Rules of Engagement

My daughter met her special someone when she was 15. They married when she was 22, and the whole time they were together it was a long distance relationship. They didn't go to the same school so they only saw each other at church or when one of them could make the 45 minute drive to the other's house. Then when they graduated from high school, he went across the state to college. What had been seeing each other once or twice a week became once or twice a quarter. Thank heavens for email, texting, and cell phones!

My daughter will be the first to admit that it was really tough, but also that it was invaluable for their relationship. Because they didn't have a lot of time to be together physically, they spend a lot of time talking and working through issues together.

One of the most important things they hammered out were the ground rules for fighting.

#1 - No violence. Ever.

#2 - Leave the past in the past. Don't drag it into present conflicts.

#3 - Leave out absolutes like "you always" or "you never"

#4 - Remember that words are as hurtful as knives. Choose the words you speak carefully as they can't be unspoken.

#5 - Don't let the sun set on your anger. Or if it sets and you're still angry, stay up all night working it out. Don't go to bed mad.

#6- Don't walk away in anger. Stay and work it out.

#7 - No withholding. The marriage bed is not a bargaining tool.

I must confess that recently I broke one of those rules. Sort of. You see, my Cuisinart broke. It just stopped working one day. I wasn't shocked as I'd bought that food processor at a yard sale 20 years ago for $10 (yes, I know, I have amazing yard sale blessings).

A food processor isn't an absolute necessity. Lots of people get by without them. It's just that for certain tasks it's really, really nice to have one. So when my husband asked about some apple scones I'd talked about making, I ....(hangs head in shame)....withheld. No, not the marriage bed, the scones.

"I can't make them without a food processor," I said, trying to convince myself it was only a teensy, weensy lie, knowing full well that I was certainly capable of making scones without a food processor. I just didn't want to. And if the scones were dangled out there as bait, maybe hubbie would be motivated to buy me a new one.

Hubbie is no fool. He, too, knows that scones can be made without an appliance (well, an oven is a necessity), but he's a big sweetie and likes to spoil me. So he went ahead and ordered me a new one. It was just like Christmas when that big box arrived on the doorstep! And the very first thing I made to break in my new baby was the apple scones. So, I'm not totally evil, am I?

These are so easy to make in the food processor, and they're "rustic," which means zero fuss. Let the food processor do the work, knead in the apple bits, lump it onto a baking sheet, score, and bake. You're half an hour away from delicious, warm scones!

If you've had a fight and need to do penance, try making the scones. All will be forgiven, I'm sure. And if you don't have a food processor, they are terrific incentive for getting one.

Apple Buttermilk Scones
- adapted from Muffins and Other Morning Bakes by Linda Collister
Makes 8 scones

1 large crisp tart apple (about 1/2 lb)
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup raw sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
6-1/2 Tbs unsalted butter, chilled and diced
about 2/3 cup buttermilk, plus extra for brushing

1- Preheat the oven to 425 deg. F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2- Peel, core, and coarsely chip the apple into 1/2-inch chunks.

3- In the food processor combine the flours, baking soda, and sugar. Pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter and process until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. With the machine running, add the buttermilk through the feed tube to make a soft but not sticky dough.

4- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in the apple chunks to form a coarse, bumpy dough. Don't worry is they're not totally incorporated.

5- Shape the dough into a ball and put in onto the prepared baking sheet. Pat the dough into a 9-inch round. Brush lightly with buttermilk, then sprinkle with a little raw sugar to give a crunchy surface. Using a sharp knife, score the round into 8 wedges, but don't separate them.

6- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and firm to the touch.

7- Cool on a wire rack. You can eat them immediately, warm, or they are also good split and toasted. If you really want to go crazy, slather them with good butter and your favorite jam or honey. But I find them irresistible plain.

*I use a blend of 1/2 all-purpose flour, 1/2 white whole wheat

The Brosetta Stone

Recently my family and I were watching a video of a young man of our acquaintance introducing his "friend who is a girl but not a girlfriend" to his guy friends. From the banter and mild ribbing that took place, it was obvious that this lady friend had been previously discussed between them and they were here to check her out. As the guy friends were were leaving, one reached over and clapped the young man three times on the shoulder. The young man flushed and grinned.

My husband, ever the astute observer, paused the video and said, "He just got a 'Way to go!'"

My daughter and I both said, "What? What are you talking about?"

My husband said, "Didn't you see that shoulder clap? That was totally a 'way to go, man' shoulder clap. Didn't you see that?"

