Strawberry Pie for Pi Day

Happy Pi Day! Did you make or eat a pie to celebrate? Making a pie feels so therapeutic to me that I really appreciate the excuse. I love to roll out the crust, concoct a filling, and crimp the edges. The long baking time only adds to the anticipation. Yesterday my little blondies helped me make a pie in honor of Pi Day. I needed something the whole team could eat, and with the food allergies around here that means no dairy and no eggs (we have a few others to contend with but they aren't typical pie ingredients.) 

So fruit pie won out and a dairy free crust (no egg wash of course!) Strawberries are on sale around here this week so I turned to my Pie Pinterest board and took inspiration from this gorgeous Strawberry Balsamic Pie. I used my beautiful Emile Henry pie pan I scored at TJ Maxx for a traditionally shaped pie. I followed my mom's all shortening pie crust recipe so I didn't offend the non-dairy team, made an imperfect lattice crust (my kids LOVED weaving it) and brushed it with almond milk. I sprinkled sanding sugar on top and baked it. It came out juicy and fragrant with red color that can't be beat. 

Strawberries and balsamic vinegar make a delicious combo. I like the mix some sliced fresh strawberries with a shake of vinegar and some sugar to form a syrup- then I serve them with whipped cream (add a sprinkle of black pepper if you're adventurous). You can't pinpoint the vinegar flavor but it really enhances the strawberries. The same is true of this pie. I didn't use as much as the inspiration recipe called for because my bottle ran out, but it really enhanced the strawberries.

I usually prefer a fresh strawberry pie but this was a fun change and a good change to walk my kids through the whole pie making process. I don't want them to grow up afraid to experiment in the kitchen. I've certainly made my share of imperfect pies and desserts, but as Ina says, "flour, sugar, butter, how bad can that be?" Even messy pies are usually delicious- especially topped with a little vanilla ice cream. You can always use a crust from the store, too, and experiment with fillings. Pie making is a lot of fun and doesn't have to be stressful! Local friends- if you'd like to come over and make a pie and have a play date, let me know. I promise it's fun and the experiment is always delicious.

PS- I finally started a foodie instagram account as @anne.strawberry . I'd love to see you there! 


Pie making can be pretty messy with the flour and everything so I always double my recipe to make four single crusts, shape the dough into disks, wrap in saran wrap, then in a labeled baggie (I had a helper do this last time, they look so happy in her kindergarten hand!) and into the freezer it goes. The next time I want to make pie I move them into the fridge the night before or set them on the counter for a little while and all I have to worry about is the filling. Plus, a pie of ready to go pie crusts in my freezer makes me feel all put together, and doesn't take any more time. Dorie says one month in the freezer but I've kept mine, properly wrapped, for a few months with no problem. 

One last pie tip- Dorie suggests crushing up a graham cracker or two into the bottom of the crust before adding the filling to help absorb some of the extra liquid. Even with juicy strawberries my pie came out just right (and the graham crumbs totally disappear so you have no idea it was there!)

Strawberry Pie

1 double pie crust (easy dairy free crust here, or butter crust recipe below. Use whatever crust you prefer!)

3 pounds fresh strawberries, quartered
1 apple, grated (I used a gala, any kind should work)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Ultragel or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash of kosher salt

2 graham crackers

Preheat the oven to 425. 

Combine filling ingredients in a large bowl. Line pie pan with one crust. Crumble up graham crackers and sprinkle into the pie crust. Pour in and smooth filling. Top with additional crust (whole or lattice, whatever you prefer. Either way make sure there's holes to vent the pie). Crimp the edges as desired. Brush with a beaten egg or milk and decorate as desired- with additional pie crust shapes cut with cookie cutters, sprinkled with sugar or sanding sugar, etc.

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake for 45-60 more minutes. Watch the crust and add a foil tent if it starts to brown too much (usually about half way through). Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.


Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)


Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

TWD- Apple Pie and Classic Brownies

 Oh I can't believe Tuesdays with Dorie is coming to an end! I've loved this event so much, meeting new people, trying new recipes, learning new skills and gaining the confidence to tackle any random recipe. This week's assignment was a rewind- trying out an old favorite or something you didn't get to previously. Like so many of you we are busy busy this time of year, with lots of opportunities to bake and limited time to photo and blog! This week my tall man needed a treat to take to work so I made Dorie's classic brownies. I frosted them with a simple chocolate frosting and sprinkled on silver sanding sugar. I cut them into individual portions and put them in cupcake liners- they looked festive and were easy to serve out (a win win!) Of course I don't have a picture so here is a previous version as well as a link to the recipe.

