tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14259454691825385982024-02-06T18:11:24.412-08:00A Life In PieElisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-60927411842292516352013-08-26T09:59:00.001-07:002013-08-26T10:01:39.120-07:00Holy Tomato Pie, Batman!I know a lot of you out there have your own gardens, I see your pictures on Facebook! Right about now you're probably staring at tomato plants heavy with fruit and feeling really proud and maybe just a touch nervous. Just what are you going to do with ALL THOSE TOMATOES?? I'm a big fan of canning so I definitely recommend you put some of those garden-fresh beauties up for the winter months! But for enjoying right now, you MUST make this <b>Tomato, Cheddar and Bacon Pie</b> from <a href="http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/tomato-pie-recipes-00417000082844/">Southern Living Magazine</a>. I made this pie earlier in the summer (and am just now getting around to posting it, of course) and my friends and I were blown away by the cheesey, bacony, tomatoey goodness!<br />
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The <b>bacon crust</b> really makes this pie. Yes, you read that correctly. Bacon crust. With sour cream. Seriously. And the addition of herbs, cheddar and Parmesan in the filling make this one a sure-fire hit! Don't skip the step of salting and draining the tomatoes on paper towels, it will help keep your crust from getting soggy. I made just a few slight modifications to the Southern Living recipe, only so that I could use ingredients I already had at home. (The original recipe can be accessed through the link above.) I think you could easily make your own variation by using different herbs and cheese - feta, gruyere or goat cheese would be lovely, and tarragon or oregano would do nicely for the herbs. I used just red tomatoes, but if you have multiple colors and varieties, all the better! Just don't skip the bacon crust please!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMsQtrbj6cSgs1kdQwQOCzsEQ3etAK7cptZcPYVATlD9IRzBytsDokFS7zeG-szkQU9EsD1fs12ccuNhTRGjOZujj0Z3xY2ZV0qokUrHWpstZ7-fPJqCm5eFplcCOXxedU1wt0pRYol0/s1600/DSC00884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMsQtrbj6cSgs1kdQwQOCzsEQ3etAK7cptZcPYVATlD9IRzBytsDokFS7zeG-szkQU9EsD1fs12ccuNhTRGjOZujj0Z3xY2ZV0qokUrHWpstZ7-fPJqCm5eFplcCOXxedU1wt0pRYol0/s320/DSC00884.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished pie full of delicious tomatoes. This would be perfect with a salad and glass of wine for a light dinner or lunch.</td></tr>
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<b>Tomato, Cheddar and Bacon Pie</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Southern Living Magazine</i><br />
Makes one 9-inch pie<br />
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<u>CRUST</u><br />
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour<br />
1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces<br />
3/4 cup sour cream<br />
8 cooked bacon slices, chopped<br />
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<u>FILLING</u><br />
2 1/2 lbs. ripe, fresh tomatoes<br />
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided<br />
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese<br />
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese<br />
1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />
1 large egg, beaten<br />
2 tsp. dried dill<br />
2 Tb. chopped fresh basil (or substitute 1 Tb. dried basil)<br />
3 green onions, thinly sliced<br />
1 Tb. apple cider vinegar<br />
2 tsp. sugar<br />
freshly ground black pepper to taste<br />
1 1/2 Tb. plain yellow cornmeal<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the crust, p<span style="background-color: white;">lace flour in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer; cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Chill 10 minutes. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Add bacon to the flour mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Gradually add sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Spoon mixture onto a heavily floured surface; sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead 3 or 4 times, adding more flour as needed. Roll to a 13-inch round. Gently press the dough in a 9-inch fluted tart pan or pie pan and trim the edges. Chill at least 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">For the filling, slice the tomatoes 1/4-inch thick and spread out in a single layer onto paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl combine the cheddar cheese, the next 9 ingredients and the remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and stir well. Sprinkle the cornmeal onto the bottom of the pie crust and spread half of the cheese mixture on top. Layer half of the tomatoes on top of the cheese in overlapping circles. Spread the rest of the cheese over the top of this layer and then cover with the remaining tomatoes. If desired, season the top of the pie with salt and freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkling of the same herbs you used.</span><br />
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Bake the pie in the pre-heated oven about 40 to 45 minutes, shielding the edge of the crust with foil if needed to keep it from browning too much. Let the pie rest at room temperature 1 to 2 hours before serving. This pie is best served at room temperature, but still delicious when cold.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX36b07lTlw0Md1gFy_hIhxcEuEr13jUe6Ft6mbi-LdV6joDTXjDy-mVG4wpwaKy0VlRxRTP9eZNMD8gW-BvBePbEUyIVSbaW7dN1Kw1AZoZQxmXTcsRMF5ZqjJLN_vhd_4nSX5NRtHn4/s1600/DSC00874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX36b07lTlw0Md1gFy_hIhxcEuEr13jUe6Ft6mbi-LdV6joDTXjDy-mVG4wpwaKy0VlRxRTP9eZNMD8gW-BvBePbEUyIVSbaW7dN1Kw1AZoZQxmXTcsRMF5ZqjJLN_vhd_4nSX5NRtHn4/s320/DSC00874.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bacon crust! I actually had more dough then I needed, so I wrapped up the excess and put it in the freezer. I have enough to make a mini pie, or to roll, cut and bake into delicious snacks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuccPtya4FjJW2dhTFcp4OO58Ci5JamJcsi5u8-19_iyEEgySrPFULi1hI94mQXP9JSYqTpkGQIrYUOoiZYgdi-D94rcEBQ8ownUGw95Ww_bV3L_WqJpDL00ovCI4UCY_knGypLbDBUs/s1600/DSC00879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuccPtya4FjJW2dhTFcp4OO58Ci5JamJcsi5u8-19_iyEEgySrPFULi1hI94mQXP9JSYqTpkGQIrYUOoiZYgdi-D94rcEBQ8ownUGw95Ww_bV3L_WqJpDL00ovCI4UCY_knGypLbDBUs/s320/DSC00879.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The assembled pie ready for baking. I sprinkled a little salt, pepper and basil over the top of mine.</td></tr>
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<br />Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-17254172642570533562013-05-29T15:18:00.000-07:002013-08-26T10:01:51.445-07:00A Fiesta of Tamale Pie!Tamale pie?? OK, bear with me. I don't always want to make sweet pies and I got this clever new Chicago Metallic <a href="http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1133446/?affsrcid=Aff0001&mr:trackingCode=CE306D17-309D-E211-8D02-001517384908&mr:referralID=NA&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=30153266381&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=24156051701&origin=pla">pie bowl pan</a> and I wanted to do something different. Trust me! One of my part time jobs is as a chef instructor at <a href="http://www.surlatable.com/">Sur La Table</a> in Denver and recently our store manager asked me if I'd make some pies in this new pan so that the store could serve samples. Turns out I really took a liking to this little pan. It makes four cute individual pies with a little bowl-shaped indentation baked right in, perfect for filling with a scoop of ice cream. It even comes with a cutter to stamp out circles for the top and bottom of the pies. While I was making apple pies for the stores, I got to thinking that it would be great to make savory pies as well. Think chicken pot pies with gravy in the bowl, or a puff pastry crust filled with beef and gravy and a scoop of mashed potatoes in the bowl (double carbs, heaven!!), or . . . tamale pie with guacamole in the bowl!! <br />
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I sold tamales over the holidays and still have some fresh corn masa in the freezer, so naturally I used that for the pies. If you aren't familiar with masa, it is basically fresh corn that has been soaked and treated with lime and ground into a moist dough. I was lucky enough to get freshly ground masa on the cheap at a local tortilla factory, but it is also often stocked in large Hispanic markets, especially in December when tamales are traditionally made. Fresh masa is superior for making homemade tamales and tortillas, you can't beat the wonderful corn flavor and aroma. You could easily make this recipe using masa harina, which comes dry in a bag, and is more readily available. You simply mix it with water until you get the right consistency.<br />
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I melted cheese on my finished pies and filled the bowls with fresh guacamole. Add a little pico de gallo and sour cream to garnish and you are in for a delicious treat. If you decide to pick up one of these pie bowl pans, do yourself and favor and buy two so it won't take so long to fill and bake several batches. Look for these adorable little devils again on the blog, I have a lot of sweet and savory ideas to try out!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZUsbujfiPjgQR0O7yvoyPq9BK2dl4HmKT97P7K10xrsmtcQBkD7TM6HoBvtTiObC2mWeN3iHUinW8FrGe8aNXqHv6AYjImYURdlHk7CY-QWJi46P7x21KDjE6sLFmM8VciWP2FyxgM4/s1600/DSC00865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZUsbujfiPjgQR0O7yvoyPq9BK2dl4HmKT97P7K10xrsmtcQBkD7TM6HoBvtTiObC2mWeN3iHUinW8FrGe8aNXqHv6AYjImYURdlHk7CY-QWJi46P7x21KDjE6sLFmM8VciWP2FyxgM4/s320/DSC00865.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new favorite kitchen toy!</td></tr>
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<b>Tamale Pies</b><br />
<b>Makes 10</b><br />
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<b><u>Tamale Dough</u></b><br />
2 1/2 pounds fresh corn masa (available at large Hispanic markets or directly from a tortilla factory)<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
water, as needed<br />
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Place the fresh corn masa in the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt. Mix on low speed until well combined, about one to two minutes. If the masa is dry and crumbly add a little water, about a teaspoon at a time, until the dough is firm and holds together. It should feel a bit like Play-Doh - a solid mass, not too dry, and not sticky but leaves a light residue on your hands.<br />
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Divide the masa in half and roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. The plastic wrap should peel off the dough easily. Use the red circle template to cut out tops and bottoms in the masa and gently peel them off the plastic, set aside on a sheet tray lined with plastic. Add the scraps to the second half of the masa and repeat the rolling and cutting process. Re-roll the masa scraps as many times as you can to cut more tops and bottoms.<br />
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<b><u>Filling</u></b><br />
1 1/2 pounds ground beef<br />
2 Tb. chile powder<br />
1 Tb. ground cumin<br />
1 Tb. smoked paprika<br />
1 small onion, chopped<br />
2 large cloves garlic, minced<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
2 Tb. tomato paste<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
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In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef and crumble with a spoon. When cooked, drain off the excess fat and add the spices, onion and garlic and mix well. Cook until the onion is starting to soften, about 5 minutes, and then stir in the tomato paste and water. Put a lid on the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cook about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if the pan is getting too dry. Spread out the filling on a sheet tray or large dish and let cool.<br />
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Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. To assemble to tamale pies, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Brush the butter on one side of four of the cut out masa dough bottoms and fit them into the pan, buttered side down. Be sure the press the dough firmly into place so there are no air bubbles. Fill each pie with about 1/2 cup of the beef filling. Take 4 cut out tops of the dough and press them onto each pie. Press the edges together very well to make sure they are sealed. Brush the tops with more melted butter. Bake on a sheet tray in the pre-heated oven until the masa is firm and set, about 20 minutes. Turn the pies onto a cooling rack. Repeat the process of filling and baking the pies until the masa dough and beef is used. Serve hot with cheese, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RmIcufPsyP4AHTP_dEL2j_v1bJDnBUk9F7AKoKS9EixrnWti7WL6FgmpWZXZyowQ61VwPALZ5tcnzWepwaqkaz59VNS1sLky3M4u9YguS4or1rSehoPr3LumkMfjNtb9HxnZrqwg0v4/s1600/DSC00856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RmIcufPsyP4AHTP_dEL2j_v1bJDnBUk9F7AKoKS9EixrnWti7WL6FgmpWZXZyowQ61VwPALZ5tcnzWepwaqkaz59VNS1sLky3M4u9YguS4or1rSehoPr3LumkMfjNtb9HxnZrqwg0v4/s320/DSC00856.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The proper consistency for the fresh masa.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCZj3QKIT4KNl733QsfZdxUWLXNJDb8cHwC2PKQq7VjuHY0LhM0ANCb_qQxP4VNn0vDRRGSlg_jUQUnz8IpLWAaf1TvQLdeSEnsTytjdG1l6qsQpDYRoDTergDt4p5Fj9FCW8wZYpKe8/s1600/DSC00859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCZj3QKIT4KNl733QsfZdxUWLXNJDb8cHwC2PKQq7VjuHY0LhM0ANCb_qQxP4VNn0vDRRGSlg_jUQUnz8IpLWAaf1TvQLdeSEnsTytjdG1l6qsQpDYRoDTergDt4p5Fj9FCW8wZYpKe8/s320/DSC00859.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll the dough out between plastic wrap and use the enclosed cutter to stamp out the tops and bottoms.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOA4On6oXKtic_FLhyfLkTMY6CmSIHmN-wtsubhyphenhyphenkGj-eIT0FoqkTGGnAEpVOCobInIvq0Bqawo_Kh0DamMlJrDp9X4CVXcmPH-MzE9mUQZu8KMrhxi7gC_JP8yiF-JC1dfUjf6snsiak/s1600/DSC00860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOA4On6oXKtic_FLhyfLkTMY6CmSIHmN-wtsubhyphenhyphenkGj-eIT0FoqkTGGnAEpVOCobInIvq0Bqawo_Kh0DamMlJrDp9X4CVXcmPH-MzE9mUQZu8KMrhxi7gC_JP8yiF-JC1dfUjf6snsiak/s320/DSC00860.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fit the bottoms into the pan, buttered side down.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1mbm3SoTXHNzUr9xAzhv7Fn0EKMMQSPYBM1dcip_T0tKy2SnsmqVq3sHTe5W6S0wKQIBxHSz3T8eqPDXry_LzycSFh9rNTdLXY257An6NDkf8I02yDLawR8TfLqdraKmYGFrwOq-ckQ/s1600/DSC00862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1mbm3SoTXHNzUr9xAzhv7Fn0EKMMQSPYBM1dcip_T0tKy2SnsmqVq3sHTe5W6S0wKQIBxHSz3T8eqPDXry_LzycSFh9rNTdLXY257An6NDkf8I02yDLawR8TfLqdraKmYGFrwOq-ckQ/s320/DSC00862.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fill with the seasoned ground beef.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGrLwmchO-ZUIhzDI0wXP7uaa37C7i2970jCMlhigCjUTnnZE8sAThyphenhyphen5WCpBKGjer6rrHkmZyFrkEcu4v2x2joK65D5lrLt6k-Bguqy56WStkDPh3rlzdQhcRlcIN_99CHzbA-pgIv9M/s1600/DSC00863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGrLwmchO-ZUIhzDI0wXP7uaa37C7i2970jCMlhigCjUTnnZE8sAThyphenhyphen5WCpBKGjer6rrHkmZyFrkEcu4v2x2joK65D5lrLt6k-Bguqy56WStkDPh3rlzdQhcRlcIN_99CHzbA-pgIv9M/s320/DSC00863.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add the tops and press the edges together to make sure the pies are sealed. Brush the top with butter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMexVTFHaH1sHVubZZx-JPidAtPAqImCBYgGHDCWEPxcOjmaTCRKGXkfzVO-Kp1ptOffZV8QjTNy3AXT6_l2n9jo7STygB2CQYZdK05AWy4P57Xn0kI2M6HcBezoB9gqP6RZ8bBRL6UQk/s1600/DSC00869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMexVTFHaH1sHVubZZx-JPidAtPAqImCBYgGHDCWEPxcOjmaTCRKGXkfzVO-Kp1ptOffZV8QjTNy3AXT6_l2n9jo7STygB2CQYZdK05AWy4P57Xn0kI2M6HcBezoB9gqP6RZ8bBRL6UQk/s320/DSC00869.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished tamale pie, filled with with cheese and guacamole. I squirted the sour cream out of a piping bag, I'm fancy like that.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ieWRVY3CLp2TMeNPvVhUU5fpXfTHcABA4CKNavIN03oVGAmLVYF2xMW5qp4ysGj3wxqCaBssQmJwuAMEdQSIUlxjkK9W9LMQc7deHGroRN7PzkCBUOZbyGyxWLNTplJENDjgjOYGFCI/s1600/DSC00873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ieWRVY3CLp2TMeNPvVhUU5fpXfTHcABA4CKNavIN03oVGAmLVYF2xMW5qp4ysGj3wxqCaBssQmJwuAMEdQSIUlxjkK9W9LMQc7deHGroRN7PzkCBUOZbyGyxWLNTplJENDjgjOYGFCI/s320/DSC00873.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicioso!!</td></tr>
