Pies and Aprons

Winner! Yippee!

2012-01-29T08:45:00.000-06:00

Thanks for all of your comments on the

Celebrate! post.

It was fun to hear about your

favorite celebrations.

And....drumroll please.

Congrats to Miranda Ellis!

She won a copy of

Where Women Cook: Celebrate!

Miranda-Please send me your address via my email link

and we'll get that shipped to you right away!

Happy Sunday!

(stay tuned for more recipes and ideas coming up this week)

Christine

HAPPY NATIONAL PIE DAY

2012-01-23T08:02:00.002-06:00

That's right pie lovers.

It's National Pie Day.

Bake a pie, eat a pie, dream about pie, share a pie.

Celebrate pie.
(I'll be doing all of the above)

XO Christine

Friday is PIE DAY!

2012-01-20T07:17:00.001-06:00

New year, new pies.

I am endlessly jotting down pie recipe ideas-inspired by what I'm eating, a cookbook, a color, a cocktail!
I've had this one on my list for awhile, but was never quite sure what form it would take. The new year seemed like a perfect time to finally try it out because the ingredients all scream "WELLNESS." If that translates the same when they are ensconced in a pie, I don't know......

Honey Ginger Pie with Green Tea Meringue

single 9" pie crust

3/4 cup honey
3 T butter
4 large eggs
2 t crushed crystallized ginger
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt

3 egg whites
4 T sugar
1 t green tea powder

-in a small saucepan, heat honey over medium low, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes
-remove from heat and stir in butter until melted
(it turns a lovely, rich, butterscotch color!)

-in medium bowl, whisk eggs for 2-3 minutes
-slowly whisk in the honey and butter mixture

-add the ginger, vanilla, and salt
-stir until well combined

(the crystallized ginger looks like this-just use the back of a spoon to crush it into powder)

-pour the filling into the prepared pie crust
-bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until set and lightly browned on top

For the Meringue

-beat 3 egg whites in large bowl (using a hand or stand mixer)
-as you are beating, slowly add in the sugar and green tea powder,
scraping edges of bowl to make sure all is incorporated
-beat until egg whites form stiff peaks
-spoon meringue on top of cooled pie, sealing to edges of filling and mounding in middle
-bake at 350 degrees on top rack for 10-12 minutes, checking often to prevent burning

If you are a fan of honey, you will love this rich honey custard punctuated by the sharp ginger.

Topped with meringue, this pie is as pretty as it is tasty.

Hey! That's soup-er!

2012-01-18T08:32:00.001-06:00

It has been a mild winter here thus far, but the chill is starting to set in,
and that puts me in the mood for big pots of soup bubbling away on the stovetop.
I fondly recall the taste of creamy bean and salty ham in the soup that my dad would cook in big batches. His would always have waaaaaaay more ham than bean, and was so packed with stuff that it was really more of a stew than a soup. We would eat it for days, then freeze the rest for a snowy Sunday night.
For this go 'round, I tweaked my dad's version to include some carrots and celery (a girl has to have her vegetables) and a little more broth.

Hearty Ham and Bean Soup

2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup cubed carrots (about 2-3 carrots, depending on size)
15oz can of white beans (I use navy beans)
2 cups cooked, cubed ham
32oz. vegetable broth (you could use chicken broth instead)
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

-in a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium low
-add the diced onion and saute for 2 minutes
-add butter and saute for 2 more minutes
-add celery and carrots, and saute additional 5 minutes, stirring often
-transfer veggie mix to a small stockpot
-add vegetable broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
-bring to a boil
-reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes
-add beans and ham
-simmer for an additional 30 minutes, up to 2 hours
-serve with crusty bread and plenty of butter (and maybe a glass of red wine:) (or two)

More celebrating and a giveaway!

2012-01-16T10:45:00.002-06:00

Late last fall, I shared my excitement with you over the release of the book Where Women Cook: Celebrate!
I was fortunate enough to have our family's cabin game dinner featured in the book.
Today, I am also lucky enough to have another little shout out on Amuse Bouche, the Where Women Cook blog. All of the women shown celebrating in this lovely book will be featured on Amuse Bouche in the next few weeks, so stop in often to say hello and learn more about them.

You can also get a couple of my bonus recipes on the blog,

Roasted Pheasant and Cranberry Beet Chutney,

plus lots of other inspiring recipes

from many of the other talented ladies in the book.

AND........To keep the celebration going,

I am giving away a copy of the book today!

Please leave a comment below
with your favorite celebration.

Entries must be received by
Friday, January 20th at midnight,

and a random winner will be chosen
on Saturday the 21st.

Good luck!

Christine

p.s. a post on your blog, Facebook or twitter account gives you another chance to win.
just tell me about it for another entry!

January organizing

2012-01-10T14:45:00.001-06:00

As a rather obsessive organizer, I get totally caught up with the idea of fresh starts in the new year and re-jigging everything after the craziness of the holiday season. Amidst my usual overdose of organizing in the past two weeks, I happened upon a REALLY exciting solution-one for an organizing conundrum that has plagued me for years. I strutted triumphantly around the house all day after completing this one.

Yup. I was happy.

And so proud of my conquest.

Take that clutter!

THE SET UP:

I like to collect jewelry.

"Whoa-wait just a minute", some of you may be saying.

Ok. Fine.

I like to collect LOTS of jewelry.

And most of it is neatly displayed in my jewelry room.

The only exception has been my rings.

I want to be able to select just the perfect one to complement that day's ensemble.

But when they are jumbled willy nilly in a dish,

or stacked 8 high on a holder,

it's just too much work.

And my hands leave the house naked.

It couldn't be that hard to find a functional display, right?

wrong.

I studied every aisle at every craft store, hardware store, garden store, bakery,

(hey-can't leave any stone unturned)

and came up with nada.

I asked my exceptionally handy husband to make something for me.

More than once.

Usually up for a project,

he just gave me a lot of head scratching

and blank looks.

hrrmmmppph.

THE SOLUTION:

Joann Fabrics comes through.

I was combing the aisles last week for a ribbon organizer

(another ongoing conundrum)

and HOIDILY!

I spied a wooden spool rack.

The short tidy rows of tiny wooden dowels

seemed like the perfect perches for my ring collection.

At a price tag of 5.99.

I nearly skipped out of the store.

(okay, maybe I did actually skip a little once I hit the parking lot)

(and did one teeny tiny fist pump)

That's nice, you're all saying.

Just please get to the project already......

The rack as it looked off the shelf.

I removed the legs because I want to hang it on the wall,

(just two simple screws to take out)

but you could leave them on and stand it up on your dresser.

Then I gave it a coat of spray paint.

My current faves are hammered metallics from Rustoleum.

I then looped a ball chain necklace around the tops of the vertical pieces.

Makes a super quick, easy, and stylish hanger for my newly legless rack.

See now this lets me store just one or two rings on a peg.

Grab and go!

Oh. I love it. Pitter patter goes my little organizer's heart.

Wall space is a little hard to come by in the jewelry room, so I just looped it over my dress hanger for now.

It may move to that little sliver of wall just to the right of the silver framed mirror in this photo.

I can't commit to a nail yet. For now, I may move it to a new spot in the house every day.

Just to bask in the glory.

Pattern Play

2012-01-08T13:09:00.000-06:00

Around our house this weekend.

Patterns and prints.

My new favorite quilt perched on the end of our bed and making me smile.

Working on various inpiration boards by clipping and dreaming.

Peeking out is the oh so happy tablecloth on my dining room table.

Found a sweet shop full of dreamy clothes and colorful clogs, and came home with this beauty.

Bound to be a regular shopping stop for me in 2012.

http://poppytogsandclogs.com/

In my new year organizing spree, I hauled these vintage ties out of the closet

and hung them on a door so we can enjoy them every day.

The guest room got a little sprucing up too, including this stack of colorful tins.

What is happening in your home this weekend?

Winners!

2011-10-22T07:21:00.000-05:00

Yay!

The winners of the t-shirt giveaway

are M Kirsch

and

Diane

(please email me via sidebar link with your address!)

Happy Weekend Everyone.

hoping you're up to some fall fun.

i'm headed off to the farmers market

then to the Duck Shack for the weekend.....

hoping to find some pumpkin stands along the way.

Two Fun Tidbits

2011-10-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

Hello! A couple of mid-week pick me ups for you:)

#1 fun-ness: As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I am giving away two Singer t-shirts.

It says "We've Come Sew Far",

which I'm not so sure is true in my case yet-

still a long way to go with my sewing skills,

but I'm still wearing mine proudly!

I have two size large

to give away to a couple of lucky readers.

Just leave a comment below.

Contest closes on Friday, October 21st at midnight.

Winners will be announced on Saturday, October 22nd!

#2 fun-ness: I'm happy to share my little page of cute packaging ideas (using scrapping materials)

in the December issue of Scrapbooks Etc. Thanks to them for including my ideas!

Hope that helps spread a little mid-week joy to you....

Christine

Seamstress Interruptus

2011-10-18T14:05:00.000-05:00

I regret to inform you all that my foray into sewing has been nipped in the bud.
My affair with that sleek and powerful Singer was brief but meaningful.

Here is the story.

As many of you know, I recently finished up the Creative Connection Event.
BurdaStyle was one of our sponsors, and I had the pleasure of working with their staff
leading up to the event. I was excited to finally meet them all, and spent a bit of time
hanging out with Carol Cho (BurdaStyle Marketing and Partnership Director) on the Friday evening of the event. She and Gretchen Hirsch were helping attendees do make and takes in the BurdaStyle market booth, and I told Carol my not so dirty little secret (I can't sew!). I relayed the story of my husband giving me a sewing machine for Christmas a couple of years ago. This was all per my Christmas list request-I was determined to finally sit down and learn to sew. The box sat in our living room for a couple of weeks, but I was honestly too intimidated to even open the box, and ended up returning it. Yup. Pathetic.
Carol immediately jumped up and asked if I had 5 minutes. "I'm going to teach you to sew!", she proclaimed.
Maybe it was the exhaustion of long days all week, or the beer (or maybe two) that I had consumed,
but I willingly followed her to the machine. 5 minutes later, I had sewn a little drawstring bag. Amazing!
She was so matter of fact and patient about it-the perfect teacher for me. Thanks Carol.

Then to top it off, she said she was going to send the machine home with me until their next show. What!? Really!? Ok then! I toddled home with sewing machine in hand and set it up in my studio. I'm usually one to jump head first into a relationship, but I was taking this one slow.....playing with different stitches and materials, when I all too suddenly got the email that said I needed to ship my new found love (ok-that might be stretching it) off to Orlando for the next show. Already? I hadn't actually sewn a damn thing yet....
Again. Pathetic.

So now the question is...am I hooked? Will Santa see 'sewing machine' on my list again this year?
Maybe, just maybe....but right now I've got this felting machine to master.
Stay tuned for that story....

CELEBRATE!

2011-10-11T15:07:00.000-05:00

Many of you know already that I was featured in the Autumn issue of Where Women Cook magazine.
The quarterly magazine features women who cook-whether professionally, as a hobby, as part of their blog, or just for fun-and the spaces in which they cook. My article has a focus on, what else, pies!
I share my Chocolate Chess Pie recipe, as well as a recipe for adorable Mixed Fruit Picnic Pies.
Most importantly, I share my love of pie baking and the story that spawned that love.

I was lucky enough a couple of years ago to happen into a job with a really talented local photographer, Rich Fleischman, and we have collaborated several times since. He is super passionate about both food and photography, and he never seems to tire of taking shots of me rolling pie dough (or maybe he is just too nice to say otherwise:) I do know that he never tires of sampling the finished products. He shot the lovely photos for this article, as well as the story for my friend Laurie Crowell of the Golden Fig.