Sunday I made Dorie's All American All Delicious Apple Pie for a family birthday party. I didn't want to serve anything particularly Christmas-y since it seems like December birthdays get ripped off pretty often! I used some new pie crust cutters a friend gave me for my birthday to quick and easily decorate the pie top with flowers. They were simple to use and super cute (and the ones I found on Amazon have a strawberry, I might need those eventually!) The recipe itself is perfection. I've made this pie a million times and while I think there are a few Dorie inspired recipes that are more so my favorite, this pie must be one of the true favs from the sheer number of times it's been baked. Don't miss Dorie's buttery, delicious pie crust (my husband's favorite!) I always double the recipe and freeze a couple of disks of pie crust so I can pull them out and have a delicious, homemade dessert without the time or mess.

See more of this week's Dorie recipe's here and have a very Merry Christmas. We'll be eating ham, rolls, potatoes, green beans, and all of our favorite fixing on Christmas day. I haven't decided on a dessert yet but if you have a family favorite or traditional Christmas dessert please do share- I'd love some ideas!

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)

Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dorie's Amazing Apple Pie

Happy Thanksgiving! It's really snuck up on me again (I think I say that every year) but we are so excited to have time with family, enjoy the beautiful weather and some of our favorite traditions. This year I'm in charge of bringing the rolls and pie. I'm going to make our favorite easy dinner rolls and try a new-sure-to-be-favorite, Homemade Raspberry Honey Butter. Janet's blog is beyond lovely and you can see her similar roll recipe with careful and gorgeous photos to walk you through the cresent-roll making process if you are a little nervous.

A nice buttery homemade apple pie is my favorite Thanksgiving dessert and you can see my favorite (shown above) here as well as a lot of other pie recipes in my archives. As I told the women at Church at our pie class last month, when it comes to pie, all those great ingredients thrown together with ice cream on top- how bad can that be? I'm going to make our pies today and throw them in the freezer so Turkey Day is as stress free as possible.

Don't miss David Lebovitz's great stress-free baking tips here- there's something for everyone. Have a very happy Thanksgiving- I am so thankful for each of you that stops to say hi or lets me know that one of my recipes made someone feel special! Hugs!

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)

Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Pear Blueberry Pi(e) & a Giveaway

Happy Pi Day! When I was in high school there was this great teacher who always went all out with his students and everyone was jealous that they got extra credit for bringing in pie and having fun (especially those of us with the evil math teacher, Mr. P). They even had a chant to help rattle off the numbers. I guess you could say I'm living out some sort of childhood fantasy by celebrating Pi day but really I'm trying to blog more consistently and figured it was a good excuse to make a pie- one of my favorite things to do. I know a lot of people stress over crust and filling but it's important to remember what the Barefoot Contessa would say- butter, sugar, flour, how bad can that be? Most pies turn out delicious even if they aren't beautiful.

This pie, inspired by the Pear Lattice Pie from a cookbook I picked up at Goodwill recently- the Best of Gourmet- a Year of Celebrations. It's a beautiful book and super cheap on Amazon. I had to buy it since I couldn't stop looking at all the gorgeous photos! This is the first recipe I've tried so far and it was easy and delicious... minus one hiccup. I forgot to mention that I decided last minute to make a pie yesterday- after a long day of Church meetings,  Church, and a screaming Baby Strawberry. Making pie is therapeutic though and I figured it would add a lot to dinner so I made up the pastry quickly in the food processor and stashed it in the freezer to cool as quickly as possible (you can make the crust by hand but it's quick and easy to use the FP, I recommend a Cuisinart like one of these).

Then I set about making the filling- I peeled four nice pears, added a little basket of blueberries for color, the flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A squeeze of lemon juice and it still seemed awfully dry to me. So I added some more juice (and zest while I was at it). Still dry. I usually work with apples instead of pears so I figured something just must be different there, so I set it aside and went to work rolling out the crust.

After I baked the pie, everyone was clamoring for a slice so we didn't even let it cool properly. My tall man happily tasted it for me and suddenly I realized what was wrong with the filling- I'd left out the sugar! Oh man, I was so mad that my crazy day had compromised my beautiful pie! Like I said, though, you can't go too wrong (despite my sugarless pie with loads of extra tart lemon juice!) I served the pie with generous dollops of *heavily sugared* whipped cream and it was enjoyed by all. Of course in all the flurry trying to fix my pie I didn't get a picture of a slice with all the pretty fruit filling. Nonetheless, I hope you'll consider making a pie. You can see some of my favorites here. Even if you use store bought crust and just press it together with the tines of a fork, I really feel like pie is the kind of dessert that brings people together and makes them feel loved- even if you forget the sugar. And that's what it's all about!

