pie

Team Pie and Team Cake Shirts

I’ve been meaning to make these shirts since the first Twilight movie came out, because I never cared much for Edward or Jacob, but I do care a lot about dessert. I also have a vague recollection of having a (semi-sober) discussion (argument) with someone about whether cake or pie was better, which was quite a silly thing to have a disagreement about because everyone knows that pie is better than cake. Thankfully, I don’t remember with whom I was having this discussion, so I can’t hold their wrong opinion against them. (Notice I was nice enough to make a shirt for the misguided cake-espousers. Because I’ll take their money, even though they’re wrong.)

Team Pie Shirt

Team Cake Shirt

Team Pie and Team Cake Shirts, for sale on redbubble.com.

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National Pie Day

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  • Post category:Odd Holidays

According to Cliff Ardall, a seasonal-affective disorders scientist in Cardiff, Wales, January 23rd is the Gloomiest Day of the Year. The factors are weather (overcast skies), finances (people receive their Christmas bills around this time), and breaking New Years resolutions (I bought a book yesterday).
According to the American Pie Council, January 23rd is National Pie Day. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going with the pie. Pie for everyone!!!!

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Almond Pastry

From the kitchen of: Kelly Ackley.

  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  • Betty Crocker Smooth & Creamy Vanilla frosting
  • Chopped walnuts (or almonds)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 1 stick of butter to 1 cup of flour & bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1 or one-and-a-half teaspoon almond extract. Quickly stir in 1 cup of flour & mix well until smooth & no lumps. One at a time (important) stir in 3 eggs.

Separately…

Mix 1 cup flour, 3 TBSP water, and 1 stick butter until smooth. Roll into a ball and divide in half. Pat out each half into two strips (onto a cookie sheet). Spread above mixture on each layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour–no more, no less!

Let cool and then frost and add nuts.

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Apple and Cheese Torte

From the kitchen of: Tami Putney.

  • 1 stick butter or margarine
  • 3/4 Cup sugar, divided
  • 1 teasp. vanilla, divided
  • 1 Cup flour
  • 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 4 thinly sliced apples
  • 1/2 teasp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespn. milk
  • 2 tablespn. toasted and slivered almonds

Cream together butter, 1/4 Cup sugar and 1/2 teasp. vanilla. Add four and when it’s well blended press the mixture into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9" spring form pan. Beat the cream cheese, 1/4 Cup sugar, the egg and 1/2 teasp. vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared crust.

Toss the apple slices lightly with 1/4 Cup sugar and cinnamon. Layer evenly over the cream cheese. Bake at 450 degree F. for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven to 400 degrees and continue baking for 30-45 minutes or until the apples test "done". Cool the pan and then remove the sides of the pan and place on a serving plate. Combine the powdered sugar and milk, drizzle over the torte and garnish with almonds.

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Apple Squares

From the kitchen of: Tami Putney.

Try to avoid eating very many of these squares on the day you make them, as they improve immeasurably on the second and third day! This recipe originally came from a Pillsbury bake-off. Makes 12-15 squares)

  • 2 cups unbleached white flour
  • 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  • 1-2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 apples)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and margarine. Blend at low speed, until the mixture forms fine crumbs. If you want to include them, stir in the nuts now. Place 2 3/4 cups of the crumb mixture into an ungreased 13×9 inch pan. Press down firmly. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the apples) to the remaining crumb mixture. Blend well. Stir the chopped apples into the batter. Spoon the batter evenly over the crumb base in the pan. Bake at 350 deg. F for 30-40 minutes. If you use the larger pan, bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool before cutting. Better yet, let it wait 24 hours before cutting. Store loosely covered.

Difficulty: easy. Time: 15 minutes preparation, 40 minutes baking. Precision: approximate measurement OK.

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Irresistible Apple Pie

From the kitchen of: unknown.

  • 6 cups sliced, peeled Jonathan apples (about 6 pounds, or 6 medium apples)
  • 2 tablespoons of orange juice
  • 1/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss apples and orange juice in large bowl. Combine brown sugar, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Toss with apples until coated. Set aside and make pie crust.

Pie Crust

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup Crisco (3/4 stick)
  • 5 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in Crisco using pastry blender or 2 knives until all flour is in to form peas-sized chunks.

Sprinkle with water, one tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with fork until dough forms into a ball. Divide dough into two equal parts. Press between hands to form two 5 to 6 inch pancakes.

Four pancakes lightly on both sides. Roll bottom crust between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap on dampened countertop.

Peel off top sheet. Trim one larger than the upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Flip into pie plate. Remove other sheet. Trim edges even with pie plate.

Finishing Up

  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar

Spoon filling into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter. Moisten pastry edges with water.

Roll top crust the same way as the bottom. Peel off top sheet. Flip onto filled pie. Remove other sheet. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Flute. Cut slits in top crust for steam to escape.

Brush top crust with milk. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover top with sheet of foil to prevent overbrowning.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 10 to 20 minutes longer or until apples are tender, filling in center is bubbly, and crust is golden brown. Cool pie to room temperature before serving.

Makes one 9-inch pie.

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