Archive | January, 2012

Day 280: Happy Birthday Christian!

11 Jan

Apple Blueberry Crumb Crust Pie

It seems to me that much of my day revolves around food.  Of course for the last nine months I have been making a pie each day, but that is only one of the many ways that I find myself focused in the kitchen.  There are days when I am busy making a pot of soup or a casserole for a friend in need, while other times I find myself testing gluten-free recipes for my neighbor.  If it has to do with food, I seem to lose myself in it.  With all that focus on cooking and baking, that means that I also spend a lot of time shopping – and one of my favorite stores in Ashland is Shop ‘n Kart.

Here is one reason for my loyalty: A few years ago I was on the board of the Ashland Schools Foundation.  One of my tasks was to secure donations from restaurants and grocery stores and then prepare meals for the volunteers that helped on fundraising calling nights.  The very first person I approached was Eric, the manager at Shop ‘n Kart and he generously donated $100 in store credit to the cause.  That was such a help for us and I have never forgotten it.

Another reason for my loyalty has to do with the employees that work there.  Maybe it’s because they see me often, but I enjoy the nod of recognition and their willingness to help me when I need assistance.   I am grateful that they don’t seem put out or avoid eye contact when my “questioning” face appears.

Christian is one of the employees that I have really come to appreciate.  He has helped me with special requests a few times,  he has a calmness about him that is admirable even when the store is slammed,  but more than anything I like that he takes the time to speak with each customer and look them in the eye.  That’s so very important in a world that gets busier every day.

Today I brought Christian the Apple Blueberry Pie that you see above.  When I gave it to him he seemed genuinely pleased.  As I told him about the pie project he said he was happy to be a part of this year of pies.  Then he told me that yesterday was his birthday…  and so of course I wished him a Happy Birthday.  And now I would like to offer this quote from Jonathan Swift,  “May you live all the days of your life.”

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.   Abraham Lincoln

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Day 279: Second Chances

10 Jan

Today I saw a friend who we have not seen in years.  When she was younger she made some mistakes and was sent to prison.  She has now served her time and is home again.  We are so happy for her and wanted to extend a warm welcome  to her and so we stopped by to see her with flowers and a Chocolate Cream Pie (suggested by her Dad).

This evening she spoke of her time away and told me that she really used her time wisely.   With the help of several sponsors, she has been through a twelve step program and now has become a sponsor for others that are going through the program.   She is more grounded than ever before, has realigned her priorities and is thrilled to be back with her family.

We are very grateful that she is home again and offer our love and support as she adjusts to her new life.

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you.  What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down.     Mary Pickford

 

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Day 278: Dietary Dave

9 Jan

Chocolate Cream Pie

Several years ago my husband and I were asked by Ashland Community Hospital (ACH)   to help them change the way that they delivered  food to their patients.  It was part of the administration’s goal to move to more patient-centered care, one aspect of which is giving patients choices in what and when they eat.   We worked with the staff to create a menu that offered healthy meal choices and was also  practical.

During that time, we had the opportunity to work closely with Dave – who is known as Dietary Dave around the halls of ACH.  Dave has worked in the kitchen at the hospital for a long time, holding various titles.  Currently, he manages the catering for all of the meetings at the hospital in addition to filling in wherever he is needed in the kitchen.

Dave brings more  to the hospital than his cooking skills, and that is his ability to work well with people.  Dave always has a ready smile and is quick to make a joke.  In an environment as charged as a hospital can be at times, Dave provides comic relief.  That is a very valuable gift.

Since I have spent time working with Dave I knew he would love a Chocolate Cream Pie… and the chocolate covered coffee beans on top were just a bonus.  It is my way of thanking Dave for his support when we worked together, and for the positive attitude that he brings to work each and every day.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.  ~Winston Churchill

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Day 277: Scattered thoughts

8 Jan

Several times this week I found myself thinking about a lady named Esther from church, and that seemed enough of a reason to select her as today’s pie recipient. As I wasn’t sure what type of pie was her favorite, I decided to make a simple Apple Pie and used a heart shaped cookie cutter to decorate the top crust. That little touch made such a difference to me… and Esther seemed to appreciate the added touch as well.

***

In yesterday’s post I mentioned that I had found a recipe for Chess Pie and I asked if anyone had ever made it… and what they thought of it. This afternoon I received several emails about this pie, and a man named David sent me a recipe for Chocolate Chess Pie. I’ll share the recipe when I make it… because I will definitely be making this pie this week.

***

Tonight we are happy that our daughter has arrived home safely from her vacation to Copenhagen. She is exhausted from a trip that took about 24 hours, but she had a wonderful time and is looking forward to starting her next to last term at Southern Oregon University tomorrow.

***

Tonight as I make my way to bed I thought I would leave you with a short clip of my favorite comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy, dancing and synched to the music of Santana.  Click on the link below and enjoy.  Sweet dreams.

