The Creative Connection 2011!

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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

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

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!

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!

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

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

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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