We have a lot of fun when we are working, but are also fairly meticulous about getting all the shots we want.
The assembly of these little hand pies was well documented to make sure we got just the right angle and peek of fruit. If you think it is exhausting just baking a pie, try baking one (or many!) in slow motion in order to get just the right shot. (these are just a few....)

all photos Richard Fleischman

Rich was also adventurous enough to make the drive out to Southern Minnesota and hang out with most of my family at our cabin to shoot a feature for the newly released book Where Women Cook: CELEBRATE!
I hold company with a whole roster of amazingly talented women who have cooked for and documented a favorite celebration.

Gatherings big and small at our cabin usually focus around food (and hunting), and it has been a long time tradition to consume the wild game caught by the hunters in the family. This was my version of a celebratory wild game dinner, and my whole family pitched in to help! They then waited patiently while everything was documented and we could finally dig into our meal. Rich sampled bites between shots, and even scored a ride in my brother's duck boat at the end of the day.

So much to share...

2011-09-27T08:36:00.000-05:00

photo by Tiffany Kirchner Dixon

....from Creative Connection projects to fall goodies to pie recipes to new ventures!
I am still downloading and recalibrating from the big event, but will be back to you all very soon.
Lots of exciting things happening in my studio, including the addition of two machines that may turn me
into a seamstress yet (or at least someone who can stitch up a pillow or two). I know, I know!
Never say never....

One BIG snafu? I seem to have lost my camera at the Creative Connection-so I am trying to piece together images for you from previous shots and other attendees photos. Hmmph. I really secretly wanted a new camera, but am not happy about losing all of my event shots. I was sure it would turn up as I continued to unpack bags and boxes, but no luck yet...

Any advice on new cameras?

So excited for fall...are you?

xo Christine

Oh me, Oh my......

2011-08-28T20:48:00.000-05:00

.......I could really use a slice of pie!

And I'm sure ya'll could too. Where does the time go?
I'm finishing up this big project soon,
(hint-THE CREATIVE CONNECTION EVENT-JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY!)
and have been dreaming and scheming of all sorts of projects, recipes, and of course, PIE
to share with you for fall and winter.

I have been doing so much crafting and creating, but it's all top secret stuff for the event.
Don't worry-I've been taking photos and will share all the details later.

Many of you may be checking in after seeing the Where Women Cook article.

Welcome!
Thanks for stopping by.
Take a little time to catch up on past posts,
(and maybe try a few PIE recipes-yum yum!),
enjoy the last fleeting days of summer,
then settle in for lots of fall and winter inspiration.

Christine

Friday is PIE DAY! and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-05-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to PIE DAY!

Style expert Matthew Mead posed to me the idea of a pie inspired by his new SUMMER magazine.

I couldn't resist such a challenge, and inspiration can be found on every page of this gorgeous publication, so
my job was easy. Every story is delightful, and he truly captures the feeling of summer in every one of it's guises-from cool, breezy days at a beach house, to parties filled with sweet treats and thirst quenchers, to rooms filled with vibrant summer hues. Naturally, I was especially drawn to a layout filled with saturated color and quirky combinations. I can appreciate white rooms and pale pastels, but color really sets my heart aflutter!

The day before the magazine arrived, I was eating a bowl of papaya for breakfast. It is not something that I purchase very often, but I found myself thinking, "I really should eat more papaya." This was very quickly followed by, "I should really make a pie with papaya!" The next day, when I came upon this story in the magazine, the color immediately brought to mind that bowl of papaya. Furthermore, the circular design on the front of the sideboard looked just like slices of citrus on top of a pie. I had my pie inspiration!

Papaya and Blood Orange Pie
inspired by "Color Bazaar" in SUMMER with Matthew Mead

single 9" pie crust

3 large papayas, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 blood oranges
1/2 t cointreau (optional)
1/4 t orange bitters
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 T brown sugar
1 T flour

-zest and juice one of the oranges
-very thinly slice the other orange (slice ends off first)
-arrange these slices in a glass pan in slightly overlapping layers
-mix orange juice, cointreau, and bitters together
-pour liquid mixture over orange slices
-sprinkle 1 T brown sugar over top
-bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until tender
-set aside to cool

-combine diced papaya, sugars, and flour in a bowl
-mix well
-stir in orange zest
-spoon into prepared pie shell
-overlap crust on top of pie about 2 inches
-bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour
-arrange roasted orange slices in a circle on top of the pie

This is the perfect pie for any summer celebration. The papaya is subtle and sweet, and the blood orange slices give it just enough tang. Plus! the beautiful colors are a festive addition to your summer table.

To celebrate the return of PIE DAY and the release of SUMMER with Matthew Mead, you have a chance to win a copy of the magazine. I know. So exciting, right?!? Two lucky readers will win!! Just leave a comment below telling me your favorite summer activity or celebration. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you too!

april showers bring........

2011-04-01T12:17:00.000-05:00

I'm going to take a little break from Pies and Aprons-probably about a month. I've been debating all week as it's not an easy decision to make. But, you know when something just feels like the right thing to do? This feels like the right thing for me to do right now. As you may have noticed, I have not written many posts in the past month. This was not intentional....the week would go by and I would realize that it was PIE DAY again, and that I hadn't posted all week. Ironically, I was taking a blogging class during that time. I know that part of my reason for taking the class was to try to inject some new energy into my bloggy life.

When I started this blog 1 1/2 years ago, I was in between jobs, and slightly altering my work direction. It seemed like a really great way to energize my self and my creative brain every day, while sharing some ideas with readers, and building an online portfolio. Sometimes, you reach a point-in a job, a relationship, a blog,-where you need to step back and really take a good look at what is happening, and at what you want to happen. I'm at that point with Pies and Aprons. I love writing, I love sharing my ideas, I love that you read it and love it. Many Fridays, I have woken up and thought, "Really...time for another pie already? I can't possibly keep coming up with new recipes." But then, inspiration would strike, I would roll out my pie crust, and truly enjoy the fact that I had to meet that challenge every week.

I hope you will forgive my need for a little time, and come back to see what I come up with next. Possibly, my page background or font color might be the only thing that will change....but I need the time to decide that. I can assure you that I will never stop baking pies:), and I hope a few of you have been inpired to start!

Happy April. Happy, happy spring.
I'll be back real soon.
xo
Christine

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-03-18T15:23:00.001-05:00

So. I did it. I finally baked one of my favorite pies for PIE DAY. There have been many weeks when I've thought that I should make this pie, and then I would change my mind. It's a pie that is not one of the popular kids. No chocolate, no succulent seasonal fruit, no fancy whipped cream. Nope. Just a double crust and a bunch of raisins. That's right. Raisins. Are you saying "ewwwwww, really, raisins?". Because that was my fear. It feels like one of those old fashioned grandma things like date filled cookies (which I also love) or creamed corn (yup.I like that too).

I was once on a road trip with my BFF, and we searched out any diners or cafes that might have good pie.
I was delighted to spot raisin pie at one of our stops, and promptly ordered a piece. Of course, one always wants to share, so I offered Lisa a bite. She paused, gave me kind of a funny look, and politely said, "Thanks, but I don't think I care for raisin pie." I had a fleeting feeling of betrayal, which quickly passed. All the more for me, right! Really, I don't, and won't, base my friendships on taste in pie. I promise. Although, I might have serious consideration about marrying anyone who liked chiffon pies. Luckily, I'm already happily married to a fruit pie lover.

Which brings me back to raisin pie. I overcame my fear that you would all run screaming, and finally baked this one for you today. I love it. I hope you do to. And if you don't, I'll still be your friend.

Right as Raisin Pie

1 double 9" pie crust

2 cups dark raisins
1 cup water
1 cup orange juice
2/3 cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/8 t salt
1 T butter
2 T lemon juice
1 t lemon zest
1 t orange zest

-combine raisins, water and orange juice in medium saucepan
-simmer on low for 5 minutes
-combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl
-stir dry mixture into pan with raisins
-bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium
-stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, until mixture thickens slightly
-remove from heat and add butter, stirring until melted and combined
-stir in lemon juice and zests
-let cool to room temperature
-pour into prepared pie crust
-top with crust, crimp and vent
-bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes

Friday is PIE DAY....the recipe!

2011-03-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

woooooweeee.....the weekend got away from me!
how about you?
without further ado..the promised recipe!

Mini Meringue Cups
makes 8 minis

single 9" pie crust

-cut crust in circles large enough to fill custard cups
-fit crust into cups
-line with baking paper or foil
-add pie weights or dried beans
-bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
-let cool on rack, then remove liner and weights

1 cup dried mixed fruit (I used apricots and figs)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
2 T orange zest

-snip dried fruit into small pieces
-in small saucepan, combine fruit with raisins and orange juice
-cook on medium low simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
-add sugar and cook on medium low until liquid is absorbed
-set aside to cool
-stir in orange zest
-spoon filling into cooled pie shells

2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 T orange juice

-beat egg whites with mixer for 3 minutes
-slowly add sugar and orange juice, beating until stiff peaks form
-spoon on top of each mini pie

-bake finished minis at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until meringue is lightly browned
-cool slightly on rack and serve warm or chilled!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-03-11T17:49:00.000-06:00

Today was the first day that I really felt like spring might actually make it back to Minnesota. This may have inspired my craziness in the kitchen. Usually, fussy things are not my style at all, but I just felt like making some little bundles of cuteness today. A big pie seemed too weighty for a sunny day filled with such promise. This day called for something tiny and sweet with a big happy puff of meringue on top.

I was experimenting all along the way with these, so you might just have to come along for the ride. Maybe you'll be inspired to make your own version, or maybe you'll just enjoy the show!

As usual, something hanging around in my kitchen inspired the whole thing.

All week, this sad looking jar of dried fruit was tugging at my heartstrings.

Please, please, please do something with us. Please?!

We simply cannot languish in this cupboard any longer.

To save them from a long, slow demise,

I chopped them into bits,

and cooked them down with some orange juice and sugar.

My crust got rolled out and cut into large circles.....

.....to form into custard cups for baking.

I tried a version that fit into the cup,

and a version that had a bunch of extra on top.

I'm still not sure which one I like better.

Any opinion?

I filled them with my dried fruit mixture....

.....then whipped up a little orange meringue for the top.

Oh! The cuteness!

They are right tasty too....

just sampled the first one with S

as he arrived home from work.

I'm going to try to make sense of this recipe, and post it tomorrow!

As it stands, the quantities are a bit iffy and I want to make it useful to you!

Happy PIE DAY!

Christine

Warm Bacon Salad

2011-03-10T17:39:00.000-06:00

Bacon has seemed to reach the state of idolatry with a large part of the population.

It is good stuff, and I really love it in this main dish salad.

I do, however, draw the line at the all you can eat bacon night at our local bar.

Moderation, people. Moderation.

A new find at Trader Joe's.

16 oz of frozen, cleaned, and sliced leeks. $1.49.

Brilliant.

My steps and badly lit photos follow.

(Yes, I was really cooking this for our dinner, AND it was evening, AND the light was bad. So authentic.)

Recipe is at the end of the post!

These frozen leeks do cook a bit differently,

and the texture is not as great as fresh,

but I'll use them in a pinch for sure.

Have some bowls of fresh spinach

(yeah-no substituting frozen in this case)

ready to top with all of the delicious morsels.

Voila! Super, super easy and oh so yummy.

Bacon. I bow down to you.

Warm Bacon Salad

for 2 main dish servings

6 slices bacon

2 large red potatoes, washed and cubed

1 T butter

1 T bacon grease

6 oz leeks, sliced

6 oz fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 cups fresh spinach

-cook bacon until crispy, drain, and set aside, reserving 1 T bacon grease

-boil diced potatoes until just tender, drain, and set aside

-heat butter and bacon grease in large saucepan

-add leeks and saute for 5 minutes

-add mushrooms, saute another 10 minutes

-chop cooked bacon into small pieces

-add cooked potatoes and bacon pieces to mixture

-saute until everything is tender and warm

-spoon over bowls of fresh spinach

-toss with freshly ground pepper and serve!

