk” at the end, before serving. Your father, however, always seem to like “Regawar” with a “crispness” on the outside.

I started to “cheat” on the “scalded milk” as a result, and although Rega Wargeln apparently is fried in “lard,” Grandma always used plenty of butter in the frying and preparation.