The fresh news

Hello, this is Kate and I am writing this from TODAY.. kinda breaking away from my story I've been   telling  to get ya  a little caught up to the fresh story... ya see  my guy and I are moving in together!
Next Saturday. hurrah!!!

Pie's# 65-70 Cherry Bombs

Sans ring but I am still  very happy.
I have been trying to keep up with the Sunday  baking, but very busy packing.
These are some Cherry Tarts I made Last week-end
 I  have gotten pretty damn good haven't I ? But before I start fantasying about opening  a Pie Shop/ Record Store, I've got to finish this move.
So folks... I need another two weeks ,I'll reorganize and  be back to the story.
With more to show and so much more to tell. I've gotten some really good recipes I want to start sharing too.   These Tarts are just the start of what I hope will be  a huge hit with all my friends and family.
See ya

Every pie tells a story

As of today I have baked  70 pies.
Not all of them good ~ but all of them have been valuable.
Valuable lessons that I could not  have gotten any other way.

I have taught myself  (more or less) the art of baking.
And it is an art.
I look at rolling  dough like an artist would look at clay.
Sometimes my dough tasted  like clay.
Like most things in life we learn best from our mistakes and fortunately for me the worst my pies turn out... the better the lesson.
SO... as I retell the tale of woe bear in mind
that I actually have  learned a thing or two about pies
and I have become an accomplished baker.

Our  story left off Just after Thanksgiving .
We were in the middle of holiday gluttony. Every day another excuse to have over the top delightfully rich comfort food.
My guy and I made some lame attempts to changing  our diets but who can at this time of year ?? Too many left overs, can't just throw them out, how wasteful!
With all that turkey  tempting us,
I thought
why not try my hand at a dinner pie?

#24 Whole Wheat Turkey pie

I was totally thinking of his health
and the brownie points I would earn
when I masterminded this disastrous pie.

OK... so when baking with whole wheat one should not use just whole wheat but rather cut it
half and half with white flour.
Did not know this.
What a waste of an excellent bird.

#25-#28 Chicken Pot Pies

I felt the need to redeem myself by making  Chicken pot pies. Safe and effective.
Yes this was the ticket, diced chicken  Cream of Mushroom soup, and a little sprinkling of peas and carrots.
Perfect.
Easy.

 I also baked another pecan Pie that night and the edges were just about perfect.

BTW my date stamp is usually way  off.
Like my  old VCR  which was perpetually blinking  12:00...
I  cannot set any of my  digital equipment.

#29 Pecan Pie

I know I baked this pie after Thanksgiving.
But..

the main point I want to stress here...look at those edges!!!
I did it, finally!
( not perfect but pretty damn close)
OMG  how can such a simple little thing like that elude me for so long?
And why oh why has this become my white whale???

Cabin fever?
Nah, its not even Christmas yet.
I haven't even reached Pie #30 yet.     cheese us..
  I  had to get out of that  kitchen.
"I would love a  road trip into Chicago" I thought to myself 
 Rock N' Roll  road trip.
Yeah.  I've earn it.

The primal urge to bake

NOW  what do I do?
Do I continue on  making as many pies as I can till I hit my goal number?
Or do I stop now... and change my guy's diet?
I mean.. what good will it do to reach the number; I might be placing  that last pie on his grave!
The project had quickly taken a different direction. Sure I started this as a joke  but I was falling in love with baking.
I enjoy the whole the creative process.
Its not just for him anymore. This satisfies something deep and primal within me. I know it sounds crazy, but I think I found something I can do really well.
I love him, its true..
if we were meant to marry.. we'll marry.. regardless of the number of pies I make him, right?
I want to keep making pies.
 I could learn how to modify.. use less sugar, cut down on the carb.'s a little pie now and then won't kill him, I reasoned.
So onward I bake.
Ti's the season for home baked comfort food.
Thanksgiving week was coming up  and I committed myself to 3 pies for the family feast.
Like most  large  families we  all chip in for the dinner.
We each have our own distinct specialties.
Mine had been the floral arrangements, but not this year.
This year I'll join the "kitchen people" and create some comfort of my own.
Mother of course was in charge of the main course.
My second eldest brother (who is a professional chef) makes the homemade bread and  usually an elaborate  side dish. So on blah blah blah..
I planned on taking over the dessert menu from one of my sisters .
Well, as the dinner approached everyone  was finding the whole project I was working on quite humorous.
They truly believed I was incapable of serving an edible pie.
I hadn't given them any reason to believe otherwise. So now was my moment to shine, I hoped.

 I  impressed the family.. and no one complained.

#21 Pear Pie with a lattice top.

My first lattice top.

Since I couldn't for the life of me do a simple pinch
 I use a knife to do a decorative edge.

#22 Pumpkin Chiffon

#23 Frozen Cranberry Cream
 

this was the crowd   favorite. I made this the night before and kept it in the freezer.
but the dough barely made it to the edge.


So Thanksgiving came and went. They meet the guy and ate my pies and no drama. Wow, I think this is going to be the start of a beautiful relationship. Pie , Guy and I.