On Sunday, I had wanted to play Colonial Mom and bake an apple pie. That didn’t happen. I spent most of the day looking for that favorite recipe. I knew exactly where it was. In that “Pie” Cookbook that I had. I looked in the bookcase where most of the cookbooks are kept, NOPE….. not there. I looked in another area where the Cookbook Encyclopedia series is stored… NOPE …. Not there either…… AHHHHH….. Found a box filled with more cookbooks…..WHAT, not here? Where could that book be? I thought a moment, and realized I didn’t see my garnishing books anywhere….OK… another place to look. SUCCESS….. there it was, under those books. (Why ? ) I opened the book, began to look thru the pages and THERE IT WAS. The newspaper cut out with a recipe for the best Apple pie I ever tasted along with a crust recipe I had gotten from an old neighbor who baked all the time. From my recollection, this crust was so easy to roll out, I was excited. I looked at the clock and realized, it was late and I was really to tired to begin making an apple pie. It would have to wait for another time.
Monday morning, I feel a sense of guilt of not making the pie the day before. This blog has given me a new sense of accountability. I MUST make this pie…. I wrote it down, it was a goal…not just a dream. It was early enough, I didn’t have to leave for a job for hours. So I started.
I love kitchen gadgets, my latest being “eggies” even though the review were mixed. (hey, I could always use them to make Jello eggs at Easter if the extraordinary stuffed eggs don’t work out) You name it, I probably got it…… slicers, dicers, zig-zag cutters, mixers, bakers, silicon pans, crock pots, pressure cookers, … the list goes on and on). Unlike the Colonial Mom, I began to gather all those time saving kitchen wonders…… definitely that apple corer/slicer/ cutter, the pastry blender, that special “Paint” brush…..
I begin and I have 6 Granny Smith apples sliced/diced and peeled in lightening speed time. I begin to collect the ingredients and begin mixing the sugar and spices with the apples and see my cinnamon jar is empty… not a problem, here is the unlabeled jar that came home with my daughter from college last year. I shake in the cinnamon, what a wonderful aroma…WAIT…WHAT ! ! ! ! WHAT IS THIS…. OH NO…… IT IS NOT CINNAMON…. IT IS COCOA POWDER ! ! ! ..whoops …..I go back to the pantry and find some cinnamon and think “its only a little, how bad can it be” With the apples, sugars and spices all mixed in the bowl I begin waiting for the juices to form and drain.
Time to make the crust. I carefully read the recipe and gather the ingredients for that. Going to be more careful on this one. I reach the ingredient…..VINEGAR…. but what kind of vinegar ? I have white , red, balsamic, pomegranate, apple cider…. That’s it Apple Cider, it has to be that, I mean it IS an apple pie. I begin to mix all the crust ingredients, making a mental note that I need to get more Crisco for my next baking event….hey, I really need some tunes, so with dough covered fingers I go and turn on the radio to listen to some music while I work. I find the deep dish pyrex pie pan…. The one I remember my mom using when she would make pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving when I was a child……I roll out the dough and realize how “dough circle” challenged I am. Who would think it would be so difficult to roll out a 12 “ circle of dough….I try to think back to when I was a child, I loved playing with my Play-Doh, I rolled out dough all the time….. have I forgotten how? I will try to do better with the top, it has to be like riding a bike, it will come back.
With crust in pan, (OH NO, I don’t have any apricot preserves to paint on the bottom, this Chinese duck sauce packet will have to do ), I drain the apples as instructed, mix in some cornstarch….another item to add to the grocery list…..dump these delicious smelling apples into the crust and proceed to thicken the liquid…..time to think about the pie top. I contemplate creating a lattice top… look at the time and decide otherwise. Maybe I can find a cookie cutter of some leaves…. I remember that from a magazine somewhere…. I mean this is a work of art… after pouring in the thickened liquid into the apples,..I roll out the 12” inch circle (much better this time) fold it carefully and place it on top of the pie, unfold it and cut away the excess along the edges. Plenty of dough to create some leaves……. I look thru my mini cookie cutter…… hearts, circles, rabbits ….. no leaves…… flowery looking ones, and then I see the one I will use…… I roll out the leftover dough, carefully cutting and placing the cutouts along the top of the pie. Edges crimped (where is that special pie edger tool ? ) The assembly is finished and it is ready to go into the freezer (12 hours for a crispy dough)…..I look at the clock…. About 1 hour and 15 minutes has elapsed, not as bad as I though,( but the kitchen is a disaster). I am elated I have accomplished this goal.
The pie is still in the freezer, it will be baked later today for tonight’s dinner. I look at my work of art…… with the circle of Angels and the Big Heart in the center and say a prayer to say how thankful I am for all I have in my life and the Angels who watch over all of us and keep us safe from harm.
Mrs. SMITH…. Watch out….. this pie may just put you out of business ! ! ! ! !
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