Collecting :Mexican pottery

2011-03-07T19:28:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since I've done a collecting post. During the long winter here, it's rarer that I am out and about buying any trinkets to add to my silly collections. This past weekend, I picked up this little guy for .59, and it inspired me to share this collection with you.

As you know by now, my collections are not valuable in the monetary sense. But, they are valuable in the joy that they bring me every day. I really don't know much about these Mexican pots, but they are full of color and flowers and, sometimes, plants. That's enough for me to love them.

Don't they make you smile? They live on my front porch, which is just waiting for warm spring days
and long summer nights. For now, it's another two inches of snow tonight......glad I have these sweeties to lift my spirits.

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-03-04T16:06:00.000-06:00

I rarely plan ahead for my PIE DAY pies. Usually, on Friday morning, I mix up a pie crust and pop it in
to chill a bit. Then I check out my supplies and gauge my pie mood. Is it a fruit day? nutty day? sweet? tart?
Of course, this could largely depend on what I do have on hand. I only go to the grocery store if absolutely necessary. This morning, I had a lot of pie making goods available. I was pretty well stocked. But, I was definitely in a custard mood (not unusual for me, you may say).

After some contemplation, this is the dreaminess I contrived.
(I actually put my forefinger to my pursed lips and raise an eyebrow when I'm thinking....classic.
What's your thinking pose?)

Coconut Crunch Custard Pie

10" single pie crust
2 cup pecans, chopped
1 T maple syrup
1 t sugar
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t cinnamon

-stir maple syrup, 1 t sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon into pecans

-spread on small baking sheet or pan
-bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes
-set aside to cool

4 eggs
2/3 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 c milk
1 cup coconut

-beat eggs lightly in large bowl
-add 2/3 c sugar, salt and vanilla to eggs
-stir until combined
-add milk and beat for 2 minutes
-stir in nuts and coconut
-pour into prepared pie shell
-bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes
-lower temperature to 350 degrees
-bake additional 25 minutes
-cool on rack

sweethearts

2011-03-03T17:40:00.000-06:00

Found these two canoodling in my studio today.

I have lots of little cute faces in my studio.

I'll keep you posted on the budding romance between these two.

Dagwood had it right.

2011-03-01T09:25:00.002-06:00

Sandwiches are glorious.
Slice it, stack it, pile it on a bun, and I'm happy.

This sandwich has been top on my list for a couple of months.

Now I've gone and made this one,
and it might just take over the crown for a bit.

Prosciutto, Pear and Brie Sandwich

for each sandwich you will need:
5-6" section of baguette, sliced in half
smear of butter
3 slices of prosciutto
1/4 ripe pear (I left the skin on because I used organic pears, and I like the skin on...and I like thicker slices,but however you roll with your own pear technique is all right by me)
2-3 thick slices of triple cream brie
a pile of fresh spinach leaves

-smear the outsides of the bread slices with butter

-heat slices in a skillet over medium heat, until butter is melted and bread is lightly toasted

-flip slices over briefly to warm the other side of the bread

-pile on proscuitto, pear slices, brie and spinach,

then give it a quick grind of fresh pepper on top

Lunch is served!

Or dinner.

Or a midnight snack, a la Dagwood!

I'm all atwitter....

2011-02-27T14:26:00.000-06:00

Oh. It's true.

I've fought it a bit.

Maybe even bad-mouthed it once or twice.

But, here I am.

All atwitter!

..........follow me at fridaypieday

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-02-25T17:03:00.000-06:00

My tastebuds must be craving tart. Something to jar my senses out of the late winter ho hums. Last week, my Sunny Day Lime Pie gave a little dose of sunshine and some fruity tang to our weekend. This week, I was craving cranberry and maybe lemons. I changed my track a bit after I bought a bag of clementines. Instead of the usual sweet little nuggets, this batch made our mouths pucker. Cha-ching! Perfect pairing with cranberries for a tongue tingling pie.

Clementine Cranberry Pie

double 9" pie crust

10 clementines
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
2 T apple brandy or orange liqueur
2 T + 1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 T flour

-wash and dry clementines
-slice off the ends,but leave skins on
-slice fruit into very thin slices
-layer slices into a 9x13 inch glass pan
-combine orange juice, water, and brandy or liqueur
-pour over clementine slices
-sprinkle 2 T brown sugar over top
-cover pan tightly with foil
-bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes
-increase oven heat to 375 degrees
-remove foil from pan
-sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar over top of clementine slices
-bake, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes

I was not sure if this technique would work like I wanted it to, but they came out perfectly.
The slow roasting, sugar, booze and fruit juice worked their magic, making the slices tender and carmelized. We still have piles of snow here, so it was a treat to sit in our sunny window and inhale the enchanting aroma of roasting clementines.....ahhhhh.
But, I digress.

-let the clementines cool a bit while you prepare the rest of the pie
-combine the cranberries, sugar, and flour in a bowl, mixing thoroughly
-pour this mixture into the prepared bottom crust
-layer the roasted clementine slices on top of the cranberry mixture
-top with crust, crimp and vent
-bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes

This pie will add some serious pep to your step. I ate an entire caramel roll this afternoon, and it is all I can do to not eat this whole test piece. (I'm washing it down with a glass of Viognier, which is a lovely pairing, by the way.) The gorgeous colors combined with a double layer of tart within a double layer of flaky sweet will make you heart spin. (or maybe that's the wine:) Take that old man winter.

p.s.The nifty little contraption in the photo above is a pie gate. It was seriously the most exciting Christmas gift that I received. It keeps your pie juices from leaking out and the whole thing from falling apart if you try to cut it warm, like I did today! I was forever trying to craft devices out of cardboard and tape, none of which ever worked. (soggy piece of cardboard in your pie, anyone? yum.) Of course, this one is a Martha Stewart product.

Contain yourself.

2011-02-24T16:51:00.000-06:00

I like containers of every variety.
Bunches of things tossed into a bowl or loaded into a jar make me happy.
If items are stowed away where I can't see them,
then I might forget about them.
Then they would be sad. Or stale. Or expired.
If they are tucked into a cute container,
then I can appreciate them everyday,
or put them to good use.

Vocabulary cards on the coffee table...so we can quiz each other over morning coffee.

My favorite little cowboys and cowgirls.

(When I first put these out, S almost popped one in his mouth, thinking they were candy:)

For impromptu craps games. ok. Not really. I don't even know how to play craps.They just look cool.

One of the most important utensils in my life....pie servers!

Napkin rings that I've never used, but I like the way they look.

Mints by the back door, in case I need to freshen up on the run.

When I get home from the grocery store,

I like to display my goods in pretty containers throughout the kitchen.

A particularly fabulous green melamine bowl from a dear friend:)

Bathroom staples are kept handy....bath salts, even though I've discovered that

our new bathtub is really too shallow for baths.......

............extra tealites in a super thrift store find...

...... and washcloths tucked into a vintage plastic planter.

How about you?

Are you nutty for bowls and baskets and jars too?

Do you display your stuff or stick it in a cupboard?

Snow Day Soup

2011-02-23T10:06:00.000-06:00

After a glimpse of spring last week, we were plunged back into the depths of winter with over a foot of snow. sigh. Food and drink and pulling the shades seemed like the perfect antidote. I apologize for not having any process pictures. I lose myself in the cooking, and forget that I might want to be blogging about all of this the next day. You'll just have to imagine how gorgeous that roasted cauliflower looked when I pulled it out of the oven.

Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Soup
(aka Snow Day Soup)

1 medium head cauliflower
1 large onion
1 spaghetti squash (or any other variety, really)
1 cup yellow lentils
2 cups water
1/2 t salt
16 oz. vegetable (or chicken) broth
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

-cut cauliflower into medium florets
-cut onion into wedges
-quarter and seed squash
-spread all vegetables on a baking sheet
-drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper
-bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, until tender and slightly browned

-in the meantime, cook the lentils
-combine lentils and water in medium saucepan
-bring to boil
-reduce heat to simmer, cooking until tender
(add more liquid as needed)
-transfer to stockpot

-scoop roasted squash from skin and into a food processor
-add roasted cauliflower and onion pieces
-pour in 1/2 of broth
-process until smooth
-add to lentils in stockpot
-pour in remaining broth
-add bay leaves, salt and pepper
-heat to low boil, then reduce heat to simmer
-simmer for 20 minutes
-serve with toasted pumpkin seeds

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-02-18T15:09:00.000-06:00

At my National Pie Day party, I received a bottle of key lime juice as a hostess gift. Thanks Gayle!
It came to mind last night as I was mulling over what kind of pie to make for this week's PIE DAY.
Still undecided this morning, I checked the fridge. I have been putting off any trips to the grocery store this week, so the pickings were a little spare. But, aha!, a lime and 3 eggs......coupled with the key lime juice, this was all I needed to hit on the perfect pie for the day. Using my Shaker Lemon Pie recipe as a guide, I created this simple, tart wonder. I just sampled the first piece on my sunny front porch, and promptly named it Sunny Day Lime Pie. It fits my mood and the day to a tee. Such a happy (and simple!) pie.

Sunny Day Lime Pie

single 9" pie crust

1 medium lime

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup key lime juice

1/8 t salt

-zest lime, then slice off ends and remaining peel, being sure to remove all of the white pith

-slice lime very thinly

-mix zest and lime slices with sugar

-let stand one hour

-beat eggs into sugar mixture

-add key lime juice and salt

-beat well for 2 minutes

-pour into prepared pie crust

-bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes

-reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees

-bake an additional 30 minutes

-let cool completely before slicing

To all my Valentines

2011-02-14T09:09:00.000-06:00

HAPPY

VALENTINE'S
DAY

TO
YOU
AND
YOU
AND
YOU.

hope you day is sweet as can be!
xo christine

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-02-11T15:27:00.000-06:00

When I was at the grocery store yesterday, I noticed big displays of overpriced strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Overpriced, of course, because they are certainly not in season. In demand, of course, because it is Valentine's Day on Monday. I am fairly sure that not one of them tastes anything like a berry.
This pie is a fun alternative for your fruit cravings in the days of snow and cold. It also happens to make a sweet and really simple dessert for your Valentine.

Jelly Pie

9" single pie crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs, separated
1 C jelly...your favorite flavor!

My sister gave me this pretty vintage Pyrex pie plate for Christmas. I've been reluctant to use it, because it looks like it had never been used, but the color seemed perfect for a Valentine pie. Time to break it in!

-in medium bowl, cream sugar and butter

-beat egg yolks in separate bowl, then stir into mixture

-lightly beat egg whites and stir into mixture

-lastly, stir in jelly (I used strawberry today)

-pour into prepared pie shell

-bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

This simple custard base pie is reminiscent of a jelly filled doughnut or maybe a piece of really good bread slathered with butter and jelly. Most custard pie variations are ridiculously easy, and this one is no exception. It leaves you no excuse for not making a homebaked treat for your Valentine. (especially if you use a store bought crust! I won't tell!)
It will especially impress of you sweeten the deal with a powdered sugar heart on top. Use a pre-cut heart stencil, or cut your own out of cardstock paper. Place it on top of the cooled pie, and sift powdered sugar over the cut out. Carefully remove the stencil and brush away any strays with a pastry brush. Cute!

To serve, I sprinkle each piece with more powdered sugar, and top with a cupcake pick.

Be Sweet

2011-02-09T17:11:00.000-06:00

This easy Valentine project is sure to win favors with loved ones

Start with wooden spools and Valentine cupcake picks.

