May, Rhubarb & Beekman Boys

Happy May, Happy Mother's Day. A friend shared these beautiful lilacs with me, and I just can't get enough of all the beautiful spring blooms. 

Each spring I look forward to seeing this rhubarb sign, it's self service with a cash jar on the table. $1.50 per bunch, just picked from her chemical-free garden. She happened to be pulling out of her driveway when we stopped to make our rhubarb purchase. Her smile was ear to ear. If you enjoy rhubarb, I have a couple recipes I enjoy mini pies  and rhubarb apple pandowdy.

When I was offered this beautiful Farm-to-Table Desserts book by chef Lei Shishak who grew up in rural Pennsylvania, I jumped at the offer to let my blog friends know about this new book with 80 seasonal, organic recipes. Go back to the earth, back to basics whenever you can. Back to a time when it was easy to find whole, chemical-free foods in your own community, to support local farmers. Lei demonstrates how baking with locally sourced, organic ingredients is so satisfying. This book is divided by seasons which I love since I try to use local ingredients at their prime. 

I made her Rhubarb Cardamon Cake which was lovely. "The texture and shape of this cake is similar to a pound cake, but what makes it so much more is the gorgeous red sweet-tart rhubarb on top and the hidden layers of soft rhubarb in the middle. This cake is lightly flavored with cardamon, ginger and orange liquor."

Ooh, what is in that mini Courtly Check loaf pan...it is a lavender poppyseed mini tea loaf that is the perfect size for two of us. It's from a gift set that comes with soap, lotion and a mini baking dish.  MacKenzie- Childs entered a regional-based collaboration with Beekman 1802 from Upstate NY. The "Beekman Boys" Josh and Brent were at MKC and we popped in to see them.  I have been to the Beekman Farm which is used for goat milk soap and cheese production. These are a couple perks of living in Central New York. Don't ask me in the winter why we live here. 

You may recall that in 2012 the "boys" won $1 million on the CBS show "The Amazing Race". They invested the money in the business. I found out about them several years ago when they had their own TV show on Planet Green and later on the Cooking Channel. They worked with Martha Stewart at one time.

I rarely make a pie because we can't eat more than two slices, so my sisters and nieces and I are enjoying the mini pies from the Breville pie maker that I dusted off. I bought it in 2012, and am enjoying it again. All it took was La Table de Nana to post a pic on Instagram to jog my memory. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Debbie

RHUBARB MINI PIES

I adore mini pies, and I'm madly in love with the mini pie maker that I got on sale at Williams-Sonoma for $100 off in April. The first pies I made were mini cherry pies. Since April, I have made just about every fruit pie you can name, and my new favorite is Rhubarb. Most of the pies I have given away, and my mom always enjoys the weekly delivery.

                  

I used a Rhubarb Pie recipe from Thibeault's Table (Rhubarb Pie Source: Madame Benoit Cooks at Home 1978)  It is the best rhubarb pie filling I have ever had. I baked the filling in a casserole dish before using it in the pie maker, and cut the recipe in half to make FOUR mini pies.

I have been experimenting with different store bought pie crusts to use in the pie maker, and the frozen Belmont brand deep dish pie crusts are the best by far. I found them at Aldi's in the freezer section, and they come in 9" reusable pans (keep the sturdy pans for future use). I thaw the pie crust in the refrigerator, and then remove it from the pan and roll it just enough to flatten the crimped edges. (see photo below) 

The pies sit on a tiered stand until I make my deliveries. Or until I eat one :-)

The recipe:

4 cups rhubarb, cut in to 1/2 inch pieces

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons flour

pinch of salt

juice of 1/2 small lemon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pastry for two crusts

1 tablespoon sugar

Roll out dough for bottom crust and line pie plate with pastry. Beat eggs lightly, and then stir in brown and white sugars, flour, lemon juice, salt and extract. Mix in rhubarb. Pour into pour in to pie shell. Roll out remaining pastry and cut into strips. Weave pastry strips over top and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake in a 450°F oven on bottom shelf for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and move pie to middle of the oven. Continue baking for 25 to 35 minutes.

While I was picking rhubarb from the garden, I took time to enjoy the joyous June blooms. 

Thank you for stopping by!

xxoo

Debbie

LITTLE PIES...AND A NEW TOY FOR ME!

I ADORE little pies! The Breville mini pie maker has been on my wish list for the last year, so when I found out about a  three day sale at Williams-Sonoma, I just couldn't pass it up for $49.95. When I placed the order, I chatted with customer service for almost 20 minutes. She was very passionate about it and wanted to share her experience with me.

Our very first pies were cherry because cherry is our favorite. Mini egg breakfast pies are next on the list. I'm thinking with summer just around the corner, mini savory pies with a side salad will make nice summer meals. 

  Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma      

                  

                            

 In the instruction book, they recommend using either a pie crust or puff pasty. We've tried them both ways, and prefer the puffed pastry.                                      

It's a sturdy, easy to clean machine. I bake for my mom and next door neighbor on a regular basis, so this will make it so simple. Who doesn't love a little pie?  Having a jar of  pie filling makes it even easier.  Takes about 10 minutes to bake (not including 5 minutes prep time). Clean up is a breeze...just wipe.

I am joining the Cozy Home Party and Foodie Friday. Thanks for stopping by!

Debbie