I think I'm finally relaxing from the busyness of this past summer. Relaxing so much that I've been having a difficult time finding the energy to do any regular posting here. Also, there's also some kind of a short between my brain and my fingers as I've not been commenting much on other blogs either, although I have been reading them.
Of course, there are still the items on the daily list that need to be tended to and I've actually stumbled through accomplished some bigger type tasks that I neglected all summer.
I've been out of my pre-made pie crust dough in the freezer so attempted to whip up a triple batch this afternoon. Just as I was nearly through the second batch, I realized I had forgotten to put in half the butter I should have in the first batch. (I use equal parts lard and butter in my crusts.) Arrrgh. As I say, my brain cells don't seem to be functioning really well. (And my vision may be going, too. Didn't I see that butter sitting there?) I won't go into the details but I tried to salvage that first batch by adding the forgotten butter after the dough had already been formed into one-crust balls and was cooling in the refrigerator. It was not easy. Or pretty.
I knew I've never serve one of those pie crusts to unsuspecting friends without trying them out first so I made a haskap berry pie. We'll sample it for dessert tonight and find out if it's edible. If not, the poultry will be beside themselves. And full of huge amounts of antioxidants contained in the haskap berries.
Yesterday I took a mental health day and did a lot of sorting and a little bit of cleaning in my quilt room. As I've been bitten by the X-stitching bug lately, I sorted through my patterns and a tote of supplies which also contained a few projects that . . . well, needed completion. (Who the heck would have stashed them away when there was so little left to take the projects to completion?!)
My dear daughter has been asking me for suggestions for what I would like for Christmas.
In my sorting yesterday, I came across this piece that had only about a third of the border to finish which I did last night. She does a whiz-bang job of matting and framing pictures (or pieces of handwork!) so I gave it to her today asking that she would do so and give it back to me as a Christmas present. She seemed happy with the arrangement and I certainly will be.
Time to go rustle up some dinner for us. Papa Pea has said he has had a hankering for some fresh, raw vegetables and dip so that's what we're having along with some vegetable soup with beef. I have a huge freezer stuffed full with frozen vegetables from the garden . . . and he wants raw veggies. Sigh.
27 comments:
There's just something about raw veggies! And I'm beyond curious - how was the pie?!?!?!?!?!?!???
That pie looks amazing. Hope the taste test was a success. :)
I had to laugh when you said you might feed the pie to the chickens. I'm quite certain we would finish it, even if it wasn't up to snuff! The cut out pattern on the top is so pretty! -Jenn
Well, the pie looks good. Did it pass the taste test?
Yes, how was the pie? For the chickens...never! We'd eat it anyway! Its always good to get the craft/quilt room sorted and organized, ready for those blustery days when quality time can be spent there. That is a lovely piece of needlework. I have a couple of UFO's that I am plodding through to finish, reminding me of why they were put away, unfinished. Some things are just not as pleasant to work on for one reason or another!
THE PIE CRUST REPORT: I am really amazed that it was not bad at all. As I was rolling out the two crusts, there were big blobs of butter in evidence but I guess the baking kinda "smoothed" everything together. The turned-under crust around the edge (or "the wood" as my husband likes to call it) was not as flaky (perhaps one would say a smidge on the hard side) as usual but the flavor didn't suffer much. So, sorry poultry. We're going to manage to eat that botched up pie crust ourselves!
Well, at least you remembered the butter. I made biscuits and forgot the salt! Talk about flat tasting ...
I made pumpkin pie with out the sugar once!!!! It was for Thanksgiving, quite a few years ago. You should have seen the looks that went around the table when they all tasted it! I still get ribbed about it!
One time my mother made cherry pie without the sugar. So she pulled the top crust off, tried to mix some sugar in and reassembled the pie. It wasn't the best pie
Of course Papa would want some fresh veggies now. It's probably been a minute or two since he's had any. I do the same thing. I'll replant tomato suckers in pots to have fresh 'maters deep into winter and cold store carrots and daikon radishes for those occasions.
Katie C. - Isn't it just amazing the difference even a wee bit of salt makes in our food? I think another word for bland is "no salt!"
