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Lattice Pie Crust is simple to make and turns any pie into a masterpiece!

Pie is an easy classic dessert for good reason.  It’s simple to make and uses ingredients most of us already have in the kitchen.  A perfect pie filled with fruit is a dessert perfect for any occasion and it’s incredibly simple to make a beautiful lattice crust!

How To Make A Lattice Pie Crust

This is the only guide on how to make a lattice pie crust you will need. When you think of the perfect pie, you probably picture a fancy lattice crust. It is seriously easy to pull off, and takes your baking to a whole other level!

A lattice crust is created by weaving long strips of pie crust over top of the pie to create a weaved “mesh”. No only does it look gorgeous, it allows the steam to escape and allows all of the beautiful fruits inside to peek through.

It is super important to remember that pie crust is delicate, like any pastry dough. Aim to minimize the time you spend touching the pie crust. If the butter or shortening in the crust melts while you are preparing it, your crust will not be as light and flaky as you might have hoped!

Prepare your pie crust according to your recipe directions (this works with store bought crust too) and line a 9″ pie plate with a bottom crust and fill with your favorite fillings.  Make sure the filling is completely cool before beginning.

For the Lattice Crust

• Roll the dough out to 1/4″ thickness and approximately a 12″ circle on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut the pie crust into long strips about 1/2″ to 3/4″ wide. You can use a knife, a pizza cutter, pasta wheel or a pretty lattice cutter to cut them.
• To begin the lattice pie crust, use every other strip of crust and lay them evenly in one direction across your pie (image #1 above). Use the longer pieces in the centre, and the shorter ones towards the end.
• To begin the lattice pattern, gently fold back every second piece halfway and add one strip of pie crust across the center (image #2 above)
• Repeat this step alternating the pieces you fold back and adding more strips of dough.
• Once the whole pie is covered, trim any extra long pieces and crimp and seal the edges.
• Roll out any extra little dough pieces and cut out shapes to add pretty decoration to the pie, adhere with egg wash.

If you notice the dough becoming sticky, not to worry! Just dust your hands with flour before continuing. Once the lattice pie crust is on the pie, whisk an egg with a splash of water to create an egg wash, and spread it over the lattice pie crust. This helps the crust get a beautiful glossy golden brown color!

Pie Recipes You’ll Love

• Apple Pie Recipe
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
• Blueberry Pie
• The Best Apple Crumb Pie
• Praline Pumpkin Pie

There you have it, a pie crust that will impress your friends and family, and doesn’t take too much extra work!

The post How to Make a Lattice Crust appeared first on Spend With Pennies.

In the latest development in Oregon’s burgeoning wine industry, the Great Oregon Wine Company has purchased Duck Pond Cellars, a family-owned winery in the Willamette Valley that is known for Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The deal includes Duck Pond’s winery and tasting room in the Dundee Hills subappellation, along with 300 acres of estate vineyards in Oregon. Duck Pond’s staff, including winemaker Trevor Chlanda, will remain at the winery. The terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Doug and Jo Ann Fries founded Duck Pond Cellars after moving their family from California’s Central Valley to Oregon in the early 1980s. Longtime farmers and wine enthusiasts, they purchased land along the Willamette River in Dundee and planted a hazelnut orchard as well as a 13-acre vineyard. In 1993, the family launched Duck Pond Cellars, focusing exclusively on Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The family owns and farms six vineyards in Oregon and makes around 50,000 cases of wine a year.

The Great Oregon Wine Company had been purchasing grapes on and off from the Fries family and decided to acquire Duck Pond because of the quality of its estate vineyards. It was also running out of space at its winery. “Their vineyards are so precise and pristine,” said Ari Walker, CEO of Integrated Beverage Group, Great Oregon Wine Company’s parent company. “[The Fries’] are just in a league of their own.”

The Duck Pond sale includes three estate vineyards in the Willamette and Umpqua valleys. Its facility in the Dundee Hills will help increase the Great Oregon Wine Company’s production capacity to more than 300,000 cases of wine a year, making it a sizable player in Oregon.

The Fries family will no longer be involved in the winery following the transition. “With their extensive experience in Oregon, we’re confident that Great Oregon Wine Company will carry on Duck Pond Cellars’ legacy of quality,” said Greg Fries, president of the Fries family enterprises, in a statement.

The family will continue to make wines at their Desert Wind winery in Washington State. Founded in 2001, the winery works with a range of grapes including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from three estate vineyards in the Wahluke Slope appellation. They also own a tasting room and inn in Prosser, Wash.

Founded in 2015, Denver, Colo.–based Integrated Beverage Group has a portfolio of nearly a dozen different brands in California and Oregon including Replica, Rascal, Chime and Swing Set. That same year, it purchased the former Stone Wolf Vineyards in McMinnville, Ore., and changed the name to the Great Oregon Wine Company.