We played it again about 5 times in slo-mo. Yep, there it was - clap, clap, clap, flush, grin.

My daughter and I were stunned. All that slapping and grunting that guys do means something? We challenged my husband. "What if it had only been two claps?"

"Oh, that would have meant 'bummer, dude.'"

"And one clap?"

"That's either hi or goodbye."



I was amazed. I felt like I'd been handed the Rosetta Stone of guy speak! What could I do with this powerful information? Should I, armed with a discreet video camera, go to football games and locker rooms to study these wild yet gentle creatures in their natural habitat? Perhaps I could open peace talks between the sexes, acting as translator. Or maybe I could figure out how to communicate effectively with my husband, resulting in the toilet seat being left down at night.

With great power comes great responsibility. I must ponder this and figure out the best way to wield my knowledge. And while I'm pondering, I'll eat cake.

This cake doesn't take any figuring out. It's simple to make and even simpler to eat. And with apples and a streusel topping, it says delicious in all known languages, including guy speak.

Country Apple Cake
- adapted from Muffins and Other Morning Bakes by Linda Collister

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2-3 Tbsp milk
1-1/2 cups thickly sliced tart eating apples (I used organic Fuji)

Topping:
1/2 cup raw sugar
6-1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Grease a 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 - 2-1/2-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.

2- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

3- Add the eggs slowly, then add the vanilla.

4- Sift or sieve the flour, salt, and baking powder over the mixture. Add 2 Tbsp of milk and stir just till combined. The batter should be a soft mixture that just drops from the spoon. If it's too dry, add an additional Tbsp of milk.

5- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Arrange the apple slices in an even layer over the top.

6- Place all the topping ingredients in a medium bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. (This can also be done in a food processor.) Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, then press down gently.

7- Bake for about 1 hour until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

8- Let cool in the pan until lukewarm, then serve warm from the pan or cool completely on a wire rack. Eat within 3 days. When thoroughly cooled, the cake can be wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month.

Comfortable Cakes

When I was in high school I'd amaze my friends and astound my teachers by wearing 4 inch heels. They were tall, black and spiky, and I loved them. Putting on a pair of outrageous shoes is the quickest way I know to feeling tall and sexy.

Unfortunately, I no longer wear those kind of shoes. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that most high-heeled shoes don't like me. Between having finicky knees, extremely high arches, and feet shaped like bricks, it's an exercise in pain to wear anything besides my everyday Dansko's or my workout shoes.

Cakes are kind of like shoes. There are the extravagant, over-the-top ones that you see on Ace of Cakes or on the Sunday Sweets section of Cake Wrecks. Sure, they turn heads and impress people, but I doubt that I'll ever attempt anything like that. They take waaaaaay too much time and effort for something that will be eaten in a matter of minutes.

Pump by Christian Louboutin, Cake by Marina Sousa of Just Cake

Then there are the comfy, everyday shoes of the cake world. The kind that you can serve to friends straight from the pan. Easy to make, bakes in just one pan, not pretentious or fancy, but oh so tasty. This is one of those cakes. You won't win awards with it, but you might well win hearts.

Apple Comfort Cake

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cake:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (you can sub out 1 cup of the a.p. flour with white whole wheat)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups chopped apples (good choices are Granny Smith, Jonagold, or Braeburn)


1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2- In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and mix to blend. Set aside.

3- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the cake batter ingredients except the apples. Mix until well blended. Fold in the apples.

4- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the topping mixture.

5- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature. A blop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side is rarely turned down.

Plain Jane Dessert

Whenever I got into a bakery I drool over the cases of beautifully decorated cakes and pastries. I adore the elaborate designs, garnishes, and extra effort the baker put in to make such lovely baked goods. But when I'm baking for myself, I never do anything like that. Although I bookmark extravagant desserts, the ones I make time after time are the never-fail, homely but delicious treats.

This coffee cake is a perfect example. It's not at all winsome in its looks, yet beneath it's craggy, plain surface, lies a moist, flavorful cake that will make you come back for seconds. And thirds.



I know it's not the loveliest cake on the block, but try it. Trust me - you won't be disappointed.

Double Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
- adapted from the excellent You Made That Dessert? by Beth Lipton

Streusel:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Cake:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature (full fat is best, but low-fat is OK)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 small sweet apple, such as Gala or Yellow Delicious, peeled and roughly chopped

1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F with a rack in the center. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

2- For the streusel, in a medium bowl combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine well. Add the butter pieces and work in with a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers until it resembles coarse sand. Add the pecans and toss with your fingers to mix. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

3- For the cake, in a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; whisk well to combine. Make sure all brown sugar lumps are broken up.