(these honeycomb versions are from Wilton)

Make a tiny banner out of cardstock, then choose your message.

Secure two picks, with banner in the center, with glue dots or just paper glue.

Cut a small piece of fabric to fit around the spool, and secure with fabric glue.

Then, finish with a piece of rick rack tied around the fabric.

Pop the pick in the hole of the spool!

Perfect for place cards or just a sweet token to anyone you love!

National Pie Day party!

2011-02-07T16:03:00.000-06:00

Where is my head? Stuck in a pie, perhaps. I completely forgot to share my National Pie Day party with you. Yes, January 23rd was officially National Pie Day........started by the American Pie Council, of course.

I love holidays, and a holiday celebrating pie? I'm there.

Any excuse for a party.

I set up a pie buffet sampling five kinds of pie.

I made fabulous paper placemats from CakeVintage into a runner,

then stacked the pies into various heights on vintage cake stands.

Pies were identified by tags held by bulldog clips,

and the bar was fully stocked with wine and prosecco.

Everyone seemed happy to indulge, and chess pie was voted the favorite of the day.

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-02-04T17:24:00.000-06:00

Today was the lazy baker's approach to PIE DAY.

Hmmmm.....let's see. I have this bowl of apples that I need to use up.

Hmmmm.....oh-and this yummy granola that I just got from a friend.

Sounds like the makings of a pie to me!

No grocery store trip involved. Yes.

To shake things up, I decided to roast the apples first.

I cut them in quarters and cored them, leaving the peels intact.

Then I sliced them into slightly thinner pieces.

Next, I tossed them with a tiny amount of olive oil,

just to keep them from sticking to the pan.

After spreading them on a baking sheet,

I popped them into the oven

for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

They come out all yummy and roasty in these beautiful mellow hues.

I think I could have taken endless photos of these apples at various stages-so pretty!

After mixing in some tasty additions (see recipe below),

I scooped it into the waiting pie crust.

Again-sooooo pretty!

I love these pale golden and rosy shades.

Apple Crunch Pie

double 9" pie crust

8 apples, sliced and cored

1 t olive oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granola

1/2 cup coconut

1 t apple pie spice or cinnamon

2 T butter

-toss prepared apple slices with olive oil

-lay in single layer on baking sheet

-bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

-transfer apples to a large mixing bowl

-add sugars, granola, coconut and spice to apples

-mix until well blended

-spoon into prepared pie crust

-dot with pieces of butter

-top with crust, crimp and vent

-bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Happy happy PIE DAY!

Christine

Oh yeah. the KITCHEN!

2011-02-03T14:16:00.000-06:00

Yes, we did actually finish our kitchen. I have just neglected to share it with you. Actually, it's really not quite
"done" yet, and that's why I've been waiting so long.......But, it always takes time to finish every little detail, especially if it involves hunting for just that perfect vintage find. All of the major work is done, though, so I will start with that and share more fun stuff as it happens.

BEFORE

AFTER

Our cabinets were original up top, but the bottoms had been replaced with particle board and a bland formica countertop. We scored big when S brought home a set of vintage upper and lower cabinets from a job site. Knowing that the owners were tearing them out to replace, he measured them up, and they miraculously fit into our existing footprint with 1/8 inch to spare! Now, before you get too excited, know that S spent many hours sanding, shellacking and varnishing every surface. He also built all new boxes for the drawers so we could add glides to them. I love that man. So....the cabinets were indeed free, but they have a lot of labor hours into them. As an added bonus, the original hardware was all intact and ready to go with a good scrubbing!

Countertops stumped us for a good long time. Our square footage needs were quite small, but everything still seemed crazy expensive or just cheap looking. After much head scratching and searching for the right stain and materials, we came up with an eco-friendly option that cost us under $200 total. Yup. You read that right-under $200. A piece of just about anything else would have cost us $1200 and up. Pre-cut lengths of birch countertops from IKEA provided the solution. I had my head set on grey countertops, and wanted an eco-conscious finish. We couldn't find a product that would result in a gray finish, but we did find a soy based stain in ebony, that gave us a gorgeous final product. It was super easy to apply, and we sealed it with mineral oil. After installation, we applied a coat of mineral oil daily for two weeks. Now, to keep it fresh, we just need to spin on a quick coat every few weeks. I love these countertops, and I love my big deep apron front sink! (also from IKEA)

Christine

p.s.I have come to the conclusion that I should start designing kitchen faucets. The existing selection was rather dismal, but I managed to come up with one that is at least inoffensive.

The Creative Connection 2011!

2011-01-31T09:04:00.001-06:00

The lovely and very talented founders, Nancy Soriano and Jo Packham! (that's me in the middle)

The Creative Connection Event

is coming back to the Twin Cities this fall!

More specifically, St. Paul! My side of the river!

I am so delighted to once again be a part of this fabulous event.

It will be packed with so much goodness, including classes, panels and event meals.

Also added this year are more special little events led by all sorts of amazing bloggers,

a pitch slam forum to test out your ideas in front of a panel of experts,

and more food related guests and vendors. WOW!

Check out the new website, and be sure to sign up for the updates.

This way, you'll know when registration opens.

I'm expecting to see you there!

(unfortunately, I only have one guest room, so all y'all can't bunk with me,

but you might be able to come over for pie and coffee:)

I'm putting the button on my sidebar too, so you can always check in that way!

Giveaway Winner

2011-01-31T08:15:00.001-06:00

Woohoo! Thanks for all of the great
biscuit topping ideas.....

makes me want to eat nothing but biscuits all week long!

The big winner of my GIVEAWAY

is Shannon Olson!!

CONGRATS!!

your box is ready to go and will be on it's way
just as soon as I get your address

p.s. would love the recipe for that peach almond conserve!

Friday is PIE DAY! Part 2

2011-01-30T15:17:00.000-06:00

Finally! The promised savory pie post from my budget mix baking day on Friday.

Onion and Artichoke Pie

For the crust:

2 cups MaryJanes organic budget mix
6 T cold butter, cut into chunks
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 T water

-in medium bowl, cut butter into budget mix until crumbly
(you still want pea sized chunks of the butter in there)
-mix in egg and milk
-add water slowly, until dough holds together
-knead dough with hands until it forms a ball
-wrap and chill for 20 minutes

For the filling:

2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 large onion, sliced thinly
8 oz frozen (or canned) artichoke hearts, thawed and sliced
6 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground pepper

-remove dough from refrigerator
-on lightly floured surface, roll 1/2 of dough to fit an 8" pie pan
-place in pan

-in large saute pan, heat the oil until just warm
-add sliced onions, stir to coat, then adjust heat to medium low
-cook onions for 10 minutes, then add butter
* when carmelizing onions, I like to start with oil, then add butter as the onions cook to help get them nice and golden and carmelized
-cook for an additional 20 minutes, stirring often, until golden
-add artichokes and salt and pepper
-cook additional 5 minutes
-stir in feta cheese
-spoon into prepared bottom crust
-top with another sprinkling of ground pepper
-cover with top crust and trim the edges
-crimp, seal and vent crust

I almost added some fresh spinach to the filling, but am glad that I held back. Keeping it simple really showcases the three strong flavors of artichoke, onion and feta, and the tender crust is the perfect vessel.

Spinach showed up in the form of a fresh and easy side salad served with our savory pie.

Happy Baking! This would be lovely for a Sunday dinner or weekend brunch!

Christine

Matthew Mead....Summer Style!

2011-01-29T17:03:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, I was fortunate to be a part of Holiday with Matthew Mead. Everyone who sees it is blown away by the beauty of Matthew's layouts. Lucky for us, he is following up with a summer issue that is guaranteed to be packed with just as much beauty and inspiration. Summer seems like a long way away here in the frozen north, but you can also get a dose of spring with Matthew's container gardening issue set to be on stands soon! He is a busy man lately, and has many exciting projects rolling....along with a few secrets still up his sleeve.

Preorder your copy of Holiday with Matthew Mead SUMMER! It's only available online!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-01-28T15:39:00.000-06:00

With the current giveaway happening, it seemed logical to feature a pie today that is made with MaryJane's organic budget mix. (She may have hinted too:) It really is an amazing and verstile mix, and I love knowing that everything in there is organic and good for me. Did you know that MaryJane had her own baking powder developed for the mix? I'm telling you, she gets it done.

I wanted to try my hand at making a somewhat traditional pie crust with the mix. With a few quick additions, I came up with a lovely dough that was very easy to handle. My pie today is a mini version, because honestly, we devoured a lot of pie this past week. I read a statistic recently claiming that the average pie consumption per person is 6 and 1/2 slices per year. Um. Yeah. We're waaaaaaaaay above that average.

*All of these quantities are for a 6" mini pie*

For the pie crust:

1 cup MaryJanes's organic budget mix
1 T sugar
4 T butter
3 T + 1 T cold water

-combine budget mix and sugar in medium bowl
-cut in butter with pastry cutter or 2 forks,
until mixture is crumbly and has pea sized lumps
-add water and mix with cutter until dough holds together
-knead with hands until dough forms smooth ball
-wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes

Rolls out easy!

A week or so ago, I made these super yummy sandwiches with fig jam.

The rest of the jam had been staring me in the face every time I opened the fridge door, just begging to be put into a pie. Today was the day to honor that desire. To avoid a pie full of sugary figgy sludge, I added a few things to the mix.

For the fig jam filling

1/2 cup dried apricots, diced (I snip mine into bits with scissors-easy!)

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup fig jam

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1/2 apple, thinly sliced (optional)

-combine apricots and orange juice in a small saucepan

-heat over medium low for 3 minutes, until apricots are plumped

-mix in fig jam and walnuts

-pour into prepared Budget Mix crust

-if using, layer apples slices on top

-flop (that is a technical term) extra crust edge over top

-bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

I love doing this kind of crust because you get a top crust without as much work. I always call it "country style" or "rustic style" to make it sound romantic.............

In the interest of taste testing for all of you, I just took a big bite right out of the middle of the still very warm pie. Oh, yum. This crust is buttery and rich and vaguely shortcake like in manner. With the fig filling, it's like one giant divine fig newton. I could pour myself a glass of red wine, have a few more bites of this bad boy, and call it a Friday night. Dinner, who needs dinner?

Although.....I am making dinner indeed. My inspiration from MaryJane's mix was to make one sweet and one savory pie with it, so our dinner will be a pot pie of sorts. I'll be sharing that recipe as well. If I don't get it posted tonight (because, believe me, that red wine is coming out), I'll share tomorrow!

Happy, happy PIE DAY!

Christine

Collections and side tables

2011-01-26T08:30:00.007-06:00

After impulsively getting rid of a side table in our living room, we lived without one for months. I was sure that, by ditching the piece that I didn't really love, it would magically guide the right one into our lives.

It didn't work.

Obviously, this was because I already owned just the right thing.

My metal picnic tin collection had been living in the basement since we moved into this house.

I saw them every day when I was working in the basement studio,

but it seemed so sad that they weren't out in the house,

living free and being seen by more eyes every day.

This design solution brought my treasured picnic tins out into the world again,

and provides a fantastic multi-tiered side table. It adds interest to this wall,

and offers platforms for plants, decorative elements (like my folded book art),

books and morning coffee cups. Two solutions in one-gotta love that!

One little confession? There are still more picnic tins in the basement:)

If you haven't entered my giveaway yet, be sure to do so.....

http://piesandaprons.blogspot.com/2011/01/maryjanes-farm.html

MaryJanes Farm

2011-01-25T08:51:00.000-06:00

If you have never heard of MaryJane Butters, you really need to check this gal out. She has the gift of dreaming dreams and making them happen. As an organic farmer, mill owner, magazine publisher, and mother (just to name a few), she is an inspiration to me and many many others. I was lucky enough to meet her last September at the Creative Connection event, and even luckier to be featured in the current issue of her magazine, MaryJanes Farm. To know that I offered a little bit of inspiration back to her, and hopefully her readers, gives me great joy.

