Woohoo, 2 posts in 2 days!!! Don't you feel special? You should, because I did it just for you ;)
So, this week's pie was Chocolate Pecan Pie. Kaitlin had the pie at a work party and loved it so much she snagged the recipe for me. I've never had pecan pie of any kind before, so I was a little bit nervous, especially considering I'm not a big pecan fan. But this year is all about trying new things and pushing my limits, so I decided to give it a go! Also, it's a seasonal pie. Also, I'm short on recipes. SEND THEM!!!
Okay, so I had to first toast the pecans, so I threw them into my skillet and flipped on the heat (a rather simple step, provided that you don't burn them, which I didn't. Okay, maybe one or two. But still). So as I was tossing them, I started shaking the pan around and I did one of those cool flip things that you see chefs do on tv where whatever's cooking (in my case, pecans) flies up the back of the skillet and falls back down in a graceful wave-like movement. And it totally worked! And it was awesome! So I did it a lot, even though it probably wasn't necessary.
It was necessary to my amusement and morale though...
So then I made my crust and I actually succeeded at a fancy edge! It was all crimped and looking super awesome. Oh, and I tried out a new crust recipe, which had about twice as many ingredients as mine usually does.
To make it a chocolate pecan pie, I added a layer of melted dark chocolate to the bottom of the crust, then layered in the pecans, and then poured the syrup mixture over top. It was here that I ran into my first of many problems. I should've learned from last week's pie, but I didn't... my pan is FAR too large for regular recipes. Luckily I had enough ingredients to whip up another batch and pour over the top, which almost filled the crust. Seriously, this could turn into quite the problem, money-wise.
So I put the pie in the oven and set the timer for the required 50 minutes. 25 minutes in, however, the second problem came about... I realized I was supposed to meet my friend Kelsey in Springfield (which is 30 minutes away) in 30 minutes. I can hear your whispers... F-A-I-L.
I panicked and pulled the pie out of the oven (I don't have anyone around that could've gotten it for me later), threw it on my counter, half-baked, and ran off to S'field. We had coffee (I haven't seen that lady in forever!), it was lovely, and then I bolted back.
I called my dad on the way and asked what I should do... though he warned me it would likely be an epic fail, he suggested I put it back in the oven for twice as long as it had to go (since it would have to get back up to temperature before cooking again) and pray for the best (hence the "twice-baked" part).
Which I did. I crossed my fingers, said a few prayers, and hoped for something edible to come out of the ordeal. This is an expensive pie, folks, I couldn't let it be for naught!
So I checked it after 50 minutes and it still seemed jiggly, so I left it in and checked it until it firmed up. Unfortunately, my beautiful crust was now totally burnt, but it was the filling I was most concerned about this time.
I whipped up some homemade whipped cream to go along with it (just in case it was awful, I figured we would need something to wash it down). And when I say whipped, I mean whipped. I poured whipping cream and sugar in a bowl, took my newly purchased whisk, and went to town! It took five full minutes and my arm was exhausted, but I made homemade whipped cream! Booyah!
Okay... the final result! It didn't slice all that well, but the double baking could be to blame for that (the pecans didn't rise to the top, but rather were mixed throughout, making it a bugger to cut). However, it tasted fantastic! For not being a pecan fan, I really loved it. It was really rich, so the whipped cream helped to cut some of that out, and other than the back crust (burnt, burnt, burnt), it was awesome. The only thing I can really think of that could be improved is the chocolate... I should add more next time. I also don't feel I can judge the crust just yet, as it was pretty much ruined by my excessive baking. I can't wait to do this one again (so I know what it's really supposed to taste like) as well as to experiment with other pecan pies. Yum-O!
The scores!
Appearance: 15/20
Taste: 20/25
Crust: 15/20
Filling: 17/20
Originality: 12/15
Total: 81/100
The comments!
The Good:
"For a pie full of nuts I don't even like, it was very good."
"Delish."
"Overall, it was pretty good for a pecan pie... and most of the issues I had with it was simply because it was pecan."
"The bottom [of the crust] was good. Also the waving was nice."
