Pie, oh heavenly pie!

You're gonna wish you could sniff your monitor when you read this post.

I love to bake. I started cooking and baking around ten. I remember my Grandma Gregson visiting up from Alberta one time when I was in eighth grade, and her giving me pie dough tips while I made a pie.

My grandpa Gregson, who I never met, was a baker when my dad was a child. I like to think I got this love from him. My dad loves baked goods, and like it or not - so do I. We are a family who on family night, got in the car, and drove to the bakery. (or other yummy establishments - and I wonder why I'm so Chub-a-rella?)

My dad would say, "What!? Where are we going. Oh no, the car is taking over. It's driving on it's own. It's driving to Baskin' Robbins" Or The Ranch Drive-in, or Hillcrest Bakery, or where ever there was something yummy to eat.

Being from Canada, there are always a few things my dad likes that not a lot of others do. Like Butter Tarts, Mincemeat pie, or Nanimo Bars. (I'll put some recipes of these up later - they're SOOO good. Except for Mincemeat pie. Woof) He also likes Rhubarb pie - as do I.

A lot.

So, for Memorial Day I got a special request for 'Rhubarb Pie and homemade Potato Salad.' (I'll post the potato salad recipe soon - even if you think you don't like potato salad, you'll love this one)

It's Rhubarb season here. But with only one plant each, my dad and I had to combine our 'harvest' to make our one pie. Aren't the leaves amazing? I think they're the most beautiful foliage.

Here's the dough recipe and some tips on baking. This is my favorite dough, but you have to be pretty exact or it's a bomb. Weird; I know.

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 sticks of butter, cold and cut into small pieces

1/3 cup water

Combine the flour, salt and sugar in your food processor; mix. Put the pieces of butter in, mix for 10 seconds. (here is where you have to be exact! No more than 10 seconds.) It should look like corn meal. Now add the water, a little at a time, just barely mix - just enough to get wet. I usually use the whole amount of water. Now dump the mixture on the counter. It will be quite crumblie, it's okay. Start pressing it together - you should have enough water in there to, once you start shaping it, will stick together just fine. You should be able to butter chunks as well. (mmmmmm, butter chunks) Now divide the dough in half and make two flat circles out of it. (like 3/4 in. by 4 in.) You will be wrapping these in saran wrap and chilling in the fridge for an hour or so. Don't forget that they need to come back to near room temp to roll them out, so plan accordingly if you're on a schedule.

Roll out the pie dough with flour. Not too much, don't forget that the more you handle dough and the more flour you use, it will become tough and less flaky. (less flaky, like me-haha) Roll out both circles. Put one in the bottom of the pan and prick with a fork. (this prevents air bubbles) You can use the second as the top, or try a lattice top.


To do a lattice top, like the one above, roll out your dough and use a ruler and a pizza cutter to make one inch strips. (oh yeah, baby - it's too good not to taste!) Pinch the pieces one inch apart on one edge of the pie - once the filling is in, of course. Weave in the other pieces going the other way, over under over under. Clean up the edges by crimping with your thumb and fore finger pressed to into your other thumb.

I always put foil around my edges for the first half of the baking time. Just tear three small sheets and gently crunch them around. Take these off halfway through - careful, they're hot. (like me! - again, haha) You'll always get a perfect crust if you do this.

Can you smell it yet? Oh my. Someone help me. I've been on the wagon 11 days and my mouth is seriously watering just looking at the pictures. Imagine poor little me making this - and only enjoying the smells. Mmmm. It's okay. I know what pie tastes like, and thin takes better. Or so I hear; I've never actually experienced thin - but it sure looks good.

Whah-la!

Need I say more?

Cake and blossoms

The apple blossoms are now here. I rarely open my bedroom blinds, except for this time of year. To see the blossoms. I love them.

The birds love them too. Most have found their nests and settled in for their babies to hatch. But just a few weeks ago you could count more than 20 robins in our three-tree orchard at any given time. See. They like them too.



