Apple Pie

This is my 3rd or 4th attempt at making an apple pie. This pie, was much better than the previous apple pies. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Fugi apples. The result was delightful!

I started with about 4 green apples and 2 red apples.
 

 I peeled one all the way around!

 Then I cut the slices into small THIN pieces. This is what Greg and I like about my apple pies. If the apple slices are too big, they can be too sweet, or too tart and ruin the experience!

 
This is a flour, cinamon, sugar, nutmeg combo.

It goes right in to the apple. I splash some lemon juice on the apples first so they don't turn brown while they're waiting. 

 
Stir it all up!

Sugar and spice coated apple.

I mixed the dough (just flour and crisco with 10 tablespoons of water added one at a time)

I roll the crust up on the rolling pin so it doesn't stretch out and then unroll it on the pie plate. 
 

Then I added the apples.

 Here's the lid. I tried to make this one into more of a circle.

 Then I laid it on top of the pie.

 I trimmed up the edges...
 and cut in the breathing slats.

The baked final product! Still some cosmetic imperfections, but it tasted yum, yum, yum!

I'm making Cornish Hens tonight! Wish me luck!

Pie in the Sky

Sheppard's Pie. It was certainly a "pie in the sky" endeavor, especially trying to find minced lamb in September. I know it's a little early to be pulling out the St. Patrick's Day menu, but it was a special request this week. I am still working on it, but this recipe was much better than most we've tried. Greg found the recipe online. He said that it was more "legit" because the guy used grams for the measurements, hence he must be European. Hence, he must know how to make bangin' Sheppard's Pie. Obviously.

 

 

 We never did find minced lamb, although I'm sure a trip over to whole foods would have done the trick. So, this is just plain ole' ground beef. I'm sure the lamb would have tasted much much better. 

Ok, I know it's a little weird, but I love seperating the egg yolk from the whites. I think the yolk is so cute, just sitting there like a little, yellow..... ball of cuteness. I broke the first one, but this one stayed intact the whole time. It's the simple pleasures....

See the yolk still sitting there in the potatoes, like a little cherry on top of a sundae?

 

 

Ta Da!

 

It was pretty successful. Greg had three helpings of leftovers the next night, so I suppose he kinda liked it.

The Recipe - 

For the meat filling:

• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lb of minced lamb
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/2 white wine
• 2 medium carrots diced
• 1 cup peas 
• 1 cup of beef broth
• 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce (puree)
• a dash of Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Potato Filling:

• 2 pounds of potatoes ( I used 5-6 red potaotes)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of softened butter
• 2 small egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• a few pinches of nutmeg

Directions:

Fill a pot with water and a pinch of salt. Boil washed halved potatoes uncovered for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and remove peels.

Meanwhile, heat up a large pan with olive oil and cook diced onions on medium heat until slightly translucent (about 10 minutes). Then, add garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Add bay leaf, minced beef, and white wine. Deglaze by boiling over high heat for about 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 7 minutes). Add carrots, peas, broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer at low heat for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the potato ingredients and mash together. Scoop the meat filling into an oven-safe dish. Spread the potato topping on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are golden. Serve hot.

Thanks for reading my thoughts about food! Enjoy the recipe!

First Thoughts

Growing up, it's fun to think about what kind of adult you will be one day. I've tried a few things on my way to discovering what kind of big fancy grown-up I want to become. Maybe an athlete? After my first triathlon I realized, jock...I am not. I also discovered that I'm not a singer, dog trainer, nor am I an interior decorator. But, while I know I am not Caesar Milan, I am a person who loves nature, and creating, and food! Look at that, I'm half on my way to becoming a real live grown-up!

 

My first ever homemade apple pie!

This was one of my first forays into baking. They say that if you can cook, you're usually not a very good baker and vice versa. Something about using different sides of the brain for each. But, I mean, it's pretty simple, right? Just follow the directions, and out pops a pie!

Update one year later: This is not true. Baking. is. hard. 

Greg helping cook the lobsters! They're Alive!!

Valentine's Day dinner

On Valentines Day this past year I decided to make a big romantic dinner for myself and my new husband. We had been married for 6 months and I wanted to do something pretty special. These unlucky guys ended up as our main course!  I also made an awesome Risotto (for the first time) and Green Beans Amandine. Everything turned out perfect, although I didn't know at the time that Greg doesn't really even love lobster. Whoops!

Reine De Saba (Chocolate and Almond Cake)

This was the cake I made out of Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I made it around Easter this year. I have vowed to only make this cake once a year. It is so good, it's a sin to have it more often than that. Definitely not during Lent. I wish you could lick the computer screen and taste how phenomenally wonderful this cake is. The cake and frosting was made with dark bakers chocolate. The cake was also made with rum (yum!) and there is just a small hint of it in the flavor. I have never, ever, tasted something so perfect. The French are geniuses.

It's like I'm taking my picture with a famous actor or something. I was so proud, even if it is just plopped on a cookie sheet! *Note to self: next item to be purchased is a cake platter.

The moistest cake you've ever had. Heaven.

I had to put the pot in a bucket of ice and stir constantly to get the frosting to be the right consistency. It worked! It was perfection.

Last but not least..... Strawberry Chiffon Pie!!!  I made this for the first time this summer and it was so yummy, I made it about 3 times right after that! It's the perfect summer dessert because it's served cold and it tastes so light and sweet and fruity. There's a homemade pie crust underneath. To make the filling, you crush strawberries. Meanwhile you cook sugar, egg yolk, and gelatin in a pot. Then you mix the gelatin mixture and strawberries and let them sit for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Then you beat whipping cream until it looks like, well....whipped cream and fold that into the stiffening strawberry gelatin mixture and then let it set in the fridge for another 4 hours. Anyways, long story short, it's a ton of waiting and refrigerating, but it's worth it! I like to decorate the top with berries for a pretty presentation. This recipe is from The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. You know, the one that every mom has on her shelf.


Well, I can't wait to post again, and next time I'll put less baking and more cooking pics. It's just a little more impressive to take a picture of a strawberry pie than honey mustard chicken thighs, but I'll work on my photography skills. Thanks for reading my thoughts about food!