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<br />Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-66089201657808501402013-05-15T14:02:00.000-07:002013-05-15T14:32:30.788-07:00How to Make Pie Better? Fry It!!<b>Fried pies</b>. Yes, you read that correctly. Fried. Pies. When you were a kid did you eat those Hostess Fried Pies with their naughty, crispy crust and thin coating of sugary icing? My dad used to buy those for us as a treat once in a while and I loved them! Especially the ones that were filled with CHOCOLATE PUDDING!! What could possibly be better than fried dough filled with creamy goodness?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiih_Pnqm_tvJjLGiWH1c3Im9UrB9nZI8ibMekCvPzU7TOXQJhR2g7KUeJfzQhuHW1r-ze6IpRwibNIqBjo0zid1LrtQKaFi7zpzula1OJyx1JG1g10rSY8DE3EDs8DhP6mjTdliFCCImY/s1600/DSC00845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiih_Pnqm_tvJjLGiWH1c3Im9UrB9nZI8ibMekCvPzU7TOXQJhR2g7KUeJfzQhuHW1r-ze6IpRwibNIqBjo0zid1LrtQKaFi7zpzula1OJyx1JG1g10rSY8DE3EDs8DhP6mjTdliFCCImY/s320/DSC00845.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade Fried Pies</td></tr>
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I made baked <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/08/pie-in-hand.html"><b>Peach Hand Pies</b></a> a while back and have always planned to make fried pies. Well I finally got around to it and I'm kicking myself that it took me this long! I'm a die hard chocolate fan, but my other half is more of a vanilla gal so I made both types of filling. These delicious devils are pretty rich so you don't need to make them very big. I used a <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=18511886&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CNy_mt_0mLcCFZFr7AodhmMABQ"><b>Wilton Mini Pie Press</b></a> to make mine and even at only 4" x 2" I still haven't finished the other half of mine. </div>
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I knew I needed a sturdy crust for these in order to hold up to the frying without bursting or tearing. So I used a modified version of the rich pie crust I used in the <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2012/04/italian-easter-pie.html">Italian Easter Pie</a>. This really is a great crust and using all shortening makes it easy to roll out even when it's very well chilled and the eggs add extra structure and moisture. This especially comes in handy when re-rolling the dough scraps for another round of pies, more fat in the dough will help keep it from getting too tough. Be sure your filling is very well chilled so that it doesn't leak out when frying the pies, especially the vanilla which is a bit softer than the chocolate anyway.</div>
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Go forth and fry pies, my friend.</div>
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<b>Pudding Filled Fried Pies</b></div>
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Yield: Depends on the size of your pies, I made 12</div>
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<b><u>Crust</u></b></div>
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3 1/2 cups flour</div>
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1 Tb. sugar</div>
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1 tsp. kosher salt</div>
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1 cup shortening, frozen and cut into small squares</div>
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3 eggs, beaten</div>
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2 Tb. ice cold vodka</div>
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2 - 4 Tb. ice cold water</div>
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In a food processor combine the flour, sugar and salt and pulse briefly to combine. Scatter the frozen shortening over the flour and pulse briefly until the mixture looks like a crumbly meal. Combine the eggs, vodka and water and pour through the feed tube while pulsing the processor. Mix just until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times, just to bring it all together. Divide into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.</div>
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<b><u>Chocolate Filling</u></b></div>
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<i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dessert-recipes/fried-chocolate-pudding-hand-pies">Rachel Ray's recipe</a></i></div>
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1 cup half-and-half</div>
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4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped</div>
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pinch of salt</div>
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1/4 cup sugar</div>
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2 Tb. cornstarch</div>
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1 Tb. unsalted butter</div>
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In a small pot over medium heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and half-and-half and whisk well until the cornstarch is dissolved. Heat the mixture until it boils, whisking constantly. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chocolate and butter. Let sit a few minutes to let the chocolate melt and then whisk very well. Pour the filling into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill completely, about 4 hours or overnight. You will likely have more filling than you need for this recipe.</div>
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<b><u>Vanilla Filling</u></b></div>
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1/2 cup sugar</div>
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3 Tb. cornstarch</div>
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pinch of salt</div>
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1 1/2 cups half-and-half</div>
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2 egg yolks, beaten</div>
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1 Tb. unsalted butter</div>
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2 tsp. vanilla extract (I use <a href="http://www.nielsenmassey.com/culinary/products-pure-vanilla-bean-paste.php">Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste</a>)</div>
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In a small pot over medium heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and half-and-half and whisk well until the cornstarch is dissolved. Heat the mixture until it boils, whisking constantly. Add about 1/2 a cup of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly until combined. Add this mixture back to the rest of the filling in the pot and put back on the heat. Bring back to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill completely, about 4 hours or overnight. You will likely have more filling than you need for this recipe.</div>
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<b><u>Icing Glaze</u></b></div>
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2 cups powdered sugar</div>
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2 to 3 Tb. milk</div>
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Whisk the sugar and milk together until there are no lumps. You may need to add a little more milk and/or sugar to get the right consistency. It should be very thick, but still drip slowly from the whisk. It needs to be thick enough so that it won't immediately run off the hot pies and coat the pie in a nice even layer.</div>
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Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet or pot to 350 to 355 degrees. The oil should be hot enough to brown the crust quickly so that the filling doesn't get too hot and explode, but not so hot that the crust browns on the outside before it is fully cooked. Test the oil with a small scrap of rolled dough, you want it to brown on each side in about 1 to 2 minutes.</div>
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Working with one disc of dough at a time, roll it out to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes (round for half-moon shaped pies, squares, rectangles, whatever you like) and place a small amount of filling in the center of the dough and do not spread it out. The amount of filling will depend on the size of your pies. For my 4" x 2" pies I used about 2 heaping tablespoons. If you are making small 2-3 bite pies you may only need a teaspoon. Don't overfill them, you don't want them to explode or leak in the hot oil. That will ruin your day, trust me. Place another piece of dough on top, or fold over the other side, and press together to seal. Be sure to seal the dough very well, using a little water or beaten egg around the edges and crimp the dough together with the tines of a fork. Re-roll your scraps once and cut and fill more pies. </div>
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Fry the pies, a few at a time, in the hot oil, turning several times if needed to brown them evenly. Drain the fried pies on paper towels, let them cool for about a minute and then brush the icing over one or both sides. After a little more cooling the glaze will set and dry on the outside. These pies are delicious warm or cold. But be sure to keep them in the refrigerator, if they don't get eaten immediately!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQV188VhmbXpoPhQCIuM5bVRixRrtI0IOkjcMLROVCHRx5NXaxVNaDrlnZsmFaBeGplf3a7bxK5j_Vf1745AeU9o5eSAb9Wisy2jgR3HlDJX_t73Z8A6BKB_LMC941uDApGmCuTx2sa4/s1600/DSC00848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQV188VhmbXpoPhQCIuM5bVRixRrtI0IOkjcMLROVCHRx5NXaxVNaDrlnZsmFaBeGplf3a7bxK5j_Vf1745AeU9o5eSAb9Wisy2jgR3HlDJX_t73Z8A6BKB_LMC941uDApGmCuTx2sa4/s320/DSC00848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hostess has NOTHING on these fried pies!</td></tr>
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Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-91454501278732907842013-05-10T14:16:00.001-07:002013-05-10T14:16:27.754-07:00The Return to Pie<div>
Aw yeah, a new pie for the blog!! I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right now! After such a LONG hiatus it feels good to be baking and writing again.</div>
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It was a dark and stormy day yesterday and I had no intention of leaving the house so I wanted to make a pie using stuff I already had. Among those items was a container of strawberries that were pretty disappointing in flavor. However, I also still had a frozen bag of road-side stand strawberries from my trip to California last year, which were nice and sweet. But after suffering the natural effects of being frozen, I knew I'd have to use them in a cooked format so I thought a crumble pie would work nicely. </div>
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I used to make a cream cheese crust for tarts back when I was a pastry chef and since I had a block in the fridge, I decided it was meant to be. Cream cheese crust is rich and tender with a nice flavor and if you haven't tried making one before I insist that you do so with the quickness. It is SO easy to throw together and the extra fat makes for a dough that is difficult to ruin and easy to work with. My one regret with this recipe is that I didn't blind bake the crust first, as I mistakenly thought the long cooking time and my stand-by trick of cooking pies on a pre-heated sheet pan would be enough. Alas, it was not and the bottom of the crust was a touch soggy. So for the recipe below I include instructions on blind baking the crust, to ensure you don't the same problem. </div>
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If you hadn't already noticed, I'm a big fan of crumble toppings on pies. Using one on top of the strawberry filling makes this tart essentially a berry crisp baked inside a cream cheese crust. And since when is that ever a bad thing? It's not, in case you weren't sure. Try it out, you'll see.</div>
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Strawberry Crumble Tart with Cream Cheese Crust</b><div>
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Makes one 9-inch deep dish tart</div>
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<u>Crust</u></div>
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<a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/cream-cheese-pie-dough.html"><b>Williams-Sonoma Cream Cheese Pie Dough</b></a></div>
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<u>Filling</u></div>
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2 lbs. strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered (I used half fresh and half frozen)</div>
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2 to 3 Tb. cornstarch, depending on the juiciness of your berries and if any are frozen (I use <b><a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/instant-clearjel-8-oz#3776#">Instant Clearjel </a> by King Arthur Flour</b> for thickening my fruit pies)</div>
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Sugar, depending on the sweetness of your berries - I used 1/2 a cup</div>
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Juice and zest of one lemon</div>
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1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out</div>
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<u>Crumble Topping</u></div>
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3/4 cup flour</div>
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3/4 cup brown sugar</div>
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1/2 cup sliced almonds</div>
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1/2 cup rolled oats</div>
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6 Tb. butter, melted</div>
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place a sheet tray on the rack in the bottom third of your oven and let it heat up along with the oven.</div>
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Roll out the dough and press into a 9-inch tart pan. I used a ceramic deep-dish tart pan, commonly known as a quiche pan. You could also use a removable bottom tart pan, but since they are about half as deep, you'll need at least a 10-inch pan. Line the crust with foil or a sheet of parchment and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Be sure you have enough to cover the bottom of the dish evenly and to go all the way up the sides. This is important so that your crust does not shrink. Set the pan on the pre-heated pan in the oven and bake until set and firm, but not too brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Use the foil or parchment to lift out the beans and allow the crust to cool.</div>
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To make the crumble topping, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the melted flour and mix until the ingredients are moistened and crumbly. Put in the refrigerator to cool while making the filling.</div>
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To make the filling, dissolve the cornstarch in a few tablespoons of water. In a small pot over medium heat, add the rest of the filling ingredients and dissolved cornstarch. Heat the filling, stirring frequently, just until the juices simmer and thicken. Spread the filling into pre-baked crust and then cover with the crumble topping. Bake in the 350 degree oven until the filling bubbles and top is golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. The filling will firm up and slice cleaner when the pie is cool. It is delicious when warm but your slices may be a little messy if you care about that sort of thing. Serve with ice cream to take it over the top.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBhvu5PW_v_5SHEFhfa4L1qIknQj9U8gehVIHyQtb0PtRSIIwAx7rxs71bh5uzbxFL4IjACKprWG5AZQjJvssM3Mapuls6XMnOq8aM9fPVjitfovHK8ShxJP2i19Imss_MAmerO59Q4M/s1600/DSC00827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBhvu5PW_v_5SHEFhfa4L1qIknQj9U8gehVIHyQtb0PtRSIIwAx7rxs71bh5uzbxFL4IjACKprWG5AZQjJvssM3Mapuls6XMnOq8aM9fPVjitfovHK8ShxJP2i19Imss_MAmerO59Q4M/s320/DSC00827.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The filling ingredients. I happened to have a vanilla bean, but you could substitute extract or my new favorite product, <a href="http://www.nielsenmassey.com/culinary/products-pure-vanilla-bean-paste.php">vanilla bean paste</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq3AkOUQtHzWuvXrlpfro9Dfe9LYQ-nfGith_Syk02OMnqiNdU28rdkTYY-MCo2TvkpYdDhVru3B2sL7fnL4L1j1W0JegZ1WWQxuUC9PnPPHvhQu5y96hTvjoCsiwYsncMrSnQyrAYy8/s1600/DSC00829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq3AkOUQtHzWuvXrlpfro9Dfe9LYQ-nfGith_Syk02OMnqiNdU28rdkTYY-MCo2TvkpYdDhVru3B2sL7fnL4L1j1W0JegZ1WWQxuUC9PnPPHvhQu5y96hTvjoCsiwYsncMrSnQyrAYy8/s320/DSC00829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crust fitted into the pan. At this point I should have filled with with beans for blind baking.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXw_NtPzNdV3LM1DIUTaFU1oWg9Rn9zA9JEqsU4iE4oBdxpennI5YoVdZPITblQwBCX7iYU8kfvh4C2ryKVxm4SNoEpjpsRkxb7rMaI1udbQh0rKxHUrp7gVXtJBHzFRFmnFYXPO-yBs/s1600/DSC00830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXw_NtPzNdV3LM1DIUTaFU1oWg9Rn9zA9JEqsU4iE4oBdxpennI5YoVdZPITblQwBCX7iYU8kfvh4C2ryKVxm4SNoEpjpsRkxb7rMaI1udbQh0rKxHUrp7gVXtJBHzFRFmnFYXPO-yBs/s320/DSC00830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spread the filling into the crust, which you blind baked.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WPNKdzVo1CYqNho8Dqb0CZgWGzDSe76vKlV_v2ObDu3eSAp1ob3fizq-WochsBUH6RuZXzWgdjMGM-eL-YiMpS35xYl8nhYHVEg6doqLFPSZ_cYvgWr-ZBqJtOOKM0GmYpcxmGHHgeM/s1600/DSC00831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WPNKdzVo1CYqNho8Dqb0CZgWGzDSe76vKlV_v2ObDu3eSAp1ob3fizq-WochsBUH6RuZXzWgdjMGM-eL-YiMpS35xYl8nhYHVEg6doqLFPSZ_cYvgWr-ZBqJtOOKM0GmYpcxmGHHgeM/s320/DSC00831.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topped and ready for the oven.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWPWp6fxaee4yKpxKFRuFAliQ601zhag9PnKqDA7RnvyK39vMkeMALu_rKaApVJcJWqf9fKg0KuU6MW06X_OPd6ng0pqcif5YzrU1SnantG8yeiOPXm1EgZlT2K5enb1vtmPrKFYXvqM/s1600/DSC00843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWPWp6fxaee4yKpxKFRuFAliQ601zhag9PnKqDA7RnvyK39vMkeMALu_rKaApVJcJWqf9fKg0KuU6MW06X_OPd6ng0pqcif5YzrU1SnantG8yeiOPXm1EgZlT2K5enb1vtmPrKFYXvqM/s320/DSC00843.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You'll get a cleaner slice like this if you let the filling cool. Not that I know because I dug into mine too soon.</td></tr>
