Gooseberries/Advantages of Muffin Tin Cooking
Gooseberry pie is a tradition in my family. We have gooseberry pie at all major holidays: Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and other dates in between. Gooseberries are rather sour, so you either love them or hate them. Here is the Wikipedia link to gooseberries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry My grandma has a couple of gooseberry bushes in her backyard that my grandfather planted before I was born. These plants came from cuttings he took from wild gooseberries out in the country near where his family farmed. Last summer while we were out pond fishing I picked gooseberries from some of these same wild bushes.
Last year I decided to make smaller gooseberry pies using pot pie size pans (about 5 inches). By making mini-pies, I could give one to my grandma, my friend, and keep on for myself. I did some research on mini-pies to find out how long they would need to bake. In the process, I came across recipes that used muffin tins to make pies followed by other sweet and savory foods, like pizza bites and sausage casserole. This was the first time that I was introduced to using muffin tins to cook all types of foods. Doing some internet searches you can find information about mini-pies, including several books that have been published. I plan on reviewing some of these books on this blog. The next mini-recipe I tried was several batches of muffin-tin size pumpkin pies.
Advantages to making food in muffin tins:
1. Perfect when cooking for one/two people.
2. Portion size is built into the meal.
3. Easy to pack leftovers and/or freeze.
4. Mini-muffin size is great for toddlers/kids.
5. Fun for parties/showers.
6. Makes it easy to divide and share with others or take on the go.
7. Cooks faster (important for weeknights, breakfast, or quick meals)
8. Easy to clean up
Gooseberry Pie Recipe (1 9-inch pie or 2 5-inch mini-pies)
3-4 cups of gooseberries-fresh or frozen (do not use canned gooseberries)
3 Tablespoons of Tapioca
2-3 cups sugar (depending on taste)
2 Tablespoons butter
pie crust (need top and bottom)
a little milk and sugar to brush/sprinkle on top crust of pie
Make pie crust of your choice (or use pre-made)
Crush half of the gooseberries (I use a plastic bag and a rolling pin), add sugar, tapioca. Cook on stove top until thickened then add the rest of the berries and heat through. Pour onto pie crust, dot with butter and add top crust. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Vent the pie crust in a design of your choice. Be sure to put pie on a cook sheet covered with foil (gooseberry can boil over--very messy to clean up--also recommend cleaning pot and dishes quickly before it dries).
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes then 350 degrees for 30 minutes (for mini pies cut the baking time in half). Always check on your pies while cooking.
Gooseberry pie is a tradition in my family. We have gooseberry pie at all major holidays: Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and other dates in between. Gooseberries are rather sour, so you either love them or hate them. Here is the Wikipedia link to gooseberries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry My grandma has a couple of gooseberry bushes in her backyard that my grandfather planted before I was born. These plants came from cuttings he took from wild gooseberries out in the country near where his family farmed. Last summer while we were out pond fishing I picked gooseberries from some of these same wild bushes.
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| Mini Gooseberry Pie (pot-pie size) |
Advantages to making food in muffin tins:
1. Perfect when cooking for one/two people.
2. Portion size is built into the meal.
3. Easy to pack leftovers and/or freeze.
4. Mini-muffin size is great for toddlers/kids.
5. Fun for parties/showers.
6. Makes it easy to divide and share with others or take on the go.
7. Cooks faster (important for weeknights, breakfast, or quick meals)
8. Easy to clean up
Gooseberry Pie Recipe (1 9-inch pie or 2 5-inch mini-pies)
3-4 cups of gooseberries-fresh or frozen (do not use canned gooseberries)
3 Tablespoons of Tapioca
2-3 cups sugar (depending on taste)
2 Tablespoons butter
pie crust (need top and bottom)
a little milk and sugar to brush/sprinkle on top crust of pie
Make pie crust of your choice (or use pre-made)
Crush half of the gooseberries (I use a plastic bag and a rolling pin), add sugar, tapioca. Cook on stove top until thickened then add the rest of the berries and heat through. Pour onto pie crust, dot with butter and add top crust. Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Vent the pie crust in a design of your choice. Be sure to put pie on a cook sheet covered with foil (gooseberry can boil over--very messy to clean up--also recommend cleaning pot and dishes quickly before it dries).
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes then 350 degrees for 30 minutes (for mini pies cut the baking time in half). Always check on your pies while cooking.
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