Snow Day Pie

Nothing like getting cozy with a cup of coffee on a snow day.

 A Fiesta Rainbow will inspire you to empty the dishwasher.

 A snow day pie!

 I used my Grandma Nancy's apple pie recipe and did a lattice crust top.

Cranberry Chiffon Pie

Have you ever had a recipe immediately capture your interest? This pie recipe called to me as soon as I saw it. The color was gorgeous and I've always wanted to cook with fresh cranberries. I'd never made a chiffon or worked with gelatin before. I needed to make it immediately. So I did.

 It was a bit messy and labor intensive but it has such a fun flavor and texture. 

It looked like I murdered someone in my kitchen....

 My day's work in the kitchen! Pie and Bread.

 I like making pies because you can make them look pretty in no time at all. After decorating three cupcakes I get bored. My perfectionism and cake frosting don't get along that well. But pies, pies are where it's at right now.

Cranberry Chiffon Pie

(from Saveur Magazine)

Ingredients:
Dough for 1 pie
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1⅔ cups sugar
⅓ cup unsweetened cranberry juice
½ tsp. Kosher salt
1 tbsp. cranberry liqueur
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. unflavored powdered gelatin
1 egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
Directions:
1. Bake dough according to directions.
2. Bring 1½ cups cranberries, ½ cup sugar, plus cranberry juice and salt to a simmer in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and soften, 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender with cranberry liqueur and lemon juice; purée until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on and discarding solids; chill.
3. Combine gelatin and 3 tbsp. ice-cold water in a bowl; let sit to soften gelatin, about 5 minutes. Beat ⅓ cup sugar with egg yolk and milk in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thick, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin and cranberry mixtures until smooth. Transfer custard to a bowl and place a layer of plastic wrap directly over the surface to prevent a skin from forming; chill until just beginning to set at edges, about 30 minutes.
4. Whisk egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir ¼ of the whites into chilled custard; using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whites to combine. Pour filling over dough; using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer. Chill, uncovered, until set, about 1 hour.
5. Spread ⅓ cup sugar on a plate. Boil remaining ½ cup sugar with ½ cup water in a 2-qt. saucepan until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining cranberries. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to plate; roll in sugar and scatter over top of pie. Whip cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form; using a spoon, dollop cream in center of pie.

Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

Yet another thing off the Fall Bucket List!

I'm a pumpkin pie girl and a traditionalist. I don't like to mess with things and I like my routine. Just ask my Grandma Nancy who has to make me broccoli salad at every family gathering. If you change things I'm not a happy camper. I was intrigued by this recipe but hesitant to butcher a perfectly good pumpkin pie. I'm glad I did! This was a nice change up but not glaringly different from a traditional pumpkin. There was a slight fruity sweetness due to the apple butter but that was all. It felt like a lightened up pumpkin pie. The proof is in the pie...or lack therefore of. If Mr. Lawyer finishes the pie (and crumbs!) in 24 hours I guess it is a keeper.

We had it with some bubbly because why not?

Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

(Taste of Home)

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup apple butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon each ground ginger, cloves and nutmeg
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
Whipped cream
Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, apple butter, brown sugar, evaporated milk, milk, and vanilla. Whisk in salt and spices until well blended. Pour into pastry shell.
2. Bake at 400° for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover edges loosely with foil during the last 20 minutes if necessary. Cool on wire rack. Garnish with whipped cream.

Apple Pie Time!

Yaaaaaay Fall! I made an official "Fall Bucket List" for Mr. Lawyer and I to complete. I have always had an unofficial one that included the basics: pick apples at Beak & Skiff, eat the apples, drink lots of cider, consume some cider donuts, eat Grandma's apple pie with cheddar cheese. Beak & Skiff is this wonderful family owned orchard (since 1911!) in LaFayette, NY (just outside Syracuse). I have wonderful memories of going there almost every year with my grandparents. Grandpa Bruce and I would always split a hot dog and look at the beehive (you can see inside it!) while Grandma Nancy got her apples for pie. When I started going to school at SU I introduced my Beak & Skiff tradition to Mr. Lawyer and our friends.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the 1st trip. Nyk was pointing out the specific apples she wanted and Mr. Lawyer obliged. I think she wore footwear that wasn't conducive to ladder climbing. Beak & Skiff has some wonderful old and gnarly apple trees that are huge.

Mr. Lawyer knew that I missed this tradition and decided to surprise me with a trip to a New Jersey Orchard! Now I'm partial to my B&S but this orchard was very kid friendly and had a pumpkin patch! The trees seemed very young in comparison to what I am use to but the apples were still delicious. 

He's always in the trees doing the heavy lifting!

See what I mean about the little trees though? No ladder needed.

We managed to get quite the jump on our Fall Bucket List, including making an apple pie (bonus: with apples you picked yourself!). 

Confession: this is the first apple pie I've ever made. I mostly just eat Grandma's pie. 

A word about eating apple pie: It is essential that you eat the pie with sharp cheddar cheese. Mr. Lawyer asked me what the cheese was for when I pulled it out of the fridge. Adorable. I guess it's a NY/New England thing. It's delicious. Have a bite of pie, have a bite of cheese. Heaven.

I have this really cute kitchen towel that tells you how to make apple pie. It made the perfect backdrop.

Cheese time!

It's not Grandma's pie but it was pretty delicious for a first attempt.

Apple Pie

(from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 pastry recipe for a 9 inch double crust (I used pre-made crusts)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 to 8 Granny Smith apples depending on size- peeled, cored, and sliced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. Add the spices and mix well.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Toss apples in liquid and then place apples and most of the liquid into the pie pan. Cover with a top crust. Pour any remaining sugar and butter liquid over the crust.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until apples are soft.

Key Lime Pie

Kitchen guest time! Except not actually in my kitchen. I have had this pie several times now and Mrs. T made it in front of me this weekend at the shore. The boys love this pie because it's all tart and citrusy but it's still sweet enough for the girls. It's super quick and easy to make.

Fun Fact: I have a stuffed manatee named Key Lime.

Key Lime Pie

(From Mrs. T)

Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.