Giveaway ~ We have a winner!

Drum roll......



After getting all the entries into the hat (well, it really is a turkey, lol), and drawing out 1 name (oh, I wish everyone could have won), we have a winner....



Can you read the name? It's Kathleen from Cuisine Kathleen. CONGRATULATIONS Kathleen and thank you for everyone who dropped by and entered. I will be having another giveaway very soon. It was a lot of fun for me!

Mosaic Monday ~ Bringing in the Sheaves

Posting to Mary's Mosiac Monday at Little Red House. Thanks for hosting, Mary!




Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Chocolate Heaven Pie & Tools of the Pie Trade

I'm including this post in Michael's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. Thanks for hosting Michael!



Quick reminder to get entered in for my giveaway...only a few short days left.

Chocolate pie was a staple in my grandma's holiday baking. Everyone loved her chocolate pie...especially my Uncle Ricky. Grandma didn't keep recipes or even own a cookbook and no one really knows how she made those fabulous pies. Whenever I see a recipe I am always compelled to give it a try. Usually there is no measuring up but this recipe from Farmhand's Favorite Pies is pretty close. The authors note is that the better the chocolate you use, the better your pie will be. I used the Scharffen Berger chocolate that foodie son give me for my birthday last month. The pie lived up to it's name and my memories.


Chocolate Heaven Cream Pie

¼ c Dutch-Processed Cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2/3 c granulated sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¼ tsp salt
3 cups milk
2 eggs

Topping:
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Chocolate shavings or cocoa powder

1 prebaked pie shell

In a medium-heavy gauge saucepan mix together the cocoa, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and milk. Over medium heat bring mixture to a full boil. Remove from the heat. Add ¼ cup of the hot cocoa mixture to eggs, mix together, and add back into the saucepan. Cook until mixture returns to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolates, butter, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer. Pour into the prepared pie shell and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate.

Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla. Spoon over the cooled chocolate filling. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings or cocoa over the whipped cream.

Makes 1 9-inch pie.

Tools of the Pie Trade



Pastry Blenders – A pastry blender or cutter is a hand powered kitchen tool used to cut hard fats into flour in order to make pastry. I grew up in a home where one was never used. My Mom has this technique of using a large meat fork to affect the same result. My husband’s grandmother showed the joys of using a pastry blender. I also use mine to chop boiled eggs for egg salad, avocado for guacamole, etc. In my opinion it is one of those low tech tools that earns it’s drawer space. Many people have replaced this gadget with the food processor. I’ll have to take their word that the food processor does as good a job. I don’t have one.



Pastry Boards – I remember my Mom having this plastic mat contraption made by Tupperware that you rolled out and then rolled your pastry on. She hated it and that experience really tainted my view of pastry boards. After all, isn’t the floured countertop good enough? I never used a pastry board until a few years ago when my husband bought me one made by Bethany Housewares. I’m not quite sure what possessed him to buy it and I was totally prepared to hate it, but alas, I love it. It really makes rolling pie crust (and lefse) a breeze. I know a lot of people swear by marble pastry boards and they sure would help keep everything cold but I’ve never tried one. I notice that Pampered Chef now has one of the mats (reminiscent of that Tupperware mat of my Mom’s) available. I also have never used one of them either (maybe someone who has will chime in here). In my very limited experience, I really like the cloth covered pastry board that I use but also acknowledge that a well floured countertop is just about as good.



Rolling Pins – What type of rolling pin you use will vary by your personal preference. There are lots to choose from, from ice-filled glass pins to wooden, metal, marble, nonstick, plastic and silicone rolling pins. The good news is: You can have success with any of the above and turn out pastry that everyone will enjoy. The trick is not to use too much flour when you are rolling pastry. If you've used the same type of rolling pin and you struggle most of the time to achieve perfect pastry, a change in type of rolling pin may solve your pastry problems. I've used a wooden pin for eons and could not imagine using anything else. My husband prefers a heavy one and mine is very petite compared to his. One tip for your rolling pin…if it is wooden, don’t let water EVER touch it. Just wipe it clean and try hard to not think about germs.



Tins & Pie Plates – For optimum results (and we all want optimum results), use a glass or a dull-metal pie pan. Avoid shiny metal or disposable aluminum pans, which reflect heat and prevent your crusts from browning well. Dark pans may cause crusts to brown too quickly. Avoid pans with holes in the bottom.



Pastry Shields – Nothing is more frustrating than making an otherwise perfect pie with an overly browned crust. This is really common in long baking custard type pies…like pumpkin. Fortunately, avoiding the over-cooked crust quandary couldn’t be easier. The solution? A simple pie shield. A pie shield is a lightweight reusable aluminum ring fits snugly atop a homemade or frozen crust without sticking to the dough or damaging fluted decoration. It prevents over-browning on the edges and encourages rising in the middle. The result? One picture-perfect pie with a lovely golden crust! Pastry shields are pretty inexpensive and readily available at kitchen specialty shops but a well placed piece of foil will give the same results. Nice to have but not a necessity in my book.