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Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-6122974975844530662013-05-09T10:22:00.001-07:002013-05-09T10:22:42.552-07:00Just Where The Hell Have You Been Young Lady?!I know, I know, it's been a ridiculously long time. No, longer than ridiculously long. Whatever that is, it's been that long. I've been here, I've even been baking and cooking. I just haven't been blogging. You know how it is when you ignore something (or someone) and you know you shouldn't be, but the more you ignore it the more you feel like you have to keep ignoring it because it just gets harder and harder to face it? Well, that is me and the blog I guess. And a ton of other things in life for like the past 10 to 20 years, for that matter. But that is a whole different blog, I guess.<br />
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Let's see, when we last left off I was in the midst of a big transition in my life. I was about to start a new job and feeling really positive about where I was going. So that all got shot to hell. The job, the transition, my planned re-invention, my positive outlook, my happiness and well-being, all of it blown to smithereens. And so I once again made a big change in attempt to get back to the place where I wanted to be before. I'm a very self-aware person. One might say almost painfully self-aware. I know what my demons are, I know why I do the shit that I do. I endeavor to do better and be better but it is a slow process and I don't always move forward. Sometimes I stand still for a long time and sometimes I take a step or two back. But I'm not afraid to change. If something in my life doesn't work I change it. And then I'll change it again, and again, and again. I still haven't found that balance I've been seeking, but I'll keep trying. Lately I've realized that I keep changing situations and circumstances, but what really needs the most changing is me. And that is the really, really hard part. I'll keep trying.<br />
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So, what the hell does all this inner-reflection nonsense have to do with pie, you ask? Nothing. I was just rambling. Anyway, I have been making pies in the last year, just not posting them. So I've put some photos below to show you what I've been up to. Not all of them have recipes yet, but I'll get there someday. I'll keep trying.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaNwPYlOBmERscyxO1UOIDFKs14DZN71to_Tk5AEj52CyIUxSj9o6DB2oNc0x_TTf_CH4pJFsci6fD0Ncst0hqbvw-nthgUN_hp5ktxTgBtRux5kmpkEeMjGlVtWrZHfh2FfiBKUlXAk/s1600/IMAG0638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaNwPYlOBmERscyxO1UOIDFKs14DZN71to_Tk5AEj52CyIUxSj9o6DB2oNc0x_TTf_CH4pJFsci6fD0Ncst0hqbvw-nthgUN_hp5ktxTgBtRux5kmpkEeMjGlVtWrZHfh2FfiBKUlXAk/s320/IMAG0638.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sold pies during Thanksgiving and Christmas to make a little extra cash. These two are sweet potato with Italian meringue, one my my most favorites. Get the recipe <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-little-sweet-potato.html">here</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ38_CvNxGFbp_TSoZb0ENmEZkh3c2ECYJ6kc9d3Hqo0w6w1ZWNlzTxloT1BkPwwePGWIWkbvXm1EhWXM1iVx-6yoxqKWB_34ehsDFGXa_er7vxhaW9W0y3i3zGrAODBv0NlzO6OZn0NY/s1600/IMAG0639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ38_CvNxGFbp_TSoZb0ENmEZkh3c2ECYJ6kc9d3Hqo0w6w1ZWNlzTxloT1BkPwwePGWIWkbvXm1EhWXM1iVx-6yoxqKWB_34ehsDFGXa_er7vxhaW9W0y3i3zGrAODBv0NlzO6OZn0NY/s320/IMAG0639.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salted caramel apple, one of the most popular pies that I sold this holiday season. Get the recipe <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2012/02/salted-caramel-is-all-rage-these-days.html">here</a> and prepare for your friends to swoon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJAhEq4F_HURZERb_no1FnznKAJQpF_H5AUn-xb8Z0Z98S4DHf_GcUJnAgO3D9pfe3vHBAL2zORZNSziCPlhLqPqizVk2fxST83y_JSz3YK7ViIU1AFl2xFYIRtSMb0kgo50OYpK1Mxw/s1600/IMAG0640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJAhEq4F_HURZERb_no1FnznKAJQpF_H5AUn-xb8Z0Z98S4DHf_GcUJnAgO3D9pfe3vHBAL2zORZNSziCPlhLqPqizVk2fxST83y_JSz3YK7ViIU1AFl2xFYIRtSMb0kgo50OYpK1Mxw/s320/IMAG0640.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a turtle pie. Turtle as in caramel, pecans and chocolate. Not the slow reptile with a shell. This was a special request pie I made for a good friend. Her world was rocked.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6enpeoz8lRn7ddpC9MmjnO6UYmREtlCN0vteGDR1MDwmzceeU1H_2ehFw4aZq5Z2Nvj7qv748U8zAs-0pb9kxh3f53L7hfEx_yXTkQoQwFpFWRoafiRBcNsxaVK9fbo7_rsvql4uktq0/s1600/IMAG0619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6enpeoz8lRn7ddpC9MmjnO6UYmREtlCN0vteGDR1MDwmzceeU1H_2ehFw4aZq5Z2Nvj7qv748U8zAs-0pb9kxh3f53L7hfEx_yXTkQoQwFpFWRoafiRBcNsxaVK9fbo7_rsvql4uktq0/s320/IMAG0619.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a pavlova topped with fresh whipped cream, lemon curd and strawberries. I made it when my dear friend Chef Mindy came to town for a visit. Pavlova is probably in my top three favorite desserts. It's kind of like a pie but instead of crust you make a delicious baked meringue that is all gooey and marshmallow-like on the inside. Sweet, sweet heaven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis16g358prLrMc4MH0BSOSMgXMbYKEVgTFMXtgfz3RsiGVnllrD6Pd0q6xRg_9NOSc74gkcUpn3nWqY2MC3-GxNgG2gubRr8tVAh1zLBG-Zb6pqmDkBuRXKZEgsJxO8MbCOC7nxHd9oMY/s1600/IMAG0643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis16g358prLrMc4MH0BSOSMgXMbYKEVgTFMXtgfz3RsiGVnllrD6Pd0q6xRg_9NOSc74gkcUpn3nWqY2MC3-GxNgG2gubRr8tVAh1zLBG-Zb6pqmDkBuRXKZEgsJxO8MbCOC7nxHd9oMY/s320/IMAG0643.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate peppermint mousse pie that I sold at Christmas. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9JjGKreQsPLWjDgfyVRdMBex4MVQXNhg68itJ6erthLTcmxpN8S2yQQliHAbknE3hTlYsyAKRhKe_00DWMHRe_3pepRiqQiStD-vO0UO2ZRU-Bh7_KuRrwvATdFmjF5vHsu_Yh_3H8Q/s1600/IMAG0684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9JjGKreQsPLWjDgfyVRdMBex4MVQXNhg68itJ6erthLTcmxpN8S2yQQliHAbknE3hTlYsyAKRhKe_00DWMHRe_3pepRiqQiStD-vO0UO2ZRU-Bh7_KuRrwvATdFmjF5vHsu_Yh_3H8Q/s320/IMAG0684.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bananas foster cream pies that I sold for Mardi Gras. Vanilla pastry cream, rum caramel, fresh bananas, oh my!!</td></tr>
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<br />Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-69201471547062408852012-06-29T12:30:00.001-07:002012-06-29T12:30:15.979-07:00Semi what??I have been ignoring my blog for a VERY long time. Almost 3 months, to be exact. You may be wondering what the hell happened to me. Well, nothing tremendously earth shattering, just life, I guess. It has been three months of work stress, job hunting, job landing (a GREAT new, BETTER job!!), visiting family, and sweating in the oppressive summer heat!! To make a long story short, I'm re-inventing myself. I have a new job that starts tomorrow, I adopted a wonderful, loving dog from my sister, and moving forward in my life I'm going to dedicate more time to my physical and mental well-being. Sounds easy enough, right?<br />
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So, back to the blog. It has been way too long since I've posted. We've had record-breaking heat in Denver so the last thing I've wanted to do is turn on the oven. Instead I made a frozen pie! A semifreddo pie, to be exact. Semifreddo is a "half frozen" Italian mousse. It is usually frozen in some kind of loaf pan or other shape and served in slices. I used to love making semifreddo when I was a pastry chef and hadn't made it in years. The possibilities are pretty endless with semifreddo, you can flavor the mousse however you like or fold in whatever kinds of ingredients that strike your fancy. While I was visiting friends and family in California I picked up a flat of fresh strawberries. As soon as I got home I froze some for later use (pie!) and made the rest into jam. One batch of jam was a little thinner than the other, I think because I lost track while measuring the sugar and probably ended up with an extra cup. Or two. No matter, the jam is delicious and I thought it would be perfect for a summery semifreddo pie. You'll be seeing more of my friend freddo over the summer, don't you worry.<br />
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If you have a potluck or BBQ to attend this summer, think about bringing this delicious, frozen pie that is easy to put together and won't heat up your house!<br />
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<b>Strawberry Semifreddo Pie</b><br />
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1 9-inch graham cracker crust<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
1 cup strawberry jam<br />
3 egg whites (reserve yolks for another use)<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
<br />
Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add the strawberry jam and whip again to evenly distribute the jam and break up the chunks. Scrape this mixture into a clean bowl and set aside in the refrigerator. Wash out the bowl and mixer. Add the egg whites into the clean bowl along with the salt. Whip on high speed until the mixture is thick and foamy. With the mixer still running, add the sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Whip until the whites are shiny and hold stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the strawberry mixture, being careful not the over-mix and deflate the mousse. Pile the mousse into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Very gently press plastic wrap onto the surface of the pie and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight. To serve, garnish with softly whipped cream and fresh strawberries, if desired. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmp-veXLTaehS21fYTHvCoPazVbHksbdNVowC2Bm9WZLn-1yBGjhNNjsFvzWvyK2jUmbUSUOS7Ft3UJrZyQ2wQbr4ZQDjBRjot64jMm8kgDubRGxTkUdMU0MIsw_GPJX19tU9iRCAMfw/s1600/DSC00774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmp-veXLTaehS21fYTHvCoPazVbHksbdNVowC2Bm9WZLn-1yBGjhNNjsFvzWvyK2jUmbUSUOS7Ft3UJrZyQ2wQbr4ZQDjBRjot64jMm8kgDubRGxTkUdMU0MIsw_GPJX19tU9iRCAMfw/s320/DSC00774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whipped cream and strawberry jam mixture. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4GXPS7Z2EBWUFR0Xikfirh0CQt5iTM82GICZpYEwg6dDLpkdeo5aWljqIt6XLlxO6F3VDEYvULIyUPCozvkNuL41ReArJ51S8JjN5BzRl4SeS4H-ClExGpcSmO-zwSYOCk26Uq3_HD4/s1600/DSC00779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4GXPS7Z2EBWUFR0Xikfirh0CQt5iTM82GICZpYEwg6dDLpkdeo5aWljqIt6XLlxO6F3VDEYvULIyUPCozvkNuL41ReArJ51S8JjN5BzRl4SeS4H-ClExGpcSmO-zwSYOCk26Uq3_HD4/s320/DSC00779.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whipped egg whites hold a stiff peak.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-GoaxsRreVnna92CjPa3IL_DcW8c5J33dUZBO2gJNB8LYK_zN6wNnLzYngk9T6STsCgPmrUrnfHvCjsZUiTvnnusN4MFuDpMgte-OtLOQBYGESN8zBM0TRs_N0jDU9ssEfWXT3qkbMk/s1600/DSC00787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-GoaxsRreVnna92CjPa3IL_DcW8c5J33dUZBO2gJNB8LYK_zN6wNnLzYngk9T6STsCgPmrUrnfHvCjsZUiTvnnusN4MFuDpMgte-OtLOQBYGESN8zBM0TRs_N0jDU9ssEfWXT3qkbMk/s320/DSC00787.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet, frozen deliciousness!</td></tr>
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<br />Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-2721137155244740192012-04-07T16:59:00.001-07:002012-04-07T17:02:19.208-07:00Italian Easter PieI've been feeling like I'm long past overdue for a meat pie. Easter brings quiche to my mind, but I wanted to do something a little more exciting. My mind wandered to the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pizza-rustica-recipe/index.html">Pizza Rustica</a> recipe from Giada De Laurentiis I had made many years ago. This is a thick, two-crust pie filled with Italian meats and cheeses, also called <b>Italian Easter Pie</b>. Her recipe includes a delicious, rich crust that I used in my <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/07/gday-aussie-meat-pies.html">Aussie meat pies</a>. <br />
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I don't know if Italians really eat this pie on Easter, but it is so delicious I'd recommend it any day of the week. With the ricotta based filling studded with sausage and spinach tucked inside the flaky crust, this pie is a home run! It goes perfectly with a salad for lunch or dinner, which is how we ate it at my house for 3 days! It's a hearty pie and the filling possibilities are endless. I would enjoy asparagus and artichokes in this pie, grilled vegetables, tiny meatballs, Italian cold cuts, grilled chicken...anything!<br />
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I made just a few modifications to the original recipe, including using half water and half vodka for a foolproof, tender crust. A springform pan is necessary to accommodate the copious amounts of filling and allows for easy removal of the pie from the pan. But I think a large, deep-dish pie pan could work as well.<br />
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<b>Italian Easter Pie</b> (Pizza Rustica)<br />
Makes one 9-inch pie in a springform pan<br />
Slightly modified version of a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis<br />
<u>Crust</u><br />
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour<br />
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />
1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon sugar<br />
3 large eggs, beaten to blend<br />
2 Tb. ice cold vodka<br />
2 Tb. ice water, more may be needed<br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Blend the flour, the butter, the shortening and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in the eggs, pulsing the machine to incorporate them. Add the vodka and pulse again a few times. Add the water and process just until the dough starts to come together. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece. Flatten the dough pieces into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, about 30 minutes.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><u>Filling</u></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">8 ounce bulk Italian sausage</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">3 large eggs</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">2 tsp. garlic seasoning, I used Jane’s Crazy Mixed up Salt</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">1 tsp. kosher salt</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">1 tsp. black pepper</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">a few dashes hot sauce</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">2 Tb. heavy cream</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">In a saute pan cook the sausage, breaking up into small crumbles. Add the spinach and saute briefly to evaporate any excess moisture. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl beat the eggs and seasonings. Add the ricotta cheese and whisk well to combine. Add the cheeses, sausage and spinach and stir well to combine.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a sheet pan on the lowest rack. Roll the largest piece of dough out into a circle and press into a 9-inch springform pan that has been sprayed well with cooking spray. Be sure to press firmly all around so the crust is flat against the pan and there are no air bubbles. Pour the filling into the pie shell and smooth the top. Roll out the smaller piece of dough and place over the top of the pie. If your filling did not come up to the top of the pan, be sure to press the dough down on top of the filling, so there is not a big gap between the top crust and the filling. Press the edges together to seal well and flute the edges if desired. Cut 3 vents on top and brush the crust with heavy cream. Sprinkle the top with a little garlic seasoning if you like. Bake until the crust is well browned and you can see the filling bubbling slightly out of the vents, about an hour to 1 1/2 hours. Cool for 15 to 20 minutes and remove the sides of the pan. Slice wedges and serve. This is great, hot, warm, room temperature or cold.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDGbzp4f3IIRFUgxY0YOHsWJYmuFgrYS2m2D6lT6WOWwE5Ii6cl0MbulF5mEbuprsDJS6YN7x8oLaPXD-wm1atKtlj_iLRESoX7TkUWm6ZQvX1eMZV5nRDS-LXwAk6tkQjXMuCCPLNOI/s1600/DSC00761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDGbzp4f3IIRFUgxY0YOHsWJYmuFgrYS2m2D6lT6WOWwE5Ii6cl0MbulF5mEbuprsDJS6YN7x8oLaPXD-wm1atKtlj_iLRESoX7TkUWm6ZQvX1eMZV5nRDS-LXwAk6tkQjXMuCCPLNOI/s320/DSC00761.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The filled pie.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK46egDzPCbQ686C5CxtEoiVk1FOpV84eZ0AnojZc0qJLra-4-y_sH6ENHZvguDkRXeV5qvsjRTBN68p4x1S3SBdyReZjg6dTAjzsIhWn8B6j3Vexemi0HAD8CCUfiwQ6z68i5_o83fFE/s1600/DSC00763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK46egDzPCbQ686C5CxtEoiVk1FOpV84eZ0AnojZc0qJLra-4-y_sH6ENHZvguDkRXeV5qvsjRTBN68p4x1S3SBdyReZjg6dTAjzsIhWn8B6j3Vexemi0HAD8CCUfiwQ6z68i5_o83fFE/s320/DSC00763.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crimped, brushed and ready for the oven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DgzPykoEWqvsQNFZOlouktbTdnmEYhB_ihnu6_isJzQw7IwNmJq3u2SqDXK_6SOfXoBdiLzUSaSJsxo1-ZYSVbxCT2N2kW8o-Fa5cgrq2Z8Eob5q8JSi8LneXyrYZ3AZnFPZSQxTYgg/s1600/DSC00765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DgzPykoEWqvsQNFZOlouktbTdnmEYhB_ihnu6_isJzQw7IwNmJq3u2SqDXK_6SOfXoBdiLzUSaSJsxo1-ZYSVbxCT2N2kW8o-Fa5cgrq2Z8Eob5q8JSi8LneXyrYZ3AZnFPZSQxTYgg/s320/DSC00765.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden brown and delicious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlep3nWdTkQkbvziJhQbHxQoOUDv8FHAoJTvG1JT0iPEOmmKN6Nv9Ctf70yZnoVovXgPizJQhKEaItBWeYOB5jNi8mdCv0NXQ5BkNhDevgi1QfQHyvyCNZ6IVHhU3lc2fd_vMxnmjOSA/s1600/DSC00769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlep3nWdTkQkbvziJhQbHxQoOUDv8FHAoJTvG1JT0iPEOmmKN6Nv9Ctf70yZnoVovXgPizJQhKEaItBWeYOB5jNi8mdCv0NXQ5BkNhDevgi1QfQHyvyCNZ6IVHhU3lc2fd_vMxnmjOSA/s320/DSC00769.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful slice of Easter pie.</td></tr>