The In-Between:
"I think when you are able to do it the way it's supposed to be done, it will be even better!"
"Very delicious but the crust was a little burnt."
"I think I like your old crust better."
"The filling was good, but would have been better without the pecans (which also tasted a little burnt... or is that just how pecans taste?"
The Bad:
"The filling was weird for me. I know it's supposed to be similar to baby food with nut chunks, but I didn't like that."
"Not the prettiest one... but maybe just because pecan pie always looks weird to me."
"Couldn't taste the chocolate too much, so it was a little like regular pecan pie."
So that about covers it! Unfortunately, no pictures just yet, but I'll have them soon!
I'm now off to Michigan for my sister's wedding! And then Thanksgiving (where I'm baking pies!). A blog to follow!
In case I don't get back here before... HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Enjoy your family, laugh a lot, and EAT PIE!!!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
B-A-N-A-N-A-S! GO, BANANAS!
EDIT: Pictures are now here! I posted this entry sans photos, but now I have them, so there you are!
So I've been a wee bit busy, and I just realized that it's been over a week since I updated my blog. Woopsie Daisy! Sorry 'bout that.
I'm getting ready to head back to Michigan for my sister's wedding this weekend, and I want to have a blog posted about last week's pie as well as this week's before I leave on Thursday morning, so this is going to be rather short and to the point... take it or leave it!
So the pie of the week was Banana Pudding Pie, and the recipe was one of those that was sent along after hearing about my project through facebook. Jen sent this to me... we had a few classes together a few years ago, and she messaged me a month ago with the recipe, hoping to help out on this endeavor. So thanks, Jen! I love when that happens :)
Here's what she had to say about the pie: "So, I've been called 'un-American' because I've never liked pie...ever. Until my friend's mom had this. I was over at their house (this was like...3 maybe 4 years ago) and she came out and gave us all some, I was like...GAG pie! But to be nice I figured I could choke it down...turns out it was delish. Every time I visit now I request that she makes it."
Yay! A pie convert! That's the best news ever!
So the recipe involved making homemade pudding... like, 100% from scratch. Okay, so I didn't grow the wheat and chop it down to make flour, but there was no box mix involved. Win. I had never made homemade pudding before, and it was suprisingly easy... I'm planning to make it like that from now on! Delish! Except I only know how to make vanilla pudding, so if a recipe calls for anything else, then I guess the box will come back into play. Ah well. You can't have everything.
I had to borrow a small pot to cook the pudding from Alison... I love how this becomes a community effort since I'm short on a lot of dishes/ingredients/pots and pans/etc. I only have 1 pot, and it's big enough to feed 30 people chili for a week, so not small-time baking material. That's what you get when you steal dishes from your sister.
Anyway, I cooked the pudding, failed on making a fancy edged crust (boo), added the bananas, and put it all together to set. Well, my pan is a lot bigger than the standard size (Paula Deen likes big pies, apparently), so I had to whip up another batch to add, since the first filling mixture only took up half of the dish.
So that was about all I was supposed to do, but since I failed at making a fancy crust, I wanted it to be a bit more decorative, so I found some cool whip in my fridge, which I spread on top, and then shaved a chocolate bar over the whole thing. Voila! Presentation win!
The pie was a bit messy to plate, but once again, the messy ones are the best ones, right?
Here's how it came up in the ratings (MUCH better than the last one):
Appearance: 17/20
Taste: 20/25
Crust: 17/20
Filling: 17/20
Originality: 12/15
Total: 83/100
And the comments:
The Good:
"I'm not a huge banana fan, but even so, you had me convinced!"
"It was especially delicious... The crust could have been prettier, but overall it was a definite win!"
"Crust was amazing! I was pleasantly surprised by its fresh, non-burnt taste!"
"Loved it, almost as good as my fav."
The Middle-Ground:
"Looks great in pan and sometimes okay on plate."
"Banana filling had a weird consistency -- didn't make it bad, but maybe you could firm it up a little bit."
The Bad:
"I didn't like the banana chunks. I wish they were mushed."
