C: Pie Day

V and I had planned to get her granddaughter, Julia, and my youngest niece, Ellie, together to make Christmas gifts and do a little baking...oh, we had big plans! We set the date and began gathering materials/ingredients. As I look back, I laugh at our ambition! We gathered enough for three days work, let alone a day with two little girls!

Our group grew. My mother, never one to be left out where her children are grandchildren are concerned, came over Friday night to spend the night with Ellie and me. Mother-in-law joined us as well, and Julia's mother came to witness the festivities. So we had a nice little inter-generational group! Friends, all, who were also eager to catch up with each other's news and exchange a little innocuous gossip.

I put a pot of beef barley soup on the stove and dragged out the panini machine so we could enjoy soup and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. V, the girls and I went to work. The rest of the women sipped coffee, offered advice here and there, and generally yucked it up with a high-old girlfriend time!

Of course, we did not nearly complete our list of tasks, and we had one real disaster (I'll tell you later...maybe), but the pies were a triumph! This is one of my very favorite pies, and I must credit Sandra Lee of the Food Channel with the inspiration for this recipe, although I have tinkered with it. It is my favorite kind of recipe--simple and wonderful! I call it my "Cherry Berry Pie," and though I love it all year round, I especially love to make it at Christmas because I think the red is so pretty. Here we go (concise recipe, without the charming photos, follows):

JULIA AND ELLIE MAKE "CHERRY BERRY PIE" (Their very first pies!)

You will need piecrust for top and bottom of pie. We used Pillsbury ready-made crusts.

One can of cherry pie filling, as shown by Julia:

One package of frozen mixed berries:

Add 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken. Squeeze in juice from half a lemon and a little lemon zest (girls were fascinated by the zesting tool).

Mix it all up, as demonstrated by Ellie:

Pour into bottom crust, and top with your choice of top crust "styles." We used the decorative piecrust cutter from King Arthur Flour.


Pop in a 400 degree oven for about half an hour til the crust is golden and Voila! You have a pie to be proud of!!

Mmmmmmmm. One pie was cut and mostly eaten with our lunch (finished off later by yours truly--I'm sooo bad!). All-in-all, we had a wonderful, comforting "girlfriend day!"

Here's the recipe:

Cherry Berry Pie
crust for double-crust pie
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 package of frozen mixed berries
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
squeeze from half lemon and zest, if you like
1/4 cup sugar

Mix all the filling ingredients together. Pour into bottom crust, top with other crust, bake 400 degrees til brown, about half an hour!


And, if you add a hearty lunch, little girls and wonderful old friends/moms, you will get that warm, holiday feeling!! C

Comments

Zuzana said…
Beautiful, a work of art! I can almost taste how delicious the pies were (are);)
The girls look so cute and so busy, I bet they enjoyed being the stars of the show and enjoyed the hard work as well.
There is nothing more enjoyable than baking in a company of family and friends.;)
xo
Zuzana
Debbie said…
How blessed you are to have so much family to celebrate with. It sounds heavenly!
Debbie
Anonymous said…
Sounds like fun to me. I miss my littles coming over. They are so into the highschool thingie they don't seem to ever have time. Maybe when they are out for break. It is like Santa's workshop here. I am moving on with all my painting. Maybe after Christmas, I can show my items, don't want anyone to see what they are getting now. Blessings
QMM
jan said…
Sounds like a fabulous time was had by all! The pies are beautiful! I have never made a two crust pie. If I had a tool that made them that lovely, though, I certainly would be inspired!
Michelle said…
Those pies look yummy. How wonderful that all of you can converge and share time like you are.
Linda Hibner said…
Love the photos! I've had "Nana Camps" the day after Thanksgiving for our seven grandchildren. We would do crafts and bake cookies. Now they're too big for this kind of thing--but a pie day? They might buy that.

Thanks for great posts. I loved the one about folding sheets. I can't wait to see the "after" photos of the linen closet.
Blessings,
Linda
www.gracefullives.blogspot.com
kath001 said…
A wonderful day the little girls will always remember...the best gift of all.
Joolz said…
Your pie making day sounds better fun then some peoples crappy Christmas Day. What a lovely idea and OMG the pies look delicioso!

Joolz
Jody Blue said…
Christmas baking already!?! I'm wishing I was there with you gals! We do lefse for Thanksgiving and then start in on Christmas baking after thanksgiving. Pie sounds good, What cuties doing the demonstrating.
♥Mimi♥ said…
Those little girls are so precious. It must have been so much fun to spend the day with them making pies! I so love your list of blessings. So many that I would chose as well.
KathyB. said…
Oh what a good time you had! Looks like two young ladies have begun to experience the delights of baking, and to such an appreciative group of eaters!Sounds like a very fun and memorable time to me.
Anita said…
Yummm... let me at those berries. I love the lovely models, how special are they. Kind regards, Anita.
MsTypo said…
You had me at gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. :p Those pie crusts are works of art! Wow! If they tasted half as good as they looked i'd like a slice or three! :D
Those little bakers are just precious! What a wonderful fun filled bake day! The pies look wonderful! blessings,Kathleen
What cute girls, and what memories you made for them. The pies turned out beautifully. I'm sure this is a night they'll always remember. Thanks for sharing the recipe. laurie
I am sooooo impressed with the pies!! They were so pretty!!!, read your spider blog too and you and Alicia are just alike, I say just step on it:)

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