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</span></div>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-37246239700559864512012-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:002012-04-03T16:45:12.642-07:00My passion for fruitI'm crazy about passion fruit. I find the sweet-tart flavor and intoxicating tropical perfume to be the most delicious and intriguing combination around. When I was a pastry chef I often used passion fruit to make a rich curd, which I would put inside mini tart shells. Even in small doses, passion fruit packs quite a punch. I've been dreaming of a <b>passion fruit meringue pie</b> for quite a while now. I finally decided to make it happen when my friend/co-worker left our store recently. I made pie for her and wanted something totally different from the <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2012/04/nutty-twist.html">chocolate cashew butter mousse pie </a>also on the roster. The tartness of passion fruit makes it a great substitute for lemon in a meringue pie. And of course with a fluffy, dreamy Italian meringue on top, how could I go wrong? I think this is the perfect pie to usher in Spring time and would make a delicious addition to your Easter table.<br />
<br />
<b>Passion Fruit Meringue Pie</b><br />
Makes one 9-inch pie<br />
Adapted from Lemon-Passion Fruit Meringue Pie by Grace Parisi on the<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/lemon-passion-fruit-meringue-pie"> Food and Wine website</a><br />
<br />
1 9-inch pie shell of your choice, I used graham cracker<br />
2/3 cup passion fruit puree, I used <a href="http://www.goya.com/english/product_subcategory/Frozen-Foods/Fruit-Pulps">Goya brand frozen pulp</a><br />
1 cup sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/3 cup cornstarch<br />
pinch of salt<br />
2 Tb. butter<br />
1 recipe <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-little-sweet-potato.html">Italian meringue</a><br />
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Combine the passion fruit puree, eggs and salt in a bowl and whisk well to combine. In a small, heavy pot combine the sugar and cornstarch and slowly whisk in the water to dissolve. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened. Whisk some of this hot mixture into the passion fruit mixture to temper the eggs. Add this back to the pot and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has come to a boil and is very thick. Add the butter and whisk until melted. Pour the filling through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps of eggs and cornstarch. Scrape the strained filling into the pie crust. Press plastic wrap directly to the surface to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until set and completely cooled, about 6 hours or overnight.<br />
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Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Make the <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-little-sweet-potato.html">Italian meringue</a>. Remove the plastic wrap from the top of the pie and pile on the meringue, smoothing it out to the edge of the crust. Make decorative swirls and peaks in the meringue. Place in the hot oven and toast until it is browned to your liking. This should only take a few minutes and don't walk away from the oven, as it will burn quickly. Enjoy your delicious taste of paradise!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topping the pie with meringue.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty and spiky, ready for the oven!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRMCLFA8gcg03BTr-NTLIJw7QYNmt_GIu1fTpHjcD8BM2AK2oihGrZw19_pSTkX0TPS4jezjJxqFwaW8J273m11YFa1Yh8G3VTdLjFr5i_Wb1VKNPnfIucP8SUSfsjDUF2Ig4s3lNKtY/s1600/DSC00758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRMCLFA8gcg03BTr-NTLIJw7QYNmt_GIu1fTpHjcD8BM2AK2oihGrZw19_pSTkX0TPS4jezjJxqFwaW8J273m11YFa1Yh8G3VTdLjFr5i_Wb1VKNPnfIucP8SUSfsjDUF2Ig4s3lNKtY/s320/DSC00758.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-browning and ready to be devoured!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTlk5L40d00beNAlVTdWTm9CXT6vMMJzH1i5FZPDrBTn_dL5XaDT6ThjbVIiQ2yYAscJT2WKjinGSiz34grVxLK1IVS_V41LP14VW6XBE3TD3yq10YRSdaXiAOR8Bigfgqk6rB1UvySM/s1600/DSC00757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTlk5L40d00beNAlVTdWTm9CXT6vMMJzH1i5FZPDrBTn_dL5XaDT6ThjbVIiQ2yYAscJT2WKjinGSiz34grVxLK1IVS_V41LP14VW6XBE3TD3yq10YRSdaXiAOR8Bigfgqk6rB1UvySM/s320/DSC00757.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh look, there's my beautiful orchid again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-79639186323322656352012-04-02T12:05:00.001-07:002012-04-03T16:49:36.607-07:00A Nutty Twist!If you've been reading my blog you know that I gave up my "famous" <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-finally-give-it-up-for-my-first-post.html">Peanut Butter Pie</a> recipe for my first blog post. I was planning on making some pies for a good friend/co-worker who transferred to another store and was trying to come up with something delicious but not too time consuming. Upon finding a chocolate pie crust and cashew butter in my cupboards, I had a crazy thought. What if I turn my peanut butter pie into <b>CASHEW BUTTER PIE</b>?? Why the hell not? All I did was substitute roasted cashew butter for the peanut butter in the original recipe and the results were fantastic! Just be sure your cashew butter is room temperature when you mix up the filling. The cashew flavor is a little more delicate than peanut butter, but the resulting pie was rich and creamy! I decorated the top with a smooth layer of chocolate ganache and salted cashews, which provided a perfect compliment to the sweetness. Who knew that just a slight change in the recipe would result in something so unique and delicious!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcVLyZ6MPZHdXQnpSqnH-mqMP5ooxL92pe9UlsmyUir6odw47EOlav556fU4y67hyrU6DX45zGTlIgsvfHOG65El0E1bSp7exr6DVZ4cmYeyS4zPkyqpzsFVjPiggDAXJ42hHUvCT8ug/s1600/DSC00755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcVLyZ6MPZHdXQnpSqnH-mqMP5ooxL92pe9UlsmyUir6odw47EOlav556fU4y67hyrU6DX45zGTlIgsvfHOG65El0E1bSp7exr6DVZ4cmYeyS4zPkyqpzsFVjPiggDAXJ42hHUvCT8ug/s320/DSC00755.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The salted cashews on top were perfection!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4JvPfi2-M6ldrpePik1Ksnct32A4-bRmS19nwK_Q7g056cQUQnGqEX5-NKUCJiC0DtLEsq0tQav8GJl-ErX4AU9ERxve8fPHB887h6zrhkg8b6qkRV3CTsxUBq8u0pblZ40BSA4D8KU/s1600/DSC00756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4JvPfi2-M6ldrpePik1Ksnct32A4-bRmS19nwK_Q7g056cQUQnGqEX5-NKUCJiC0DtLEsq0tQav8GJl-ErX4AU9ERxve8fPHB887h6zrhkg8b6qkRV3CTsxUBq8u0pblZ40BSA4D8KU/s320/DSC00756.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to get my orchid in the picture because I'm just so proud of it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-67832517058322729902012-03-16T12:18:00.000-07:002012-04-03T16:46:25.682-07:00S'mores, please!I've been seeing <b>S'mores Pie</b> around the internet for quite a while now and have had it on my "to do" list. Twice I bought a bag of those <a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&ix=seb&ion=1&biw=1280&bih=685&q=jumbo+marshmallows&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9237966009773605003&sa=X&ei=p5FjT4TkJe2OsAKG9aWcCw&ved=0CE8Q8wIwAA">Jet-Puffed Jumbo Marshmallows</a>. The first bag ended up being snack food. Seriously, once you eat those giant, puffy, white wonders you'll never go back to the puny regular marshmallows again! The second bag remained unopened for several months until I finally got around to making this delightful pie. Who doesn't love s'mores, the tasty, nostalgic treat? Nobody, I say, NOBODY! There is something about the crunchy graham cracker, sweet chocolate and toasty marshmallow that instantly transports me back to childhood. I can almost smell the campfire smoke and hear the crackle. Back to simpler times, when life was an adventure to be enjoyed, free of bills and responsibilities. Oh, how I long for those days! Sadly, those days are gone, but at least I can enjoy S'mores Pie!<br />
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<b>S'mores Pie</b><br />
1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust<br />
12 Jumbo marshmallows (or however many mini or regular sized marshmallows you need)<br />
2 cups half and half<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 Tbs. cornstarch<br />
4 oz. high-quality dark chocolate, chopped<br />
2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
2 Tb. unsalted butter<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
To make the chocolate filling, heat 1 1/2 cups of the half and half, sugar and salt in a small, heavy pot until simmering. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup half and half with the cornstarch and whisk to combine well. Whisk in the eggs. Add some of the hot half and half to the egg mixture to temper it, then whisk everything back into the pot. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Take the pudding off the heat and add the butter, vanilla and chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes to melt the chocolate and then whisk well to combine everything. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pie crust. Smooth the top then press plastic wrap directly onto the pudding to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cold and set, at least 6 hours.<br />
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Heat your oven to broil. Arrange the marshmallows on the top of the pie. Place the pie on the oven rack so it is about 3 to 4 inches away from the element. DO NOT walk away! I kept the oven door open and rotated the pie around constantly to brown the marshmallows evenly. Do this until they are puffy and browned to your liking. Enjoy immediately!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get these. NOW.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Line them all up on your pie. If you like, you can cut some up to fill in the gaps.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toast carefully under the broiler.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98JUjdZl4UGD6EmpsVgwUCFVR47EC2bxIpb_6TtxHEFcehktk7oFRABoic8buXAZUSGn1He8_cazoIGihr0F4GSzEe0lXj4Jmlr3P8AxB3K8hBLDIwiqAsQoW_uVr4XNXFhpsA767T8Q/s1600/DSC00743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98JUjdZl4UGD6EmpsVgwUCFVR47EC2bxIpb_6TtxHEFcehktk7oFRABoic8buXAZUSGn1He8_cazoIGihr0F4GSzEe0lXj4Jmlr3P8AxB3K8hBLDIwiqAsQoW_uVr4XNXFhpsA767T8Q/s320/DSC00743.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm eight years old all over again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-38587889063691074592012-02-12T10:04:00.001-08:002012-04-03T16:47:00.657-07:00Sweet and Salty!Salted caramel is all the rage these days. And it's no mystery why, salty and sweet is delicious! So why not apply that principle to a pie? <b>Salted caramel apple pie</b>. Hell yes! As I've said before, I'm really not apple pies biggest fan. But when you cover it with a crunchy topping and slather it in salted caramel, sign me up!<br />
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I used the salted caramel recipe from <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/salted-caramel-sauce-recipe/index.html">Kelsey Nixon</a> on the Cooking Channel. It's easy to put together and makes more than you need for the pie, so put the rest in a container and save it for drizzling over ice cream, dipping fruit or cookies in, or eating with a spoon. When it comes to apples, pick a variety that can stand up to baking, like Granny Smith, Fuji or my choice, Honeycrisp. Sweet and juicy, the <b>Honeycrisp apples</b> at work were so fragrant I could practically smell them from across the entire store. They were the perfect match for the salted caramel.<br />
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This pie turned out to be so delicious that I did not bring it to work like I usually do. Once in a while I fall so hard for a pie (see Sweet Potato Meringue) that I can't bear to share it. I must be greedy and keep it all to myself. So if you make this pie with the intention of giving it away, be sure not to taste it because it won't be going anywhere except your belly!<br />
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<b>Salted Caramel Sauce</b><br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
3/4 cup heavy cream<br />
3 1/2 Tb. unsalted butter<br />
1 tsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt<br />
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In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. Use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the cream. The mixture will bubble up furiously. Stir in the butter and salt. Pour the caramel into a dish and allow to cool.<br />
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<b>Crumble Topping</b><br />
1 cup flour<br />
3/4 cup brown sugar<br />
3/4 cup sliced almonds<br />
6 Tb. butter, melted<br />
1/2 tsp. cinnamon<br />
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Combine the dry ingredients and stir to mix well. Stir in the melted butter and mix to form crumbles. Set aside while preparing the rest of the pie.<br />
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<b>Salted Caramel Apple Pie</b><br />
1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked<br />
2 lbs. apples<br />
juice of half a lemon<br />
2 Tb. sugar<br />
2 Tb. flour<br />
Salted Caramel Sauce<br />
Crumble Topping<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a sheet pan on the middle rack. Peel and core the apples and slice 1/4 inch thick. Toss the apples with the lemon juice. Combine the sugar and flour and toss with the apples. Pour half of the caramel sauce over the apples and stir to coat. Pile the apples into the pie crust and then cover the top with the crumble topping. You will need to use your hands to press the topping onto the apples, forming a compact crust. Place the pie onto the hot sheet pan. Bake until the pie is well browned and the juices are bubbling all the way through the pie, including the center. This will take about an hour to 1 1/2 hours. You may need to cover the pie with foil to keep it from browning too much. When the pie is cooled, drizzle more of the caramel sauce over the top and if you like, sprinkle it with more coarse salt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBW1VqFnlkozMkIIySSHz3YAKI-E-u5U23hgRdaz4tvjp-jFn1dur8rKc_aGv_LRBS3A3T11N2H7hxDKSL6013A_eJ1mX8hmNI_SNitnQnZhyphenhyphenrBUnXRQFMWKOZ-OaPuCfBPptDhSDS4S4/s1600/DSC00716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBW1VqFnlkozMkIIySSHz3YAKI-E-u5U23hgRdaz4tvjp-jFn1dur8rKc_aGv_LRBS3A3T11N2H7hxDKSL6013A_eJ1mX8hmNI_SNitnQnZhyphenhyphenrBUnXRQFMWKOZ-OaPuCfBPptDhSDS4S4/s320/DSC00716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The apples tossed with salted caramel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha-cSa_ceVkT6p5mX5KLnXliFzJ1xiQvjjqHv3p2km2ZGjiS8THpf_MqgGzJV7Bq9maxx4NSrdnF_5UbFaOeTvQLxwPdOfxqFSSODjBLiQjZXNIRhNwdFgghYqYr8tGblBu0VRewnObc/s1600/DSC00717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha-cSa_ceVkT6p5mX5KLnXliFzJ1xiQvjjqHv3p2km2ZGjiS8THpf_MqgGzJV7Bq9maxx4NSrdnF_5UbFaOeTvQLxwPdOfxqFSSODjBLiQjZXNIRhNwdFgghYqYr8tGblBu0VRewnObc/s320/DSC00717.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crumble topping</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiurL5ekOSVc7aviVrQUVewysuOGkNwi_grIeDPLmCfV_DIr3j8FwRY0KjiBTZSMr5HUzUqFDamhQdO7Qq1iSjRFeBV1r6QYqhKNFmwhCaSsCkvqA8RD6mWKYpe6qUWlorFoZDAt1QnU/s1600/DSC00722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiurL5ekOSVc7aviVrQUVewysuOGkNwi_grIeDPLmCfV_DIr3j8FwRY0KjiBTZSMr5HUzUqFDamhQdO7Qq1iSjRFeBV1r6QYqhKNFmwhCaSsCkvqA8RD6mWKYpe6qUWlorFoZDAt1QnU/s320/DSC00722.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh la la, gooey caramel and crunchy topping!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjw5Nf9RTpreYgrZDl0gsy3Fpl5suQQOOO2ZhnqDT-SiHD-wETSU_evHK_Ru1upPxwn8BqctFIScKLocnyz5G6VQ8XyRI-yb7jmlOfp-g6HUMCwGA4pWIKZrsR1a8RLxI0o7v-Vwd7lAY/s1600/DSC00733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjw5Nf9RTpreYgrZDl0gsy3Fpl5suQQOOO2ZhnqDT-SiHD-wETSU_evHK_Ru1upPxwn8BqctFIScKLocnyz5G6VQ8XyRI-yb7jmlOfp-g6HUMCwGA4pWIKZrsR1a8RLxI0o7v-Vwd7lAY/s320/DSC00733.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet and salty perfection!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-49854491280738438772012-01-23T09:30:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:48:05.057-07:00Pretty in Pink GrapefruitNext to clementines, my second favorite winter fruit treat is <b>pink grapefruit. </b>Seeing as how I think of everything in terms of pie, naturally I decided to make a <b>pink grapefruit pie</b>. Just like a lemon meringue, but with pink grapefruit instead. And the topping has to be Italian meringue, of course. I don't know why anyone bothers with "regular" meringue anymore when Italian is SO much better! <br />
