I’m not much of a pie person at Christmastime. You will find me squarely in the cookie camp. I’ve never met a Christmas cookie I didn’t like… except those peanut butter ones with the Hershey’s Kisses in them. We have a huge debate in my house right now about those because I don’t understand why […]
read more
My boys are wondering why I am still practicing pumpkin pie. They are of the opinion that there must be a ceiling here – a moment when it’s perfect and I no longer have to get out my notebook, review my notes from past years and reach out for advice. It’s quite possible that they […]
read more
Every so often, I open my inbox to a message that says, “Do you sell your pies?” My answer is always the same – no. In every response, I go on to explain that I will gladly make pie for anyone, I just don’t accept money. This inevitably leads to an uncomfortable exchange, with the […]
read more
Let’s face it. Traditional pumpkin pie is in the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” category. Every Thanksgiving I embark on yet another futile effort to find THE pumpkin pie. You know where it is? On the back on the Libby’s pumpkin can. Sure, go ahead and roast your own pumpkin or get all […]
read more
When planning my Thanksgiving dessert table, I like to add hand pies as a nice way to change up the choices. Slices of pie are required of course, but when you have a crowd, hand pies offer a great alternative without the fuss of cutting and plating. Reasons you should make hand pies: If you […]
read more
I purposely don’t spend much time scouring the internet for recipes. I feel like they hinder my creativity by planting preconceived ideas in my head. That’s kind of the way I feel about toys for my kids – we don’t have many because I’d prefer that they figure out how to play with something by […]
read moreIt’s that time of year – bundles of holiday cards are arriving in my mailbox. Each shiny photo card of friends I love reminds me that I didn’t send any this year. Not because I was too busy, or because I forgot, but because I didn’t have a card-worthy photo. How vain of me. […]
read more
It’s 2012 and the best thing to do for a new year is to come clean and start fresh. Don’t get excited – there’s nothing juicy here like sordid affairs, slipping my kids Benadryl so they will sleep, or a problem with shop lifting. My confessions are rather mundane, but they are mine and blogging […]
read more
The calendar need only read December 1st and visions of orange zest, nutmeg, clove and spice start swirling in my head. How quickly I break up with pumpkin pie and move on to the warm, intoxicating smells of the winter holidays. December is a month that I spend in my kitchen trying to recreate the […]
read more
According to me, you get total pie street credit if you’re from the South. If you have an accent and hail from any of the states below Ohio, I automatically assume that you are harboring your Great Grandma’s family pie recipe and that you know some worldly secrets about great pie making. After all, don’t […]
read more
I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm in my heart for the other big “P” of the Thanksgiving table. Pecan pie. I’ve always put it into the category of Stuff My Dad Eats: Pickled beets, spinach with vinegar, chicken livers, cole slaw… food that I’m convinced takes a heavy dose of testosterone to palate. I […]
read more
There is a distinct rank and file to my Thanksgiving table: 1. Pumpkin Pie 2. Pumpkin Pie 3. Oyster dressing 4. Turkey Nothing upstages pumpkin pie in my book. About three weeks before Thanksgiving, I find myself drawn to every magazine at the grocery store. “Your best Thanksgiving Ever!” (Yes!) “A Pumpkin Pie to Wow […]
read more