not pie

 
After inquiring about the egg shaped wrinkly fruits on one farmer's table at the farmers' market I learned they were passion fruit. He opened one up and showed me the inside, it smelled wonderful! I immediately wanted to mix the fragrant sweet jelly with fresh strawberries and mangoes.

This recipe came together just from the desire for warm summer fruit pie with a scoop of ice cream but not wanting to make a crust and whole pie. So I used small casserole dishes and made two small crisps. To make a full crisp I would double this recipe.

Strawberry Mango Passion Crisp

Topping:
4 T granola (plain, honey or any flavor you would like to try)
2 T quick cook oatmeal
2 T brown sugar
1 T sugar
dash of fresh nutmeg
dash of salt
2 T chilled unsalted butter
1 T flour

Fruit:
1 1/2 baskets of strawberries (halved)
1 mango
2 passion fruits
2 T brown sugar
1 T sugar
1 T flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Choose 2 small baking dishes or one square or small pie plate.

Mix the ingredients for your topping all the way to butter, wait to use the flour at the end. Once you mix everything cut the butter into the mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives.

Mix the fruit in a separate bowl. To use the passion fruits cut in half with a bread knife and scoop out the insides to mix in with the strawberries and mango.

Scoop the fruit into your baking dishes. Toss the 1 T of flour from the topping list over fruit. Add topping mixture evenly on top.

Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes or until you see the fruit bubbling.

Cool for 1/2 hour and serve with a scoop of ice cream. These also refrigerate well and heat up in the oven the next day deliciously.

* * * 

I'm baking 12 unique pies in 2012, this is number 7. 

lately

...just being seems wonderful and amazing and heavy all at the same time

I was sitting outside the other day craving to inhale the scent of summer which would wash over me and then I'd be able to feel it within me. It has always been easy for me to stir up the carefreeness of summer. This year has been different, unexpected angst along with beautiful family gatherings and travels.

Ever grateful for all that I have and get to experience.

Ladybug, our fluffy girl who likes to sleep on my head, has become very sick in a very short time. We will know more in the coming days, in the meantime she is getting cantaloupe (her favorite), baby food and lots of love.

7.21 to 8.1
...

found

Fragrant sweet juicy peaches from the farmer's market. Hooray! 

first sunday in february pie

a flaky buttery crust holding a rich chocolate pudding like filling topped with walnuts and pecans baked right in

First Sunday in February Pie

pie crust, Martha's trusty recipe (you'll just need half for this pie)

3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups walnuts and walnut halves (keep in large pieces)
3/4 cup pecans, whole or halves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out and set your dough into a 9 inch pie pan, trim and finish off edges. Place the pie pan in the 'fridge while you prepare the pie filling.

In a large bowl beat eggs until blended. Add corn syrup through butter until evenly mixed. Continue beating mixture and slowly add chocolate and beat until smooth. (To melt this small amount of chocolate I used a low setting on the microwave and patiently checked it so it didn't overheat.) Stir in the walnuts and pecans. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. The nuts will naturally rise to the top, be sure to use a knife edge to separate if they clump in some areas.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes longer. After the first 15 minutes if your crust edges are browned nicely you may want to cover edges with foil or a pie crust shield so they don't burn. 

Your pie is ready when the filling has puffed and when moved the center will jiggle slightly. Set out to cool for an hour or more. I recommend overnight, it tasted even better this morning than last night!

Serve with a whipped cream or ice cream.

I am thinking of making this pie for Thanksgiving, a fun twist on a pecan nutty pie. Yum!

...

sunday night post

A little Hermie face in the bed. One of his (and my) very favorite places to be.

February has brought the whispers of tulips growing, tulips we picked out in Holland and shipped here just last Spring. If only the critters don't eat them up.

A new month a new set of goals...a new book to choose, this one was heartbreakingly fascinating, I see there is a whole series of oral histories on different topics so possibly I will work my way through them all.

Yes, another pie..so soon? Well February is awfully short and I was in the mood for chocolate pie. Will post a slice and recipe tomorrow. (twelve pies in 2012!)

Today my family kissed goodbye one of our kitties, a very dear kitty, especially to my mom. He was the one who woke her up with a gentle paw and talked to her throughout the day. When I would call Mom in the morning and ask what she was doing she would often say having a shnug with Wheetie. He loved a catnip cigar and to nestle up in my hair and purr. We were so lucky to have him to love and to love us back. Sweet, Wheetie as he was nicknamed, will always be with us. ♡

2.2 to 2.5

...

a little procrastination

In 2012 I have decide to make twelve pies, pies I've never made before, maybe pies made up by me!
So with the last day of January looming over me yesterday I scrambled together a pie. It turned out so delicious that it just might be the best pie I've ever made...which makes me excited for the next 11!

Last Minute Apple Pear Pie

5 pink lady apples
2 asian pears
3/4 cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1 t orange peel zest
juice from 1 lemon
2 T unsalted butter chilled, cut into tiny pieces
1 egg yolk

classic pie crust, I always make Martha's

crumble top, again I used Martha's expertise...I loved the idea of folding up about 2 inches of crust then having crumble in the middle

I prepared the apples and pears as I would for a regular apple pie but cut the pear slices thinner and smaller because I read they may take longer to bake through than apple slices. Stir in lemon juice as needed while cutting to keep the fruit from browning.

Mix together all of the dry ingredients then toss with apples and pears.

Lastly, stir in orange zest. Pile the mixture into the single pie shell, dotting with butter pieces. Mix the egg yolk with 2 T of water and brush onto the pie crust folded up on the edges.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Then sprinkle crumb topping in center and bake for another 30 minutes. You may want to cut a circle out of the middle of a folded piece of foil to lay over the outer crust while it bakes for the additional 30 minutes so you don't overbake your beautiful crust.

Be patient and let it cool for at least six hours before cutting into it!! Enjoy.


Leading up to the pie making day I spent a night in Las Vegas, finally got my slippers that were an exchange from Christmas and backordered (but worth the wait!) and cuddled Hermie a little extra since I was gone for those 38 some hours in Vegas.

1.28 to 2.1
...

not homemade

A little baby bird told me about the salted caramel mocha at Starbucks. I'm a sucker for anything salted caramel. This morning was perfect. Foggy. Chilly. Fall. It was just as good as the baby bird said. The very
last sip is a strong shot of salty chocolate deliciousness. Getting another one tomorrow.


Oh how I have been wanting some pumpkin pie. In my heart I wanted to make one myself but have
not had a moment to do so. Good thing you can get one at the store. It was delicious.

10.17 to 10.18

...

for dad

an apricot pie made from fresh fallen fruit, sugar, butter and lots of love

Happy Father's Day Dad!! xo
...

sun + berries

Just yesterday Mom and I slipped away for a morning walk on the beach. Sunbathing squirrels squinted at the sunshine and rows of pelicans flew back and forth overhead. We found shells, breathed in the sky and waves and pondered the footprints that came before us.

Then we picked our very own gems in the strawberry fields, filling our buckets to the very tippy tops! Two pies later (to be shared, I have not eaten them all up myself) and there is a single sweet tart slice left...

♥ Thank you Mom, such a beautiful morning. I'd been looking forward to our strawberry pickin' day. xo ♥ 

{4.27 to 4.28}

...

pie

...with an extra single crust leftover from the strawberry pie I had to make another, lucky for me Mom had perfectly ripened bananas... and so a banana cream pie was made

{3.22 to 3.23}
...

springtime

rays of sunshine, newborn doves...

rain soaked leaves, the color yellow

 and fresh homemade strawberry pie for breakfast!
...