"The crust was really buttery/salty." -- Okay, so explanation on this one. First, the comment is from Brianne, who is probably the pickiest of my pie eaters... in this case, that's a good thing though! I appreciate that she can pick out the tiny little details (seriously, Brianne, keep it up!). I laughed when I read this, though, since I had to halve my crust recipe (no top crust) and I accidentally poured double the salt I was supposed to... I pinched what I could out, but I really had no idea how much salt remained. So apparently it was just noticeable enough!
Okay, well I'm out for now... I'll have another blog up by Wednesday night!
Oh, and SEND RECIPES!!! Pretty please?!?! Also, vote in the poll!!!
So I've been a wee bit busy, and I just realized that it's been over a week since I updated my blog. Woopsie Daisy! Sorry 'bout that.
I'm getting ready to head back to Michigan for my sister's wedding this weekend, and I want to have a blog posted about last week's pie as well as this week's before I leave on Thursday morning, so this is going to be rather short and to the point... take it or leave it!
So the pie of the week was Banana Pudding Pie, and the recipe was one of those that was sent along after hearing about my project through facebook. Jen sent this to me... we had a few classes together a few years ago, and she messaged me a month ago with the recipe, hoping to help out on this endeavor. So thanks, Jen! I love when that happens :)
Here's what she had to say about the pie: "So, I've been called 'un-American' because I've never liked pie...ever. Until my friend's mom had this. I was over at their house (this was like...3 maybe 4 years ago) and she came out and gave us all some, I was like...GAG pie! But to be nice I figured I could choke it down...turns out it was delish. Every time I visit now I request that she makes it."
Yay! A pie convert! That's the best news ever!
So the recipe involved making homemade pudding... like, 100% from scratch. Okay, so I didn't grow the wheat and chop it down to make flour, but there was no box mix involved. Win. I had never made homemade pudding before, and it was suprisingly easy... I'm planning to make it like that from now on! Delish! Except I only know how to make vanilla pudding, so if a recipe calls for anything else, then I guess the box will come back into play. Ah well. You can't have everything.
I had to borrow a small pot to cook the pudding from Alison... I love how this becomes a community effort since I'm short on a lot of dishes/ingredients/pots and pans/etc. I only have 1 pot, and it's big enough to feed 30 people chili for a week, so not small-time baking material. That's what you get when you steal dishes from your sister.
Anyway, I cooked the pudding, failed on making a fancy edged crust (boo), added the bananas, and put it all together to set. Well, my pan is a lot bigger than the standard size (Paula Deen likes big pies, apparently), so I had to whip up another batch to add, since the first filling mixture only took up half of the dish.
So that was about all I was supposed to do, but since I failed at making a fancy crust, I wanted it to be a bit more decorative, so I found some cool whip in my fridge, which I spread on top, and then shaved a chocolate bar over the whole thing. Voila! Presentation win!
K, this was a total plating fail.
Appearance: 17/20
Taste: 20/25
Crust: 17/20
Filling: 17/20
Originality: 12/15
Total: 83/100
And the comments:
The Good:
"I'm not a huge banana fan, but even so, you had me convinced!"
"It was especially delicious... The crust could have been prettier, but overall it was a definite win!"
"Crust was amazing! I was pleasantly surprised by its fresh, non-burnt taste!"
"Loved it, almost as good as my fav."
The Middle-Ground:
"Looks great in pan and sometimes okay on plate."
"Banana filling had a weird consistency -- didn't make it bad, but maybe you could firm it up a little bit."
The Bad:
"I didn't like the banana chunks. I wish they were mushed."
"The crust was really buttery/salty." -- Okay, so explanation on this one. First, the comment is from Brianne, who is probably the pickiest of my pie eaters... in this case, that's a good thing though! I appreciate that she can pick out the tiny little details (seriously, Brianne, keep it up!). I laughed when I read this, though, since I had to halve my crust recipe (no top crust) and I accidentally poured double the salt I was supposed to... I pinched what I could out, but I really had no idea how much salt remained. So apparently it was just noticeable enough!