Today I also have a great giveaway from Yoplait via MyBlogSpark. We aren't big milk drinkers over here so in order to get enough calcium we serve a lot of Yoplait (my favorite is the key lime pie, wow). These parfaits come in all sorts of great dessert flavors like chocolate raspberry and lemon torte. MyBlogSpark sent us a prize pack and my little man LOVED this stuff. I loved that I didn't feel guilty giving it to him! The prize pack includes a coupon to try Yoplait Delights, a Chocolate scented votive candle, insulated tote and aromatherapy eye pillow- all together a nice package to help you relax and enjoy yourself (much needed after a long day and a sugar less pie, right?) You can even print out a coupon here.

I have one prize pack to giveaway- to enter just leave a comment and if you'd like to indulge me, do tell the craziest things you've done in the kitchen so I'll feel better about the pie! You can have an extra entry by becoming a follower and leaving me a separate comment to let me know. I'll leave the giveaway open until Friday at midnight (AZ time). Hopefully I'm not the only one to make silly mistakes in the kitchen!

Pear Blueberry Pi(e)
from Anne Strawberry
adapted from Gourmet

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I also added the same amount of cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 lb firm-ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, and cored (about four)
1/2 pint Blueberries, washed and dried
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pastry dough (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon milk

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Whisk together flour, nutmeg, salt, and 2/3 cup sugar. Gently toss with pears and lemon juice.

Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9 1/2-inch glass or metal pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out dough for top crust. Roll out remaining piece of dough on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin into a roughly 16- by 11-inch rectangle. Cut crosswise into 12 (1-inch-wide) strips with a pastry wheel or a sharp knife. Spoon filling into shell. Weave a lattice pattern over pie with pastry strips. Trim edges of all strips close to edge of pie plate. Fold bottom crust up over edges of lattice and crimp edge. Brush lattice (but not edge) with milk and sprinkle lattice with remaining tablespoon sugar. (Note- I just rolled the second half of the dough out and made a regular crust for the sake of time)

Bake pie on a baking sheet 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and cover edge of pie with a pie shield or foil. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes more. Cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature, at least 2 hours.


Gourmet's Pastry Dough
via Epicurious

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 to 7 tablespoons ice water

Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 5 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)

Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together with scraper and press into 2 balls, then flatten each into a 5-inch disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

TWD- Blueberry Banana Cream Pie

It's a new year! I know everyone is in the middle of resolutions and things but why not start with a chocolate cookie, right? This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe is a spicy, chocolaty cookie- midnight crackles to celebrate the new year and TWD's three year anniversary (I can't believe how the time flies!). I modified the recipe and wrapped the dough around mint three musketeers (Target Christmas clearance!) But obviously, you aren't looking at chocolate cookies, since I forgot to grab the pics from my mom's camera and my brother couldn't figure out how to get the pictures emailed to me for some reason. Card reader drama he claims, but I love my card reader, and my mom's, since we bought it too. Whatever the case, my cookie pictures are in limbo for tonight!)

So we have pie instead. I made a whole bunch of pie crusts for a Christmas party and while my kitchen was covered in flour and butter I made a few extra to freeze- pretty much no more effort and a lot of benefits. We had ripe bananas, ready to go blueberries, and whipped cream waiting to be used, so banana cream pie was on the menu. After I baked up the crust I layered in bananas, pastry cream (no cinnamon, per my mom's request), blueberries, bananas, pastry cream, and whipped cream on top for good measure. My family gets a lot of baked goods and sometimes they shrug off totally yummy things, so I was prepared for that response but instead I had two big guys vying for the last slice of pie (my tall man won out, with the husband claim, but my brother said I owed him a pie for all his babysitting). The pie was a hit- even with teething Baby Strawberry.


See the full recipe and a sweet post on the TWD site (the actual cookies) or buy the book (it's a great investment, but I'll be honest, it might make you need to invest in some new jeans too!) As for the banana cream pie, I looked for the recipe on my blog and found it at the first of January 2009- apparently it's proper new years food (although since it is new years, I'm grateful the pie is all gone and it's oatmeal for breakfast instead!)

Cranberry Lime Galette & a Giveaway

It's Tuesday and today I have a quick and delicious cran-apple galette. I don't think most people know what a galette is, but it's actually just an open-faced pie. I think it might even be easier than a pie because there's no need to put a pretty crust on top or crimp (I know that bugs some people). Just roll out the dough, put the filling in the center, and fold over the edges. Bake and enjoy. Dorie's pie crust is absolutely amazing- buttery, easy, and delicious. This lime and cranberry combo is new to me but it's really fun and tangy- just make sure you use enough sugar to compensate for the tart, fresh cranberries.

Now for the giveaway. I'm sure you've heard about CSN Stores in the blog world before- where you can buy anything from a suitcase to a rice cooker (that's what I just bought from them this weekend- I'll let you know how I like it once it's here!). This time around I have a $75 store credit to CSN Stores (for US or Canada residents only). Just leave a comment and let me know what your favorite type of pie is- I'll leave the giveaway open until Friday at midnight. I love apple pie (so I put extra in this galette of course). Whatever pie you make for thanksgiving, I would try Dorie's amazing dough and her tip to put a little bit of graham or bread crumbs on the bottom to soak up juice- it makes all the difference.