Laurel and Hardy

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Day 276: Rock Star Pie

7 Jan

This morning I started looking for recipes of pies that I have never made before. One caught my eye – it’s called Chess Pie. I thought that a pie with this name might be black and white (like a chess board) but one source said that it was a pie that was made when “pie ingredients” (read fruit) were in short supply. An enterprising person created this recipe and supposedly said it was “just pie” which eventually became known as Chess Pie.

It’s a traditional southern pie and is basically a sweet custard with the addition of cornmeal. It sounds interesting… and probably is good but I am not ready to make it for someone without tasting it first myself. If someone out there has made it, I would love it if you would share your story.

Instead of a new pie, I opted for one that I have made a few times before… Chocolate Pecan Pie. To me it is among the best of pies for it has nuts, chocolate, and it is delightfully rich. Best of all, it is fairly quick to put together which is a plus when your schedule gets a bit hectic.

My intended pie recipient is a friend who lives nearby but because he travels quite a bit I don’t see him very often. My goal was to surprise him and therefore I did not call ahead to make sure that he was home. When I got to his house and knocked (and knocked again) I should not have been surprised when he did not answer. I walked a short distance to his neighbor’s house and he assured me that my friend was home so I went back to his house.

Again I knocked and called out and then finally gave up. As it was getting dark I walked back to the neighbor’s house and told him that since I could not reach my friend I wanted to gift the pie to him. He thanked me and told me that he was meeting up with his band tonight and he would share it with them. I hope that it both nourishes and inspires them.

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
Aldous Huxley

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Day 275: January 6

6 Jan

The date of January 6 is known by several names.  According to a few sources, it is called Little Christmas and it is celebrated by people in various countries in Europe.   It is also known as the Feast of the Epiphany  – the day that the wise men came to visit the baby Jesus and thus revealed to the world that he was the messiah.  Still others refer to this day as Twelfth Night, a celebration which brings an end to the twelve days of Christmas.

For our family this day has greater significance – it is the day that we lost my Mom.  It’s been 23 years since she passed and yet the memory of that day is still so vivid.  Our world changed in an instant.  When I look back it is like looking at two pictures – before and after, or rather, with her and without her.

Anniversaries such as this one are hard to forget, and harder still to talk about.  It’s almost like a  gentle dance of words with my sister and my Dad…  because I think we feel the need to say we remember and yet we don’t really want to dwell in sadness.

It was very important for me to find a way to honor my Mom with today’s pie and when my friend Laurel suggested the Lithia Springs School I thought she had the perfect solution.  I called to ask for permission to bring a pie to the school and found out that at this time that there are currently 27 students attending classes. That would mean that I would need 4 pies!  Instead, I decided to prepare a large pan of Apple Blueberry Cobbler so that I would have enough to feed everyone.

Laurel came with me to deliver the “just out of the oven” cobbler and on the way we hurried in to Shop ‘n Kart for 3 half gallons of vanilla ice cream to make this dessert even more memorable.  We were greeted at the school by several of the students who offered to help us carry in the goodies.  One of the teachers had plates and utensils at the ready and she proceeded to serve the cobbler and ice cream to the students (and some of the staff too).  It was really heartwarming to see them all enjoying the treat.

One of the staff who had arrived a bit late asked who had brought the goodies and why.  I don’t think she really was expecting an explanation but I told her that this was my way of remembering my Mom. It only seems fair that since she always had a way of making things special for me, that I should bring something special to share with these young people who might not experience that very often.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

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Day 274: Baked with Love

5 Jan

Sometimes I am asked if I ever dread “having” to make a pie.  Perhaps it’s hard for some people to believe that I really look forward to making a pie everyday. But I don’t have to make a pie a day… I get  to make a pie a day.  It’s my choice and privilege to do this… and that makes all the difference.

How could you not look forward to telling someone that you care about them?  For that’s what I am doing.  But instead of using the phone or a Hallmark card to do that, I am mixing flour and butter to make a crust, cutting fruit and tossing it with sugar for a filling and baking it all in an oven turned to 375.  An hour or so later out comes a piping hot, golden brown pastry,  filled with as much love as I could squeeze in.

Nine months ago when I began this project, the following words were a part of my very first post:

I’ve long been a fan of the book/movie “Like Water for Chocolate”.  In this film the lead character is a wonderful cook who infuses the foods that she prepares with the emotions that she is feeling at the time.  I hope to infuse the pies that I make with love and good wishes to all that receive them.

All these months later, my hope remains the same.
When I delivered my pie yesterday, the lady who received it asked if I had already chosen a pie recipient for today.  When I told her no, she asked if I would please bring a pie to a friend of hers who going through a very difficult time.   And of course I did….  baked with love, and sent with my best wishes for health and healing.

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Day 273: A Pie for a Caring Friend

4 Jan

Apple Pie

As has happened many times before, one of my pie recipients  called to thank me for their pie.  After a few moments, the conversation turned to “how do you choose who to give a pie to?”  When I told her that sometimes people recommend someone they know that they think is deserving of a pie – and often it will be someone I have never met before.  Then she quietly asked, “Can I recommend someone to you?”  Well, if you have been following this blog for any time at all, you know the answer to that question, “Of course.”