MaryJane was kind enough to share some goodies with me, which means it's GIVEAWAY time!
Please leave a comment sharing your favorite biscuit topping, and you will have the chance to win a copy of the magazine AND a box of MaryJane's organic budget mix!

Want more ways to win? Tweet, Facebook or post about the giveaway, and every one of those will earn an extra chance! If you're not into that stuff, just become a new follower, and that will give you an extra entry!

Contest will end at midnight on Saturday, January 29, and the winner will be announced on Monday!

Good Luck!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2011-01-21T16:48:00.000-06:00

PIE DAY returns!

Today's pie was inspired by one of my favorite cookies.
Naturally, cranberries are involved.
White chocolate, on the other hand, is an ingredient that I rarely use.
In this recipe, it's sweetness is toned down with cranberries and walnuts.

I love the cookies so much (and so does everyone that tries them),
that it just seemed logical to make a pie with the same combo.

I can't think of a good name for this pie yet....that is usually S's department-he's a whiz with clever names.
If you have any suggestions, let me know.

For now............I'll just tell it like it is.
Cranberry White Chocolate Walnut Pie

single 9" pie crust

1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
1 T orange juice
3 T flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chunks

-beat sugar, maple syrup, and eggs together until well combined and frothy

-stir in orange juice
-mix in flour, walnuts, cranberries and chocolate chunks

-pour into prepared pie crust

-bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

I couldn't wait any longer, so I cut a slice while the pie was still way to warm. MMMMMmmmmm......
it was gooey and tart and sweet and crunchy and warm, and made me forget all about those below zero temps outside. I'm anxious to try another bite or two once it has cooled and set a bit more, as I think the flavors will become even more distinct. Yep. It's a keeper.

Midwinter picnic

2011-01-20T17:04:00.000-06:00

We're in the midst of a super chill here in Minnesota,
so anything to make me feel like summertime is welcome.
These yummy sandwiches made our lunch today feel a bit like a midwinter picnic.

Figs and prosciutto are always a lovely combination. The addition of sharp asiago and slightly bitter arugula makes for delightful layers of flavor with the salty and sweet. Yum, yum, yum and yum.

Fig jam and Prosciutto on Baguette

for each sandwich you will need......

a big hunk of baguette, sliced in half
2-3 T fig jam
3 slices prosciutto
4-5 thin slices of asiago cheese
a handful of arugula

-spread one half of the sliced baguette with the fig jam

-pile on the prosciutto and asiago

-top with arugula and other baguette half

-close your eyes, take a big bite, and dream of summer

First step to an organized home.

2011-01-19T12:58:00.002-06:00

Have you seen enough January organizing tips to make your head spin?
Keeping clutter at bay seems to be on the top of everyones' list.

My number one tip for keeping your home free of piles?
Simply this.
Never, ever, walk up or down a flight of steps without something in your hands.
(besides a chocolate chip cookie or glass of wine)
I know it sounds weird and even a little bit stupid.
"Really", you're thinking.
"That's sort of lame."
I'm here to tell you that it is most certainly not a lame tip.
Try it.
It works.

During the day, I set things on the steps that don't belong where they're at.
Every time I truck up(or down) the steps,
I pick something up,
and put it away when I get there.

Bending, picking up, standing-
it probably burns an extra calorie or two, right?
So, there you are.....organizing AND exercising
all in one fell swoop.
Happy January!
Christine

Reward

2011-01-18T09:53:00.003-06:00

Congratulations.

You've made it through the first two weeks of January,

sticking to your no more sweets resolution,

detoxing and exercising.

You. deserve

chocolate.

I don't make brownies often enough. Or maybe I make them just often enough. I tend not to be one to overindulge, but a pan of brownies sitting in the kitchen might be one thing that would lead me to overindulgence. Finding the perfect brownie recipe is also an issue. It may well be that there is no one perfect recipe. My recipe changes with my brownie taste of the moment...light and fluffy, moist and dense, cakelike, tortelike, nuts, no nuts......how is one to choose? This recipe is a nice compromise. The result is nearly sheet cake thickness, moist and rich, but still definitely a brownie, not a cake. It also has enough of that fudgy component without feeling like you're eating a big gob of raw dough. My only desire might be for a slightly crackled top, but with a dusting of powdered sugar, these are quite divine.

Pretty Darn Good Brownies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 t vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar

-melt butter in a small pan over low heat
-add cocoa and whisk until mixture is smooth
-let cool and transfer to a large bowl
-add sugar and vanilla, stir in
-whisk eggs lightly, then beat into mixture
-add flour and stir gently until well blended
-pour into greased 9 x 13 pan
-bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes
(middle should spring back when you press with your finger)
-dust with powdered sugar

psssssttttt....... Whip up a batch of these for

Valentine's Day,

then use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut into

sweets for your sweet!

Do you have a favorite brownie recipe?

Please share if you do!

Also, weigh in on the nut debate on my sidebar poll!

Christine

Hello friends!

2011-01-17T08:54:00.000-06:00

Oh, how I've missed you.

I had visions of welcoming you back with a whole new look.

I poke around and see all these cool sites

and think that I should make mine different or more like theirs.

But, you know what? I like the way I look. It's me.

(Did I ever tell you that my header background is the print from one of my favorite vintage quilts?)

In a fit of cleaning out, I sold the quilt

(I know? What was I thinking, right?).

So, I love seeing that print every day right here.

I did add and change a few sidebar geegaws for you.
First, a "Found it!" box that lets you search Pies and Aprons.....
need a custard pie recipe fast? Just type it in! Voila. Tips at your fingertips.

Next, some links to fun things I've been featured in...........found under "Hoopla!"

Lastly, I have a blog button now!

Well, sort of....there is a button there,
and there is a code to grab.
They're technically not in the same box, but it works.
(After many frustrated attempts to combine them,
this is what I ended up with, and I'm going with it for now...
my blog design skills are limited, but I'm learning.)
(Any tips will be appreciated:)

So-yes, the button! Please grab it, post it on your blog and share the linky love.

p.s. I also removed the code verification for comments....
making it easier for you, my dears, to leave comments!

Welcome back-so glad you're here!
Christine

Winter Hiatus

2010-12-28T15:51:00.000-06:00

In order to freshen things up for the New Year,

I will be taking a little break from posting on Pies and Aprons.

My gift to you will be a dolled up site

packed full of fun and ideas for 2011.

Watch for the relaunch in mid-January.

Be sure to become a "liker"

on Facebook, and I'll keep you in the loop.

Hope you enjoy the post holiday quiet

and have time to snuggle up and drink some hot cocoa.

See you very soon.

Christine

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-12-24T07:14:00.001-06:00

A Christmas Pie

for a Christmas Eve PIE DAY.

It's loaded with

festive ingredients

and a taste reminiscent

of fruitcake.

Perhaps you caught sight of it in

Holiday with Matthew Mead

(imagine my delight

when he asked me to

develop a Christmas pie

for his lovely publication!).

If you missed it,

here is the recipe!

Christmas Pie

2 Tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup candied pineapple
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup candied citrus peel
¼ cup toasted, chopped almonds

3 eggs
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
¾ cup maple syrup
¼ cup rum
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 9” pie crust

-mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl
-add fruit and nuts, stir until coated
-in a small bowl, beat eggs lightly
-add brown sugar and butter, beat until creamy
-add maple syrup and rum, stir until well combined
-add egg mixture to fruit mixture, stir together
-stir in orange and lemon zest
-pour mixture into prepared pie crust
-bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
-reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake for additional 30 minutes
-cool on rack
-serve room temperature or chilled

All my best for a very very Merry Christmas.
Christine

Holiday house tour

2010-12-23T07:49:00.003-06:00

As a final yeehaw for Christmas arriving this week,

I thought I would share

some more photos of my own home

decked out and bedazzled for the holiday.

Always an elf or two peeking about.

Glass bead garlands

are one of my favorite Christmas collections,

especially these giant ones!

A bowl full of yummy.

I bet you can't.....

wait for Christmas!

more big glass beads

(or big *ss beads if you prefer:)

Happy Holidays!

Christine

Favorite Christmas Cookie

2010-12-22T15:39:00.000-06:00

I'm revisiting a cookie post for one of my favorite cookies.

(many of you may have missed it last year)

Every time I make these, people love them.

Even S, who has eaten many, said once again,

" How can just a sugar cookie be so good."

I especially love them at holiday time with red and green sugar sprinkles.

Classic.

Get the recipe here.

Last minute centerpiece

2010-12-21T08:07:00.001-06:00

presents wrapped. check.

groceries bought. check.

cookies baked. check.

tree trimmed. check.

cards mailed. check.

table set. uh oh.

If you've wrapped up most of the details for the week,

but forgot to come up with a plan for the holiday table,

try this simple centerpiece.

Grab a bunch of coffee cups from the cupboard.

(or make an IKEA or Target run for some basic, inexpensive white mugs)

Pop a plain ball ornament into each one,

then trail them down the middle of the table.

Pick ornament colors to suit your palette

and you're set to go!

Warm Barley Salad

2010-12-20T14:03:00.000-06:00

My first version of this salad, 2 weekends ago, was good but not great. All the components were there, but it was kind of bland. It definitely had promise though, so I gave it a second go this past weekend. Mmmmmmm......this one turned out just right.

I do apologize for the one lame photo...took this of the first version in a rush to get it on the table for dining companions, then completely spaced taking any photos of the second version. (Also in a rush to get it on the table for dinner guests. I hate to make people wait for me to take photos, but I also hate not having good photos for you. It's a blogger's dilemma:)

Warm Barley Salad

3 sweet potatos, peeled and cut into wedges
3 pears, cored and cut into wedges (peels on!)
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pearled barley
1 cup fresh spinach
2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
4 T olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
6-8 cloves roasted garlic, smashed
2 t salt
fresh ground pepper

-toss cut sweet potatoes in 1 T olive oil, then sprinkle with 1/2 t salt and pepper
-spread in single layer on baking sheet, and pop into preheated 350 degree oven
-toss pears in the same bowl, then add chopped rosemary, 1/2 t salt and pepper
-spread in single layer on baking sheet and pop that in the oven too
-bake these both for 20-25 minutes, until browning and tender
-in the meantime, bring water to boil in medium saucepan
-add barley, reduce heat to medium low
-simmer, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed and barley is tender
-in a small bowl, combine 3 T olive oil, vinegar, garlic and 1 t salt
-add pepper to taste
-pour over warm barley and stir to coat
-add spinach and toss all together
-spoon onto serving platter, then top with roasted sweet potatoes and pears
-serve warm or at room temperature

I served this with big bowls of soup and crusty bread for a hearty vegetarian meal. It could also be served as a substantial side dish for a meaty main. Substitute winter squash for the sweet potatoes, apples for the pears, or any kind of greens for the spinach.....the mix is up to you!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-12-17T16:01:00.000-06:00

Cranberries.

Figs.

Christmas.

I love any excuse to make a new pie with cranberries.

When this popped into my head, it seemed like a delightfully

festive combination for this time of year.

Somewhat like the winter version of strawberry rhubarb pie.

Soft and sweet paired up with bright and tart.

Cranberry Fig Pie

double 9" pie crust
1 cup dried calimyrna figs, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup water
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 T flour
zest of one orange

-combine figs and water in a small saucepan
-heat over low flame until water is absorbed
-let cool to room temperature, then stir in balsamic vinegar

-combine cranberries, sugar, flour and orange zest in large bowl

-add figs and stir until well combined
-spoon filling into prepared bottom crust

-top with crust, crimp and vent
-bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes

It's dense and rich without being too sweet,

and has a beautiful hue thanks to the cranberries.

