Friday, March 5, 2010

A Little Taste From My Past...!


Maybe you've noticed...but I like food!

I don't mean, like it just a little, I like it a LOT! Being one of four children in a working class family, some of my most fond memories are based around food!

I think that's because my parents did everything they could to make sure that we not only had enough to eat...but that what we ate was often a lot of fun! Mom and Dad were both masters at taking ordinary food items and turning them into fun and interesting meals or snacks.

Things like fried pies made from canned biscuits! Back in those days, you could buy canned biscuits for something like 4 cans for a dollar. At that price, if you got creative, you could make a whole bunch of tasty treats for everyone in the family, and could do so without breaking the food budget!

Some of the things that Mom came up with using canned biscuits was fried donuts, dumplings for soups and stews, wraps for small cocktail sausages (little smokies) for pigs in a blanket, and my favorite of all...the famous fried pies with tasty filling!

This is so simple, but I can almost guarantee that any and all kids that like pie or pastry will really be fond of them! My personal favorite was filled with apple butter!

One can of biscuits, opened
Apple butter (or pie filling of choice)
oil for frying

Take and roll the biscuit out to a small circle, or use a cookie cutter ( I used to use a water glass), put a large spoonful of apple butter or pie filling in the center of the dough, fold over and seal with a fork. If you moisten the edge of the dough first, then press down with the tines of the fork, they seal pretty good!

Meantime, heat the oil in a cast iron skillet (or skillet of choice) and when it is good and hot, but not smoking, gently place the sealed biscuits in the pan. If you use peanut oil for frying, there will be no smoking and it also imparts a nice little taste in the background!

After the pie is browned on both sides, remove to a paper towel...or a couple of paper coffee filters and let drain. At this time, you can dust with powdered sugar, but they really don't need it.

Now, for a slight change to this recipe, you could use flour tortillas instead! Works almost as good, and there again tortillas are a cheap food item!

The reason for my posting this recipe is simple...I have had a major craving for fried pies lately! Must be an age thing! These are so simple, so good, and so full of memories for me!

Now, my friends, let's get some coffee and sit outside on the patio for a bit. Want a fried pie with your coffee?

28 comments:

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

Sounds like the perfect thing to go with that morning cuppa, Uncle!

Man, I'm SALIVATING something fierce now! HA!!1

Thanks for the nostalgia-- and the idea, Sir Hermit...;D

Unknown said...

WoW!!!! I use to eat those as well as most of the other foods you named when I was a kid. As they say from where I am from..."Now that is good eattin' "

The orginal form of comfort food. Just add coffee and family and you have the perfect memory :)

HermitJim said...

Hey Cygnus...
It does make the old mouth water, doesn't it? Hard to beat the cooking talents of the poor folks...!

Thanks for the visit today, nephew!


Hey K.D....
Good to see yu! Always a pleasure to have a new friend show up for coffee!

Some times we all need a little of the old style comfort foods, I believe! Certainly can't hurt!

Simple makes the soul smile a bit!

Thanks so much for coming by today!

Caddie said...

I make the best spicy apple butter. I'll swap your a pint for some fried pies.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sissy...
You got a deal, my friend! I'll even through in some home made bread for later!

I sure appreciate you dropping by today!

TEAM HALL said...

Wow, Jim!!! Ummmm, I'll have 2 this morning. I have never heard of such a thing...man I'm deprived.
Hope you had a little rest and you're raring to go again!
Hugs to you on this fine, yet still wintry, day!

MyBulletinBoard said...

Jim, that really is good eatin'. Those cheap biscuits do make the best dumplings, but the fried pies would be great. Now I'm hungry! I think my guys would love 'em. Thanks! ~Liz

Baby Sis (Texas Red) said...

Bubba -
Even though I remember these best as an after-church-on-Sunday-night treat, let's have Mom fry us up some next Saturday night when I come to stay over, ok?
I've been talking about these fried pies for several weeks now to my friends, who just don't seem to get the concept. Guess I'm gonna have to forgo the fancy desserts I usually concoct on the weekends, as show 'em what I'm talking about. Um-um, good!

Thanks for the memory....
Big Hugs..

Momlady said...

Mmmmmmm...fried pie. The vegetable stand close to my house used to sell them. I'll take an apple one, please. Thanks for the coffee!

Anonymous said...

Make a blueberry for me Jim. I'll do the eating. Maybe two. Thanks.

See Ya

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One, YUMMIE I'll bring the fresh ground coffee and you can have a dish ready for me. It is getting nice enough to sit out again. Life is good

Ben in Texas said...