The company plans to invest in Duck Pond’s winemaking facility and will grow the wholesale distribution and consumer side of the business. It’s also looking for more opportunities in Oregon. “I think that’s the place that we’ll likely continue to place our bets,” said Walker.

Stay on top of important wine stories with Wine Spectator’s free Breaking News Alerts.

Salsa Chicken Casserole is a fun dinner option that everyone raves about! We love Chicken Rice Casserole any which way it’s prepared but this Mexican chicken casserole definitely tops our list!

Spanish rice, corn, black beans, chicken, and salsa are topped with with cheddar cheese then baked until hot and bubbly! Top this easy recipe with sour cream, Homemade Salsa, jalapenos and crispy tortilla strips for the perfect meal!

I am so excited to partner with Zatarian’s Rice to create this easy and delicious salsa chicken casserole!

Rice is my 14 year old’s favorite food, she loves it served plain, as fried rice or even garlic butter rice! When she finds out rice is for dinner, she’s always thrilled so it’s a staple in our house! No matter what cuisine we are in the mood for, rice becomes a part of most of our meals.

This month is national rice month, and to celebrate we are eating our fair share of rice at home.  We quite often serve rice as a side dish, but when I need a complete meal, I go straight to a loaded chicken casserole like this one! 

This easy casserole doesn’t require many dishes, can be prepared ahead of time and is comforting and delicious!  I often make make salsa chicken because it has so much flavor so I knew it would be perfect to incorporate those same flavors into this easy casserole!

How To Make Chicken Casserole

This chicken casserole recipe couldn’t be easier since it starts with Zatarian’s Spanish Rice Mix. It’s already loaded with flavor and seasonings makes this casserole a total breeze! 

Combining Zatarian’s Spanish Rice Mix with a bit of onion, beans and some of our favorite veggies makes the perfect base for this dish.

To keep this recipe extra fast, I use rotisserie chicken but any cooked chicken will do. I often make a batch of poached chicken to use in casseroles as it’s easy and always comes out tender!

In a casserole dish simply layer your veggies, chicken, salsa and cheese and bake until golden and bubbly.  So easy and so good!

To serve, top this Salsa Chicken Casserole with your favorite toppings like sour cream, fresh jalapenos, cilantro, tomatoes or green onions, and dig in!

This chicken casserole is easy to make and I know your family is going to love it as much as ours does! Serve this with a fresh Cucumber Avocado Salad, some crusty bread (or 30 Minute Dinner Rolls) or even tortillas for scooping!

Can you Freeze a Chicken Casserole?

If you happen to have leftovers, this recipe reheats very well.

You can also make this ahead of time because this easy chicken casserole recipe freezes perfectly either before or after it has been baked. To bake from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

More Rice Dishes You’ll Love

• Mexican Rice Casserole – Great for leftovers!
• Baked Chinese Chicken and Rice
• Crockpot Chicken and Rice – Reader favorite!
• Chicken Wild Rice Soup (no cream)
• Broccoli Rice Casserole from Scratch – Great side dish!

I have partnered with Zatarain’s Rice to bring you this belly warming recipe. Working with great brands I love allows me to keep bringing you the great recipes you love!

The post Salsa Chicken Casserole appeared first on Spend With Pennies.

The most amazing grilled sausage platter for your next potluck or BBQ! This is easy to prepare and so impressive!

Hosting potlucks and BBQs at home can be super stressful.

I get super type-A about it, making sure every little detail is just perfect. Then the stress just takes over, and I either reschedule or cancel.

It’s not cute.

But this beautiful sausage platter is the answer to all of my problems.

First off, Ben does all the grilling and I do all the cleaning. It’s a win-win. The kitchen inside the house stays perfectly clean while Ben does all the hard work. Thanks, dear!

Plus, we have every variety of sausage here with perfectly grilled baby potatoes and smoky, charred mini bell peppers. It’s basically a platter of dreams coming true.

And it really needs to make an appearance at your next get-together.

Grilled Sausages, Peppers and Potatoes

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

The most amazing grilled sausage platter for your next potluck or BBQ! This is easy to prepare and so impressive!

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound baby potatoes (1 to 1 1/2-inches in diameter)
• 4 andouille sausage
• 4 chicken & apple sausage
• 4 bratwurst sausage
• 2 linguica sausage
• 1 kielbasa sausage
• 1 pound mini bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender and parboiled, about 3-5 minutes; drain well.
3. Brush potatoes, sausages, and bell peppers with olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Add to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until completely cooked through, 4-5 minutes for the potatoes, 8-12 minutes for the sausages, and 7-10 minutes for the bell peppers.
5. Serve immediately.

Did you Make This Recipe?

Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious.

The post Grilled Sausages, Peppers and Potatoes appeared first on Damn Delicious.