<br />
I really like the tart-sweet bitterness of pink grapefruit and didn't want to lose that quality in the pie. So I didn't go too crazy with the sugar and I folded in chopped grapefruit sections to drive home the fresh taste of the fruit. To do this you need to supreme the grapefruit, which involves cutting off all the skin and cutting out the segments, which produces beautiful slices of juicy fruit with none of the pesky white membrane attached. You can get a quick lesson on how to supreme in this <a href="http://vimeo.com/21333222">video</a> by Elishia's Kitchen.<br />
<br />
This pie is easy to put together and provides a fresh, beautiful addition to any winter meal!<br />
<br />
1 9" graham cracker pie crust<br />
2 cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice<br />
1/3 cup cornstarch<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
3 eggs, separated<br />
pinch of salt<br />
zest of one grapefruit<br />
few drops red food color, optional<br />
2 Tb. unsalted butter<br />
1 grapefruit, supreme and chop <br />
<br />
<b><u>Italian Meringue</u></b><br />
3 egg whites, saved from the yolks used in the filling<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 Tb. corn syrup<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
<br />
For the filling, combine the grapefruit juice, cornstarch, sugar, salt and egg yolks in a small, heavy pot. Stir well to dissolve the cornstarch. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. When the mixture is thickened, remove from the heat. Stir in the zest, butter, grapefruit sections and food coloring, if using. I used just a few drops to produce a dark pink color that resembled the fresh fruit when cut. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and press plastic wrap directly to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 to 6 hours.<br />
<br />
For the Italian meringue, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a small pot and stir to dissolve the sugar. Clip a candy thermometer to the side and cook over high heat until the thermometer registers 240 degrees. While the syrup is coming up to temperature, whip the egg whites in a stand mixer until soft peaks are formed and then whip in the salt. When the syrup is done, pour it slowly down the side of the bowl into the whites while the mixer is running. Avoid pouring into the whisk, as it will fling the hot syrup all over the bowl. Continue whipping on high speed until the mixture has cooled and is fluffy, firm and glossy, about 4 to 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pile the meringue onto the pie and make decorative swirls and peaks. Toast in the hot oven until lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Chill about 30 minutes before serving.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHhe-z-e0i71ApG1LS1pYo3aln0QBJ4N5n_jz856lgWhlmVuol1LWBbFNPnWLQb9y2Jkgz9QMWijn1yekg9Gx2EqAPkChmafxxUZLJmY6xitVBgG36FQ-YkBfXq4RFAGF_U9VK2lOygs/s1600/DSC00695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHhe-z-e0i71ApG1LS1pYo3aln0QBJ4N5n_jz856lgWhlmVuol1LWBbFNPnWLQb9y2Jkgz9QMWijn1yekg9Gx2EqAPkChmafxxUZLJmY6xitVBgG36FQ-YkBfXq4RFAGF_U9VK2lOygs/s320/DSC00695.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful inspiration!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtCQgLVrpJidr7teWUCBgNMMeoD7miYoCcaG9F_YfGa1OriyjmPDxKBhwA9l0BBHc9ucLyoxMptIYmHi4W7g67a0wzujBMm21x984CymNMXh-K-MdQc8VEaTIodPOMn4JVJSm8HsjALM/s1600/DSC00698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtCQgLVrpJidr7teWUCBgNMMeoD7miYoCcaG9F_YfGa1OriyjmPDxKBhwA9l0BBHc9ucLyoxMptIYmHi4W7g67a0wzujBMm21x984CymNMXh-K-MdQc8VEaTIodPOMn4JVJSm8HsjALM/s320/DSC00698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding the meringue to the cooled pie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBPGdHE2g3fcLD-DMgfduzMBUrvnp-huv_QRPRTEG7H3NTNbhedB7HJgcn9RTpXfYowKjjH3BbQIsdBo2ie7Y5PdC8nOcVV2B6ypzIITWgzpl2ezR6wXms76MdfAOMpF1csgVXbae88w/s1600/DSC00701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBPGdHE2g3fcLD-DMgfduzMBUrvnp-huv_QRPRTEG7H3NTNbhedB7HJgcn9RTpXfYowKjjH3BbQIsdBo2ie7Y5PdC8nOcVV2B6ypzIITWgzpl2ezR6wXms76MdfAOMpF1csgVXbae88w/s320/DSC00701.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So simple and beautiful</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFljxvhVADiJVZDpN_bGJ39WdI8knrlnpViFN1VbxObMrXhKy3zsqi_iXJCLrGN8Fk8DGMb9YBjljbLFbQ5mZIq7WntA2M9uj7F8_-689ZAu8ysWKqO3XvGl0_d4ltt-rldjPGyA_Auxs/s1600/DSC00706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFljxvhVADiJVZDpN_bGJ39WdI8knrlnpViFN1VbxObMrXhKy3zsqi_iXJCLrGN8Fk8DGMb9YBjljbLFbQ5mZIq7WntA2M9uj7F8_-689ZAu8ysWKqO3XvGl0_d4ltt-rldjPGyA_Auxs/s320/DSC00706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, a slice for me!? Aw, you shouldn't have!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNjhU436JFpLI6R-2cQCxTVahgR3RyDgAL8Pd9yw7Kfy9nLIMUHY-Z7pbRAaZh2yiwyJR65NrX3xJb6LW-l7hAqZfBoSD0u_EljjJVuxpX-WKVZNiQUE-5jY9nsEqH-X0zdWqWV7hqRg/s1600/DSC00712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNjhU436JFpLI6R-2cQCxTVahgR3RyDgAL8Pd9yw7Kfy9nLIMUHY-Z7pbRAaZh2yiwyJR65NrX3xJb6LW-l7hAqZfBoSD0u_EljjJVuxpX-WKVZNiQUE-5jY9nsEqH-X0zdWqWV7hqRg/s320/DSC00712.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect Winter sweet treat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-68057017656762868472012-01-17T08:10:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:49:36.607-07:00Crazy for Coconut!My birthday was in December and I fully intended to make myself my personal favorite, <b>Coconut Cream Pie</b>. I even bought all the ingredients but when the day rolled around, I realized I was too lazy and scrapped the plans. Luckily, my dear friend <a href="http://wbdenver.blogspot.com/">Lindsay</a> made me two delicious pies herself! I tell ya, having someone else make pie for me was just about the best birthday gift I could get. She made a fabulous peanut butter and jelly pie and, to my delight, a coconut cream pie. Now that is friendship!<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the New Year and I still have the ingredients in my cupboard. Might as well make that pie now. This one is full of the namesake ingredient - I use coconut milk and plenty of shredded coconut in the filling and shower the top with a thick layer of toasted coconut as well. If you're like me and crazy for coconut, this one won't miss!<br />
<br />
1 9" graham cracker pie crust<br />
1 can coconut milk<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
6 Tb. cornstarch<br />
2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 bag sweetened shredded coconut, divided usage<br />
2 cups heavy cream<br />
3 Tb. powdered sugar<br />
<br />
For the filling, place the heavy cream, coconut milk and sugar in a small, heavy pot over medium high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. While the milk is heating, whisk together the cornstarch and eggs. When the milk has boiled, add a ladle full of it to the egg mixture and whisk well. This will temper the eggs so they do not curdle when you add them into the hot milk. Whisk the egg mixture back into the pot of milk and lower the heat to about medium. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly to avoid forming lumps. When the filling is thickened, remove from the heat and stir in half the bag of coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour the filling into the crust and press plastic wrap directly to the surface to keep a skin from forming. Put in the refrigerator and chill completely, about 4 to 6 hours.<br />
<br />
Toast the rest of the coconut in the oven until golden brown. You will need to stir it around frequently so it toasts evenly. Watch it carefully to be sure it doesn't burn. Let cool completely before putting on the pie. Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together to stiff peaks. Cover the top of the cooled pie with the whipped cream and toasted coconut. Enjoy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wD452M3WcswM7FGnjOQMLcZklksaos5SqGNcOk3E15ec-ElhgV9yBzyTMi7nvJ1Wpyl7rw4eUQuQWerhR9WLZAyb_Nr5ZOwmHrQBH2X3WCXCU_EXjM6dl-BCV-6emchiMCOH1L8xx_0/s1600/IMAG0254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wD452M3WcswM7FGnjOQMLcZklksaos5SqGNcOk3E15ec-ElhgV9yBzyTMi7nvJ1Wpyl7rw4eUQuQWerhR9WLZAyb_Nr5ZOwmHrQBH2X3WCXCU_EXjM6dl-BCV-6emchiMCOH1L8xx_0/s320/IMAG0254.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just some simple ingredients.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf2C9KWiekpwh_ZcfS5SfwLAbxAxt1nZscUfHITQa3OnK_wxS5KQ5iHkOmTAzgj9BBM7fzmWTduxV8GzTDykC3xT5JlPFyT2305BMYA2ruDh-rShGWDeQn55mDPWyGCDRXRXejd4tZvo/s1600/IMAG0255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf2C9KWiekpwh_ZcfS5SfwLAbxAxt1nZscUfHITQa3OnK_wxS5KQ5iHkOmTAzgj9BBM7fzmWTduxV8GzTDykC3xT5JlPFyT2305BMYA2ruDh-rShGWDeQn55mDPWyGCDRXRXejd4tZvo/s320/IMAG0255.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make a coconut custard for the filling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANiIM9y2oJ22qnohdK33AaJfloz1ZCoJGcoZ1ocFT7Zdy8E7cWUT3J4NuHmueNmBVupoz5up13-zm3GRxqYcY2gSZI9NpzQnosyvHyteabsjpWVAT5Q7WQh_EljUj3l7T7zJs8p_gpOA/s1600/IMAG0276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANiIM9y2oJ22qnohdK33AaJfloz1ZCoJGcoZ1ocFT7Zdy8E7cWUT3J4NuHmueNmBVupoz5up13-zm3GRxqYcY2gSZI9NpzQnosyvHyteabsjpWVAT5Q7WQh_EljUj3l7T7zJs8p_gpOA/s320/IMAG0276.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creamy and chocked fully of coconut!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-55960465595988762702012-01-04T16:15:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:47:48.886-07:00Cutie PieYou're probably wondering where I've been. No place fantastic, unfortunately. I've just been busy. The holidays, work (during the holidays!!), moving to a new house... You know, life stuff. I really did plan on delving deep into holiday pies for the blog, but I never made it past the Cranberry Meringue pie. Oh well.<br />
<br />
So I was staring at our box of <a href="http://cutieskids.com/">Cuties</a> (California clementines, my winter favorite) the other day and it hit me, <b>Cutie Pie</b>!! Damn, I am so clever I practically can't stand myself. In my mind cutie pie looked like a fluffy mousse-like cloud, decorated with cutie segments. Oh yes, it will be mine.<br />
<br />
I found some recipes for clementine pies on the internet to inspire me. I ended up making a clementine curd (based on the fruit curd master recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pastry-Bible-Rose-Levy-Beranbaum/dp/0684813483/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325720430&sr=8-1">The Pie and Pastry Bible</a>, by Rose Levy Beranbaum.). To the hot curd I stirred in gelatin and after the mixture cooled, I added heavy cream and whipped it up. Perfection! Sweet, a tiny bit tart, creamy and fluffy, my Cutie Pie is the picture of perfection! Not a bad comeback, I'd say.<br />
<br />
<b>Cutie Pie</b><br />
1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or your own<br />
1 cup freshly squeezed clementine juice (I use Cutie brand)<br />
Zest of 4 clementines<br />
2 Tb. lemon juice<br />
1 packet unflavored gelatin<br />
heavy pinch of salt<br />
4 egg yolks<br />
1/2 cup sugar <br />
4 Tb. butter<br />
<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
2 Tb. sugar<br />
clementine or mandarin orange segments for garnish, blot dry on a paper towel<br />
<br />
Stir the gelatin into the lemon juice and set aside to let bloom. In a small, heavy pot combine the sugar and egg yolks, whisking well to combine. Stir in the clementine juice, salt and butter. Set the pot over medium heat and cook ,whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Be careful not to get it too hot, or your eggs will scramble. Add in the gelatin and zest, stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until the curd is thickened and partially set.<br />
<br />
Put the clementine curd into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add one cup of heavy cream and whip on high speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes (this may take more or less time depending on the how cold and set the curd is). The mixture is still not fully set at this point, so don't worry if it seems a little soft. Pour the mousse into the prepared pie crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 or 3 more hours. <br />
<br />
Whip the heavy cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Decorate the top of your Cutie Pie as desired with whipped cream and orange segments. Enjoy the sweet, creamy goodness!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW45GdwwN8WvFvOHUt2w8vqixcPGgKX85Oy0GMURo8kMLCo5TEhf-FLLml7cNFb70N85JFcxXPw2ugTIaUynWlBJQtOUXiZ-xtfPtnfmrqkeSZT2WQOQ8FQZqnj2uI7MwB0n4EraQV84Q/s1600/IMAG0258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW45GdwwN8WvFvOHUt2w8vqixcPGgKX85Oy0GMURo8kMLCo5TEhf-FLLml7cNFb70N85JFcxXPw2ugTIaUynWlBJQtOUXiZ-xtfPtnfmrqkeSZT2WQOQ8FQZqnj2uI7MwB0n4EraQV84Q/s320/IMAG0258.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start with some beautiful clementines.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyS93eVxezopMeKVKcqzwayPJjMDOO97ik_dShBDAhP3WH5LkInmladblJGVaAK0RA8VQGFd5Z7fcMc0F0pPSuMhRvF0T0jO21UH79EJGq1XyL4q3yEt7vUUvK_3_NRAJelQIz3Z387U/s1600/IMAG0260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyS93eVxezopMeKVKcqzwayPJjMDOO97ik_dShBDAhP3WH5LkInmladblJGVaAK0RA8VQGFd5Z7fcMc0F0pPSuMhRvF0T0jO21UH79EJGq1XyL4q3yEt7vUUvK_3_NRAJelQIz3Z387U/s320/IMAG0260.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make a delicious clementine curd.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4w7pPYzVgLiA2tPiU-m8rb8ws0p9p-NhlTkqIg8fbFQcoXXRk0Y1EGYs5PpOHSXO0mpRWNZN81wdlQMVJHd445eXCbVObe7V1zUE1CRj6DO4vsIJBEuH2K_ymT3CcPbRB9FnR2c9b9k/s1600/IMAG0264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4w7pPYzVgLiA2tPiU-m8rb8ws0p9p-NhlTkqIg8fbFQcoXXRk0Y1EGYs5PpOHSXO0mpRWNZN81wdlQMVJHd445eXCbVObe7V1zUE1CRj6DO4vsIJBEuH2K_ymT3CcPbRB9FnR2c9b9k/s320/IMAG0264.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When it's thick and looks like this when you stir it up, whip it with heavy cream.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNRkQvzacTUCy0LGaHJNMIkduFFMDRj5cOe1SF-8eE4a5pfgEvckLy-Ixa10ycPQItJOLKrpl9jwVW4w8Kc1adZpobjEURjd2wBEv9a0mpjkiltgQq0eb-X1GD3CzDHmIrqxK7tX8tho/s1600/IMAG0266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNRkQvzacTUCy0LGaHJNMIkduFFMDRj5cOe1SF-8eE4a5pfgEvckLy-Ixa10ycPQItJOLKrpl9jwVW4w8Kc1adZpobjEURjd2wBEv9a0mpjkiltgQq0eb-X1GD3CzDHmIrqxK7tX8tho/s320/IMAG0266.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pour into a pie shell and refrigerate until set.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23jsp70Rb7fMXwvllYc7fU6px-QBp4PmALfvwM5fEZUxc1Z0XaDbKHlPyy0bhbpfY0Gab_Mp9jsiSedx9LHjQNqriUBzZ3eBRM6k104sk5Me5dr-v2h9b5IKSjTRF21bzzDDX1kHuLos/s1600/IMAG0269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23jsp70Rb7fMXwvllYc7fU6px-QBp4PmALfvwM5fEZUxc1Z0XaDbKHlPyy0bhbpfY0Gab_Mp9jsiSedx9LHjQNqriUBzZ3eBRM6k104sk5Me5dr-v2h9b5IKSjTRF21bzzDDX1kHuLos/s320/IMAG0269.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutie Pie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpy-IVHE5xLjMbPHBbV2-eRc_Yx9KQdEps7uo1csVSGGL-FB6Kk9hQEF6Oll9FBHApGBPHcTniHoQEUSwwPzdgAR9i1XzEynAV-Uo7f3s0yCV-htSKXVkUqhqNp1uVuTdP3TkbXSs1vE/s1600/IMAG0270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpy-IVHE5xLjMbPHBbV2-eRc_Yx9KQdEps7uo1csVSGGL-FB6Kk9hQEF6Oll9FBHApGBPHcTniHoQEUSwwPzdgAR9i1XzEynAV-Uo7f3s0yCV-htSKXVkUqhqNp1uVuTdP3TkbXSs1vE/s320/IMAG0270.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet, creamy citrus. So beautiful and delicious.