Tag Archives: Peach Pie

Comin’ Home

Posted in Whimsies by

As the McLains made their way back to Colorado at the end of their summer sabbatical, they drove right through Palisade, Colorado, the Western Slope community that is famous for their delicious peaches. I’m serious. There are no better peaches anywhere. Anyhoo, they bought a box of peaches as would any traveler with knowledge about the western slope fruit. The peaches are at their ripest.

On Friday, as I was packing clothes, toothbrushes, pajamas, underwear, picnic supplies, and wine in preparation for my sisters’ weekend in Estes Park, I received this text from Dagny (Let me warn you that despite the fact that she is as smart as a whip, her spelling, well, suffers. I am not changing a single thing.)…..Hey nana we stopped today to get some peaches could you help me bake a pie. (Punctuation is also not a strong suit; her love of cooking and her fondness for her Nana, however, are.)

I explained that I was leaving town, but if she could wait until Monday, we could definitely make a pie. Her response: I can wait. but i would love to make a cherry pie as well so we can eat them for desert for my birthday party.

It’s true, my friends. She was baking her own birthday treats. And thoroughly delighted to be doing so. But she went on: I can’t wait to be with you. Hey can we also make aunt Laurens roles. Mom has her resipie.

Now, this particular text post told me that she has a lot of her Papa Bill’s lobbying talent. Suck them in with compliments, and then deliver the final blow. It worked. Today, perhaps as you are reading this blog post, I will be kneading bread with Dagny at my side to make my daughter-in-law’s grandmother’s famous crescent rolls. And I feel compelled to tell you that while I believe myself to be a passable pie maker, bread is certainly not my strong suit. Still, a promise is a promise. Here are we two pie bakers as I taught her the art of making pies — one cherry, one peach, and one gluten-free peach for her Uncle Allen……

 

It was absolutely wonderful to catch up with this young woman. I heard about the fun they had (Alaska was her favorite spot), and about how nice it was to sleep in her own bed without Maggie Faith’s feet in her face in the middle of the night. We talked about her playlist on her phone, and about facing seventh grade in a few days.

She even took a bit of time (well quite a bit of time, actually) to eat dill pickles and fly a drone with Papa Bill…..

It only required one trip to the neighbor’s house to retrieve a drone that she flew over the fence. Bill is so happy to have a drone-flying partner.

As for me, I’m so happy to have those grandkids back in my neighborhood. I want to get lots of quality time before school starts. It’s almost certain I’m going to get lots of pie.

Thursday Thoughts

Posted in Whimsies by

Masterpieces
I know I keep showing you photos of pies that I have made, but that’s because I love pie. What’s more, I think a homemade pie is about the prettiest looking and yummiest tasting thing ever. Yesterday I made my first peach pie of the season. Well, it’s actually my second, but the first made with Colorado peaches, which are out of this world…..

 

The other pie I made on Monday came as a result of my peering into the cookie jar in which I keep the Oreos that Bill and all of the grandkids eat great quantities. What I saw was no more whole Oreos, and many broken-up Oreos. The last package I’d opened had included many broken Oreos. Rather than throwing them away, I made them into a pie crust. I then filled it with vanilla pudding poured over bananas — my mom’s banana cream pie. Except she would never in a million years use Oreos for the crust. Thought, admittedly, she might applaud my frugality. And it was eaten in its entirety following one dinner, thanks to grandkids…..

But I’m not the only one to create a masterpiece. Following our pickle-making experience, Alastair and Dagny created their own special treat from my pantry…..

The Falling Leaves
I’m trying to be a bit more anticipatory when it comes to my Etsy creations. Here is something I’ve been working on for fall…..

They can be placemats or they can be stitched together to make a table runner. Cute, no? I’m in the process of making ghost coasters for Halloween. Click on the Nana’s Whimsies link at the top of my post.

Boulder Cooking
While Jen and I were perusing the cookbooks at the Peppercorn in Boulder last weekend, I noticed a collection of cookbooks that I bet many of you don’t find in the cookbook section of your favorite bookstore. You gotta love Colorado…..

 

Corny Cole
Sweet corn from Olathe, CO,  is in the local grocery stores now, and no one is happier than 3-year-old Cole. Court and the kids have eaten with us for a couple of nights recently, and both times I served  Olathe sweet corn. Cole just gnaws through one, and reaches for another…..

No salt. No butter. This isn’t an acquired taste for him. I have this photo proving that even when he was a baby, he enjoyed sweet corn….

I’m happy to say he eats it without as much of the mess. I unfortunately cannot eat corn on my low-fiber diet. While I can cheat on a few things, corn, well, really not. Nevertheless, I am going to make some more in a few days, and I’m going to treat myself to a bite. It is really good corn.

