My how the time flies (& and a note about maple pumpkin pie)

One day I was making Thanksgiving dinner and the very next my emails were shouting at me about last minute holiday shopping. I made two perfect pies for our feast. Ian fell so all in love with them that I promised him I'd make a pie a week, and promised myself I would share the recipes here. So far, I haven't made good on my promises. But I intend to. Starting with this here pumpkin pie. It's made with 1/2 maple syrup and 1/2 brown sugar for a silky texture and complex taste. Here's the recipe.

You will need...
• 1 basic pie crust (I use a 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening recipe)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c. light cream
• 1/2 c. pure maple syrup, preferably dark or grade B
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 tbl. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ea. ground cloves & nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 15 oz. can or 1 and 3/4 c. fresh pumpkin puree (I'll admit to using canned here as it is so much easier that cooking and processing the pumpkin and there are some good organic options in the can, man)
• Fresh Whipped cream, for garnish (optional, but who doesn't want whipped cream?)

Here's what to do...
Make the crust, if you haven't already and partially pre bake it according to your best recipe. Set it aside to cool completely before you add any filling. Heat oven to 350˚.

Beat eggs in medium bowl. Whisk in milk, syrup and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl then add to wet mixture and stir until it's completely combined. Lastly, add the pumpkin mush and whisk it all together. The mixture will be very soupy at this point, but since it's a custard, it does all the magical thickening while it bakes.

Place pie in the oven on a center rack and bake for 25 minutes. Rotate the pie 180˚ and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling is set. The edges of the filling will likely have puffed a little when the pie is done, and there will be a slight sheen, but not in the center. In fact, the center may wobble just a touch even though the custard is set. Careful not to overcook as it will cracked (see a Cracked Custard holiday pie here).

Cool for at least an hour before serving and that's it! Serve it warm (it should still have a little warmth even after an hour of cooling) or at room temperature or chill covered with tented aluminum. I think this pie gets better the day after it is made when all the flavors have had a chance to really meld together. And, while it's good all on it's own, a scoop of whipped cream is a perfect garnish. Hmmmhmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

and we're back...

Back from my extended coffee break and ready to share photos and notes on all the travel, art, design and love of these many many moons.

Above is a shot of some store bought molasses cookies. I've since started making my own with this delicious recipe from Gourmet Magazine (be sure to read the reviews on this one as the suggested changes make it cookie perfection).

strawberries & rhubarb

Rhubard is not something I often find at our farmers' markets. So when I do see it, I buy as much as I can and make pie for my sweetheart. Rhubarb is his favorite.

This one got very juicy will all the delicious Albion strawberries I used. Whenever I bake a fruit pie I place a foil lined baking sheet on the rack below it in the oven to catch all the fruity runoff.





Sadly, I forgot the foil this time and those pink puddles landed on the bottom of our Hotpoint.

Yellow Nectarine Pie

This first summer pie was long overdue.

Yellow nectarines are one of my favorite pie fruits. The peels bake up all soft and tasty and turn the filling the loveliest shade of pink.

I add just a touch of almond extract to go with the almond crumb top. Then wait for those juices to bubble thickly.

They baked a cake!

Yesterday was our last day of studio art class for the year. It's  bittersweet, though maybe a little on the sweeter side this time because of a most amazing cake made by two of our students. A delicious ending.

Sloppy Summer Pie

This pie started off so well, with perfectly sweet raspberries and fresh yellow peaches from the farmers market.








Everything seemed to be going well, the juices were bubbling thickly and it would be done in time to bring to a Sunday BBQ with friends.





Sadly, when we cut into it, there was something like a peach raspberry soup inside the crumb topped crust. Isn't that always the way when there are eight hungry grown ups and 2 salivating toddlers waiting to eat desert.  





Well, it was devoured anyway. Even if it was a sloppy failure.

first nectarine pie of the season

I nearly jumped out of my socks when I saw all the stone fruit at the farmer's market last week. I bought enough nectarines to make this pie for my visiting Bostonian friends. It was delicious. I barely had time to snap this rough photo with my camera phone before the pie was all eaten up.

{see more photos of nectarine goodness here}

lemon grass

Maybe today will be the day I finally get to work in our garden. My friend Sooz gave me some lovely lemon grass and I want to find a special spot for it to live and thrive for years to come.

Sooz keeps me stocked with fresh plants so that I will make her plenty of delicious lemon bars.

comfort food

I love italian food when the weathers cold. So I was totally stoked when the March issue of Bon Appétite had all these baked pasta recipes. This rigatoni dish with eggplant and pine nuts is my latest fave.

It is chock full of yummy veggies and fresh basil, not to mention mozzarella and parmesan. Delish.

Half Baked

I'm finally back in the kitchen and starting to bake again. Sunday, I made a pimiento mac & cheese and lemon grass lemon bars, both from recipes I found in this month's Bon Appétite.

And last night I baked a couple of herb quiches with all butter crusts. Yum.

{Lovely lemon bar photo by Adrian Gaut}

plums and other stone fruit

As long as I am waving goodbye to summer and all that it brings to market, I guess it's about time I say farewell to the stone fruits.

I made this fabulous plum galette from a recipe I found in Sunset. I go mad for plums and nectarines especially, and I love to bake with both.

It was beautiful and delicious, with it almond paste filling and tender cream cheese crust.

cranberries, cornbread, etc.

I've been experimenting with cranberries and cornbread as of late.

Monday I made buttermilk cornbread to go with our vegetarian chili...

... and I threw a few cranberries into this tiny pie plate just for fun.

Tonight, I used our leftovers to make a cranberry cornbread dressing. I think it will be extra tasty with our miniature roasted chicken. Yum and yumm.

ugly nectarine pie

This was my first summer fruit pie of the year and I must be totally honest, it was UGLY. The crust was stained and burnt with overflowed filling and the almond crumb topping was too crisp in places and not brown enough in others. But oh those nectarines were yummy and the pie was eaten up in just a couple days. And at least there's proof that I can make a nectarine pie look pretty... see here for the photos.

Cream Cheese Brownies

I had this insane craving for cream cheese brownies...

... so I decided to make some.

They turned out pretty terrible—not enough chocolate or cream cheese—but we ate them anyway. Every last one.