Of sore arms, tarts, laziness, and stretching pie boundaries

So what's the difference between a tart and a pie, you ask?  Well, it's funny you should mention it!  (Roll with me here... you're learning valuable knowledge that might one day help you watch Jeopardy! and scream the answers from your couch)  Well, I've done a little research, and it turns out the answer isn't quite as easy as pie (ba dum bum).  Much of it boils down to the pan (honest to goodness... the two can taste virtually the same, but depending on what pan they were baked in can be called totally different things).  A pie pan has sloping sides while a tart pan is shallower with straight sides (and in some cases, a removeable bottom).

Now, that being said, both tarts and pies can have fruit, custard, or chocolate fillings, but meat is more commonly associated with pie.  However, while pies can either have a top crust or not, tarts are open-topped.  Now, those answers were drawn from a few sites, many of which conflicted, so there are probably more differences and some of the ones I gave you may even be disputed, but that's about as clear as I can get for you. 

Straight + shallow + open top = tart.  Sloping + deeper + top crust or no crust = pie.

It's still weird to me that the differences are so subtle.  Oh well, that's life.  And now hopefully you're a tad smarter for learning that bit o' trivia.

Well, as you can see to the right there, the poll has closed!  And the favorite pie of my readers is............ OTHER!  Fantastic!  Anyone have a recipe for that one?!  Oh, it's amazing how easily I crack myself up.  Anyway, "Other" was followed closely by chocolate cream, then apple, and so on.  Well, "other" was probably a stupid choice to list, as it doesn't help me a whole lot in getting to know my readers.  I've heard that cherry was a popular choice that I missed, so that could explain it, but if there's another pie that you just love, please tell me what it is in a sweet, charming little comment!

I've added a new poll... Who is the best pie baker you know?  Have a story to go with your choice?  That's what comments are for :)

Okay, enough stalling... onto this week's pie!  The recipe came from my friend Brianne, who got it from her sister, who made it in a class at school.  It once again stretches the limits on the word "pie," but I think it fully qualified.  It was a caramel apple dessert pizza (pie), and it was most definitely a winner.

Rather than a regular pie crust (or a graham or oreo crust), the dessert pizza (pie) called for a sugar cookie crust.  Rather than buy dough, I called up my mom and got the recipe we used growing up.  It was easy enough to do, but I've gotta say, not having an electric mixer is killer when it comes to stirring up batter and dough.  I guess in exchange for further patience and true understanding of the "labor of love" involved in baking, I get a sore arm.  Win?

Anyway, on top of the baked crust (which I put on a pizza pan... I felt it made more sense), I spread a mixture of peanut butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and milk, which served as the "sauce."  It was delish, and I snuck a few tastes while spreading.  Probably why my bridesmaid dress still doesn't fit.

On top of that went a layer of sliced apples, which were tossed with cinnamon and lemon juice.  I arranged them all fancy, just for kicks.  Also because presentation is a biggie for me.  On top of that went a fair dousing of caramel ice cream topping.

Voila!  Caramel apple dessert pizza (pie)!

It was quite yummy, and the crust was interesting, as it was much thicker than regular sugar cookies, so it didn't really taste like a sugar cookie... odd, but still good.  The "sauce" was awesome, in my most humble opinion, and who doesn't like caramel apples?

However, as with all first-time recipes, this one has room for improvement.  Perhaps baked apples in the future would make for a pie that's easier to eat and has a more coherent flavor.  Also, I chopped the apples a little thick, so that's something that needs to be addressed next time around.  And yes, there will be a next time.  Oh-ho, will there ever be a next time.  Definite keeper.

Also, I had extra cookie dough left over, so I made some Halloween cookies!  And then I made icing, because what good is a sugar cookie without icing?  However, I didn't have food coloring, and white was far too boring for my taste, so I shook in some cinnamon and made an icing that was both pretty and tasty.  It actually made the cookies taste a bit "pop-tart" ish, so another win!

So all in all, this pie making is going super well... I really enjoy doing it, and I'm always flipping through magazines for pie ideas (not recipes, ideas) or thinking up new combinations to try out.  It's lotsa fun!  Also, I'm working on a score chart for each pie, with detailed categories and individual scores, so hopefully I'll get more accurate responses to the pies on top of seeing what needs improvement.  Also, it's just fun.

The only serious downfall I'm discovering is the massive amount of dishes I accumulate.  Each Sunday I have a large load of regular weekend dishes (I tend to cook much more on the weekends), which I wash up before starting the pie baking, and then I have another full load when I'm done (I'm a messy baker and use a lot of dishes).  I realize I'm sounding lazy and lame for admitting it, but I'm usually pooped come Sunday evenings!  Dishes, pie, dishes, yelling at football on TV, cleaning... it's quite the afternoon.

Yup, I'm a whiner.  And re-reading that paragraph makes me realize just how lame I sound.  Ah well, I can complain once in awhile.  After all, complaining "means that life is still good."  (That one comes from the brilliantly funny comedian Jennifer Eolin, whose blog, "The New Old Biddy," is linked to the right there... check it out, she's awesome).

Final thing... Friday my friend Kaitlin and I made dinner, and it was just about one of the BEST things I've ever eaten.  Honest to blog, you HAVE to try this recipe.  Basically, we marinated chicken breasts in a chipotle marinade, then grilled them and shredded/chopped them until they looked like chicken one might find on a shredded chicken sandwich (I don't know how else to describe this step).  We then mixed that with barbeque sauce and scooped it onto toasted burger buns (be sure to keep an eye on your toaster oven... I almost burned down my apartment (on top of ruining the buns)).  On top of the chicken went a combination of diced avocado, lime/lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.  Top with the other half of the bun, and you have just about the best sandwich you could ever eat.  It was sweet, spicy, tangy, smokey awesomeness on a bun, and while the avocado might sound like an odd topping, it balanced the chicken perfectly.  YUM.  We served it with a side of bruschetta (why not?), which was also quite awesome.

Not pie related, I know, but I had to share... your life will be better for it, I promise.  If you try the sandwich, that is.  Not just by reading that.  Or maybe it will be, I don't know.

OKAY!  I'm done!  Catch you next week!