A slice of this with a glass of spiced cider or mulled wine

would be a lovely finish to your holiday meal.

Quick holiday tip.

2010-12-16T16:25:00.001-06:00

Are you busy packing up gift baskets for people on your list?

Small pinecones make a great alternative to tissue paper or shredded filler.

Happy elf-ing!

Super grilled cheese

2010-12-15T08:13:00.002-06:00

Sandwiches are one of my favorite things to eat for lunch (or breakfast, or dinner, or a snack....).
Grilled cheese is classic and comforting. Sometimes, the straight up, loaded with cheddar grilled cheese is what hits the spot. More often, it's fun to experiment with add-ins, and this is my latest favorite. Treat yourself to one of these for an energy packed lunch during the last hectic week leading up to Christmas. I'm figuring that the presence of a fruit and a vegetable cancels out the bacon and cheese, right?

Grilled Apple Cheddar Bacon Sammich

for each sandwich:
2 slices whole grain bread
3 slices cooked bacon
1/4 apple, thinly sliced
sliced cheddar cheese
some fresh spinach leaves
1 T brown mustard
butter for bread

-butter one side of each slice of bread
-place one piece in pan, buttered side down, and spread the mustard on the other side
-layer with apple, bacon, spinach and cheddar
-top with other slice of bread
-grill on medium low heat until bread is nicely toasted and cheese is melty

Now you'll have plenty of spunk for finishing your shopping and baking cookies!

Festive Token

2010-12-14T17:02:00.000-06:00

Christmas crackers always look festive.

I love anything with surprises inside, don't you?

It's easy to whip a few of these up as party favors,

or another last minute hostess gift.

Start with a piece of heavy cardstock paper, fold horizontally in half, and cut.

Roll each half into a tube, securing with double stick tape.

Fill the tubes with any assortment of tiny treats,
then carefully cover tube with wrapping paper;
again securing with double stick tape.

Leave enough paper (about 4 or 5") on the ends
to cinch and tie off with pretty ribbon.

Last minute gift

2010-12-14T10:13:00.000-06:00

Like most people, I usually grab a bottle of wine or some baked goods for a last minute host gift. But, if I know that they appreciate a bit of vintage or like to cook, I'll package up a sweet vintage apron for a more personal touch. Just tuck a favorite holiday recipe and a candy cane in the pocket, tie it up with a ribbon, and you're ready to go!

Any holiday activity feels more festive

when you're wearing an apron!

Untraditional Tree

2010-12-09T16:07:00.001-06:00

While working on the Creative Connection,

I developed a slight obsession with tomato cages and wrapping things in yarn.

It's still hanging in there.

I made this Christmas tree with the last of my stash of tomato cages.

I think it looks fresh and modern and fun.

Many shades of green make for an interesting mix.

Just wrap and wrap and wrap,

tying off at each beginning and end.

Finish with some simple ornaments

and a cascade of ribbon.

Mint Raita

2010-12-08T19:47:00.000-06:00

Dinner tonight was a bit of an Indian and Thai fusion dish based on what we had in the house. I really wanted to make some cucumber raita to round out the meal, but, alas, I did not have a cucumber. I did have a big bunch of mint that was ready to turn the corner and end up in the compost if I didn't use it soon. So, we ended up with a very tasty mint raita, and I am already thinking of a million other uses for it.

Coconut Mint Raita

1/3 cup coconut
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 T fresh lime juice
1/4 t coarse salt

-grind coconut to fine powder in food processor (I actually keep an extra coffee grinder on hand for these sorts of small grinding jobs-works like a charm!)
-add mint leaves and grind finely
-stir into greek yogurt, adding lime juice and salt until all combined

I served this with some Middle Eastern spicy vegetables and rice, along with some naan.
It was super scrumptious just loaded onto a piece of naan, so I think it would make a fabulous, easy,
and relatively healthy dip for pita chips-YUM!
Also, thinned down with more lime juice (say 4 T or so), it would be a fantastic dressing for summer fruit salad........hard to think about in the midst of this Midwestern arctic stretch we're in, but I can dream.....

I love it when "Hey, what do we have on hand," turns into an inspired dish.

Oh Christmas Tree.

2010-12-06T07:40:00.000-06:00

Christmas decorating in our house is in full on sparkle mode. Honestly, our little home is waaaaay too small to hold all of my treasures, but I have tried my best. I actually started out thinking that I was really going to edit this year and keep it fairly minimal. That didn't last long. With every box I opened, there were oohs and aahs and "Oh! I *have* to put these out." I especially like to decorate multiple trees in different sizes, shapes and styles. So far, (yes, I said so far) I have finished three. Take a look!

My Shiny Brite collection has been growing over the years,

and this is the first time I've had them all on a tree together.

I think they look happy and content.

Some look better in the original boxes, so these got stashed under the tree.

My big tree is loaded with all of my older vintage ornaments...many German or Czech in origin.

I like to layer them up and really pack them on to create a stunning effect.

Oh yeah.

My collection of vintage Christmas boxes fills the space underneath the tree.

(Ok-and spills out into other corners of the room:)

The best thing? These are all still filled with other collections waiting to find a spot in the madness!

These ornaments were a score at a thrift store many years ago.

The combination of colors and simplicity in design won my heart.

I think they look delightful on this vintage white tree.

How do you decorate your tree? ( or trees!?)

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-12-03T16:48:00.002-06:00

Recently, I picked up some new baking goodies from The Golden Fig in St. Paul. It's always a treat to have new and interesting ingredients that might inspire something fantastic in the kitchen. Spices, vinegars and sugars are blended and bottled weekly at The Golden Fig, so I know that my baked goods will be filled with the freshest items possible. Today, I broke out a Cherry Cardamom Sugar to use in the pie of the day. I was in the mood for custard, so I used a big dose of this super yummy sugar and some lightly toasted almonds to create this tasty new combo.

Almond 3C's Pie

single 9' pie crust
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups 2% or whole milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup + 2 T Cherry Cardamom Sugar
1 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted

-add milk and vanilla to beaten eggs, and beat again lightly
-add sugars and whisk until well blended
-stir in almonds
-pour into prepared pie crust
-sprinkle top with 2 T Cherry Cardamom Sugar
-bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes

round 'em up!

2010-12-02T09:43:00.000-06:00

I have been busily making yarn wreaths for a little event this week. Really, I am an accidental crafter. Working on the Creative Connection unleashed my inner crafter, and now there is no stopping me.

I love new challenges that bring out hidden parts of ourselves, don't you?

Here is a peek at this weeks' creations.....

I'll post a quick tutorial this weekend!

Upcycled Christmas Trees

2010-11-30T16:02:00.000-06:00

My Holiday Bazaar was filled with a variety of trees, traditional and not,

that I designed and put together.

These were two of my favorites.

If the tin man had a Christmas tree, it might look like one of these.

Vent pieces, cookie cutter, heavy duty spring and a funnel,

whimsically stacked and secured with trusty E6000.

Metal sprinkler base, more vent pieces and an old tin can.

I had some spruce tips in this originally so it looked more like a tree,

but I like it with these silver ornaments.

No needles to clean up:)

Spice Shortbread

2010-11-29T11:03:00.000-06:00

Shortbread is so wonderful and versatile and easy. This simple spice shortbread is one of my favorites. It's an unassuming cookie that kind of knocks your socks off. A few of these, a mug of hot cocoa, and a good magazine, and I can endure any winter day.

Spice Shortbread

1 1/4 c flour
3 T brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1/2 c butter, room temp

-combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
-cut in butter until mixture is in pea sized crumbs and holds together a bit
-using hands, form mixture into a ball and knead until smooth
*if you are not used to making shortbread, you may think that the dough is not right.
this recipe takes a bit of work and kneading to get everything to hold together.........
perservere for the cookie's sake!
-roll and pat (again-a bit of work!) into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick
-using a knife, cut into 1x3 inch strips
-mark top with fork
-transfer to a cookie sheet
-bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, until light brown
-cool on wire rack

Thank-full table runner

2010-11-23T15:41:00.000-06:00

Here is another quick project for your Thanksgiving table that will get the whole family involved.

For the main part of the table runner,

I used green masking paper from the hardware store,

but you could also use brown or white kraft paper rolls.

I used a premade paper leaf garland, but

if you'd like to make your own leaves, check out a template here.

Using double sided tape (my best crafting friend), I

attached a length of leaves to each edge of the green paper.

Once your runner is assembled, have each member of the family
inscribe a leaf with something that they are thankful for.

During the meal, it will serve as a lovely reminder of the spirit of the day.

Sweet and simple placecards

2010-11-22T15:19:00.000-06:00

Hello! Are you still here? I promise that I have not abandoned you. Once again, events got in the way of Pies and Aprons. Blogging leads to a lot of self discovery, and I have discovered that when I am involved in a project, I really throw myself into it. That means other things (laundry, dinner, blog) suffer a bit. I resolve to resolve this issue in the new year......hmmm, perhaps that would involve planning ahead:)

Photos and details of the Holiday Bazaar will be along soon, but I wanted to squeeze in a few more Thanksgiving goodies for you before the turkey hits the table! The fact that we get to stuff ourselves silly is enough for me to love this holiday. However, I do feel that it is important to celebrate the "giving thanks" part as well, by taking the opportunity to reflect on those things that we are happy to have in our lives. I designed these little placecards to help everyone at our Thanksgiving table (and yours) take part in a bit of gratitude.

I started with ivory shipping tags, then layered a scrapbooking label on top.

Basic twine in a double knot attaches the two together.

A pencil for writing is conveniently attached, using a single knot and simple bow.

This makes it easy for each guest to untie the pencil.

Finally, a few prompting words set the scene, and a name at the bottom marks each person's place.

Once lists have been completed, guests can take turns sharing them out loud.

Are your turkeys thawing?
Christine
p.s. My Pies and Apron readers are sure to make my list!

Pie and Turkey Bingo.....must be November!

2010-11-17T08:23:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness, I have left you alone for too many days. I am opening my home this weekend for my 2nd annual Holiday Bazaar, and have been caught in a whirlwind of decorating and baking. For the past two days, I have meant to sit down and blog away, then another tree or wreath beckoned for glitter and glue and I was lost in another project........
I will be sharing all of these fantastic ideas though, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I have two exciting bits of news for the day.

After not so patiently waiting and waiting (the mailman thought I was nuts:), my copy of Matthew Mead's Holiday magazine arrived. Oh, let me tell you, the wait was worth it. Honestly, this publication is absolutely stunning. Every page is filled with gorgeous photography, amazing color studies and Matthew's spot on styling. Decorating inspiration, little bits, and wonderful recipes fill the 146 pages of yumminess. My Christmas pie (developed for the magazine) is featured on page 13! The recipe is available for download at the Holiday website, so be sure to check it out. This is truly a labor of love for Matthew and his wife, Jenny, and I love them for creating such a treat for those of us who are decorating, holiday and magazine junkies. They oversaw every aspect of the magazine, and even had it printed locally (the quality and smell of the paper-oh my...). If you want to get your hands on one of these beautiful "book-a-zines", you can order one here.

Also, I am a guest blogger today at Make and Takes. I share one of my family's Thanksgiving traditions-a game you'll be sure to want to add to your celebration. If you haven't checked out this site before, you'll soon be addicted as it is loaded with fabulous crafts, food and projects for the whole family.

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-11-12T08:04:00.000-06:00

Whenever possible, I have been trying to substitute pure maple syrup for granulated sugar in my pie recipes. This is a simple variation on a classic custard pie, and I really love the subtle maple flavor with the custard.