Okay, well I'm out for now... I'll have another blog up by Wednesday night!
Oh, and SEND RECIPES!!! Pretty please?!?! Also, vote in the poll!!!
Friday, November 6, 2009
How do you spell fail? L-E-M-O-N
Ladies and gentlemen, I come as the bearer of bad news. It has happened. On Sunday, November 1, 2009, I officially had pie FAIL. *gasp* I know, I know. I'm shocked too. My head is hanging in shame (yes, even 5 days later). Some of the pie was even... thrown out. In the garbage. To be disposed of and forgotten. *sigh*
'Twas such a tragedy that not even Alison's score of 74 could save this pie from a mere 58 out of 100. Yes, the first pie to receive a rating based on my finalized scorecards was a failure. Definitely not the way I would've liked the newly implemented ratings system to be initiated. Not at all.
Deep breath...
Wait, what? You say pie fail has happened before? Written about in this very blog? Which one? The shaker lemon pie? Ah, yes, I can see how such perceptions can be misconstrued. You see, while that pie wasn't universally praised or loved, it had some very winning qualities: the crust, the flavor, the custard filling. The only problem people had with that one was the lemon rinds. So it wasn't an all-out failure.
But this--this one was only (somewhat) liked by two people. Two out of eight. And of those two, a 74 hardly qualifies as tasty.
The recipe was given to me by Lydia, and I can't blame her for this one, because she warned me ahead of time... this was one that she doesn't like, but eats it because it's her dad's favorite and they have it on his birthday. Which, Lydia, is super sweet of you!
I also can't blame her, or the recipe itself for that matter, because I'm not even entirely sure if I made it right. Hence the horror! The shame! I may have failed on my own pie baking!
Most of the recipe seemed pretty straight forward... Oh! It was called "Lemon Cheese Pie"... anyway, it started like a cheesecake recipe (cream cheese, sugar, vanilla), and then called for still-liquid lemon jello to be blended in. Now, here's where part of the problem lay (lie? I can never remember)... I don't have an electric mixer yet, so mixing it by hand left some lumps still in the batter (I also don't have a whisk... yes, I'm aware how ridiculous that sounds. Deal.). So to the lumpy mixture, I was told to add a "whipped" can of evaporated milk. First, I didn't know how big the can should be (there are two sizes), so I got the bigger one and then left some out to create a happy medium between the two. Second, I don't know what whipped milk is supposed to look like. Whipped until whipped cream-y? Or whipped until it's weirdly bubbly? I went with the latter, as I was whipping with a fork and my arm got tired.
So I mixed it in and poured it into my homemade graham cracker crust. Well, it set in the fridge and when we ate it, a few things happened.
Fail #1: The crust adhered to the bottom of the pan so well, everyone was served a side of crust with their pie.
Fail #2: The texture of the pie was uber bizarre. It looked like cheesecake, but had the texture of creamy jello.
Fail #3: It barely tasted like lemon.
Fail #4: The crust was horrible. Alison tried to be nice and claim otherwise, but it was ridiculously bad.
So, to solve the reasoning for fail #4, we pulled out the box of graham crackers and tasted them. Brianne immediately spat out her bite, and the rest of us choked it down. It was BURNT! Honest to blog, the graham crackers were burnt. So basically I'm bringing them back to Walmart to return in exchange for better tasting ones. F-A-I-L.
The only other person who mildly enjoyed the pie was one of my co-workers, but even then it wasn't a favorite.
To give you a better idea, here are some of the comments left on the scorecard:
"It quivers. Fact. Food should not quiver."
"Looks like dulce de leche and gross flan."
"Please never tell me what it is the pie."
"...just odd."
So I've come to the conclusion that either lemon is a curse on the world of pie, or I am just not equipped to make a delicious treat out of lemon. Perhaps I'll give a lemon cheesecake a try. I will not be beaten! No, sir, I WON'T!