Ciao.

 

 

 

 

Hi there!

Posted in Desserts, Recipes by

As I set off on this blogging adventure, I am reminded of all of the nature shows I have watched, or all of the children’s books I have read, that show a little baby chick pecking its way out of its shell to enter the world. That’s me. Just another chick entering the world of blogging.

And from what I can see, there are plenty of other chicks out here on the internet telling their stories. And many of the blogs (and the stories) are very good. My story might be a little unique in that I am telling it from the perspective of a very happy, um, more mature adult instead of a 20- or 30-something mother of small children (whose stories, by the way, I love to read, even if only to breathe a sigh of relief that my children are grown.)

I am 60. That is by no means old in this day and age. If it was 1850, I would be the old crazy woman living up in the cabin in the woods smoking black, stinky cigarettes and making medical potions from herbs. As it is, I am not old, arguably not crazy, I live smack dab in the middle of a city with my husband of 20-some years, and have never smoked a cigarette in my life.
They say life begins at 50. They say 50 is the new 30. And so on. However, when I pick up a Glamour or Shape magazine while waiting to undergo my bone density scan, I notice the headline says, “How to Stay Beautiful at 20, 30, and even 40!) I am serious. Apparently there is no hope post-49. Luckily, my husband thinks I’m beautiful.

I am lucky enough, though, that I have been able to retire at a fairly young age, after being in the workforce nonstop in some capacity since I turned 14. Furthermore, except for twinges of arthritis, I am pretty darn healthy. I am also lucky enough to have nine wonderful grandchildren, seven of whom live very near us. I am Nana. Being Nana is the best job I have ever had. I am also Bill’s wife (another good gig), a mother and stepmother, a mother-in-law, a sister, an aunt and great-aunt, and a friend to many. I have been truly blessed by God.

What do I do all day? Quite honestly, I am rarely bored. I stay very busy exercise. I take care of our home. I cook. I work on puzzles. I read voraciously (I probably average two-and-a-half books a week). I geocache (do you know what that is?) I spend time with my grandkids. And now I write.

As time goes on, I hope you will enjoy meeting and getting to know my quirky family and friends. We are plentiful in number, if nothing else. When gathered together, there is always a lot of energy, a lot of laughing, a lot of children, and always, always, always, a lot of food.

This week, I want to share some of my mom’s best recipes. It won’t be the last time.

I grew up in east central Nebraska, in an area not known for its peaches. Corn, yes; peaches, not so much. Nevertheless, every summer my mom would make peach pie out of fresh summertime peaches, and it was oh so good.
Now I live in Colorado, where our Western Slope peaches are arguably some of the best in the country. Take that Georgia. You have better football teams.

One of the things that prevents many people from making homemade pies is the crust. It’s intimidating. If you find it too intimidating, use a store-bought crust. They aren’t as good, but they’re good enough. However, consider making this crust, as I find it simple and tasty. The vinegar does something that makes the crust flaky and delicious.

Peach Pie
Ingredients
5 c. sliced, peeled peaches (about 7 medium peaches)*
1 t. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
¼ c. all-purpose flour OR 2-1/2 T tapioca
¼ t. cinnamon
2 T butter
Sugar

Process
Mix peaches and lemon juice. Stir together sugar, flour or tapioca, and cinnamon. Mix in with the peaches. Turn into your lined pastry pan, and dot with the butter. Put on your top crust, and crimp. Using a pastry brush, brush top with an egg wash or cold water. Sprinkle a generous amount of sugar over the top crust. Take a scissors or sharp knife and cut several holes in the pastry. Place pie on a baking pan and bake at 425 degrees for 35 to 45 mins. until top is golden brown.

Flaky Pie Crust
Ingredients
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 c. cold shortening
1 egg
½ c. ice cold water
1 t. white vinegar

Process
Mix the flour with the salt. Using a food processor**, cut in one cup shortening.
Break the egg into a measuring cup and mix; add enough of the ice water to bring it to ½ c. Add the vinegar to the ice water. Pour into the flour mixture and pulse it until it’s mixed. It is a very sticky dough.
Divide in half and wrap each half in wax paper. Chill for at least an hour before using. This step is critical as I cannot emphasize enough, it is a very sticky dough.
Roll out into a 9-inch pie pan. Keep the other half in the fridge until it’s time to top your pie.

Notes
*To easily peel the peaches, drop them into boiling water for 45 to 60 seconds, remove them, and drop them in ice water. If the peaches are nice and ripe, the skins will come right off. If the peaches aren’t quite as ripe, it will take a bit more work.
** Pioneer women didn’t use a food processor, so you don’t need to either; it just makes it a bit easier. If not using a food processor, just mix together using a wooden spoon.