Everyone’s favorite chicken noodle soup, but made even healthier with zucchini noodles and the most tender chicken meatballs!

It’s September. Which means I can say: Happy almost-Fall!

The season where the leaves start to change colors, and when we have every excuse in the book to order a pumpkin spice latte.

Except. Well. We went to a Dodger game yesterday. And left at the third inning. Because it was so stinking hot.

We then came home, turned on the AC, and had soup.

But not just any kind of soup.

We took a traditional chicken noodle soup, swapped out the noodles for zucchini, and then added my favorite chicken meatballs.

It. is. everything.

It’s warm, it’s cozy, it’s hearty, and there’s so much meatball goodness!

I also developed this bad habit of taking just a tiny bit of zoodles but then loading up on all the meatballs! ​

Chicken Meatball Zoodle Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Everyone’s favorite chicken noodle soup, but made even healthier with zucchini noodles and the most tender chicken meatballs!

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound (3 medium-sized) zucchini, spiralized
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the chicken meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/3 cup Panko
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Panko, Parmesan, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder and red pepper flakes, if using; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-to-1-inch meatballs, forming about 25-30 meatballs.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme and rosemary until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Whisk in chicken broth, bay leaf and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in meatballs; reduce heat and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in zucchini noodles during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking time.
5. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Did you Make This Recipe?

Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious.

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From the most amazing white mushroom pizza to the creamiest IP mushroom risotto, these recipes are THE BEST EVER!

1. Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Mushrooms – Simply roast your mushrooms in the most heavenly garlic butter sauce on ONE SINGLE PAN. [GET THE RECIPE.]

2. White Mushroom Pizza – Loaded with two types of cheeses and garlic herb sautéed mushrooms. Yes, please. [GET THE RECIPE.]

3. One Pot Zucchini Mushroom Pasta – An incredibly creamy, hearty pasta dish that you can make in just 20 minutes. Even the pasta gets cooked right in the pot. [GET THE RECIPE.]

4. Garlic Mushroom Quinoa – An easy, healthy side dish that you’ll want to make with every single meal. [GET THE RECIPE.]

5. Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce – Crisp-tender chicken baked to perfection, smothered in the most creamy mushroom sauce easily made from scratch. [GET THE RECIPE.]

6. Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup – Perfectly cozy, hearty, and comforting for any season of the year. Loaded with wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, leeks, and kale. [GET THE RECIPE.]

7. Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto – I promise, this is the EASIEST risotto you will ever make right in your pressure cooker without any stirring or any kind of fuss. [GET THE RECIPE.]

8. Creamy Mushroom Spinach Orzo – This creamy, hearty orzo dish makes for the best vegetarian side dish ever. You can also add chicken and turn this into a main dish. [GET THE RECIPE.]

9. Easy Creamy Mushrooms – So good, you’ll want to skip the main dish and make this a meal instead. [GET THE RECIPE.]

10. Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup – Such a fun twist to the traditional chicken noodle soup. And it’s so much creamier. Yes and yes. [GET THE RECIPE.]

The post 10 Best Mushroom Recipes for Mushroom Lovers appeared first on Damn Delicious.

Yes, you can make yogurt at home! It’s cheaper and 100x creamier! You’ll never want to buy store-bought yogurt again!

What? Yogurt in an Instant Pot?! Um, yes, 10000 times yes!

The process sounds like it’ll take for-ever, but really, this recipe is so stinking easy with like 4 minutes of hands-on time (legit, 4-5 minutes) – it’s basically effortless. And fool-proof.

Now why bother making homemade yogurt? Well, for starters, it’s 100000x better than store-bought. Seriously. It’s creamier and substantially less tangy. With zero-sweetener.

Plus, you know once you go homemade, you can NEVER go back to the store-bought version. NEVER EVER EVER.

And for that, I’m truly sorry.

Well, not really.

How to Make Yogurt in an Instant Pot

Yield: 8 cups

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 9 hours

Total Time: 9 hours 30 minutes

Yes, you can make yogurt at home! It’s cheaper and 100x creamier! You’ll never want to buy store-bought yogurt again!

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 cups whole milk*
• 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt

Directions:

1. Add milk to a 6-qt Instant Pot®; close and lock the lid. Select yogurt setting; adjust pressure to boil. This can take up to 1 hour.
2. Working carefully, cool the Instant Pot® insert in a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until the milk reaches 100 to 110 degrees F, about 15- 20 minutes; set aside 1 cup milk.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and reserved 1 cup milk. Stir into remaining milk, being careful not to scrape the bottom of the insert.
4. Return insert into the Instant Pot®. Select yogurt setting, set automatically at 8 hours.
5.  Transfer to storage containers; cover and chill until cold, about 6-8 hours, or up to 10 days.

Notes:

*2% milk can be substituted.

Did you Make This Recipe?

Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious.

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