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)

Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Dorie's Apple Pie

{printable recipe here}
I've made a lot of pies, but the first I learned to make was apple and it's still my favorite- so I was super excited to have the All American Apple Pie chosen as this week's Dorie treat. Dorie's version is exceptional (big shock, right?) and one of my favorite parts is the layer of graham cracker crumbs under the filling. It soaks up the excess juices and leaves the bottom of the pastry crisp (my tall man's favorite part- he loves the buttery, delicious dough). And even though preparing apple pie can seem a daunting task, my surprisingly practical apple peeler and corer came to the rescue once again. From my morning apple cinnamon oatmeal, to apples to snack on for my son, to apple pie- I use this thing all the time. You can even peel potatoes with it!

Grab the recipe from Emily, this week's host, or buy the book here if you haven't already. Mine is tattered and covered in butter and flour- and it's been worth every penny!

PS Guess what- my beloved camera is back! Nikon officially diagnosed the body with "sand damage" (but I think it's more likely flour/powdered sugar damage!) and they repaired it free of charge, even though I'm well out of warranty. Thank you Nikon, I'm yours for life!

{printable recipe here}

Boston Cream Cupcakes for Baby Strawberry

I mentioned it was Baby Strawberry's first birthday a couple of weeks ago (can you believe it?) We of course had lots of fun and lots of yummy food. With my little man, I had a big party at the house, fed everyone, made cute/high maintenance cupcakes, and loved it all! This time around (after another big birthday complete with Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes) I thought something simpler would be better. Since her birthday is right next to two of her cousins', we had an easy get together at the park with pizza and salads. I made vanilla bean and red velvet cupcakes that night and will post those next.

Then we decided to do a simple dinner, just my family and my "sister", and celebrate together. For dinner I made roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Kara brought cornbread and an amazing salad with locally made meyer lemon olive oil and strawberry balsamic vinaigrette! So I confess the simple dinner took a lot longer than I thought it would- it always does (big thanks to my mom for letting me mess up her kitchen all day and helping clean it all up!) But we all enjoyed it and Kara went into labor the next day, so I think the food did it's job!



For dessert I made Martha Stewart's Boston Cream Cupcakes. I'm not sure why I was crazing Boston Cream Pie (since I've never actually had it!) It probably has to do with my affinity to pastry cream. This recipe was very simple to make, just a ganache for the topping, a pastry cream for the filling, and a quick, easy cake. Baby loved it, of course (she has a huge sweet tooth!) There are three components to make but each is very simple and doesn't take much time. I worked on each them between other steps for dinner and didn't hardly notice the time to make these- don't be intimidated!

She even shared with her new baby that she wouldn't let go of for two days straight (baby is playing with her right now, actually, she was a hit!) It was a great birthday and totally worth all the dishes (especially since so many people helped out)! Happy birthday Baby Strawberry!)

Boston Cream Cupcakes
from Anne Strawberry (recipe via Martha Stewart)

*note- My family has been (rightfully) accusing me of underbaking things so I tried to follow these directions exactly. However, I thought the cupcakes were just a minute overdone and a tiny bit dry for that reason, so I would be sure to remove them as soon they get a hint of color and their lovely smell wafts through your kitchen!

For the Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.

Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.

Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold (just barely starting to color), about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.

Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream (I used more) on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately.


Vanilla Cream
*note- I prefer Dorie or Ina's pastry cream and will use my favorite "slightly lightened" version next time I make these.

2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. 

Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla. 

Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.


Chocolate Ganache Glaze

2/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

TWD- Easy French Tarts

It's Tuesday again and I found a comforting familiarity making tart shells and pastry cream. This week's recipe, the crunchy custardy peach tart, didn't exactly come to fruition this week. I prepped the shells Saturday (just a quick whirl of the ingredients in my food processor and pressed into the tart pans) and planned to make the real deal for Sunday dinner. Last minute at Church, though, my husband invited some friends for dinner and I found myself in a frenzy! Instead of making the actual recipe (and trying something new, not!) I whipped up a batch of pastry cream and topped half with madarin oranges and the other half with homemade apple pie filling. While it wasn't the real deal, you really can't go wrong with pastry and cream. Thanks to Rachel for the push to make this yummy dessert.


Come back later this week for Greek (it's my brother's birthday and we're going all out!)