Pie Birds – Pie Birds or Pie Funnels as they are called in England are "steam vents" that have been placed in the center of fruit and meat pies (while cooking) since Victorian Times. Pie Funnels were used in baking pies and prevent the pie from boiling over in the oven by allowing the steam created when the fruit filling or other contents are cooking to escape from inside the pie. They also supported the pastry crust in the center of the pie, so that it did not sag in the middle. They are made from ceramic. Pie birds are very collectable and although I like them and own a few, I tend to not use them much for actual pie making.

Book Review ~ Pie Every Day, The Perfect Pie & Farmhand's Favorite Pies

It was my intention to write a review on a book devoted to the subject of pie. I was almost surprised to find that I do not own a book devoted to pies. You’d think with as many shelves of cookbooks I have, there’d be at least one, but there isn’t. How is that possible…I REALLY like pie! So off to my local public library I go. I love the library. They know me. They know what I like. The gal who orders for the section I most often frequent, gives me a shout out and tells me she has the new Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman) cookbook at home and although she automatically added me to the list for it, it would be a while. I better go ahead and just order it. Then I start my search. Our library only shelves 3 books on the subject of pies. Only one is authored by a familiar name and none strikes my fancy at first glance. I checked all 3 out determined to really like one so I could do a positive review.

The 3 books I read are Pie Every Day, Recipes and Slices of Life by Pat Willard, The Perfect Pie by Susan G. Purdy (she is the author of The Family Baker) and Farmhand’s Favorite Pies by Amy and David Butler.


Pie Every Day, Recipes and Slices of Life by Pat Willard.
I had great expectations for this book. Pie…EVERY DAY…the title is like my fantasy. While there is a lot of prose in the book, it was lacking what I was looking for…recipes for pies. There is a fair number of recipes for savory pies, pasties, empanadas and such but again, not what I was looking for. This book is a pass for me.


The Perfect Pie, More Than 125 All-Time Favorite Pies & Tarts by Susan G. Purdy
This is the author I was familiar with. I have checked out The Family Baker and although did not add it to my collection, did like the book. The Perfect Pie did have more of the elements I was looking for in a pie book…tutorials on ingredients, equipment, and techniques and a fare number of recipes. But, there was something lacking too. Then my 16 year old son hit the nail on the head…it has no pictures. We both decided we wanted pictures of perfect pies to drool over. Not a bad book, especially if you are wanting a good tutorial, but again, a pass for me.


Farmhand’s Favorite Pies by Amy and David Butler
Of the 3 books I checked out, this was the one I had the least expectations for. That said, I really liked this book. The illustrations are gorgeous, vintage looks into pie making, almost like a peek at your grandma’s pies from another era. The recipes are easy to follow and are what I was looking for…cream pies, fruit pies, meringues, southern favorites, etc.

I think that what I learned from reading these 3 books is that pie really is not something to be defined by a book. It is homey in nature, not complex like cake. It was a way for pioneer women to feed their families and preserve their harvests. It is passed down more than taught. I love pie although I am not an owner of a book devoted to the subject!

Another Pie Day

Another post devoted to pie today. Since it's Tuesday, I'm linking up at Tasty Tuesday , Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday and Tuesdays at the Table. Thank you Jen, Lisa and Cole for hosting these lovely events each week. Check out ALL the great recipes posted.

Don't forget to get entered in for my giveaway.



Over the years I have had many great *tips* for pie making. My grandmother-in-law swore that adding 1 Tbsp of cider vinegar to your pastry was the ultimate trick. She was on to something there. The vinegar impedes the formation of gluten, thus your crust stays nice and flaky and doesn't get tough. I've used that tip for years but I've got a new trick. This recipe from Cook's Illustrated has the addition of vodka. I was a total skeptic until I tried it. It makes the most flaky crust I've ever made.

Foolproof Pie Dough
(Printable Version)
Cook’s Illustrated 2007
- makes one 9-inch double-crust pie -

The trick to this pie crust is the inclusion of vodka. Eighty-proof vodka, which is 60 percent water and 40 percent alcohol, adds moistness to the dough without aiding in gluten formation since gluten doesn't form in ethanol. Although the recipe includes 8 tablespoons of liquid, the alcohol vaporizes during baking, resulting in a tender crust that only contains 6 1/2 tablespoons of water. Because of the extra liquid, the dough will be moister than most standard pie doughs and will require up to 1/4 cup more flour.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water

Procedure
Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

Pie, Pie & More Pie

We're entering pie season and I thought I would share this week all about pie...my very favorite dessert!

Today I am sharing a poem & mosaic and a reminder to get your entry in for my fall giveaway..just another week until the BIG drawing! Don't forget to check out the other beautiful mosaics at Mary's Little Red House.



Pumpkin Pie
Is there anything as pleasing,
in this crisp and cozy season,
as a slice of thick and creamy pumpkin pie?
With a crust all flakes and butter,
and a filling like no other,
I dare anyone to try and pass it by.
Cinnamon and nutmeg mingling
with a hint of ginger, tingling
as it punches-up the flavor in each slice.
Russet-orange, mellow, spicy
with whipped-cream to crown it nicely,
I can't help but fill my plate not once but twice.
By Mary Intardonato