Maple Ginger Custard Pie

single 9" pie crust
1 1/2 cups 2% or whole milk
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 eggs
1/2 t salt
4 T crystallized ginger

-In a large bowl, beat the eggs for 2-3 minutes
-add milk and maple syrup, and whisk until well blended
-crush the ginger with the back of a spoon, so it is fine and crumbly
-stir in ginger and salt
-give mixture another good turn with the whisk
-pour into prepared pie shell
-bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
-lower temperature to 350 degrees
-bake for another 50 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean

Root, root, root for root vegetables.

2010-11-11T08:02:00.001-06:00

I have previously proclaimed my undying love for beets, so I will spare you any more beet rhapsodies.
This salad, though, oh my goodness, made me swoon. At dinner, S finally gave me the look that said, "Ok, enough with the happy eating noises. I get it. You like this salad. I do too, but let's just enjoy it silently."

Beet and Carrot Salad
(or Carrot and Beet Salad)

1/2 lb cooked beets, peeled
1/2 lb raw carrots

2 T olive oil
1 t maple syrup
1 t brown mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

-cut carrots and beets into julienne strips
-place beets in medium bowl
-blanch carrots in boiling water for 5 minutes
-rinse carrots in cool water
-add to beets
-mix all dressing ingredients together
-pour over beets and carrots, mix to coat well
-chill and serve

Collecting: Clothespins

2010-11-10T08:23:00.001-06:00

Thanks to my dear friend, Lisa,
I have a spectacular new addition to
my clothespin collection!

Line Birds!!
Bird shaped clothespins........
Have you ever seen anything cuter?!?
Sometimes, I think that I've seen every little
collectible thing ever made.
Then someone lays these on me.
Such a dear friend.
Such a dear treat.

Leftovers

2010-11-09T07:40:00.000-06:00

There seem to be two camps when it comes to leftovers. Either you love 'em or you hate 'em.
Leftovers make me giddy. What could be more brilliant than having something ready to go in your fridge?
Or better yet.....something that inspires a whole new meal.

Leftovers from my roasted goodies last week (parsnips, potatoes and apples) turned into a
fantastic stew for our dinner last night. I started with some sauteed onion, added a cubed butternut squash, then dumped in the leftovers. A few spices, some veggie broth, and a low simmer completed the dish. Fabulous.

Root Vegetable Stew

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

1 cup leftover roasted parsnips, potatoes and apples, diced

(or any combination of leftover or freshly roasted veggies!)

3 cups veggie (or chicken) broth

1 t coarse salt

1 t rubbed sage

1/2 t celery seed

freshly ground pepper

-saute onion in oil for 5 minutes

-add squash pieces and saute another 5 minutes

-add roasted veggies

-add broth and spices, bring to a quick boil

-simmer on low heat for 1 hour

-serve with crusty bread

(acutally, as I was eating it, I was wishing for some big homemade parmesan crusted croutons...next time!)

DIY: Custom candles

2010-11-08T10:20:00.000-06:00

These would be super cute on your Thanksgiving table,
or just sprinkled here and there around the house.
A little candlelight makes everything glow.

I started with pillar candles in basic clear glass (dollar store-oh yeah!)
Then I picked up some sweet printed tape at Michaels.
This was also in the dollar section...did I mention that this project is not only cute, it's cheap too?!
Alternating horizontal bands were my choice for these two,
but you can experiment with layering, colors and patterns! Or vertical stripes!

Parsnips

2010-11-04T19:03:00.000-05:00

During our visit to Virginia,

a friend asked me to remind her to ask me about parsnips.

Um, ok.

She wanted to know if one could roast parsnips.

Do zebras have stripes?

Heck ya, you can roast parsnips.

And you should.

So, we roasted parsnips at her house,

and they blew her mind.

She proclaimed that she would be eating parsnips every day from now on.

(But I won't hold her to that)

This was a good reminder to me,

when I got home,

that I should buy some,

and roast them, and eat them.

So, I did.

This is a reprise of the combo we made in Virginia.

Roasted Parsnips, Potatoes and Apples

4 large parsnips, peeled and sliced

2 cups potatoes, cut into large chunks

5 medium apples, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 t coarse salt

freshly ground pepper

-in large bowl, toss cut veggies and apples with olive oil

-spread in single layer on baking sheet

-roast at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, until nicely browned and tender

mmmmmmm......mmmmm...

Last night, I served this with grilled pork chops and fresh sauteed spinach.

Delightful!

p.s. I had some more photos, but my computer is having a wonky week, so I can't get them on here right now. You'll have to imagine a pan full of golden roasted goodies..........

Quick tip for your Thanksgiving table!

2010-11-03T17:31:00.000-05:00

If you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner,

or just want to give your table

a festive look for fall,

here is a super duper quick idea.

Before you rake them all up,

use some fall leaves to fill vintage jars.

Pretty....

and, it can't get much easier than that!

Friday night dinner

2010-11-01T13:33:00.001-05:00

Squash inspires me.
Half of a leftover squash was all my brain needed
to concoct this whole meal.
Delicious. Autumnal. Good for you.

Butternut Squash, Spicy Pumpkin Seeds and Swiss Chard
(Plus some grilled sausage, or not, if you're of the veggie persuasion:)

*This will be one of those recipes that's not really a recipe, just some hopefully helpful direction.
Always feel free to comment or e-mail with questions.

For the pumpkins seeds, just toss a cup full (fresh out of your Halloween pumpkin or from the store)
with 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 T olive oil.

Roast them in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes until crispy and popping.

I just cubed some leftover squash, tossed it on a baking sheet and warmed it in the oven.
Look here for roasting vegetable directions, which is what you could do if you're starting with an uncooked squash.....

For the greens, I heated 2 T olive oil in a cast iron pan, tossed in a large pinch of kosher salt and then layered a large bunch of swiss chard in there. I kept it over medium heat, tossing once in a awhile, until the greens were soft. Then I added a big splash of red wine vinegar, and cooked it for another 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste to finish it off and you're set!

Just lay a bed of greens on the plate, spoon some squash over it, and finish with a big handful of spicy pumpkin seeds. yum!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-10-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

My initial plan for today was to make a savory pie,

but then it struck me, DUH, it's Halloween weekend.

Must make an appropriately festive pie.

I'm not a big fan of novelty pies, so I wanted to just give a classic a costume.

S, always the clever one, thought of making a slice of pie look like a candy corn.

I think it looks quite adorable, and, best of all, it's still a basic pumpkin pie underneath.

Here is what I did!

Start with a basic pumpkin pie. I used the recipe on the can. Yup. Easy.

It took me awhile to figure out what the yellow layer was going to be.

Pumpkin and lemon? nope.

Pumpkin and banana? ick.

Ah-hah!

Coconut with a bit of Wilton's gel coloring. perfect.

I used about 6 drops for 1 cup of coconut,

then worked it in with my fingers to get it evenly colored.

It is easier to dress your pie one slice at a time.

Just slip a piece onto a plate and carefully add a ring of coconut on the crust edge.

Finally, a dollop of whipped cream makes the white tip!

Happy Halloween!

Christine

gourds and pumpkins and squash, oh my!

2010-10-28T12:52:00.000-05:00

The incredible variety of gourds and pumpkins

that are widely available now makes me swoon.

I can't get enough of them.

I mean, just look at the color combo on this one. Yum.

Traditional orange ones still hold a spot on my heart.

(and they're especially lovely if you spray them with a bit of gold glitter paint!)

But, oh my.

These really make it beat a little faster.

Of course, they're not to everyones' taste.

The older gentleman who sold the two below right to me said,

"I guess people like these weird ones now.

To me, they look like they have some sort of disease."

To each their own.

Happy fall.

An extra sweet treat

2010-10-27T17:22:00.000-05:00

Sweet Potato Pecan Butter Pie

only has one crust,

which means...

that I had an extra crust laying around.

Can't have that!

So, I rolled the dough out.

Cut it into stars (and other assorted shapes-can't waste a snippet!).

Then sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar.

I popped them into the oven still at 350 degrees from pie baking,

and they were hot and ready just as Ruby woke up from her nap.

We tasted a few first,

then shared them with Mama and Papa and Jasper.

Lisa and I dubbed them

A-Pie-teasers.

Wednesday is PIE DAY!

2010-10-27T09:15:00.000-05:00

When you are on vacation, Friday can turn into Wednesday just like that. I'm not sure why I thought that I would blog every day on the road, but, let's just say, it didn't work out that way.

We had so many wonderful friends to visit-check out this crazy bunch!-

and time just got away from me.......but, that's what it is supposed to happen on vacation, right?

Pie Day really did take place on Friday. In fact, I baked two pies.

This one was baked at my dear friend Lisa's house,

with a little help from 4 year old Ruby.

Earlier in the week, we went to Westmoreland Berry Farm on a field trip with Ruby's preschool. This is one of my very favorite places in the Northern Neck of Virginia. We learned all about pumpkins and apples and what they need to grow. I loved the fact that the ladies at the farm had a bunch of 4 year olds chanting "natural resources". A trip to the pumpkin patch to pick out a few gems was a highlight, as was shopping in their little farm store.

A jar of sweet potato and pecan butter from the farm store was the inspiration for this pie.

It seemed fitting that I bake a Virginia pie while in a Virginia kitchen.

Sweet Potato Pecan Butter Pie

single 9" pie crust
1 jar sweet potato pecan butter
(to recreate your own, just use a can of pureed sweet potato and 2/3 cup chopped pecans-easy!)
3 eggs, beaten
2 T milk (increase this to 1/4 cup if using canned sweet potato)

-pour all filling ingredients into medium bowl
-beat until well combined and smooth
-pour into prepared crust
-bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
-reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes,
until knife inserted into pie comes out clean

Here is Jasper signalling for another piece of pie.

And here he is with that pie coma look....I know that feeling buddy.

Road Trip

2010-10-22T09:25:00.000-05:00

I've missed a couple of days this week because S and I have been on a road trip!

We're currently visiting friends in Fredericksburg, Virginia (that's where we met:)

Pie Day will be coming to you later in the day from Virginia,

but for now, here are a few shots from the trip out.

Unfortunately, we didn't have time to stop for pie...

S getting ready to drag race this motorcycle dude.

Our welcome to town dinner....

we've been eating very well on this vacation.

DIY: pumpkin collar

2010-10-19T08:16:00.002-05:00

Orange plastic fencing as design inspiration?

Hell, yeah!

I made these silly, crazy doodads

for the Pioneer Woman luncheon

at the Creative Connection event.

It was one of those times.

This nutty idea popped into my head.

I made one.

It looked exactly like my vision.

Yes.

It doesn't always happen that way.

Especially because I had to sew these.

At any rate, I loved that this bright plastic material

turned into this soft cowl-like collar for my plant pots.

And now,

they are festive collars

for my punkins.

You're beginning to think I'm

just a little crazy,

aren't you.

But, you like it.

I'm sorry that I don't have any process photos.

I started with a 3 ft by 2 ft piece of fencing.

Next, I secured the fencing around a plastic plant pot

with a rubber band.

Using a large needle and fishing line,

I did a straight? stitch

(sewers, feel free to correct me)

along the fencing,

pulling and gathering as I went.

Tie off the end, and voila!

If I can do this, you can.

(e-mail me with questions if you'd like:)

Happy crafting!

Christine

Takeaway: Halloween

2010-10-18T08:07:00.000-05:00

When I'm out shopping at oh, say, Target or Walmart,

I can't resist the clearance isle.

This time I struck it rich with Halloween items

on clearance long before Halloween is even here!

These adorable cupcake kits were 1.00.

Yes, that's right. 1.00.

I had to restrain myself from buying them all.

Oh the possiblities.

I quickly turned some vases (in seasonal colors)

and a glass bottle into Halloween decor

by popping a cupcake collar onto them.