"Slightly Lighted" Pastry Cream
adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/2 cups 2% milk
4 large egg yolks
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits at room temperature
Seeds from one vanilla bean (optional)

Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar and cornstarch until thick and well blended. Still whisking, drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the hot milk-- this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the milk. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and thoroughly (making sure to get the edges of the pot), bring the mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are full incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth and silky. Scrape the cream into a bowl. You can press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the cream to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the pastry cream until cold or, if you want to cool it quickly--as I always do--put the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water, and stir the pastry cream occasionally until it is thoroughly chilled, about 20 minutes.

TWD- Puff Pastry Pecan Pie (my 200th post)

{printable recipe here}

Christmas is here. We are overloaded with goodies, enjoying the perfect Arizona "winter", and loving the excitement our little man has for "Chissmas tine" (as he says it!) This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe sounded delicious, especially since I tried pecan pie for the first time last week and loved it (you can find the original recipe at Beth's blog). That's right, I'd never tried it before. Sometime I decided I didn't like it and so I've never eaten it, heading instead for the apple or berry pies. But Pecan Pie has been redeemed for my palate, not unlike guacamole which was a smash hit when I finally tried it when I was about 18.

With all the Christmas craziness, though, I didn't have time to make a pie crust. So I rolled out a piece of puff pastry, trimmed the edges, glued the strips on to make a little wall, and crisped it in the oven for a few. Meanwhile, I prepped half the filling, added a little flour, and cooked it until it boiled on the stove. Then I stirred in the egg and vanilla, poured the sauce into the shell, and sprinkled it with nuts. The good news is that the whole thing only takes a few minutes to make, even with two crazy kids in the kitchen. ANYONE can make this, really! And while this isn't exactly a traditional pecan pie, you can't really go wrong with butter, nuts, and brown sugar. Then go ahead and top it with whipped cream. Like Ina would say, "How bad can that be?" And while I'm glad to know I actually love pecan pie, I guess my "skinny jeans goals" should just be grateful it took me a while to figure that out!

PS This is indeed my 200th post (so you get a picture of my little man and baby strawberry!). I guess the picture is pretty fitting since she's the most delicious thing I've made since I started this blog. You can click here to see some of my favorite recipes so far- and admist many buttery, delicious treats there are even a few salads (promise!). Thanks for reading along and have a very Merry Christmas!

Puff Pastry Pecan Pie
{printable recipe here}
from Anne Strawberry
adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
3/8 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves or pieces

Preheat the oven to 350.

Flour a board and roll out the puff pastry to about 11 by 11. Trim a 1 inch strip off each side. Place large sheet on a lined baking sheet.

Whip one egg with 1 teaspoon of water. Using a pastry brush, apply the egg wash to the borders of the puff pastry and gently place the strips on top to adhere them (forming a frame). Dock the center of the pastry with a fork, using the tines to prick all over the dough every 1/4 inch or so. Brush the top of the edges with the egg wash to promote browning. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, combine the syrup, brown sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture boils then set aside for a few minutes. Then, while whisking, slowly pour in the egg wash and the other egg. Whisk in the vanilla until everything is thoroughly combined. Carefully spoon sauce over the pastry shell, filling the created cavity. Sprinkle with nuts and bake for 10 more minutes, or until the pastry is browned and the filling it set.

Cut and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Lemon Tart Giveaway

Recently I heard about the book Lemon Tart- a culinary mystery. I couldn't get over the "culinary mystery" part so I decided to check it out. This book centers around a homemaker who loves to bake and includes the recipes along the way. I loved reading it and couldn't wait to try a recipe- so of course, I made the lemon tart. It was simple enough that I could make it with Little Man's help and Baby Strawberry in my arms. That's the kind of recipe I prefer these days. So really, anyone can make it. You could even sub out a graham crust if you don't want to bother with the pastry.

C&H also sent me some money to buy some of their sugar (which I did, in bulk, at Costco. I'm not the only one that buys the 30 pound bag and fills a huge bucket in the pantry, right? Right? Well, I know my mom does too, so I don't feel too bad). I used the granulated sugar in the tart and the powdered sugar in the crust and whipped cream. My husband loves to eat the C&H dark brown sugar right out of the bag. Don't let him know I told you that. They also have a huge selection of holiday recipes on their site. I'm going to feature one next week... as soon as I pick which one to try. I'm thinking maybe the egg-free sugar cookie dough for my beautiful (allergic to eggs) niece Carlee or the peanut butter topped toffee bars for my Tall Man. He's going to get hungry after he finishes off that bag of brown sugar (fortunately I have several back ups, he's lucky to be married to a stockpiler!) Either way, check back next week. It's going to be delicious.

You can read the first chapter here and see the recipes she has included. There is also a nice interview here about the book and how she came up with the ideas. I also contacted the author and she agreed to giveaway a copy of the book to one of my readers. Leave a comment letting me know the best book you've read lately. And don't forget to check out Lemon Tart and the next in the series, English Trifle for a fun and refreshing read. You can find out more about Josi Kilpack at her blog or site. Thanks Josi for the fun giveaway!