Rosalea - When we had our restaurant, I made all the pies we served. At one time I was desperate for help as I was getting up at 4:30 to bake pies and then actively working in the kitchen either cooking or prepping or managing, etc until closing at night. I hired a gal to (hopefully) take over the pie baking. The first batch of rhubarb pies she made were without the sugar. Talk about displeased customers! Oh, yeah.
SmartAlex - At least she discovered her mistake before serving the pie!
Cockeyed Jo - And I guess we've got to remember that raw veggies are probably better for us than those that have lost some of their nutrition in cooking. I've got a good supply of raw carrots from our garden that we do munch on pretty regularly. Personally, I don't much care for cooked ones.
It is busy for many of us- I thought with this Covid thing- many of us would have lots of 'extra time' to get things done. Nope!
Hope the pie is good! It might surprise you.
Have a wonderful week-xo Diana
You might enjoy The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. It's about a quilting club in a small town in Kansas during the Great Depression. Lots of quilting talk, and a peek at life in the Thirties on drought-ridden farms and families desperate to hang onto them when they can't pay their mortgage.
I am so proud of you! Sounds like you’re balancing out your life well I’m getting a lot done in the process even though it may not feel like it.
Hi looks marvelous and if you ever need a sample tester you just holler I’ll pay the freight LOL.
NanaDiana - I think if you're a busy person with a full life, you'll never have a slow time in which to "get things done!" ;o)
BethB - I read The Persian Pickle Club years ago. But with my memory, I'm sure I could pick it up again and enjoy it one more time!
Goatldi - Can you just imagine what the pie would look like if I stuffed it into a padded envelope and sent it on to you? Hee-hee!
Post office would probably love you😊
Hi, That pie looked tasty. I was intrigued to find out what haskap berries are and now I'm thinking of buying two bushes to grow in our new garden in Wales (UK).If I get them from different nurseries then they should be unrelated which what I understand I need.
Ruta M. - I think what is meant by "unrelated" is that you need at least one bush that is of a different variety haskap than the others. For instance, we currently have three bushes, two Borealis and one Berry Smart Blue variety. Both of them were obtained from the same nursery. We got ours in 2012 but understand that there are now "sweeter" varieties available so you might want to search those out. Good luck with them!
Good time for R and R, pie and soup!!!
Nancy - I can eat pie ANY TIME and winter time sure is soup weather. But our temp (crazy temp) has climbed to almost 45° today and I feel like we're leaving winter behind. (I may regret saying that soon.)
The pie looks so good! The weather here has been cold for us at this time of year. You have been busy. It's that time of year, Thanksgiving then Christmas ! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving even with this lousy Virus! xxoo
linnellnickerson - It really IS a busy time of year, isn't it? How could it not be with Thanksgiving and then Christmas and New Year's so soon after that. It will be different this year, but I think we all need to hold our traditions tightly even though they may not be the same as in previous years. Sending best wishes your way!
Oh, that pie! What a beautiful pie! I'm curious - what do haskaps taste like? I'm girding myself for a foray into the craft closet. It's a scary prospect. I wonder how many almost-finished projects I'll find?
Susan - Haskaps are much like blueberries (we think), but a smidge on the tart side. Curiously, when I made a haskap pie last year, no one could tell it from a blueberry pie. This year with this year's haskap berries, the pie had a definite tart taste to it. Not objectionable but so much enhanced(!) with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top! Different conditions under which they grew this year? Who knows.
If you don't surface by Monday, we'll know you're still in your craft closet. It's always amazing to me the things I find on such a foray that I had completely forgotten about. Good luck!
Ooh, what kind of berries? I have never heard of them and had to google...they sound delish but sadly don’t seem to grow here in Pennsylvania. We’ve just moved here this spring and I’m still learning how and what I can do this far north. You have been very busy indeed! Glad to have found your blog, cheers!
Kim - I do think you should be able to grow haskap berries in your location! There are a lot more varieties of them available now than when we planted ours years ago and if I understand correctly, some varieties are well adapted to more varied growing conditions. Hope you get to give them a try!
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