A bit of a trick, but mostly just a sweet treat!

Friday is PIE DAY! the follow-up....

2010-10-17T17:28:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is the recipe for the secret PIE DAY pie. The shoot was fantastic and we had so much fun cooking and cooking some more and eating and eating some more. I'll share details just as soon as I can!

Unfortunately, like the dork I am, I forgot my camera. I guess I just figured, well, there will be a photographer there, right. Hmmmppphhh. So, you are left with this pathetic photo of the last leftover piece of pie. It has seen it's better days. (But, I'm still going to eat it tonight.)

Pear Pie with Rosemary Crust

9' double pie crust
2 T fresh rosemary, chopped finely
1 lb pears, peeled and chopped
1 cup sugar
3 T flour
2 T butter

-knead the rosemary into pie crust, and prepare bottom crust
-spoon pears into crust
-top with sugar, flour and butter
-add top crust, crimp and vent
-bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes

This is an unbelievably simple pie, but the combination of pear and rosemary is out of this world. When I did test pies, I did one with the rosemary in the crust, and one with the rosemary in the filling. It was a tie with my taste testers. I liked the way the rosemary looked mixed into the crust, but honestly, I would put it in the filling next time. I feel that blending the rosemary into the crust overworked it, and made the crust not quite as tender. I'll be experimenting with this one a bit because I just am crazy for the combination. Also, I kept the sugar to a minimum to keep this pie from teetering over to the too sweet side. The rosemary adds just the right amount of savory, and I really like to highlight that element.
Okay, enough technical talk. Let's eat some pie!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-10-15T08:14:00.001-05:00

Pie Day is slightly different today, but I'll be back with the normal PIE DAY agenda tomorrow.
For now, I am going to give you a sneaky peeky of a test pie that I made earlier in the week.

I'm making the real pie today, possibly as we speak!, for a photo shoot.
This shoot is for a book (yes, I know!!), and involves a lot more cooking than just pie.
Oh-and also some eating of all this cooking-yum!
I'll keep you posted!!

Also, in honor of PIE DAY.
A couple of weeks back, in a post about the Creative Connection, I gave you a teaser.
I said that I would later reveal the identities of the people behind this table.

Well, ta-da!

That's me and Ree Drummond, aka the Pioneer Woman, enjoying some pie.

I met her at the event, and she ate two whole pieces of my pie.

I don't think she'll ever mention me on her blog though.

I wouldn't reveal my pie crust recipe and I think she was a little peeved.

And, yes, I know she's not the only one who is peeved,

but a girl's gotta have her secrets:)

A HOLIDAY sneak peek!

2010-10-14T07:39:00.003-05:00

I am not one of these people who saves every issue of every magazine that I've ever received. This means that the ones I do keep in my library are extra super special issues packed with so much good stuff that I just had to keep them. Matthew Mead's upcoming HOLIDAY magazine is, without a doubt, going to be one of those keepers.

Matthew is such a talented stylemaker and his ideas are so spot on.

From the few sneak peeks I'm getting, he has really out done himself with this one.

Have a look for yourself....

These are the ones that didn't make it in,

so you can just imagine what did-oh my goodness!

Matthew and I definitely share a love of color,

and he certainly knows how to make an impact with palettes.

We'll see the traditional greens....

and reds,

and he is sure to throw in a number of color curveballs as well.

Oh how I love this dreamy palette.

Matthew is no one-trick pony.

In addition to loads of decorating inspiration, design tips and gift ideas,

he will also treat us to recipes for the season.

This is where I come in!

Yup, that's right.

I'm lucky enough to have a bit part in this fairy tale.

Thanks Matthew for giving me the opportunity,

and thanks for knowing that we all NEED a good holiday publication.

Here's the scoop, though.

It won't be available on newstands,

only by ordering your copy here.

I certainly can't wait to get my (flour covered) hands on it!

DIY: shelf edging

2010-10-13T09:32:00.000-05:00

I can hardly wait to give you the big reveal of the kitchen reno, but, as always, there are just a few more details that need to get done. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek of a sweet little DIY project in my pantry. In the past, I've usually had a little (or sometimes big) stash of vintage paper shelf edging. Somehow, I currently find myself without such a stash. I checked out etsy and ebay for some cute stuff, but didn't find anything that I fancied for this kitchen. With my recent surge in craftiness, I quickly decided to fashion something from materials I already had. Brown kraft paper to the rescue!

First, I measured the shelf edge, then cut a piece of kraft paper to that length.

Once I determined the amount of overhang that I wanted (in this case, 2"),

I cut three widths from my length.

(That's technical jargon:)

I cut the scallops freehand because that's how I roll,

but you could design and cut a template or use scallop scissors.

Or, you could design your very own edge!

Something even more exciting than a scallop-woo hoo!

To add just a bit of pattern, I used a simple rubber stamp along the middle of my strip.

Installed, I think it looks so simple and sweet.

It makes me happy.

Pantries make me happy.

One of those days.

2010-10-12T19:20:00.000-05:00

Ever have those?

I know you do.

Well, I'm having one today.

All day, I've intended to write something here to entertain and inspire you.

But, I'm just realizing that I'm not feeling very entertaining or inspiring today.

Best to make a cup of tea, grab my book and call it a night.

I'll be feeling like this again in no time.

See you in the morning.

Christine

Halloween party favors

2010-10-11T11:09:00.001-05:00

Simple composition notebooks have always been a staple-for school, in my home office and in my studio. These fun black and white designs are perfect for Halloween crafts.

I turned mine into frightful party favors for a Halloween table or party.

The word 'composition' on the front gets spooky with the addition of 2 additional letters.

Use rubber stamps or black sticker letters to add your own tag lines.

Pages get a time worn look with a simple tear and your used coffee grounds.

Just tear the edges of the notebook paper,

then rub them with a used coffee filter (or dip them in cold coffee or tea, but this is less drippy).

Rub lightly, or you will rip the filter and spill grounds everywhere. That would certainly be a fright!

All bundled up with mummy like strips of fabric, these notebooks will please all of your visiting ghouls.

Creative Connection: A picnic style box lunch

2010-10-10T18:12:00.000-05:00

This picnic style box lunch offered up lots of design inspiration for me.

Casual, country, fun, and a bit shabby and rustic-these are design elements that I can get into.

When I found out that Moda and French General were teaming up to donate our table runners,

I was even more inspired.

Empty tomato sauce cans from the recycling bin of a local Italian deli provided a no cost base to my centerpieces. (Always ask before you dig in someones' recycling. I know it's technically garbage, but it's just a nice thing to do.I have to tell you that these guys were slightly confused as to why I would want their empty cans, but they just shook their heads and said go for it.) These large spools had been stashed in my studio for awhile, and they finally met their perfect use as adorable feet for my flower pots.

I used a high heat glue gun to attach them.

This was also used to secure a length of tree wrap around the can.

I love tree wrap. I want to use it for everything.

Except wrapping my trees.

Yet another sweet ribbon from Mayarts, tied in a simple knot,

adds another layer of interest and pattern over the tree wrap.

And there you go! Another super cute, low cost centerpiece

(or paintbrush holder, or kitchen utensil bucket, or plant pot for your deck, or..........)

Here it is all dolled up at the event.

These 49 cent dishtowels at IKEA were just screaming to be used in a project.

I mean, really, 49 cents. Who could resist?

I quickly came up with a scheme to make irresistable little aprons out of them.

Only problem? I don't sew.

Maggie and Melissa came to the rescue though (thanks guys!), and

my vision was realized!

Here is how they did it. Don't ask me for any details.

I assume it will be obvious and easy to those of you who can sew:)

Bundled up with a napkin and tied with more tree wrap and ribbon,

they were a sweet place setting for each attendee at the luncheon.

The colorful flowers scattered about the table.........

are simply cupcake wrappers (in regular and mini size) crumpled and twisted into a quick bloom.

Friday is PIE DAY at Bluebird Notes

2010-10-09T17:28:00.001-05:00

A PIE DAY bonus!

My new dearest friend, Koralee, at Bluebird Notes, has a sweet pie story today:)

Hop on over and check it out.

Then spend a bit of time browsing her gorgeous photos and sweet wishes....
they are sure to INSPIRE!

Friday is PIE DAY!

2010-10-09T11:05:00.000-05:00

My dream of baking the first pie in my new oven and feeling the cozy fallness of it all were stunted a bit by the 85 degree weather. It was still a happy dance worthy experience to be baking in my own kitchen again, and this is the perfect fall pie, whether it's 85 degrees or 45 where you are.

Fresh cranberries, as you may know by now, are one of my favorite pie fruits, and they have arrived at the farmers' market. This, of course, means that I must buy 10 pounds or possibly 20. This, in turn, means that I must use them in pie, and perhaps, just maybe, rethink a few favorites.

Once you land upon a perfect pie combination and it makes it into your list of top 10 favorites, it's hard to think that it could be improved upon. Maple Walnut pie is one of these perfect pie combinations and one of my favorites. Really, though, could cranberries possibly make this pie worse? I don't think so. I think they could only make it better.

Yup. Thought so.

The only downside is now I will always have to decide if I should go with the original recipe, or upgrade to cranberries.

Cran Maple Walnut Pie

1 9" single pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 T butter, melted
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries

-beat eggs in large bowl
-add remaining ingredients
-stir until well blended

-pour into prepared pie shell
-bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
-reduce heat to 325 degrees
-bake an additional 55 minutes

Creative Connection projects: Book Art

2010-10-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

The paper decor at the Creative Connection breakfast panel was a huge hit. The panel was full of amazing women representing the print media world, so I wanted to use books and the written word as the focus of my designs. I had seen a number of folded book art pieces, and finally decided to try my hand at it. I love the results, and had tons of fun working with books. I can see a lot of book page projects in my future!

My vision was of a low folded book "bowl" filled with flowers. The first step was to cut the books in half to start creating the profile I wanted. My husband happens to be a carpenter (lucky! I know!), so he took them to the shop and chopped them up for me. This will take a heavy duty saw, so seek out a professional if you are not comfortable with power tools.

This project required one simple fold to the center seam.

Fold back each page, then continue on to the next.

As you keep folding, it will start to fan out and look like this.

Once you have all of the pages folded, cut the cover of the book off the spine using a box cutter.

Glue the two halves together using generous amounts of hot glue.

Now you have your bowl!

White coffee filters easily turned into fanciful bouquets to fill each bowl.

Simply crimp the middle to create a stem, then fluff out the petals.

Apply hot glue to the stem end,

then insert between the book pages.

I really stuffed it full to create a lush bouquet.

Honestly, even I was surprised at how fabulous these flowers looked.

I was rather certain that they would scream coffee filter, but they actually created a really magical effect.

I also topped them off with spray adhesive and white glitter just to give it all a little extra oomph!

These egg cartons were a recent auction score,

and I thought they would serve as the perfect base for my arrangments.

Another big dose of hot glue secured the bowl to the base, and they were ready to go!

An old dictionary provided inspiration for table runners.

I carefully loosened the binding enough to get the pages out with just the perfect jagged edge.

A strip of double stick tape was all I needed to attach the pages together.

I used 6 pages for each of my runners, but use whatever you may need for the length of your runner.

The final effect was luxurious and lovely on a very small budget.

Books=free

Coffee Filters=1.87 per pack of 200 (I used about 4 packs for 35 centerpieces)

Egg cartons=1.00

Hot glue

Double Stick Tape

Not bad, huh? Now, the labor part is a different story. Folding 70 book halves is no joke. I owe my dear neighbor many many pieces of pie in exchange for her expertise folding help. I would not have made it without her. Most likely, you will only be folding a few books, but you could still recruit a neighbor, make a pot of coffee and chat while you fold. It does get rather addicting.