Here's a culinary mystery for you... who swiped a lick of that cream? I'll give you one guess...

Lemon Tart
adapted from the book "Lemon Tart" by Josi Kilpack

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup C&H powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water (I added this to get my dough to come together)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor or mixer, combine ingredients for crust. Pulse together until a dough starts to form in clumps (then I pulsed in the egg). Press into tart pan, making sure to cover bottom and sides evenly. Pierve the bottom of the crust with a fork and place in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Place tart on a cookie sheet and bake until crust is a golden-brown color, approximately 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling (I made about double of this, using the whole stick of cream cheese and 3 eggs, since my tart pan was especially deep)

5 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used neufchatel)
1/2 cup C&H granulated cane sugar (I would use another 1/4 cup like she suggests since my Tall Man likes things sweet)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
zest from one lemon (get zest from lemon before juicing)

Reduce oven temperature to 350. Mix cream cheese with electric beaters until smooth. Add sugar. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Stop and scrape bowl halfway through. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling into the tart crust and bake on cookie sheet for 20 to 30 minutes or until filling is set. Let tart cool on wire cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Use whipped cream as an optional topping. It can be piped on in stars or served on top with each piece (I liked lots and lots of top of mine!).


The giveaway will accept entries until next Thursday night, December 10, at midnight AZ time. U.S. addresses only and one entry per person please.

(This giveaway is now closed... thanks for all the entries!)

My favorite thanksgiving pie

I keep saying it but it's shocking how fast time has flown since I had my Baby Strawberry. She's getting so big (10 weeks tomorrow and 11 pounds already) and I'm loving every minute. Thanksgiving is here already and that means some serious cooking with the holidays starting. We'll be enjoying a good ham (with some turkey on the side, I'm not the only person who much prefers ham, right?), hot homemade rolls (my assignment), and plenty of pies from the woman who taught me how to crimp a crust- my Aunt CarmaLee. It's going to be wonderful and a holiday I look forward to every year.

If you haven't planned your menu yet, I'd really recommend this beautiful and delicious Apple pie from Dorie Greenspan. I've never been a huge pumpkin fan, except for that sugar and chocolate loaded bread, and will take an apple pie over that any day. Apples are a buck a pound around here right now and you can bet this will be gracing our table. Pile in those apples, don't think about the calories, and enjoy the time of year. There's a lot to be thankful for (especially, for me, the people in my little strawberry patch!)

Don't forget to come back next week for a special giveaway...

All-American All-Delicious Apple Pie
adapted from Dorie Greenspan (and casually typed- buy the book already to enjoy her beautiful writing, photographs, and recipes of course!)

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough for a double crust, chilled (see instructions below)
4 pounds (about 6 very large) apples - I used a mix of Pink Ladies, Fujis, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious - whatever looks good and a nice mix of textures and sweetness
3/4 cup sugar
Grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or 1 tablespoon Ultra Gel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (or dried bread crumbs, unseasoned)
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
milk and sugar for the optional glaze

Assembly Instructions:


Preheat the oven to 425. Peel, core and slice the apples. Put the apples into a large bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest, tapioca (I used Ultra gel), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss together and let sit for five minutes.

Remove the pie crust from the fridge and sprinkle the crumbs over the bottom of the crust (to help prevent sogginess) and then turn the apples and the juices into the crust. The apples will heap over the top of the crust. Pat them into an even mound. Dot the apples with the bits of cold butter.

Lightly moisten the rim of the bottom crust with water, place the top crust over the pie, and crimp together after cutting overhang.

Use a sharp knife to cut slits into the top crust. Brush the top crust with a little milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes (at 425). Reduce the heat to 375 and bake for another 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the juices are bubbling. Check on the pie after a half an hour or so to make sure it’s not browning too quickly (use a foil tent in that case).
Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let it rest until just warm. Serve with ice cream.


Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)

Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Meeting the Pioneer Woman (and her Chicken Pot Pie)

Last week my mom and I went to see the Pioneer Woman at her Phoenix book signing. I couldn't believe how many people were crammed into the little book store! Fortunately, we found a seat and enjoyed chatting with some great people while we waited. When she came out the room erupted in applause and that kept happening all night! My daughter was pretty scared by the noise but she must have enjoyed Ree, because she didn't cry once and was cute and smiley and even met her sister, Missy.

Ree answered some fun questions. My favorite came from a little girl who asked, "Do you have elephants?" Ree just said, "No Honey, but I think I need them!" Then someone asked if she minded that everyone was in love with husband. She didn't. Someone else asked how she keeps in such great shape with all the butter in her recipes, she just laughed and said she works at it like the rest of us (I thought in my head, portion control, and working a ranch, come on!) She was really funny and down to earth. After she finished answering questions they called up the A group for signing and said those with little kids could come up too so they could get to bed. I booked it to the front and was the third in line. I thought that was really sweet of her. I was in group L on my ticket and there were 30 for each letter!