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-55824363178656457642011-12-03T15:57:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:49:19.587-07:00A Little Something Different<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm always looking for something just a little different. I had a bag of cranberries in the freezer, and some egg whites leftover from making <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-new-favorite-pumpkin-pie.html">pumpkin cream pie</a> and I thought, dare I make <b>cranberry meringue pie</b>? I Googled possible recipes and found there were quite a few. I decided on my own version flavored with orange juice and spiked with a touch of Grand Marnier. Of course I had to make delicious, fluffy Italian meringue to top off the sweet-tart fruit. Success! This pie is both rich and refreshing and absolutely perfect if you're looking for something a little different for your holiday table.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cranberry Meringue Pie</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 9" pie crust, blind baked (I use Wholly Wholesome)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 lb. fresh cranberries</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 cups sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup water</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">zest and juice of one orange</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tb. cornstarch</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tb. Grand Marnier</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Combine the cranberries, sugar, water, cornstarch, orange juice and zest in a small pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook until thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the liqueur. Scrape the filling to the cooked and cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until completely cooled.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Italian Meringue (from epicurious.com)</span><br style="line-height: 21px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">3 egg whites, room temperature</span><br style="line-height: 21px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1 cup sugar</span><br style="line-height: 21px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">2 Tb. corn syrup</span><br style="line-height: 21px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1/4 cup water</span><br style="line-height: 21px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1/8 tsp. kosher salt</span><br style="line-height: 21px;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Place egg whites in a mixer bowl. Whip the whites in mixer until soft peaks form. Whip in the salt. Stir sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high and boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until thermometer registers 240°, 6-8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Slowly pour hot sugar syrup down side of bowl into whites and beat until meringue is firm and glossy. Continue beating until cool, about 4 minutes. Spread the meringue over the top of the cooled pie, being sure to connect it to the edge of the crust. Bake the pie in a 400 degree oven until nicely toasted to your liking, about7 to 10 minutes.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsGw4VZmi0B7EkOQCyuYwQ-fOyoekGHCMwrDtdulvSMHlQMXkaeD0Q3VKv1hwrppB5q8nmSW0Xma8A1vhLOzNdJ9Q1m2iJUsYHQazy9QYz_OwtsU-7_Ja4Bhd_Ypf1QAP4zNRLaSlnj4/s1600/DSC00684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsGw4VZmi0B7EkOQCyuYwQ-fOyoekGHCMwrDtdulvSMHlQMXkaeD0Q3VKv1hwrppB5q8nmSW0Xma8A1vhLOzNdJ9Q1m2iJUsYHQazy9QYz_OwtsU-7_Ja4Bhd_Ypf1QAP4zNRLaSlnj4/s320/DSC00684.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pile on the meringue. I said pile it on!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi236kvsG1ChZG25qvf5wOLZvDq6Xy08LgJCDhurJ5dH-u8ti73_h5KuhgXqm56PEsRr6tYDEEMClU7CQH2vXbhT7IHvegqtC6ryDHMEK_dCyarwRo6H0mpGNDlvCJOoJUXnclL9TvBdXw/s1600/DSC00686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi236kvsG1ChZG25qvf5wOLZvDq6Xy08LgJCDhurJ5dH-u8ti73_h5KuhgXqm56PEsRr6tYDEEMClU7CQH2vXbhT7IHvegqtC6ryDHMEK_dCyarwRo6H0mpGNDlvCJOoJUXnclL9TvBdXw/s320/DSC00686.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make decorative swirls and peaks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qaM84UABF7hHFZ-ttTw4JgigFd0TXvhiQybBHv9q5IQWg1iyH_cTfq5u7QMCH5hmmvqw_t11LApjAfASH8RDyp1OBJM_9r4hU4it9cPzNeMiZT1L4ku4_LG6mRsTC1aagddsUNcDfZo/s1600/DSC00688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qaM84UABF7hHFZ-ttTw4JgigFd0TXvhiQybBHv9q5IQWg1iyH_cTfq5u7QMCH5hmmvqw_t11LApjAfASH8RDyp1OBJM_9r4hU4it9cPzNeMiZT1L4ku4_LG6mRsTC1aagddsUNcDfZo/s320/DSC00688.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown the meringue in a hot oven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0HB3pa0ulnY4e6DJR5_gtG0oA6sy2nyqNVtxrsq-L3TJmdpfllRijNAPH_2Gqc0Gk-xKiDcpMfCO7XiDSN_B1Mn1bIh5f0npMKEQh6vsKX3FuCVVQwG7ItQHmiIq9U-60m0z1UO-XYc/s1600/DSC00689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0HB3pa0ulnY4e6DJR5_gtG0oA6sy2nyqNVtxrsq-L3TJmdpfllRijNAPH_2Gqc0Gk-xKiDcpMfCO7XiDSN_B1Mn1bIh5f0npMKEQh6vsKX3FuCVVQwG7ItQHmiIq9U-60m0z1UO-XYc/s320/DSC00689.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fluffy meringue pairs perfectly with tart cranberry.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5CNn2oXNY5RFCRoeeTKlNHj9sQA9VzF6mPmqSIeiUPpiVk3h-JsUuyzPtfZuYtfy0uvHlBbH8jrZZrmz8H1SET6Of1Wa1NQM4SJteCTO0GjfUmK5nmyL50i3BZkwIwiJjbrhvXz3_gA/s1600/DSC00693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5CNn2oXNY5RFCRoeeTKlNHj9sQA9VzF6mPmqSIeiUPpiVk3h-JsUuyzPtfZuYtfy0uvHlBbH8jrZZrmz8H1SET6Of1Wa1NQM4SJteCTO0GjfUmK5nmyL50i3BZkwIwiJjbrhvXz3_gA/s320/DSC00693.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nom.</td></tr>
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</span>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-26733481737024047012011-11-21T20:58:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:44:24.602-07:00I'm Drowning in TurkeysSo, it's Thanksgiving and work is just a tad bit busy. And by busy I mean 1,000 pounds of stuffing and turkeys EVERYWHERE. I don't think I'm even going to want to look at a turkey for my own Thanksgiving meal. Luckily I managed to make 2 delicious bourbon pecan pies (I doubled the recipe) to bring to work and share with my wonderful, hard working co-workers. Actually, this is the second batch of pecan pies I made as the first was not up to snuff and I had to give it another go. But anyway, if you're in the market for a delicious, sweet, gooey, boozy, pecany pie, then search no more. End of story.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Bourbon Pecan Pie</b><br />
1 9" pie shell, unbaked<br />
4 eggs<br />
1 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup corn syrup<br />
2 Tb. butter, melted<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
2 Tb. bourbon<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
8 oz. pecans (I prefer them whole, but you can chop them if you like)<br />
<br />
Put a sheet pan in the oven and pre-heat to 400 degrees.<br />
Whisk eggs until thoroughly mixed. Add the rest of the ingredients, except pecans, and mix completely. Stir in the pecans. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and place on the hot sheet pan in the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake until the pie is set and lightly puffed, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatVza0cu8ci3wpcDBT5xSVvCqfhC9HmJSbhNGAmBel1RW5_b2KC9Hzmqsk_EAzlR5iiNfK6w7gnEpffSC1oGc0hVgBT-AzgK5pOXG-nekQ4UM8KWQG6w7Zet_al5af542iqQBFxMAvZc/s1600/DSC00666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatVza0cu8ci3wpcDBT5xSVvCqfhC9HmJSbhNGAmBel1RW5_b2KC9Hzmqsk_EAzlR5iiNfK6w7gnEpffSC1oGc0hVgBT-AzgK5pOXG-nekQ4UM8KWQG6w7Zet_al5af542iqQBFxMAvZc/s320/DSC00666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1Eu4bVKIJ7l0XPjEtE-8714iI_FbhiiRYQtIhw-22YteW6vj1kCFjiDh1rfAP_pag-wgLSiN47FgVNYZ_r6NITH_3jOCmXYnZWnOL_5Nw1-w0jsbfrv1Fu0lRzLckIaWf4NAWh6SzGk/s1600/DSC00676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1Eu4bVKIJ7l0XPjEtE-8714iI_FbhiiRYQtIhw-22YteW6vj1kCFjiDh1rfAP_pag-wgLSiN47FgVNYZ_r6NITH_3jOCmXYnZWnOL_5Nw1-w0jsbfrv1Fu0lRzLckIaWf4NAWh6SzGk/s320/DSC00676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-54633512307817526632011-11-14T12:44:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:44:00.271-07:00My New Favorite Pumpkin PieI've always loved pumpkin pie, or pumpkin anything, for that matter. In fact, I've always lamented the fact that pumpkin is a seasonal item when I'd like to enjoy it year around. I've never felt the need to stray from the classic recipe with canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and spices. But when I saw this recipe for <b>Pumpkin Cream Pie</b> on the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/346836/pumpkin-cream-pie?czone=food/thanksgiving-center/thanksgiving-center-dessert">Martha Stewart website</a>, my heart skipped a beat. Gingersnap crust, pumpkin custard and a mountain of fluffy whipped cream...what more do I need??!! I think this will be my new go-to pumpkin pie! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQZDPFdZevzDm2u5OHZSVeCfl9XBrqVkEVbHvsvo1-Yeep4o5fAxTaFa-5wUDtm-QcgBDpvsbYzEoFN-G7y7kMC2fhNHD0ugchAtWR6htpjJBYzqqLRuzHq3FhdAuWJESVDLWl1s-GWU/s1600/DSC00644edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQZDPFdZevzDm2u5OHZSVeCfl9XBrqVkEVbHvsvo1-Yeep4o5fAxTaFa-5wUDtm-QcgBDpvsbYzEoFN-G7y7kMC2fhNHD0ugchAtWR6htpjJBYzqqLRuzHq3FhdAuWJESVDLWl1s-GWU/s320/DSC00644edited.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sprinkle of nutmeg on top of the whipped cream is perfect.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEIutINX8R7UeUNcLJ1puEOCP7DesQkdpr4f9SHSnEGUPbY-sCtU4LoLz30SCjkBSFd89UhVXRVPftWzFmx0nslLQtn3uW36-2fjTt0uE97ihOR4wLtGoivKZ32NLD-aIrHABTxiRJhw/s1600/DSC00647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEIutINX8R7UeUNcLJ1puEOCP7DesQkdpr4f9SHSnEGUPbY-sCtU4LoLz30SCjkBSFd89UhVXRVPftWzFmx0nslLQtn3uW36-2fjTt0uE97ihOR4wLtGoivKZ32NLD-aIrHABTxiRJhw/s320/DSC00647.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sensing a new Thanksgiving tradition!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-17131673171876277702011-11-10T14:59:00.000-08:002012-04-03T16:43:30.166-07:00Can't Get Enough Sweet PotatoJust because I'm obsessed with sweet potatoes right now...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBsV8VpnfsdGsyKTkVVNn7wV148Nf0hUwaGNcIsRJQHMD58Tl4ILnpnILam3NjgrF4su4NcF1m26j85cNWXpZlNDI8OU6p2TlBAxoK3sUhU1P6afUwbxaVVsXxGnt_9t51u0XEbc5qqM/s1600/DSC00629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBsV8VpnfsdGsyKTkVVNn7wV148Nf0hUwaGNcIsRJQHMD58Tl4ILnpnILam3NjgrF4su4NcF1m26j85cNWXpZlNDI8OU6p2TlBAxoK3sUhU1P6afUwbxaVVsXxGnt_9t51u0XEbc5qqM/s320/DSC00629.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sweet Potato Pecan Pie</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
If there is anything I love more than sweet potato pie, it's pecan pie! Now I can enjoy two loves together in one delicious pie. This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe you can find on the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/sweet-potato-pecan-pie-recipe/index.html">Food Network website</a>. I think it would make a unique addition to any Thanksgiving celebration. Be sure to use a 10" pie pan, or else you won't be able to fit all the gooey, sweet pecan filling on the top!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_fyCwWfGf-fPKFTnw6hkSNgjFqIhWPBzDqVXlFa9m3pSO9YYgE486yfCIc3Whem2Oo9huCdcDJuOgfVnyfxVQbUGG8cTOXvXLaRwN2_uKRZhf7sJ_Nc9FPacytzyssEyzECjx0o7bGg/s1600/DSC00632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_fyCwWfGf-fPKFTnw6hkSNgjFqIhWPBzDqVXlFa9m3pSO9YYgE486yfCIc3Whem2Oo9huCdcDJuOgfVnyfxVQbUGG8cTOXvXLaRwN2_uKRZhf7sJ_Nc9FPacytzyssEyzECjx0o7bGg/s320/DSC00632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You had me at sweet potato pecan...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-48076155943218131172011-11-05T20:31:00.000-07:002012-04-03T16:42:47.339-07:00Apples and cheddar, oh my!Although I've never been the biggest fan of apple pie, I remember when I was a child hearing about pairing it with cheddar cheese and even then I was intrigued. I couldn't help but put a thick slice of cheese on my pie and pop it into the microwave until it was gooey and dripping down the sweet apples. What could really be better than melty, cheesy goodness ON TOP of your dessert?! Come on, it's a no brainer! <br />
<br />
When it comes to making apple pie I think I resist going with traditional, all-American apple pie. Remember my <a href="http://alifeinpie.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html">cranberry-apple crumble pie</a>? I just don't want to make a plain old apple pie because I kinda couldn't care less about them. So I thought an apple pie with a cheddar crust would be just traditional enough, with just enough of a recipe twist to keep me interested. I found this recipe for <b>Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust</b> on the Gourmet website. The smell of the baking cheddar dough is like Goldfish crackers, but then you can smell the sweet apples and cinnamon and it all just works! I love the contrast between the sharp, savory flavor of the dough and the sweet, juicy apples. I used Honeycrisp, which is one of my favorites. They were so juicy, in fact, that my filling probably could have used an extra tablespoon of flour. But the dough was so sturdy and crisp due it didn't get soggy, even the next day.<br />
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If you're like me and looking for something just a little different, I highly recommend this pie. Nearly no extra effort if involved, and it makes apple pie just a little more special.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqVVi5PvSTsawhsx91LD9V1ZSBU-xkNZpnYyYpV20Iim8JZ9PtdL4uDit6us_kcVJcLICQpfw9bLL6v24Zqtt2N7F8uvEd-03LQRHWxpi9tIDnTHKP6fFIbrXuNoZ6o16qj_eutmwIHI/s1600/DSC00583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqVVi5PvSTsawhsx91LD9V1ZSBU-xkNZpnYyYpV20Iim8JZ9PtdL4uDit6us_kcVJcLICQpfw9bLL6v24Zqtt2N7F8uvEd-03LQRHWxpi9tIDnTHKP6fFIbrXuNoZ6o16qj_eutmwIHI/s320/DSC00583.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter, shortening and sharp cheddar in the crust.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYqLu04uNdMS4HL53Z1wyGuOObLlt0DiGlUEDVSLJbmRGj2LuXSbwh0S3GU75PyNMSebUJ1r3PrS1tLPf0x-7Y1Zru-Pw4QcchBEwRQyLo9cPvh_DgBfLehNfl_IHubuiSRfMP-wrIXo/s1600/DSC00586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYqLu04uNdMS4HL53Z1wyGuOObLlt0DiGlUEDVSLJbmRGj2LuXSbwh0S3GU75PyNMSebUJ1r3PrS1tLPf0x-7Y1Zru-Pw4QcchBEwRQyLo9cPvh_DgBfLehNfl_IHubuiSRfMP-wrIXo/s320/DSC00586.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Form the dough into two disks and put in the refrigerator.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnL11inuMVmsfSs89uabbwGyYm4_RktXZ7821jU-RkP8_ulE3zxCc-a_Yxu3o3RcxkpJpY-bzi0WLuSsjJYvaO299aC-WPjWG3cdeBtmzVaAet-0Fa5STsNThOK9D6zmp9rdMCbjTrXQ/s1600/DSC00595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnL11inuMVmsfSs89uabbwGyYm4_RktXZ7821jU-RkP8_ulE3zxCc-a_Yxu3o3RcxkpJpY-bzi0WLuSsjJYvaO299aC-WPjWG3cdeBtmzVaAet-0Fa5STsNThOK9D6zmp9rdMCbjTrXQ/s320/DSC00595.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pile in the apples! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9n2cB-8kYKkZH3uB27KQPi88aqZZCtDdmtqo8pWRz-letH0GImIMf72_Rs45Ajvjzz4Y2S5GAu7rEpIrhaPg6LhUDZpwtuMr-VqLZ3J1sKlhsJmd1LGWjy11U_0e7CIK9IWvSP49ny8/s1600/DSC00599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9n2cB-8kYKkZH3uB27KQPi88aqZZCtDdmtqo8pWRz-letH0GImIMf72_Rs45Ajvjzz4Y2S5GAu7rEpIrhaPg6LhUDZpwtuMr-VqLZ3J1sKlhsJmd1LGWjy11U_0e7CIK9IWvSP49ny8/s320/DSC00599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished pie, crust flecked with cheese!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnmHyoMWuAqd9E5aqNnweWCLECclmzEGgos7xP0sw_3MdIHDWAU21GlqgJKonbw8FAjsrvFjeGv4W4QMHoPAmfsOGT0lak4jgdqT8WVraKA9-d0RjGQbzl2Ei4FN4WWt4X7cHfgiw5wY/s1600/DSC00625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnmHyoMWuAqd9E5aqNnweWCLECclmzEGgos7xP0sw_3MdIHDWAU21GlqgJKonbw8FAjsrvFjeGv4W4QMHoPAmfsOGT0lak4jgdqT8WVraKA9-d0RjGQbzl2Ei4FN4WWt4X7cHfgiw5wY/s320/DSC00625.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello, delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust<br />
<br />
<u>Crust</u><br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour <br />
1/2 teaspoon salt <br />
1/2 lb extra-sharp cheddar (preferably white), coarsely grated (2 1/2 cups) <br />
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces <br />
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening (trans-fat-free), cut into 1/2-inch pieces <br />
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water <br />
1 tablespoon milk <br />
<u>Filling</u><br />
1 1/2 lb Gala apples (3 medium) <br />
1 1/2 lb Granny Smith apples (3 medium) <br />
2/3 cup sugar <br />
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour <br />
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice <br />
1/4 teaspoon salt <br />
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into bits <br />
<br />
Make the crust:<br />
Stir together flour, salt, and cheese in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Add butter and shortening and blend with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 6 Tbsp ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful: If dough doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough. <br />
Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide in half, then form each half into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour. <br />
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The the filling:<br />
Put a foil-lined large baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. <br />
Peel and core apples, then slice 1/4 inch thick. Toss apples with sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt until evenly coated. <br />
Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining disk chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 11-inch round. <br />
Transfer filling to shell. Dot with butter, then cover with pastry round. Trim edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges together to seal, then fold under. Lightly brush top crust with milk, then cut 5 (1-inch-long) vents. <br />
Bake on hot baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F and bake until crust is golden-brown and filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes more. Cool to warm or room temperature, 2 to 3 hours.Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-24781282065415919732011-11-04T19:02:00.000-07:002011-11-04T19:02:50.195-07:00My Little Sweet PotatoSweet potato pie is one of those things I absolutely adore, but don't often have. Thanksgiving is usually all about the pumpkin and pecan pie, poor sweet potato is usually not given a second thought by most folks. Whenever I've eaten sweet potato pie in the past, I always find myself wondering why the hell I don't make/eat it more often. When thinking about Fall pies I could make for the blog, I knew sweet potato had to be on the roster, but I wanted something a little different. For many people, myself included, sweet potatoes served with marshmallows is forever entwined with Thanksgiving. I wanted a pie reminiscent of that iconic combination. I have seen recipes for sweet potato pie topped with marshmallows and broiled, but I wanted to elevate the level just a touch, so I went with Italian meringue. This type of meringue is made by whipping a hot sugar syrup into the egg whites, resulting in a fluffy, shiny, delicious form of heaven in a pie topping. Coincidentally, when you make home made marshmallows, you start with an Italian meringue. So there you have it, pie full of sweet potato flavor, accented simply with orange zest and vanilla and crowned with a beautiful, snowy meringue. My little sweet potato is all grown up, and delicious!<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Sweet Potato Pie with Italian Meringue</b><br />
1 9" pie shell, unbaked<br />
1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato (I roasted mine)<br />
1 can sweetened condensed milk<br />
1 whole egg<br />
3 egg yolks, save whites for the meringue<br />
Juice and zest of one orange<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
Place a sheet pan on the lowest rack of your oven and pre-heat to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes in a mixer bowl and mix on medium speed until well mashed. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix again, scraping the bowl often. Add the eggs, vanilla, orange zest and juice and mix again until well combined. Scrape the filling into the pie shell and place on the pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake another 20 minutes, until the pie is set and puffed. Remove from the oven and cool completely.<br />
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Italian Meringue (from epicurious.com)<br />
3 egg whites, room temperature<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 Tb. corn syrup<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1/8 tsp. kosher salt<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">Place egg whites in a mixer bowl. Whip the whites in mixer until soft peaks form. Whip in the salt. Stir sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high and boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until thermometer registers 240°, 6-8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">Slowly pour hot sugar syrup down side of bowl into whites and beat until meringue is firm and glossy. Continue beating until cool, about 4 minutes. Spread the meringue over the top of the cooled pie, being sure to connect it to the edge of the crust. Bake the pie in a 450 degree oven until nicely toasted to your liking, about 3 to 6 minutes. Watch carefully, it can burn fast.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">When I finally settled down a beautiful slice of this pie, my mind was pretty much blown clean outta my head!! This pie is everything I wanted it to be. Decadent and rich, with a deep sweet potato flavor brightened by the orange juice and zest, and the meringue is soft, sweet and toasty delicious on top. This pie rocks my world. Nuff said.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCcYNejkFg-xSvdg4HkkFFwOk46Pzu9Ew2df5R6zUZtaamQqzUkbitnZZFQ5DbyGw5mqVqFIegSrEHzIYl390S91JGatZn5JMPk57vwtrPfPbWuIEtWHeS9Yz2uivoICw4fy6zFmhf14/s1600/DSC00590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCcYNejkFg-xSvdg4HkkFFwOk46Pzu9Ew2df5R6zUZtaamQqzUkbitnZZFQ5DbyGw5mqVqFIegSrEHzIYl390S91JGatZn5JMPk57vwtrPfPbWuIEtWHeS9Yz2uivoICw4fy6zFmhf14/s320/DSC00590.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The filled pie ready for the oven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxE6ujdQ70y3vSKuYhs1G8sqCh-lm5_zHAyQ4prMPbjCuu85378MnSwmxRYNc8H7nwXUA9X0MYuN_d-qAuiOvO1IZUepEFfB6kh3C9DUv1X2BNmiohYrB9Z3s9mjn95oDmzJ6OW6ueVy8/s1600/DSC00592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxE6ujdQ70y3vSKuYhs1G8sqCh-lm5_zHAyQ4prMPbjCuu85378MnSwmxRYNc8H7nwXUA9X0MYuN_d-qAuiOvO1IZUepEFfB6kh3C9DUv1X2BNmiohYrB9Z3s9mjn95oDmzJ6OW6ueVy8/s320/DSC00592.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's puffy fresh out of the oven.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hIoNZqnZlJ_ZWwIQTL4Xr9GXTzaPGiCSBxQl9F3gtt4qMENpNFDA-N0GKY7PUf743O3J_-QEfaZB1glXT_2_bUfHMV51fzjhQuTfBCkHH2Ft9WRBbtvnyK7r4tHiLRSKzDbCWaykDGE/s1600/DSC00594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hIoNZqnZlJ_ZWwIQTL4Xr9GXTzaPGiCSBxQl9F3gtt4qMENpNFDA-N0GKY7PUf743O3J_-QEfaZB1glXT_2_bUfHMV51fzjhQuTfBCkHH2Ft9WRBbtvnyK7r4tHiLRSKzDbCWaykDGE/s320/DSC00594.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But it'll flatten out as it cools.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvVI4pv2ZTIG8K9UBhNFYpUdECpGcVeylsIuXKjGhN_OBiX1P0vpK2miyrnXtqusM-qS2LvcemMhVkMi8Bhd1dQ-GJ5TlpfTzVi4Lx8qAwPHSWM1xlIKLbfWy6jB-ZEOX4nFsQgcPqto/s1600/DSC00605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvVI4pv2ZTIG8K9UBhNFYpUdECpGcVeylsIuXKjGhN_OBiX1P0vpK2miyrnXtqusM-qS2LvcemMhVkMi8Bhd1dQ-GJ5TlpfTzVi4Lx8qAwPHSWM1xlIKLbfWy6jB-ZEOX4nFsQgcPqto/s320/DSC00605.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pile on the beautiful meringue and make decorative swirls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO-lz5qYLoCXb61skbqO7O6yNQJfm7LHcxAOjHv2OnxzqhwD0ZZd1fjoIublKfrCeOblXEO8Fj64cnKmM-1IFHZAbNUUegpwoBfcZlLw7v-8cDBTqAuQDs1f0TkWR-vBe0XfWOkKJx68/s1600/DSC00613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdO-lz5qYLoCXb61skbqO7O6yNQJfm7LHcxAOjHv2OnxzqhwD0ZZd1fjoIublKfrCeOblXEO8Fj64cnKmM-1IFHZAbNUUegpwoBfcZlLw7v-8cDBTqAuQDs1f0TkWR-vBe0XfWOkKJx68/s320/DSC00613.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They will brown nicely after a few minutes in the hot oven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6VkJSr2ZNzkApwNaF0JucoMj_sOSMtdOsfuyQ60hnCemcbeHzuFUCYlgGVSRKBoyxdSc52bMTUPJr6IeDAe0CgzHz-tXukf_dnkgY5mde38ojniT8kWqiNDw2WfwQexUfbCxll3opLU/s1600/DSC00618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6VkJSr2ZNzkApwNaF0JucoMj_sOSMtdOsfuyQ60hnCemcbeHzuFUCYlgGVSRKBoyxdSc52bMTUPJr6IeDAe0CgzHz-tXukf_dnkgY5mde38ojniT8kWqiNDw2WfwQexUfbCxll3opLU/s320/DSC00618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgiving perfection.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikK6iZoIQz__ZWGKsX9fb8JGr-IIRVJF1MRwFn7sJ6nnMxQrExIF43HSzihbvO4BMBDIlCUdd1C14k0HRbqLQm1k8YA951dYBlQxLoVvBuD9aT45GCG1NPo_UhfThXj77b8-S-Q_cz4W8/s1600/DSC00623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikK6iZoIQz__ZWGKsX9fb8JGr-IIRVJF1MRwFn7sJ6nnMxQrExIF43HSzihbvO4BMBDIlCUdd1C14k0HRbqLQm1k8YA951dYBlQxLoVvBuD9aT45GCG1NPo_UhfThXj77b8-S-Q_cz4W8/s320/DSC00623.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love you, my little sweet potato.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-20062221435170899952011-10-19T11:16:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:40:30.733-07:00An Apple Pie Even I Can EnjoyLet the record show that when it comes to apple pie I've always been pretty "meh." My whole life, apple pie has never really turned my crank. The only way I enjoy it is with a crumb topping, like Dutch apple pie. But seeing as how it's Fall, and how practically everybody on the planet goes crazy for apple pie, I knew I was going to have to bust out the apple pies. No problem. I had a partial bag of cranberries leftover in the freezer and thought that apple-cranberry sounded delightful. A quick search of the ol' interwebs revealed a great many apple pies using cranberries. Sounds like Fall to me! I settled on this recipe for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Apple-Crumble-Pie-355964">Cranberry-Apple Crumble Pie</a> from <b>epicurious.com</b>. It's always a good idea to take a quick look at the reviews that people write on recipes. Usually readers will post any changes they had to make to the recipe, or anything that didn't work out. When I looked at the reviews for this pie, many people noted that they would have liked a little more sugar in the pie because it was very tart and some said they would have liked more crumble topping as well as more sugar in the crumble. Others said they had trouble with the topping getting too brown.<br />
<br />
Armed with this knowledge I set out to make the pie with a few changes. Knowing that I adore generous amounts of a sweet crumble topping, I made a few adjustments to that portion of the recipe:<br />
1 cup flour<br />
3/4 cup brown sugar<br />
3/4 cup chopped pecans<br />
6 Tb. butter<br />
1/2 tsp. cinnamon<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
And for the pie filling itself, I added an extra 1/4 cup of sugar to help with the tartness issue.<br />
<br />
As for the cooking portion of the recipe, it calls for putting chunks of butter on top of the fruit, covering the pie with foil, and baking it for 30 minutes BEFORE putting the crumble on top and then baking the rest of the way. I had previously cooked a pie that calls for putting the crumble on half-way through the cooking time and I really didn't like that because the heat of the pie makes it hard to get the crumble on properly and it kind of falls all over the hot sheet pan. I didn't want to deal with this, but I also didn't want a burned pie. So instead I did this:<br />
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees with a sheet pan on the bottom rack. Omit the butter cubes on the fruit and instead pile the crumble all over the pie. You may need to really pack it on, as the fruit will be mounded above the crust. Place the pie on the heated pan and bake for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and move the pan and pie to the middle rack and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour more, until the fruit juices are thickened and bubbling out of the pie. I covered my pie loosely with foil for about the last 20 minutes of cooking time. All ovens are different, and so are our tastes, so keep a close eye on the pie and cover it when you think it is time.<br />
<br />
It's worth noting that it is important when cooking fruit pies that the filling bubble properly so that your pie will set and not be a runny mess. Both flour and cornstarch need to come to a boil in liquid to reach their full thickening power. So if you see thin fruit juices spilling out of your pie, it isn't hot enough yet. Wait until the juices are thick from whatever starch you used. And remember that the outside edge of the pie will bubble first, before the middle gets to the proper temperature. Be patient, you don't want a runny pie! Generally the center of the pie should be over 200 degrees to achieve the proper thickening.<br />
<br />
The resulting pie I made with a few minor changes was an apple pie that even I could get excited about!! Juicy apples that retained just enough texture, tart cranberries (but not too tart!) and a delicious, crumb topping with the rich flavor of toasted pecans, yum! This is the perfect Fall pie!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNh-kuoRXgzge6PJ9zJtLWjNsq1NX5Z4AzR0Ra_mnclU7EHsCyNqHGEt3iv9eThVuWEOdHEGu7SGsbsuNqSvKALsEZK7xjGLXIJoamF_sA8H6S6QaXc4FgA2vbRtViXISkv8V_tmVewg/s1600/DSC00568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNh-kuoRXgzge6PJ9zJtLWjNsq1NX5Z4AzR0Ra_mnclU7EHsCyNqHGEt3iv9eThVuWEOdHEGu7SGsbsuNqSvKALsEZK7xjGLXIJoamF_sA8H6S6QaXc4FgA2vbRtViXISkv8V_tmVewg/s320/DSC00568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta da! A beautiful apple pie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqIZ_p30IUy1Kl3poR1s6EHpyahT5iXCulMcjWwNavT8niIOi_OpZqneB-OZVLK3GRb947Yhms76jXpG22DfXYr5KBuZytNT_ABLQMenuuGFVwsmwgbRJ0EIiXf8ZirSOc7NiDsWdQNI/s1600/DSC00570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqIZ_p30IUy1Kl3poR1s6EHpyahT5iXCulMcjWwNavT8niIOi_OpZqneB-OZVLK3GRb947Yhms76jXpG22DfXYr5KBuZytNT_ABLQMenuuGFVwsmwgbRJ0EIiXf8ZirSOc7NiDsWdQNI/s320/DSC00570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-3AWroMCBvC9opUmqq0B5Cp9x2dOWk-RM1g3k3_Tqybixe0Q_apWFeOxSMs7Ta-DIyEeYAnksYpRtVOMJ50VRUXNqOmSaWpW7rLp9lIxnvKm4EazPTP8AXG6M-K0wkcaBx7F8PbBjGA/s1600/DSC00581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-3AWroMCBvC9opUmqq0B5Cp9x2dOWk-RM1g3k3_Tqybixe0Q_apWFeOxSMs7Ta-DIyEeYAnksYpRtVOMJ50VRUXNqOmSaWpW7rLp9lIxnvKm4EazPTP8AXG6M-K0wkcaBx7F8PbBjGA/s320/DSC00581.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-81048783863110879772011-10-10T11:57:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:41:02.151-07:00When Just Chocolate Won't DoWhen it came to making a pie for my friend Lindsay's birthday, my initial thought was chocolate cream. But knowing how fabulous my friend is, and how "just chocolate" wouldn't do for such a special lady, I decided to she needed chocolate with something more. Lindsay is a bona fide coffee junkie, so mocha seemed to make perfect sense. And just to make the pie that much more fabulous, I added some booze too! I think a girl has the right to go all out on her birthday.<br />
<br />
<b>Mocha Cream Pie</b><br />
1 9" pie crust, blind baked<br />
2 cups half & half<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
1 Tb. instant espresso powder<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 Tb. cornstarch<br />
4 oz. quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped<br />
1 Tb. butter<br />
2 Tb. Baileys Irish Cream<br />
2 cups heavy cream<br />
3 Tb. sugar<br />
<br />
In a small, heavy bottom pot, combine 1 1/2 cups of the half & half, the sugar and instant espresso. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup half & half, the eggs and cornstarch. When the liquid mixture is simmering, ladle in about a cup of it into the egg and cornstarch mixture. This will temper the eggs so that you don't add them cold into the hot liquid, thereby scrambling them. Whisk the warmed egg mixture back into the pot and bring to a boil, whisking constantly to keep lumps from forming. As soon as the mixture boils, remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter and Baileys. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the cream is smooth. You can strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to ensure a silky-smooth texture. Pour the chocolate cream into the baked, cooled pie crust and smooth the top. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to keep a skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator and let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Whip the heavy cream and sugar together to stiff peaks. Top the pie with the whipped cream and decorate as desired with cocoa powder or shaved chocolate.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3d4fECcccTXz6n98QGPhVF_t3BYnCr2NSqNGSp7o9npvxFYIRn48pteC94YNirOgCHNjeQmrl-J9nsYz4IinVxTIDwrnEHJakX72uzXKm5RdmVq017nVyieTMPi48d9AvBe7LuZqcjk8/s1600/DSC00562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3d4fECcccTXz6n98QGPhVF_t3BYnCr2NSqNGSp7o9npvxFYIRn48pteC94YNirOgCHNjeQmrl-J9nsYz4IinVxTIDwrnEHJakX72uzXKm5RdmVq017nVyieTMPi48d9AvBe7LuZqcjk8/s320/DSC00562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pie fit for a fabulous birthday girl!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-19067924449188060062011-10-07T09:03:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:32:20.523-07:00Back to the Business of Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Even since my return from working on the train, I haven't gotten back into pie mode. Knowing that, I threw together an impromptu pie so that I could get something posted. I went to my trusty freezer and found a pre-made pie crust from <b><a href="http://whollywholesome.com/products/pie-shells.php">Wholly Wholesome</a> </b>and the rest of the cherries I bought during the summer. A glance in the fridge found eggs and sour cream and the cupboard revealed oats and almonds. <b>Sour Cream Cherry Pie with Almond Crumble</b>. Done. Boom.<br />