As for the sticky pie crust, I learned a little tip while watching the Food Network the other day (I watch it waaaaaaaay too much. Seriously.). My favorite southern lady in the kitchen, the one and only Paula Deen, was baking a cheesecake and when she smushed her homemade crust into the pan, she baked it for a few minutes before adding the batter. Genius! Everytime I've had to bake a pie with the graham crust, it's come out fine... it's just the cold ones that stick. I don't know why this little lightbulb didn't go off sooner. Problem solved!
...Hopefully.
So, before I post some Halloween pics, here are the final pie scores.
Overall Pie Scorecard Breakdown (I'm posting the average score in each category):
Appearance (12 out of a possible 20)
Overall Taste (12 out of 25)... ouch
Crust (10 out of 20)
Filling (12 out of 20)
Originality (12 out of 15)
TOTAL: 58/100
One last time, say it with me... FAIL!
Well, at least it's over. I can put it behind me, hopefully learn a thing or two, and move on. Which I'm doing now!
Aaaaaaand, some Halloween pics! One of my favorite holidays (but then again, what holiday isn't one of my favorites? I go all out for every one of them).
'Twas such a tragedy that not even Alison's score of 74 could save this pie from a mere 58 out of 100. Yes, the first pie to receive a rating based on my finalized scorecards was a failure. Definitely not the way I would've liked the newly implemented ratings system to be initiated. Not at all.
Deep breath...
Wait, what? You say pie fail has happened before? Written about in this very blog? Which one? The shaker lemon pie? Ah, yes, I can see how such perceptions can be misconstrued. You see, while that pie wasn't universally praised or loved, it had some very winning qualities: the crust, the flavor, the custard filling. The only problem people had with that one was the lemon rinds. So it wasn't an all-out failure.
But this--this one was only (somewhat) liked by two people. Two out of eight. And of those two, a 74 hardly qualifies as tasty.
The recipe was given to me by Lydia, and I can't blame her for this one, because she warned me ahead of time... this was one that she doesn't like, but eats it because it's her dad's favorite and they have it on his birthday. Which, Lydia, is super sweet of you!
I also can't blame her, or the recipe itself for that matter, because I'm not even entirely sure if I made it right. Hence the horror! The shame! I may have failed on my own pie baking!
Most of the recipe seemed pretty straight forward... Oh! It was called "Lemon Cheese Pie"... anyway, it started like a cheesecake recipe (cream cheese, sugar, vanilla), and then called for still-liquid lemon jello to be blended in. Now, here's where part of the problem lay (lie? I can never remember)... I don't have an electric mixer yet, so mixing it by hand left some lumps still in the batter (I also don't have a whisk... yes, I'm aware how ridiculous that sounds. Deal.). So to the lumpy mixture, I was told to add a "whipped" can of evaporated milk. First, I didn't know how big the can should be (there are two sizes), so I got the bigger one and then left some out to create a happy medium between the two. Second, I don't know what whipped milk is supposed to look like. Whipped until whipped cream-y? Or whipped until it's weirdly bubbly? I went with the latter, as I was whipping with a fork and my arm got tired.
So I mixed it in and poured it into my homemade graham cracker crust. Well, it set in the fridge and when we ate it, a few things happened.
Fail #1: The crust adhered to the bottom of the pan so well, everyone was served a side of crust with their pie.
Fail #2: The texture of the pie was uber bizarre. It looked like cheesecake, but had the texture of creamy jello.
Fail #3: It barely tasted like lemon.
Fail #4: The crust was horrible. Alison tried to be nice and claim otherwise, but it was ridiculously bad.
So, to solve the reasoning for fail #4, we pulled out the box of graham crackers and tasted them. Brianne immediately spat out her bite, and the rest of us choked it down. It was BURNT! Honest to blog, the graham crackers were burnt. So basically I'm bringing them back to Walmart to return in exchange for better tasting ones. F-A-I-L.
Perhaps a garnish would've been nicer. I'm learning.
Yup. There it is. Uhhh....
The only other person who mildly enjoyed the pie was one of my co-workers, but even then it wasn't a favorite.
To give you a better idea, here are some of the comments left on the scorecard:
"It quivers. Fact. Food should not quiver."
