Summertime Key Lime

In keeping with the "oven-free" spirit, this week's pie choice was an easy one.  And while the oven was on for a total of seventeen minutes, my apartment stayed remarkably cool {though I don't know if it was the lack of oven use or the 75 degree weather that lingered around all weekend}.  This pie was made of just a few ingredients and took a total of 30 minutes {my kind of baking!}.

I'm off to Boston and NYC this week to celebrate the end of summer at the U.S. Open with my Mom and Grandma.  Stay tuned next week for a scrumptious recipe of a Boston favorite {Hint: It's the official Massachusetts State Dessert}!

Recipe

bon appétit,

Kelsey

If you can't take the heat . . .

With temperatures soaring into the mid-90's every day, I often come to a dilemma in the kitchen: How can I create something delicious without the overbearing heat of the oven?  I don't know about you, but I would rather not sweat while cooking/baking. And though I probably didn't start this pie baking journey at the right time of the year, I had to come up with an alternative to using the oven {most pies start cooking at over 400 degrees and take up to an hour}.  I thought if I could come up with a batch of no-bake pie recipes, I could kick the dilemma to the curb, give my oven a break, and stop suffering from this unbearable heat {at least until the temps start to drop}.

As I said a couple of posts ago, when I stumbled upon this blog,  I felt that I hit the jackpot.  In searching for a pie that required little-to-no oven time, I stumbled upon this recipe for a chocolate dusted peanut butter pie.  I knew the timing for making this pie was just right for two reasons: the crust only required a 5-7 minute baking time and the filling was quick and easy.  And the best part: IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!

So if you can't take the heat, you don't have to get out of the kitchen--giving your oven a break can be just as delicious.

bon appétit,

Kelsey

Back to Basic: Blueberry Pie

When I think of classic pies, the first to come to mind is apple; the next is blueberry.  And with blueberry season in full effect, I thought what better time to make a basic blueberry pie than now.

Since my first blog post,  I've googled "pie crust" more times than i'll admit, still in search of the perfect pie crust recipe.  After being close to exhausting my search, one of my favorite bloggers, Emily over at Cupcakes and Cashmere, happened to post this pie crust recipe.  I abruptly ended my google search, checked my 'fridge and pantry to ensure I had all the necessary ingredients, and quickly added the recipe to my iPad.

On Saturday I picked up two pints of fresh blueberries and a lemon {and used the juice of one whole lemon} at the local farmers market, and when combined with 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, created the perfect filling for my basic blueberry pie.

A slice of this pie was the perfect ending to championship Sunday at the PGA championship {Congrats to Jason Day for winning his first Major championship}

bon appétit,

Kelsey

Banana Cream Pie with a Salted Whiskey Caramel

When I first started baking, I didn't own a single cook book {indeed, I still don't own one}.  So I resorted to lots of blog reading, trying to acquire a collection of recipes that looked simple, yet delicious.  When I came upon this blog, I knew I hit the jackpot of food blogs.  I quickly found myself saving several recipes, and every week I get drawn into the beautiful pictures, posts, and new recipes.

So when I stumbled upon this recipe, I immediately knew it would be a pie I would make during this pie baking journey {though I had no idea it would be my second pie!}.  While I haven't quite found a bourbon cocktail that I enjoy on its own, I've never found a bourbon dessert I didn't like, and this one  did not disappoint!  The richness of the pudding, the crunchiness of the crust, and the sweetness of the whipped cream, all topped with a whiskey caramel, combined together made the perfect treat after a light dinner.

bon appétit,

Kelsey

Spiced Strawberry Peach Pie

I can eat anything strawberry.  If you ask any of my friends or family, they'll tell you my first choice is always strawberry ice-cream; I often crave strawberry shortcake; and I'll never complain of a fruit salad with too many strawberries.  So it was pretty obvious to me that my first ever homemade pie include strawberries.  Because peaches are a staple in the south, the thought of combining the two fruits into a single, sweet pie made my mouth water.

{As I begin this pie-making journey, I'll be experimenting with many pie crust recipes and trying to find the perfect sweetness for any filling.  I used a basic pie crust recipe for my first pie, and the result was pure deliciousness}

Pie Crust:

2  1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon salt

1  cup (very cold) unsalted butter

4  tablespoons ice water

1  egg

Pie Filling:

4-5 large peaches, skin removed and sliced

1 quart strawberries, halved

1 cup sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

I read a ton of "pie crust how to's" before attempting my first pie.  Did I need a pastry knife? What if I didn't have all the "right" pastry tools? I was nervous when I began {hello! I just bought my first pie dish yesterday!!}.  While I didn't have a pastry knife {and knowing my skills were quite weak trying to cut butter into flour by hand}, I pulled out my trusty Ninja, and it was the perfect solution.

In the food processor container, combine the flour and salt and pulse a few times {just enough to combined the ingredients}.  Next, cube the butter {into rough 1/4 inch cubes} and add to the flour mixture.  Pulse the ingredients several times, until the mixture starts to come together.  Slowly begin to add the ice water and pulse. The dough should be clumpy.  Split dough in half, form into flat spheres, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for minimum one hour {I refrigerated mine for four hours}.

While the dough chills, combine all ingredients for the pie filling in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is done chilling.  

Remove dough from refrigerator.  Dust flour on rolling surface and rolling pin.  Begin to roll the dough, starting in the center and working outwards.  Dough should be be roughly 12 inches in diameter.  When dough reaches desired size, begin folding an edge of the dough back over the rolling pin {which creates an easy transfer method to the pie dish}.  In a greased pie dish, unroll the dough and press flat into the pie dish.  

Fill pie with fruit mixture.

Begin rolling out second sphere of chilled dough.  Continue rolling until dough reaches 1/8 inch thickness.  Using a pizza cutter {or fancy pastry wheel}, cut strips roughly 1 inch wide.  Follow these instructions to make the lattice.  

Place pie in a preheated 425 degree oven {I recommend placing pie dish on a baking dish to help catch any overflow from the pie while baking}.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue cooking for 45 minutes - 1 hour {If edges of pie begin to brown too quickly, wrap in aluminum foil}.

Let cool for 4 hours {to allow all fruit juices to thicken}.  Serve and enjoy!

bon appétit,

Kelsey