Spring should bring renewed hope. The days are perfectly long, and the temperature lacks of nothing. Crisp in the morning, warm in the afternoon, and asks for a sweater in the evening.

So why the long face?

Sometimes things just don't go the way you want. Do they? Some days just are flat out smelly. Well. It's been a few of those days now. And to top it off; our new Easter fish, 'Wish the Fish' died yesterday.

And I didn't even tell the kids.

Only thing to make stinky times better? That's right.

Chocolate cake.


Generally, I prefer ALL from scratch cake. But this cake does NOT disappoint. Believe you - me!

1 pkg. devild food cake mix
1 (3oz) instant choc. pudding
2 c. sour cream
1 c. melted butter
5 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
2 c. semi-sewwt choc. chips

Topping:
8 oz. semi-sweet choc. chips
3/4 c. cream




Preheat oven to 350. Grease 10in bundt pan. Mix cake mix and pudding mix well. Add everything else, except the chocolate chips. Beat on low for 4 minutes. Blend in chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Turn out on wire rack and cool.


Icing/Topping:
In a saucepan mix the chips and cream. Melt slowly, then driddle over cake.



Mmmmm. Now don't you feel better?

Recipes!

Here’s the bread recipe you’ve all been waiting for. Okay, well not waiting for – but here it is, none the less. It really is the easiest, fastest, yummiest recipe ever. I have never been one to care about the flour, but I will totally admit that good flour makes a huge difference. I’ve made it a lot using regular grocery store flour, and it’s still really good. But I suggest you find your local equivalent to Lehi Roller Mills Turkey Flour. I’ve heard there is something called Montana something or other at most grocery stores that I think would work well. And you can get lecithin at health food stores and the like. Maybe just your baking isle, not really sure. I got it at the Bosch kitchen center here in town.

I am also including a family favorite. It’s called Poppy seed Chicken and our family, and many others love it. My bread, the chicken and our family’s chocolate cake recipe are by far my most asked for recipes. So, without further a dew, here they are! (let me know if you want me to post the cake…together they all make a fantastic Sunday dinner – okay, so add a veggie in if you want. Fine.)

5 c. white bread flour
¼ c. sugar
1 T. salt
3 rounded T. instant yeast
1 ½ quarter-sized drops of lecithin (=1 ½ T.)(squeeze right into the flour mixture)
2 c. hot tap water (as hot as yours will go)

Add the sugar to the hot water, stir in yeast and let sit until activated. (5 min or so) Pour the lecithin right onto the flour and salt mixture (just eyeball it, don’t measure into a spoon – it’s WAY too sticky and makes a huge mess) Pour the hot water mixture in now and turn on the mixer. I use a bosch, but whatever you have will work. Mix for five minutes. While mixing, spray a little Pam on your counter and coat two bread pans well. After it’s mixed, put on the counter and separate into two loaves. Shape and put in pans, cover with a dish towel for 25 minutes. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool on a cooling rack. Mmmm.

I have to tell you that for 13 years, or so, I have been trying to make a really great bread. Not even a healthy one, just really yummy. I haven’t been able to get flavor, consistency, ease or texture all from the same recipe – until now. Hope you like it. It’s all done, start to finish in less than an hour.

Here’s the chicken, enjoy!

4 med chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 pt sour cream

2 Tbsp Lemon juice (we like the zing of this, so add to the taste of your family)

1 Tbsp poppy seeds (or more if you like)

Cook chicken (I boil mine in salt, pepper and garlic salt) Mix soup, sour cream, lemon juice and poppy seeds, stir in diced chicken. Pour into 9x13 pan.

Topping:1 c butter, melted1 1/2 to 2 rolls of Ritz crackers1 Tbsp poppy seeds Empty crackers into a gallon zip lock and get mad! (crush with a rolling pin :) Add melted butter and mix. Crumble over the chicken and mix, sprinkle poppy seeds on top. (My family LOVES the topping, so I put lots on. You can do more or less. Whatever your family likes.)

Bake at 350 for 30 min, til bubblie. You can eat it plain, serve over rice or angel hair pasta. (Or whatever you like!)