An impromptu Memorial Day BBQ + it being rhubarb season = these little gems. Made on a whim. Really easy to make. Nothing much more to say [grin].
Pie
Pet Peeve: The fact that Pepperidge Farms Frozen Puff Pastry comes in a package of two, and yet, they aren’t individually wrapped. The consequence of this is that you actually end up having to thaw both pieces and shouldn’t really refreeze one of them. I always ponder what to do with the second sheet, because invariably I only need one. I also ended up having some leftover mushrooms and half a bag of spinach from another endeavor, so I used the puff to make this savory strudel. Great as a brunch dish or lunch with a salad.
Time for Blueberry Thyme Pie. I’ve had a few sleepless nights in the last few days. Lots of worries on my the brain and emotions are running high. This does not bode well for my already light sleep, so I tossed and turned until 1 AM, stared mindlessness through the extra innings of a West Coast Red Sox game and then managed a few hours of actual sleep from 2-4. Then I decided to make pie. Baking always makes me feel better and the bonus of insomnibaking is that one gets to eat pie for breakfast. The herbiness of the thyme balances nicely in this. If you have lemon thyme, that would be even better.
In a couple of days, the Kentucky Derby will be run for 2015. I’ve been seeing a lot of photos out there for Mint Juleps and such, but thought I would go in another direction with my homage to the the Running of the Roses: Pie. No surprise there, eh? I’ve been this type of pie been called Chocolate Chip Pie, but with my addition of Pecans and Bourbon, it almost seemed more appropriate to rename it as Kentucky Derby Pie. Southern, and all that. It is ooey and gooey on the inside, perfect for pairing with vanilla iced cream.
I woke up this morning in a horrible mood. Well, I am not sure that “waking up” was actually part of the equation as I had been awake for the most of the night. There were some bad dreams and the weather was horrible, with pelting rain and thunder and lighting. The cats were none too pleased about the whole thing and I just didn’t get a good night’s rest. I felt completely discombobulated.
But for me there is something about being in the kitchen that allows me to reset. So I did just that, even though it was a busy morning with my “real life”. I love pie but didn’t really have enough apples for just a regular apple pie, but I did have a jar of tart cherries. I steeped them in some whiskey as I was making the pastry and voila: Apple Pie with Whiskey Soaked Tart Cherries. The flowers are intended to be cherry blossoms, because it is, in theory, that time of year. Oh, and it stopped raining, and my mood has improved.