"Looks like dulce de leche and gross flan."
"Please never tell me what it is the pie."
"...just odd."
So I've come to the conclusion that either lemon is a curse on the world of pie, or I am just not equipped to make a delicious treat out of lemon. Perhaps I'll give a lemon cheesecake a try. I will not be beaten! No, sir, I WON'T!
As for the sticky pie crust, I learned a little tip while watching the Food Network the other day (I watch it waaaaaaaay too much. Seriously.). My favorite southern lady in the kitchen, the one and only Paula Deen, was baking a cheesecake and when she smushed her homemade crust into the pan, she baked it for a few minutes before adding the batter. Genius! Everytime I've had to bake a pie with the graham crust, it's come out fine... it's just the cold ones that stick. I don't know why this little lightbulb didn't go off sooner. Problem solved!
...Hopefully.
So, before I post some Halloween pics, here are the final pie scores.
Overall Pie Scorecard Breakdown (I'm posting the average score in each category):
Appearance (12 out of a possible 20)
Overall Taste (12 out of 25)... ouch
Crust (10 out of 20)
Filling (12 out of 20)
Originality (12 out of 15)
TOTAL: 58/100
One last time, say it with me... FAIL!
Well, at least it's over. I can put it behind me, hopefully learn a thing or two, and move on. Which I'm doing now!
I was candy corn at work, and then I was Hermione! Or, as one woman said, "a graduate!", to which her daughter replied, "Yeah, from Hogwarts." I have hope for today's youth.
Papa Murphy's had Jack-o'-lantern pizzas!
Much cuter in the "before" picture, I'm not gonna lie. Let's call it a sunburn :)
"Ghosts in the Graveyard"... it's a pudding/oreo dessert. We included the footprint from Paranormal Activity in front there (terrifying movie... I still have trouble falling asleep. Actually, I have to set the sleep timer on my TV now so I can have noise as I fall asleep... kind of like how my mom sometimes leaves the TV on so my dog doesn't get scared when we're gone. Pathetic, but true.). My favorite part about this, though, is the ghosts. The one in the back center is angry, the one in the back right is sad/scared, and the fat one up front reminds me of Gus (from Cinderella and my cat). Love it!
Finally, me making a weird face as Hermione, Kaitlin as Minnie (minus the shoes), and Brianne as Professor Trelawny.
So how was your Halloween?! What'd you do?
Oh, and new poll! What is your favorite pie accompaniment?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
In the boxing ring with Mother Nature
I apologize for the long stretches of time between updates... for some reason I've really been struggling with finding a creative niche, so I don't feel like I have much to say. It's weird, and I'm working on it... a bit of writer's funk if you will. Let's hope it goes away soon!
So last week was a rather busy one! I made two pies, so you've got two descriptions to look forward to coming up! Huzzah!
Anyway, I went home last Friday (the 23rd), stopping first to visit my sister Erin at school. I had a really good time and got to wander around Notre Dame's campus all afternoon, snapping pictures like the dork I am :) I also got to watch the marching band's rehearsals/marches through campus/pep rally, which was super duper awesome! Seriously, I was blown away... it's amazing what happens when the people in the band actually care about being there and are some of the best at what they do. I spent four years of college in a band that wasn't exactly up to that par. We were so tiny that it was often a struggle to find songs that didn't include the instruments we didn't have. 25 of the only kids willing to even attempt band definitely can't begin to compare to 300 kids who had to audition. Well, that's life at a tiny school that few people have ever heard of.
One of the best parts was the pep rally, and one of the best quotes came from Golden Tate, in regards to Boston College's mascot (the Eagles): "Y'alls little birdies ain't got nothin' on us... we people!"
Hilarious. Gotta love when football players speak.
*ahem*
So then I traversed onto the great state of Michigan, and first of all, I have to say just how much I miss the leaves! Illinois is okay, but driving into Michigan was like getting punched repeatedly in the face by the fist of Mother Nature. And I mean that in a good way. B-e-a-utiful! I miss it so so so so much.