(pic from PW- see me there, just barely?)

So now I'm sure you're wondering about my really high quality pictures. I didn't want to bring my big camera since I had my baby strawberry to carry and wanted to pack light. So I meant to ask my mom to bring her purse camera but forgot in all the stress (newborns always want to eat at the most inconvenient times) and so all I had was my cell phone. When Ree was signing my book, I asked the girl behind me to take our picture and it didn't work. By the time I realized it was too late and I was so disappointed. My mom told me to go ask Missy, her sister, if she would take another so I did. Missy held my little cutie and it all worked out.

Ree was really sweet while she signed my book. She asked how old my baby was (seven weeks I said, and this is her first big thing- she hasn't even been to Church yet!). Then she asked if she was my first. I told her about my little boy and she said, "Yeah, I can tell from the way you're holding her over your arm, you aren't too nervous." "I have to chase a toddler all day, I need all the hands I can get I told her!" I think she understood that.

So all in all, the signing was a lot of fun. We at great food at Wildflower Bread Co next door (Butternut Squash salad with Gorgonzola and a Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette and Potato soup), enjoyed listening to PW, and got some new material for our upcoming meals. I'll post them as we try them.

Check out her book on Amazon. I love having her great recipes at my finger tips and seeing all the photos of her life that seems so different from mine (minus the butter... we both like to use that!)

I thought I'd make dinner out of here for a while and here is the first recipe- Chicken Pot Pie. It came together in a flash and was flaky and filling. Perfect.

For better directions than I'd ever be able to give (people, I have about 15 minutes a day without a child physically attached right now, I can't take all those process photos and get in a shower) visit Ree.

Notes on the Recipe-

I made one batch and was able to make two "Marie Calendar's" size pot pies (I love those tins- the right size and no worries if you lose one- and my husband brings them home from work all the time, since I don't buy pie!)

Instead of adding the peas with the other veggies, I added them after the filling was all cooked. I think that keeps them greener and prettier and I'm kind of vain like that. I also added extra carrots since I LOVE them. Sorry about the crappy action shot. We were hungry and in a hurry to watch Transformers 2 from Netflix. We should have slowed down and enjoyed the pie, it was better than the movie. Really really.

Lastly, I used my favorite "cooking wine" with a dash of white wine vinegar. In honor of PW, I even took a picture (or asked my mom too, she's a budding food photographer I think, don't you like the shot of the pie with the heart on it?)

More PW woman recipes coming soon! And happy Veteran's Day! Today we're arranging the nursery, eating cinnamon swirl french toast, and enjoying my husband's day off. Hope yours is great, too!

Peach Blueberry Pie with Cream Cheese Filling

I'm vastly relieved to report that peach season has started at last. While peaches are one of my favorite fruits, the real reason I'm rejoicing their coming is their meaning to my palate- the heralding of fall. While it's still over a hundred here and too hot to bake much (my apologies for skipping Tuesdays with Dorie's apple bars), peaches mean that fall is coming. Soon it will cool down, I'll have my baby (35 days to go!), and I won't be so hot all day long!

A slice of this pie will also go a long way toward cooling you down. The crust only takes a few minutes to bake (and you could even buy one if you're inclined, though making and baking this takes less time than it does for me to go to the store and back with my toddler in tow). With the cool, creamy filling it's worth every minute it takes to make (a whole 20 from start to finish, yay!)

Peach Blueberry Pie with Cream Cheese Filling

For the crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about one sleeve)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, meltedTo make the crust:

Butter a 9-inch springform pan (or pie plate or tart pan). Stir the crumbs and sugar together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. Turn the ingredients into the buttered springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don't worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway mark on the sides—this doesn't have to be a precision job. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.

Center a rack in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the filling.

For the Filling:
1 block Reduced Fat (Neufchatel) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cold cream

Whip Cream and set aside. In the same bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Remove bowl from stand mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream.

For the Fruit Topping:
4 ripe peaches
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1 pint blueberries
2-4 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

Peel and slice peaches. Place in large bowl with citrus juice and gently toss peaches to cover (this will prevent browning). Add blueberries in carefully then add sugar to taste (depending on ripeness of fruit). Set aside.

To assemble pie:

Spread cream cheese mixture in cooled crust. Spoon fruit on top carefully and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dorie's Amazing Apple Pie

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe didn't quite make it to the table. You see, my mom, the worlds biggest advocate of whipped cream and other delicious dairy products (i.e. the Raspberry Blanc Manger selected this week) has been a pillar of dietary discipline lately, forgoing everything delicious and remotely sinful for salads and celery, carrots and the like. I'm trying to run from the desserts myself lately, as I'm bound and determined to keep the weight off this pregnancy. I'm finding that 115 degree weather doesn't lead to many desirable outdoor/calorie burning activities besides running from the car to the grocery store and back to the house. So, I decided not to tempt my mom (or myself) too much.