<br />
1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked<br />
<u>Crumble Topping</u><br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup flour<br />
1/3 cup rolled oats<br />
1/3 cup almonds<br />
6 Tb. butter, melted<br />
pinch of cinnamon<br />
<u>Filling</u><br />
2 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen<br />
3/4 cup sour cream<br />
2 eggs<br />
3 Tb. flour<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
1/2 tsp. almond extract<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff1e4; color: #323232; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Place a sheet pan on the bottom rack of the oven and pre-heat to 400 degrees.<br />
To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour, oats, almonds and cinnamon. Stir in the butter until the mixture is crumbly and well combined. Put in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the pie.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Combine the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Whisk in the eggs, extract and sour cream, mixing well to remove any lumps. Fold in the cherries. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and distribute the crumble topping evenly over the top. Place on the pie on the heated pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and move the pie and the pan to the top rack to help the crumble brown. Cook until the pie is set but jiggles slightly, about another 30 to 45 minutes.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff1e4; color: #323232; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEA_s2jJVmqt_Urv8xVZsgShhP-tLlEfkKKM7U1uVzhj0B0DrcGKPORr93jItjd4FF2vl6NXh1e4pRJKMPLfo1RIdMt_HZESCOT3HytOt1qYUqLJ4e8MO1m7D-c4OpavdbAqW1JuYdx8/s1600/DSC00547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEA_s2jJVmqt_Urv8xVZsgShhP-tLlEfkKKM7U1uVzhj0B0DrcGKPORr93jItjd4FF2vl6NXh1e4pRJKMPLfo1RIdMt_HZESCOT3HytOt1qYUqLJ4e8MO1m7D-c4OpavdbAqW1JuYdx8/s320/DSC00547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almond crumble topping.<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tycSLBO2bX2xXyDkRnyMKh6bk_YHv8sJrx9ckHL3QTtMOwZrrBSezvqyKH-FW2Dcw0bvwI77H-aisggKwRx0hfnt6HEw8nDpybn7t5vhh-5R0YqKpczAqO9CU1IizJjPzjvlKGjwvu4/s1600/DSC00548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tycSLBO2bX2xXyDkRnyMKh6bk_YHv8sJrx9ckHL3QTtMOwZrrBSezvqyKH-FW2Dcw0bvwI77H-aisggKwRx0hfnt6HEw8nDpybn7t5vhh-5R0YqKpczAqO9CU1IizJjPzjvlKGjwvu4/s320/DSC00548.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixing the cherries and the sour cream filling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64n_NRXX_GybTPwBXU_5Bj__s0mLaEE1H1keWAVXgYeWguULNL_ezzvr-sMKV9uMqvZywRa46wAeuH71qDt6iQvRxpkQ8SIA1wmtljY85aHLklOCAk-HKzbUw1SMBWkUdaUXJUxk6CcQ/s1600/DSC00557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64n_NRXX_GybTPwBXU_5Bj__s0mLaEE1H1keWAVXgYeWguULNL_ezzvr-sMKV9uMqvZywRa46wAeuH71qDt6iQvRxpkQ8SIA1wmtljY85aHLklOCAk-HKzbUw1SMBWkUdaUXJUxk6CcQ/s320/DSC00557.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished pie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrIW4luRx-RwakxsoqNGRTjG6jCMRcQaeGmEsC05soHZE-1pouKj8Lv1eAc-gRZft9ToeWQuft01XyrBR0qsdA28txonVS6zbnaEFzt0m4LrstQpfvWSuYobij6_06SAa23ak3OW_mpY/s1600/DSC00558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrIW4luRx-RwakxsoqNGRTjG6jCMRcQaeGmEsC05soHZE-1pouKj8Lv1eAc-gRZft9ToeWQuft01XyrBR0qsdA28txonVS6zbnaEFzt0m4LrstQpfvWSuYobij6_06SAa23ak3OW_mpY/s320/DSC00558.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh crumbly goodness!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAu94jp6wt1ebQZNzSa8bhbstj4owWARfzsz4G6ykZ96QfLWSpDvWCnYyzMU60CYw13N5G9YsyrABJUVHya5XTonEqgIMfctWnK_jeKvdZheGzXlY5ZW0x5xWHQPfu0u7V4nWxmgGpPOU/s1600/DSC00560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAu94jp6wt1ebQZNzSa8bhbstj4owWARfzsz4G6ykZ96QfLWSpDvWCnYyzMU60CYw13N5G9YsyrABJUVHya5XTonEqgIMfctWnK_jeKvdZheGzXlY5ZW0x5xWHQPfu0u7V4nWxmgGpPOU/s320/DSC00560.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fff1e4; color: #323232; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-60797780522780601892011-09-28T14:52:00.000-07:002011-09-28T14:52:54.803-07:00Spoiler AlertIn case you're wondering why I haven't posted anything on the blog recently, I was away for a while cooking on a train. A train, you ask? Why yes! I used to work on one before and my friend Courtney, who now works on another train, needed someone to fill in for her while she took some time off. I know it sounds kind of strange, who else but me takes a vacation to go work another job?? A crazy person with no money and an obsession with food, that's who!! Anyway, I was riding the rails and cooking in a tiny train galley, visiting friends in far-off, exotic places like Seattle, Chicago and Salt Lake City.<div><br />
</div><div>I haven't made any pies recently, but the last two days I've been working on some canning projects. I decided a few years ago that I wanted to give people homemade gifts for the holidays, rather than spend money on crap they may not need or enjoy. So among the many treats I have planned, I made some corn relish, peach butter and bourbon vanilla peach jam. Oh, and that's the spoiler for those of you on my Christmas treat list, sorry. I have a feeling you'll get over it once you taste these delicious goodies. I used Colorado corn for the relish, which was so sweet I was calling it "corn candy." And of course I used Colorado peaches, which I was so delighted to score a case of imperfect peaches for $22 at the farmers market!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Even though these aren't pies, I'm taking the liberty of posting the recipes anyway because this is my blog and I'll do what I want, thank you very much! If you've never done any home canning before I highly recommend you give it a try. Not only is it fun and economical to make your own jams, jellies, sauces and pickles, people really love getting a homemade gift. It seems like life has gotten so complicated and the holidays have become a stressful frenzy of over-spending. It's nice to keep things simple and give a gift that comes from the heart.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The most important thing with canning is to follow all instructions carefully and sterilize everything - jars, lids, bands, utensils, ladles, tongs, everything! If you've never canned at home before, I recommend you read up on the subject on the <a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started.aspx">Ball home canning website</a>. Remember, when you're processing the jars the water must be at a FULL BOIL before you start your timer.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Corn Relish </b></div><div><i>Adapted from a recipe in the Ball Blue Book of Preserving</i></div><div>Makes approximately 13 half-pint jars (I filled 4 half-pints, 4 pints and had about a pint left over that I used for dinner that night!)</div><div>8 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob</div><div>1 medium onion, chopped</div><div>1 cup celery, diced</div><div>2 cups red bell peppers, diced</div><div>2 cups green chiles, diced (I used fresh Hatch chiles)</div><div>3 cloves garlic, minced</div><div>5 cups vinegar (I used half cider and half rice wine vinegar)</div><div>1 cup water</div><div>1 cup sugar</div><div>2 Tb. dry mustard</div><div>1 Tb. mustard seed</div><div>1 Tb. ground turmeric</div><div>1 Tb. red chile flakes</div><div>1 Tb. kosher salt</div><div><br />
</div><div>Combine all ingredients and bring to a full boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Ladle hot mixture into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch head space and cover with sterilized 2-piece lids. Process half-pints in boiling water for 20 minutes.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdA3rJXh_Wt2IhxgDnh2YXCvJV9e3dbr-WjzrS7MUG-E3e16lap7igxganE-UOT2jycl4KPGsaT9g2dg6yOH9488U18xHGsnj_m9qBRgTRn33pGrZF48f_zCTfzB2TYZcilmfIv7qOxXI/s1600/DSC00536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdA3rJXh_Wt2IhxgDnh2YXCvJV9e3dbr-WjzrS7MUG-E3e16lap7igxganE-UOT2jycl4KPGsaT9g2dg6yOH9488U18xHGsnj_m9qBRgTRn33pGrZF48f_zCTfzB2TYZcilmfIv7qOxXI/s320/DSC00536.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh Colorado corn relish. Delicious with hot dogs or any grilled meat.</td></tr>
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</div><div><b>Peach Butter in a Crockpot</b></div><div><i>Adapted from <a href="http://blog.bedandbreakfastfoodie.com/2009/07/peach-butter-made-in-crockpot.html">this recipe</a> from Bed and Breakfast Foodies</i></div><div>Makes 7 half-pint jars</div><div>12 cups diced peaches, peeled and pitted</div><div>6 cups sugar</div><div>1/2 cup lemon juice</div><div><br />
</div><div>Combine peaches, sugar and lemon juice in a crockpot. Cook on high for 3 hours. At this point I used my immersion blender to puree until smooth. If you don't have one, puree the peaches in a blender before adding to the crockpot. Remove the lid and change the setting to low heat. Simmer for about 8 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very dark, syrupy and thick. When you dip a spoon into the peach it will "sheet" off the spoon, rather than drip off in several strands. Fill hot, sterilized jars with the hot butter and cover with sterilized 2-piece lids. Process in boiling water for 20 minutes.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaD4rfOrbYg-skwniAnk_6_Oh7vZcowTAggxWJgFC7a93O6imFZuLORXXMkJEny6VbmXtIMqaplDzNGpjTgjO3tY06VDW70GsvllCMRKDVsCzzMBMiHXEQjNXAB-w63Pr-oKto5mkz2H8/s1600/DSC00544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaD4rfOrbYg-skwniAnk_6_Oh7vZcowTAggxWJgFC7a93O6imFZuLORXXMkJEny6VbmXtIMqaplDzNGpjTgjO3tY06VDW70GsvllCMRKDVsCzzMBMiHXEQjNXAB-w63Pr-oKto5mkz2H8/s320/DSC00544.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark, intensely sweet and peachy butter. Delicious on toast, pancakes, waffles or your finger!</td></tr>
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</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>Bourbon Vanilla Peach Jam</b></div><div><i>Adapted from the recipe inside the box of Ball Fruit Pectin and <a href="http://www.beantownbaker.com/2009/08/vanilla-peach-bourbon-jam.html">this recipe</a> from Beantown Baker</i></div><div>Makes 6 half-pint jars</div><div>4 cups finely diced peaches, peeled and pitted</div><div>5 cups sugar</div><div>1 box Ball Fruit Pectin (1.75 oz)</div><div>2 Tb. lemon juice</div><div>1 fresh vanilla bean</div><div>1/4 cup bourbon</div><div><br />
</div><div>Split the vanilla bean open and scrape out the seeds. Combine with the peaches and lemon juice in a large pot and slowly stir in the pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Add all of the sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring to a full rolling boil again and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim any foam if necessary. Remove the vanilla bean and stir in the bourbon. Ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized jars and cover with sterilized 2-piece lids. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t9_bTbjWo12GvVA2xwNNXro-RDMQdTO5b6BThWeFb99_jNF7ANdaIRhEf2RX9OAujig_DAmqOXcZ9i57Y3BimI509Q0O2eQG1POTvyNGR0Vgv5B4260VcjO-rI_PX_LCiVCyOKUO0AU/s1600/DSC00546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t9_bTbjWo12GvVA2xwNNXro-RDMQdTO5b6BThWeFb99_jNF7ANdaIRhEf2RX9OAujig_DAmqOXcZ9i57Y3BimI509Q0O2eQG1POTvyNGR0Vgv5B4260VcjO-rI_PX_LCiVCyOKUO0AU/s320/DSC00546.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peaches flecked with fresh vanilla and spiked with bourbon.</td></tr>
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</div>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1425945469182538598.post-74662195873831442152011-09-09T20:18:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:39:18.671-07:00Easy as (Chicken) PieIt was a very long, very hot summer in Denver. But, in typical Denver fashion, the weather went from one extreme to another and one day it was 95 degrees and the next it was 60. So I thought it was only appropriate to make a cold weather dish to get me in the mood for my favorite time of year and decided to go with chicken pot pie.<br />
<br />
I love comfort food. The more rich and sinful a dish is, the more comfort there is to be had! So when making a pot pie, I don't just go for chicken and gravy in a crust. I used smoked chicken, heavy cream in the sauce and both pie crust AND puff pastry. You heard me, cream, pie crust, AND puff pastry. Cuz that's just how I roll. When it comes to food, I don't mess around. If you're going to enjoy comfort food, you might as well do it right. Chicken pot pie really is quite easy to put together. I used a pre-made pie crust, a smoked chicken from my work (or substitute a rotisserie chicken), frozen puff pastry and frozen veggies. Doesn't get easier than that.<br />
<br />
As pretty much anyone who cooks professionally will tell you, I don't know how to cook for two people. I cook for a minimum of ten people at all times. It's just one of those things that comes with the job -- you get used to cooking large quantities at work and that spills over to home. Even though there are just two of us in my home and one of us doesn't like leftovers (not me, I can eat the same thing all week) I still somehow manage to cook for ten people every time. Naturally when I set forth to make one pie, I ended up with enough to make two pies. But just put one in the freezer for later, or give one to a friend. <br />
<br />
<b>Chicken Pot Pie</b><br />
Makes 2 pies<br />
<br />
Two 9" pie crusts<br />
1 box frozen puff pastry<br />
1 rotisserie chicken (I used a smoked chicken from our in-store smokehouse!)<br />
3 cups chicken stock<br />
1/2 cup heavy cream<br />
1 stick of butter<br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
1 small onion, diced<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 tsp. thyme<br />
1/2 tsp. sage<br />
1/2 tsp. rosemary<br />
1/2 lb. frozen mixed veggies<br />
few dashes hot sauce<br />
few dashes soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
1 egg, beaten, for sealing and brushing the puff pastry<br />
<br />
Place a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Line each pie crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Place the crusts on the hot pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, take out the paper and the beans and let cool while you prepare the rest of the recipe.<br />
<br />
Pull the chicken from the carcass, removing the skin and bones. Break up into chunks you can get into your mouth. Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pot over medium high heat and add the onions. Saute for about 5 minutes and then add the garlic. Saute a few minutes more. Add the flour and mix well. Whisk in the chicken stock and then the cream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add all the herbs and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the chicken and frozen veggies and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.<br />
<br />
Roll out your puff pastry sheets and use the pie crusts to trace circles large enough to completely cover the tops of the pies. Cut several 1/2 inch slits in each of the top crusts and brush them with the beaten egg. Divide the filling between the two pie crusts. Brush the edge of the pie crusts with the egg and then place the puff pastry circles over the pies, pressing them firmly to adhere to the edges and form a tight seal. If you like, sprinkle a little garlic seasoning on the top crusts to give them a nice flavor. Place the pies back onto the hot pan in the oven and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU92vVrseySpQjvBKROVpVuZuXWd9g_2HNgiZSP-t6Ka9w0-94mHJeBpwoHjidAgZkm-JwV80ObKnrYgJjLia-6ZKSqlg33v75NW5wpS-s-M-TVF8K_7eAeqNtKXkQ4xcxbnFGqQ1dq8/s1600/DSC00527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhU92vVrseySpQjvBKROVpVuZuXWd9g_2HNgiZSP-t6Ka9w0-94mHJeBpwoHjidAgZkm-JwV80ObKnrYgJjLia-6ZKSqlg33v75NW5wpS-s-M-TVF8K_7eAeqNtKXkQ4xcxbnFGqQ1dq8/s320/DSC00527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The filling ready to go.<br />
</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRf_uWz1EETsnxQfxHvcHGM2xtciBMkuIgNoiUOCzrvD4FwfRwhajG2GyGxv3nzdyRU9vj4ZCaxMgxpIq0mT8ZVaO9_DvbKf6xMtQVX9ZORz65Yp-s-F7_UpVahqKwgxqPVlM5k35IKI/s1600/DSC00532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRf_uWz1EETsnxQfxHvcHGM2xtciBMkuIgNoiUOCzrvD4FwfRwhajG2GyGxv3nzdyRU9vj4ZCaxMgxpIq0mT8ZVaO9_DvbKf6xMtQVX9ZORz65Yp-s-F7_UpVahqKwgxqPVlM5k35IKI/s320/DSC00532.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden brown and delicious! My steam vents sealed themselves back up so be sure to cut yours big!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aSy1xKACpRopfmd0iV18IBoPfkZlUTM9LBBzl9wojkSXJn0NAcKOSgV6LuDM7FrocLTNwh7fUtmtf84xtfWpgoZ4ZWxSqc4dVDq-ig7MFue21h_hnBwW0vVl4N88BNkbHzp1p6jVAgg/s1600/DSC00533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aSy1xKACpRopfmd0iV18IBoPfkZlUTM9LBBzl9wojkSXJn0NAcKOSgV6LuDM7FrocLTNwh7fUtmtf84xtfWpgoZ4ZWxSqc4dVDq-ig7MFue21h_hnBwW0vVl4N88BNkbHzp1p6jVAgg/s320/DSC00533.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comfort food goodness!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Elisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07694763386556588654noreply@blogger.com0