Then I asked a question of her, “Would you please tell me why this lady deserves a pie?”  And as she began to speak I could hear that she was overcome with emotion and I knew that she was trying to regain her composure.  Without hearing one word of accolades about the future pie recipient, I knew that she must be quite a friend and my response was, “She sounds like a great lady.  I’d be happy to make her a pie.”  And so today I did just that.

It’s funny isn’t it?  Sometimes we say a lot without saying anything at all.

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.  Henry David Thoreau


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Day 272: Lisa and Lulu from Sanctuary One

3 Jan

Pumpkin, Potato, Carrot and Delicata Squash Pie

A few days ago I received an email from Robert Casserly, the director of Sanctuary One, the first non-profit care farm in the United States.  Care farms are farms where people, animals, and the earth work together for mutual healing.  Sanctuary One is located in the Applegate region of southern Oregon.

Robert told me that he had discovered my blog and that he liked what I was doing with pies and if I ever had the desire to make a pie for a few pigs, he knew just the pigs to give it to.  This morning I emailed Robert to ask if today would be a good day to visit the Sanctuary and later he called back with an emphatic “Yes.”  He thought Lisa and Lulu (the pigs) would be delighted to receive a pie and gave me some suggestions as to the ingredients:  no sugar needed for the pie, keep it vegetarian, and the best advice, “pigs will eat just about anything.”

One pie didn’t seem quite enough for two pigs and so I baked three smaller pies using mashed pumpkin, potatoes, and carrots.  I wanted to make them extra special and so I cooked off some delicata squash as garnish and arranged it and some parsley atop the finished pies.  Then I drove out to the Applegate to deliver the pies.  I was accompanied on this trip by Laurel, a young lady who wanted to videotape this pie delivery.

About an hour later, we arrived at Sanctuary One and were met at the gate by Sansa, the animal care manager. She let us in and took us over to where the animals were fed.  The pigs waited inside the barn while we arranged the pies on a large boulder and once that was done we were led outside of the gate for our own safety (because the pigs get so excited at feeding time!)

Then Sansa let Lisa and Lulu out of the barn and those pigs actually ran to the boulder and began slurping up the pies. It was a bit of a frenzy and they were enjoying every minute of it!   In no time at all their happy faces were smeared with pumpkin and the only thing that wasn’t devoured was the parsley garnishing the pies.

Once Lisa and Lulu were led back into the barn, the goats came over to the boulder and ate up what was left.  It didn’t seem fair that the goats hadn’t had a pie of their own, and that got me to thinking that there just might be another pie day at Sanctuary One with enough pie for all of the animals.  I imagine that will be a sight to behold!

For a list of ways that you can help Sanctuary One in its mission, please click here.

And for more photos of Sanctuary One, click on the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/SanctuaryOne/6421505367/in/photostream  or enjoy a youtube video of the pigs eating leftover Halloween pumpkins here:

http://youtu.be/TkBETO_d6D8

Thanks!

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Day 271: Joe the Shoemaker

2 Jan

What a beautiful day it was here in southern Oregon… and unseasonably warm.  We went for our morning walk, and instead of the  multiple layers of clothing that I usually wear at this time of year, I was walking without my jacket for most of the walk.   I know this isn’t good for the snow pack but I liked the warmth and sunshine.

As we got closer to home, we took a detour so that we could walk through the new development that is going in across the street.  As we passed Joe’s house we noticed him out in his yard.  We stopped to wish him a Happy New Year and wound up chatting for a little while and learned a few things about him that we did not know before.

  • Joe was a shoemaker for 56 years!
  • He began his apprenticeship when he was just 15
  • Joe and George Washington share the same birthday

Joe also told us about his children and he mentioned that some family members were staying with him and his wife for a while.  And that’s when I decided that I would make Joe a pie today.   At first I had been thinking, I should give him a pie on February 22 (for his birthday) but then I thought, why not celebrate now while his family is here?

Today I wanted to try a new recipe and perused epicurious for a while and then I found a recipe that sounded really tasty: Sweet Ricotta Cheese Tart.  And of course I did not follow the recipe exactly.  Instead of making their crust, I made an almond shortbread cookie crust and pre-baked it before adding the filling.  I added a bit of amaretto to the filling instead of vanilla to complement the almonds in the crust.   When it was done baking, I decided that I wanted to add a fruit topping and so I sautéed some fresh, chopped pineapple in butter and brown sugar and placed it on the cooled pie.  I think it looked good enough to eat!

When I brought the pie to Joe’s house, his wife Helen met me at the door. I told her about how we’d talked with Joe earlier and how I had made him a pie and she was so surprised and pleased. She thanked me and asked if she could give me a hug. How could I refuse?

As I was writing about this I was reminded me of my dear friend Jim Matteson. Jim used to give out business cards (he was a realtor) that said “The bearer of this card is entitled to one free hug (or more)”! On the back of the card was Jim’s philosophy for living a long and fulfilling life: Everyone needs 4 Hugs a day for survival, 8 Hugs a day for maintenance, and 12 hugs a day for growth.

Here’s hoping that you’re getting all the hugs that you need.

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