However, this apple pie is more than temptation enough- and I've been saving this photos for a while, waiting for the right time to share. Apples are everywhere at my grocery store and so today is the day. With Dorie's ridiculously delicious pie crust I've loved over and over, more apples than you'd believe would fit in the pie pan, and a round scoop of ice cream on top, I think this will satisfy anyone's dessert craving and cool you down in the process. I'll say, this pie was so good it made a fruit dessert non-believer go back for seconds. So check out the other beautiful Tuesdays with Dorie concoctions and then go get some apples. I'm thinking it's high time I make this again (I'll just leave it at my place to save my dedicated mom from the temptation... and I'll count all those apples and a hearty portion of cinnamon as healthy enough!).

All-American All-Delicious Apple Pie
adapted from Dorie Greenspan (and casually typed- buy the book already to enjoy her beautiful writing, photographs, and recipes of course!)

Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough for a double crust, chilled (see instructions below)
4 pounds (about 6 very large) apples - I used a mix of Pink Ladies, Fujis, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious - whatever looks good and a nice mix of textures and sweetness
3/4 cup sugar
Grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or 1 tablespoon Ultra Gel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (or dried bread crumbs, unseasoned)
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
milk and sugar for the optional glaze

Assembly Instructions:


Preheat the oven to 425. Peel, core and slice the apples. Put the apples into a large bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest, tapioca (I used Ultra gel), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss together and let sit for five minutes.

Remove the pie crust from the fridge and sprinkle the crumbs over the bottom of the crust (to help prevent sogginess) and then turn the apples and the juices into the crust. The apples will heap over the top of the crust. Pat them into an even mound. Dot the apples with the bits of cold butter.

Lightly moisten the rim of the bottom crust with water, place the top crust over the pie, and crimp together after cutting overhang.

Use a sharp knife to cut slits into the top crust. Brush the top crust with a little milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes (at 425). Reduce the heat to 375 and bake for another 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the juices are bubbling. Check on the pie after a half an hour or so to make sure it’s not browning too quickly (use a foil tent in that case).
Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let it rest until just warm. Serve with ice cream.


Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)

Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Summer Key Lime Pie

I've spent every summer of my life (except one in Utah and half of one in Paris) in Arizona. Let me tell you, summer here isn't about running around enjoying the weather and all the beautiful outdoor furniture Pottery Barn keeps emailing me. It's about surviving. And swimming. This is the first Arizona summer I've enjoyed "pregnant" (29 weeks today!) so I've really been trying to avoid the heat as much as possible.

This month's Pies with That challenge is to create a pie that means summer to you. While it is blistering hot and I'm aching for a nice February day, I've always loved living here and I'm more than willing to put up with the heat. I've been thinking a lot lately, too, that since I love my September birthday, I have to pay for it for my own daughter. So there you have it. I'm resorting to turning on every fan in the house, drinking tons of ice cold water, and eating lots of frozen dessert to get through these last seventy something days. I thought Dorie's Florida Pie was the perfect rendition of summer for me because it's refreshingly light and cool, only takes a couple of minutes in the oven (10 for the crust, which you could buy theoretically but I wouldn't recommend, especially since you can pile the crumbs high for a beautiful crust no problem, and 12 for the filling), and it includes coconut, which has always reminded me of sunblock. I know it's supposed to be the other way around, but I can't hardly smell coconut flavoring without picturing a public pool. Between that and the texture issue, I left it out. I needed this cooling, summer refreshment sans banana boat. Top it with shredded coconut if you're feeling daring. Keep this pie in the freezer for an extra refreshing treat, or let it soften for a few minutes if you're enjoying one of those Pottery Barn type summers I've read about.

In my anticipation of this pie, I couldn't wait to eat it. I took two quick pictures and served up a piece for my son and I to share. We were almost done when he said, "Wait Mommy!" He ran to the other room and found his toy camera and when he returned he said, "Take a picture Mommy!" After he did his thing, he figured we could finish off our slice. Wow, my poor kid. He is only two...

Summer Key Lime Pie
Adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan

For the crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about one sleeve)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
4 large egg yolks
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C. Fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1 teaspoon Lime Zest

To make the crust:

Butter a 9-inch springform pan (or pie plate or tart pan). Stir the crumbs and sugar together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. Turn the ingredients into the buttered springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don't worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway mark on the sides—this doesn't have to be a precision job. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.

Center a rack in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the filling.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the remaining juice, again mixing until it is blended. Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream and garnish with lime zest or lime wedges.