Super Apple Pie and Perfect Apple Pie Crust
Nov 28, 2009 Crusts, Desserts, Pies and Tarts, Uncategorized
I’m aware that this would have been a nice post to get out before Thanksgiving, but as this is the first Thanksgiving that has happened since I started this blog, I learned a few things this year. As Thanksgiving approached and I read other blogs I saw them posting wonderful looking Thanksgiving recipes weeks in advance, and I started to wonder how they were posting such beautiful pictures when the event had not even happened yet. Either they were practicing making the dishes, or they were using pictures from last year. In light of saving money and food I didn’t want to make anything a few weeks early, and I didn’t have any pictures from last year to go from. As Thanksgiving approached its seemed uncomfortable to post anything that wasn’t Thanksgiving related, so what turned out was 2 weeks of everyone opening my blog to stare at my late 20′s goals. For that I apologize.
Now you can open it and stare at a delicious apple pie.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I think when I was growing up I was a little ashamed to admit that, but now I can say it with confidence. Before when I would say it people would always look at me funny as if it should be something else, and then they would follow up the look with, “Well… mine is Christmas,” like there was something superior about people who like Christmas better. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas too, but there is something about Thanksgiving that says family in a way that Christmas sort of misses. Maybe it’s because Christmas is also drowned with a lot of “self” (What am I going to get? I hope they liked my present that I gave them! I want to watch my movie first!) Thanksgiving is merely family and friends coming together to eat, be together, and be thankful. I really love it.
about Super Apple Pie and Perfect Apple Pie Crust
Tags: apple pie, apple pie crust, fruit pie, perfect crust, pie, pie crust, Super Apple Pie, thanksgiving dessert, thanksgiving pie
Meeting the Late 20′s
Nov 15, 2009 Uncategorized
“Hello late 20′s. It is through unavoidable circumstances that we are meeting. As of today, I am 26 years old. I would like you to know that I have certain expectations of you, and I want to go ahead and get those expectations out in the open now before we get too far into this. You see, my early 20′s were good to me, and I expect the same from you. I want to be clear with you so we can avoid any unexpected and sudden mood changes, drastic weight increases, or unplanned pregnancies, all of which were avoided in my early 20′s. The early 20′s understood my goals and helped me accomplish them. I am planning on continuing making goals as I move with you into the future, and I expect that you will help me achieve them.
So, I know we just met, but I would like to go ahead and let you know what I’m planning for the next 4 years. Before I’m 30, there are just a few things that I really want to do, and I think it’s important that I’m clear with you up front so that you won’t be alarmed when I start towards any one of these. I know some of them are a little lofty, and some may even be slightly dangerous, but frankly I don’t care. I feel like these goals are part of what keeps me happy in life, and if I didn’t make them I might let my 20′s slip by without doing anything worthwhile. SO- you’re just going to have to toughen up and deal.
Here is the list. I expect you to take notes.
1. Write a book and get it published
2. Get my master’s in something
3. Meet and have coffee with Adam Roberts
4. Go camping in Alaska
5. Get an article published in a magazine
6. Throw the best party I’ve ever been to
7. Come up with the best coffee cake recipe in the world
8. Learn the rest of Mozart’s Fantasie in D on the piano
9. Read the whole Bible from beginning to end
10. Find my dream job
11. Learn how to cake decorate well enough to make something for an event
12. Watch all movies on AFI’s list of Top 100 movies of all time
13. Eat at Delancey in Seattle
14. Take a food photography class
15. Find the best cup of coffee in Tulsa
That’s all I’ve got for now. We have 4 years to get it all done, and I hope you can be supportive and help me along the way.
By the way, it’s really nice to meet you.”
Pioneer Woman Maple Pecan Scones
Nov 9, 2009 Breakfast, Coffee, Desserts
These are Maple Pecan Scones, and they are delightful.
About two weeks ago something exciting happened. I got to meet The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, at her cookbook signing in Tulsa. Tulsa was Ree’s first stop on her book tour, so I felt like I was really in on the action as I saw her take the stage and answer questions from the crowd. She was so nice and extremely cool. It was great meeting her. Here is the proof:
The cookbook that she was releasing is her first cookbook, called The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and it has some truly great recipes. Now I was raised in Oklahoma, but my parent are from Chicago, so we never really ate like Oklahomans when I was growing up. I don’t think my mom ever once made fried chicken, I hadn’t tried meat loaf until last year, and I have never in my life tried chicken-fried steak, but the recipes that Ree puts in her book look simple and really, really good. I married a guy who likes all of the things that Ree makes, and I have a feeling I’ll be learning how to cook some of these things over my lifetime. Thanks to Ree, I have some great recipes. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: maple, maple dessert, maple scones, pecan dessert, pecan scones, pioneer woman, Pioneer Woman Book Signing, pioneer woman recipe, ree drummond, scone recipe, scones
Grilled Pear Salad with Bacon and Walnuts
Nov 2, 2009 Salads
I love November.
November is by far my favorite month of the year. There are so many wonderful things that happen in November. The trees are beautiful shades of red, yellow, and green, my wedding anniversary is on November 8, my birthday is November 15, my niece’s birthday is November 21, and my favorite holiday is in November. Also, New Moon comes out this year in November which makes the month even more exciting.
Yes, I am a Twilight fanatic. Feel free to be shocked and consider deleting my blog from your RSS feeds.
Actually, please don’t do that.
Instead look at these pictures that I took in my back yard yesterday morning.
I love my back yard.
I also love this Pear Bacon Salad. Do you remember the bet that I lost? This salad was one of the courses in the dinner that I made for Brian this past weekend to hold up my end of the bargain. I made it because Brian loves bacon and blue cheese, and I wanted to make a salad with some seasonal fruit. I got the idea from a recipe from Bon Appetit but I didn’t make my own dressing. I wanted to find something comparable that would go well with the recipe, and I found a Blush Wine Vinaigrette Dressing at Wholefoods from Briannas Home Style. It worked perfectly with the salad. It was just slightly (very slightly) sweet and didn’t overpower or cover up the bacon and Roquefort, which is what I wanted.
The recipe called for Roquefort, and to be honest I was scared when I bought it. The mold looked so much more.. green than the other blue cheeses. I thought it must be a huge mistake and the cheese was going to eat us from the inside out, but I was assured that it was normal Roquefort color. I just knew I was going to hate it, but this dinner was really for Brian and I thought, what the heck, I can do this. When I got home and opened the cheese I wasn’t overwhelmed by funky smell like I had expected. Instead I was pleasantly surprised when what I tasted was actually a milder blue cheese than I was used to. It worked perfectly in the salad, and from now on I will never be scared of Roquefort again. I admit, it was delicious.
Grilled Pear Salad with Bacon and Walnuts
(makes 4 pre-dinner sized servings)
A bunch of mixed greens
6 slices of bacon
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 pears
2 oz Roquefort cheese crumbled
Briannas Homestyle Blush Wine Vinaigrette or Port VinaigretteCook bacon in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add brown sugar to the pan and fry until crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and let dry on a paper towel. Slice bacon into 1/2 inch thick pieces and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and bake them for about 4 minutes on each side or until slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
Slice pears into 1/4 inch think slices. Grill or broil for about 2 minutes on each side. Assemble salad with greens, bacon, pears, walnuts, and crumbled Roquefort cheese. Top with vinaigrette and serve! It is sure to make your taste buds very, very happy.
