Any holiday that involves pie is high on my list of great holidays. My mom spends days cooking one meal, that we inevitably eat in half an hour. My mom wants us to spend an equivalent amount of time enjoying her food, and we do over the course of the weekend. When I moved out, I asked if there was something I could bring, to help lessen the load.
One year I tried to bake a pie...... big mistake :) I mean, my pie was edible. But the crust had not been practiced for 25 years, honed to a delectable pastry. And the filling was ok, but it was not the result of the careful application of cinnamon to apples that experience teaches. And so it sat on the counter until all the other pie was eaten. So now I practice my pie technique in less strenuous competitions, so that some day, I will be as good as my mom.
What I have learned over the years is that my mom will make everything she has always made regardless of what I offer to bring. So my goals have changed, from trying to imitate a traditional dish, to just complimenting what my mom does. So I try to find a vegetable or fruit side dish that will be tasty. You know, you can find some really great side dish recipes on the internet. One year I made a cauliflower dish that was good. Another year I made a totally awesome BLTA salad (bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado). This was so good, I repeated it the next year. This year I am trying out asparagus on my family. Shhhh, all they know is that I am going to bring a salad. But inside the salad will be asparagus. We will see how this goes over. As a backup, I am bringing corn, which everyone likes.
What are your favorite recipes, or the new ones you like to try?
6 years ago
3 comments:
i always make a cheeseball and crackers for any function. easy, everybody likes it. i'm not so good with the from scratch/homemade stuff.
heather, i feel the need to spread my wisdom. (though I like to believe i have been blessed to receive mom's cooking gene and I can make all her recipes)
For flawless apple pie:
1. Buy the pillsbury crust. It's cheaper, easier, flakier, and doesn't require special equipment.
2. Good apples. Most people swear by granny smith, but they make a tart pie, I prefer macintosh or fiji, or gala (but they don't stay as crisp)
3. Toss 8-9 peeled apples with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Then add 3/4c. sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp. salt. Fill pie shell. Dot with 2 Tbsp butter divided all over the pie. Top with other crust. Sprinkle a Tbsp sugar over the top and bake for 50 min.
4. Enjoy with only ice cream, whip cream doesn't cut it.
5. Ha, watch people compete with that! It's a flawless recipe
Carla! Thanks for the secret to apple pie. I am totally going to make that. Especially the part about buying a pie crust.
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