I also miss home a LOT. I didn't realize it until I walked in the front door of my parents' house. There's literally no place like it, and it makes me wonder just how long it's going to be until another place gives me a similar feeling. *sigh* I'm being angsty... moving on! It was really great to see everyone and we had a grand time celebrating my sister's bachelorette party! She gets married in three weeks! Also, my dress fits!!! Yippee skippee!!! I can't breathe, sit, or put my arms down, but it FITS!!!
So for my family, I made a "special" pie... the peanut butter chocolate one that served as my "special" pie the last time. Except this time I made a few changes, notably less peanut butter and more chocolate. I still failed on the more crust part, but otherwise it held up a lot better than the last one and was Delicious with a capital D.
Although now that I've baked that one twice, I'm working on really tweaking it and making it my own. I just looked up a peanut butter mousse recipe, and I can't wait to give it a shot! I need things that I can one day serve in my quaint, adorable, super-awesome pie shop!
So I got back Sunday evening (6 hours in a car is killer, especially when you have no one to talk to, let me tell you), and I wasn't feeling up to baking, so I waited until Monday to make the actual pie of the week... Chocolate Chip Cheesecake!
The recipe was a little different than most cheesecake recipes, as it didn't call for any sugar but used sweetened condensed milk instead. I was also concerned by the amount of cream cheese it called for, which wasn't much, so I had to call my mom for advice. She thought it was weird too, but there wasn't much I could do about it, so I just had to hope for the best!
Oh, before I forget, the recipe came from Kristine, and while she says there's not really a story to it, it's one that she really loves and her mom bakes it for her quite often.
Well, the recipe also calls for a full cup of chocolate chips to be added to the mix before baking, so I did just that (well, minus a few for sampling purposes... I couldn't put tainted chips into the pie!), and when it was done I added another 1/2 cup of chips (melted) to the top as a glaze.
Holy heaven, Batman! It was super rich, but also super tasty... once again it was a tad thin (I need to double the recipe for my pie plate), but it was the right amounts of creamy and sweet and fab-u-lous. It's one that will definitely be served at other points in the (hopefully near) future, and it made me really excited to start experimenting with other cheesecake add-ins. Who knew that such a vast world of cheesecake flavors existed?! I do now!
So a few blogs ago I mentioned the National Pie Championships/Festival in Florida... 'member? And I mentioned how I really, really, really want to go? Well, I was watching the Food Network the other day and they had last year's pie bake-off championships on!!! Is it safe to say I was thrilled? I think so. They followed four competitors (one was a complete amateur) as they baked multiple pies for a variety of categories. Some of the competitors seemed a bit terrifying (especially Miss I'm-Going-To-Bake-Five-Pies-In-Three-Hours-And-I-Won-Last-Year), and their recipes sounded top-notch, but once they started baking, I've gotta say, I think I could've spanked most of them. Seriously, I was expecting some crazy professional baking techniques and crusts and fillings, but most were basically what I've been doing. One guy even failed at baking his crust (it shrunk and burned in the oven). Not to sound arrogant, but seriously, I think I could do it... in time, of course, I need to tweak a bit, but it definitely wasn't nearly as intense as I thought it would be. 2011 Pie Championships? Count me in!
Alrighty, that's about all I have for you... next post will include Halloween pics!
Hope you had a festive Fright Night!!!
Also, SEND RECIPES!!! I'm running low!!! Something, anything, I don't care... SEND THEM!!!
Oh, and the poll has spoken and according to you, Grandma makes the best pie. I'll think of a new poll to post... any ideas?
So last week was a rather busy one! I made two pies, so you've got two descriptions to look forward to coming up! Huzzah!
Anyway, I went home last Friday (the 23rd), stopping first to visit my sister Erin at school. I had a really good time and got to wander around Notre Dame's campus all afternoon, snapping pictures like the dork I am :) I also got to watch the marching band's rehearsals/marches through campus/pep rally, which was super duper awesome! Seriously, I was blown away... it's amazing what happens when the people in the band actually care about being there and are some of the best at what they do. I spent four years of college in a band that wasn't exactly up to that par. We were so tiny that it was often a struggle to find songs that didn't include the instruments we didn't have. 25 of the only kids willing to even attempt band definitely can't begin to compare to 300 kids who had to audition. Well, that's life at a tiny school that few people have ever heard of.