Ex-wife and I , back in the "barely getting by days" would open the biscuit package and arrange them in a muffin pan on edge and then put sugar and Cinnamon and a lot of butter on them and back em. Made a good cheap sweet desert

Ken said...

...they're pretty good as baked 'turnovers' also...i've used strawberry jam,cherry pie filling,canned peaches and the like...never fried them tho...this i will try...Thanx Brother Jim

HermitJim said...

Hey Cath...
Can't believe you never gad the chance to try a poor man's fried pie! You need to try them, girl!

It is getting pretty here, with the temps reacing up into the high 60's! Almost time to start planting, that's for sure!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!


Hey LizBeth...
I can't imagine any small ones, or big ones for that matter, that don't like these!

They were a real treat for my sisters and me when we were growing up!

I certainly appreciate you coming by today...and have another cup of coffee!


Hey Sis...
Funny how some folks don't seem to catch on to simple very well!

Up to usto educate them, I reckon!

If Mom won't fix 'em...I'll come over to Mom's and make 'em myself!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!


Hey Momlady...
I think that next to apple butter, plain ol' apple would be my next choice!

Certainly good with coffee!

I do appreciate you coming by today!


Hey Tony...
Now blueberry does sound pretty good at that! Guess I'll have to make up a bunch of 'em as well!

Hey, buddy, sure am glad you could come by today!


Hey JoJo...
Yummie is right! Sure does go good while sitting on the patio!

Sweetie, I really am glad you could come over today!


Hey Ben...
Brings back a lot of memories, doesn't it? Funny how we make do with very little when we have to!

Maybe we just didn't know how lucky we were, ya reckon?

Hey, buddy...I appreciate the visit!

HermitJim said...

Hey Ken...
We always had 'em fried, but I don't recall ever having them baked!

Maybe I just learned something!

My friend, I'm sure glad to have you drop by today!

Felinae said...

Sounds really good, Uncle Hermit.

I'll have to try them your fried way and Ken's baked way.

Hmm...I'm having a thought, wonder how they would be as little meat or veggie pies? kinda like hand held pot pies.

Oh yes, definitely have to try them.

Have a good day!
Hugs~Felinae~

HermitJim said...

Hey Felinae...
Funny you should say that! I was talking to Mom just yesterday about trying some with a meat mixture inside them!

Don't see why it wouldn't work, do you?

Hey, we may have come up with a new version of an old recipe!

Thanks for the visit today. my friend!

Anonymous said...

I take the dough , cut it in half ( so it is thinner) smush it with a cup .Then take cooked meat mixed with a little gravy, a couple of teaspoons in the center. Put the other half on & seal edges with a fork. Bake in the oven.
MMmmmm good.Dip in alittle more gravy.

CottonLady said...

Wow, I'm really getting hungry! We would call the ones made with tortillas 'flautas' but sounds just the same. Like the idea with meat, too. The possibilities seem endless. Thanks for sharing, Jim, you have indeed brought back memories.

Blessings!

HermitJim said...

Hey Anon 1:54...
You know, that seems to work for me! In fact, it answers what Felinae and I were talking about earlier on!

Bet I've gained about 3 pounds just talking about this stuff!

Sure do thank you for coming by today!


Hey Cotton Lady...
I do know what you mean about getting hungry! Of course, to eat something like this, you don't really have to be hungry...only tempted!

Thank you so much for coming by today!

Kyddryn said...

So you're coming over to make those for breakfast on Sunday, right?

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

HermitJim said...

Hey K...
I would, but it might be better if you didn't wait on me!

I'm not sure that your taste buds can wait that long! Besides, if I came up there...I might not want to come back, ya know?

Thanks for coming by today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

All this sounds like my old camping with the Boy Scouts days,especially eating. I knew I could count on you to bring back happy memories. We used to make everything with biscuits and pie filling. Those were the good old days,thanks for another good blog.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
My pleasure, my friend! Food can sure bring back some memories, can't it?

I'm really glad that yu enjoyed the post...and that you could come by today!

Unknown said...

After your trip down memory lane yesterday I decided to let my son savor the taste of food not shaped like weird cartoons. He loved the fried pies. Loved the idea of helping me make them as well. Thanks again for reminding me of something I shamefully almost forgot :)

blondie said...

Now THAT made me hungry again!
Nice recipe Jim.
Might try it out tomorrow.
Later (wave)

Anonymous said...

HJ I am gonna spoil your day here, we have little shops that make them everyday (I pass 3 going to work). They are called pastels and are savoury, usually with cheese or a ground beef mix, but at home when I was with Shirley and the kids we used to make them with sweet stuff. You can buy a pack of 50 or 100 wrappers (like your canned biscuits, but already rolled and ready to go)from the supermarket.

AV

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