Gotta love Touchdown Jesus
Hilarious. Gotta love when football players speak.
*ahem*
So then I traversed onto the great state of Michigan, and first of all, I have to say just how much I miss the leaves! Illinois is okay, but driving into Michigan was like getting punched repeatedly in the face by the fist of Mother Nature. And I mean that in a good way. B-e-a-utiful! I miss it so so so so much.
I also miss home a LOT. I didn't realize it until I walked in the front door of my parents' house. There's literally no place like it, and it makes me wonder just how long it's going to be until another place gives me a similar feeling. *sigh* I'm being angsty... moving on! It was really great to see everyone and we had a grand time celebrating my sister's bachelorette party! She gets married in three weeks! Also, my dress fits!!! Yippee skippee!!! I can't breathe, sit, or put my arms down, but it FITS!!!
So for my family, I made a "special" pie... the peanut butter chocolate one that served as my "special" pie the last time. Except this time I made a few changes, notably less peanut butter and more chocolate. I still failed on the more crust part, but otherwise it held up a lot better than the last one and was Delicious with a capital D.
So I got back Sunday evening (6 hours in a car is killer, especially when you have no one to talk to, let me tell you), and I wasn't feeling up to baking, so I waited until Monday to make the actual pie of the week... Chocolate Chip Cheesecake!
The recipe was a little different than most cheesecake recipes, as it didn't call for any sugar but used sweetened condensed milk instead. I was also concerned by the amount of cream cheese it called for, which wasn't much, so I had to call my mom for advice. She thought it was weird too, but there wasn't much I could do about it, so I just had to hope for the best!
Oh, before I forget, the recipe came from Kristine, and while she says there's not really a story to it, it's one that she really loves and her mom bakes it for her quite often.
Well, the recipe also calls for a full cup of chocolate chips to be added to the mix before baking, so I did just that (well, minus a few for sampling purposes... I couldn't put tainted chips into the pie!), and when it was done I added another 1/2 cup of chips (melted) to the top as a glaze.
We felt the goopiness on top was artsy
No matter what anyone argues, there is NO such thing as too much chocolate.Holy heaven, Batman! It was super rich, but also super tasty... once again it was a tad thin (I need to double the recipe for my pie plate), but it was the right amounts of creamy and sweet and fab-u-lous. It's one that will definitely be served at other points in the (hopefully near) future, and it made me really excited to start experimenting with other cheesecake add-ins. Who knew that such a vast world of cheesecake flavors existed?! I do now!
So a few blogs ago I mentioned the National Pie Championships/Festival in Florida... 'member? And I mentioned how I really, really, really want to go? Well, I was watching the Food Network the other day and they had last year's pie bake-off championships on!!! Is it safe to say I was thrilled? I think so. They followed four competitors (one was a complete amateur) as they baked multiple pies for a variety of categories. Some of the competitors seemed a bit terrifying (especially Miss I'm-Going-To-Bake-Five-Pies-In-Three-Hours-And-I-Won-Last-Year), and their recipes sounded top-notch, but once they started baking, I've gotta say, I think I could've spanked most of them. Seriously, I was expecting some crazy professional baking techniques and crusts and fillings, but most were basically what I've been doing. One guy even failed at baking his crust (it shrunk and burned in the oven). Not to sound arrogant, but seriously, I think I could do it... in time, of course, I need to tweak a bit, but it definitely wasn't nearly as intense as I thought it would be. 2011 Pie Championships? Count me in!
Alrighty, that's about all I have for you... next post will include Halloween pics!
Hope you had a festive Fright Night!!!
Also, SEND RECIPES!!! I'm running low!!! Something, anything, I don't care... SEND THEM!!!
Oh, and the poll has spoken and according to you, Grandma makes the best pie. I'll think of a new poll to post... any ideas?
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