4- In another large bowl combine the applesauce, melted butter, yogurt, vanilla, and egg; beat with a whisk to combine well.

5- Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture all at once. Use a flexible spatula to stir the two mixtures together. Add the chopped apple. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to be sure there are no pockets of dry flour. Be careful not to overstir, though, as that results in a tough cake.

6- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the streusel over the top.

7- Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

(Note: I baked my cake for 15 minutes longer than the time stated. Rely on the toothpick to figure out when it's done.)

Baking: From My Kitchen to Yours - Part 2

The second installment of Baking: From My Kitchen to Yours happened this week. The fabulous Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody made the trek down to bake with me. Since I was the host kitchen, I got to decide what we were baking. I had a short list of 4 or 5 things, but with all the socializing, side tangents of photography, and children demanding attention, we only accomplished one baking project.

I was drawn to this recipe when I saw it on the website for Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. But when I think of Pea, I think of pumpkin, so naturally I thought of substituting Pea's pumpkin brioche in the recipe. Pumpkin, apple, and pear, all together in a rustic, tasty cake. Yumm.

Since I had a large bowl full of brioche, I decided to double the recipe, making two cakes so there would be enough for everyone. That might have been a mistake, since I was getting so distracted. I ended up with an interesting texture to the streusel topping and an oddly large amount with lots of leftovers. (I'll post later about what I did with that.)

When the recipe calls for an 8 x 3-inch cake pan, apparently it really means it. I realized after I'd put both cakes together that my pans are more like 8 x 2-inch. In the oven the brioche rose, pushing chunks of streusel off to burn on the bottom of the oven because I'd forgotten to put in baking sheets. There's nothing like big clouds of smoke issuing from your oven to really make you feel like a pro baker.

Peabody's kitchen is gorgeous and was spotless when I visited her. My kitchen is more of the "Oh, no, company's coming. Get the snow shovel and clean off the counter!" variety. My cookbooks multiply on the cookbook breeding ground (some people might call it an island) and I have recipes printed off the computer drifting around the kitchen like the first snowflakes of winter.

Peabody's kitchen is also very peaceful. Just Pea and her culinary concoctions. As soon as she got to my house the kitchen was stuffed with people. My oldest daughter, my husband, and my two younger children all wanted to meet her and hang around her. Well, who wouldn't? But it didn't make for smooth, effortless baking.

Why am I telling you all this? Well, it's my excuse for what my oven produced. First, billows of smoke, then a cake that fell in the middle. But it tasted good and we had fun!

Fall Brioche Coffee Cake
- adapted from Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes a Day (go there to see how it's supposed to look)

The Streusel Topping:

1 cup oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, well packed
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

The Cake:

1 pound (grapefruit-size portion) Pumpkin Brioche dough (make it the day before baking - this will yield enough for 2 cakes plus leftovers)
2 small apples (1 tart and 1 sweet, thinly sliced)
1 large pear, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
zest of half an orange
1 1/2 cups streusel topping (above)

1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an 8-inch x 3-inch round cake pan with grease, a round piece of parchment and a dusting of flour or sugar.

2-To make the streusel: Place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss until well combined.

3- Divide the pound of dough in two equal pieces, form them into balls and roll them out to be just slightly wider than the cake pan. Place one of the disks of dough in the prepared pan. It should come up the sides just a bit.

4- Combine the apples, pear, brown sugar and zest in a bowl. Spread half of the apple mixture on the first layer of dough.

3- Sprinkle with about 3/4 cup streusel. Repeat with other layer of dough, rest of apples and another 3/4 cup streusel. Let the cake rest for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

4- With a baking sheet beneath the cake to catch drips, bake for about 45 minutes , until tester comes out of the center clean. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake.

5-Invert the pan onto a plate. Lift the pan off the cake. Peel the parchment paper off the bottom of the cake and then invert onto a cake plate.

Apple Polishing

Every year as fall approaches my husband gets excited about two things - football and apple pie. This year being no exception he started with the subtle hints ("Ooh, apples are in season!"), moved up to not-so-subtle hints ("You know, I really, really like apple pie."), and when no signs of apple pie making appeared in the kitchen, he went for the throat ("If you love me, you'll make me an apple pie," said with enormous Bambi eyes and the trembling lower lip).

Well, for crying out loud, I'll make the pie!

And not just any pie. I had plans for making the ultimate apple pie. The deepest of deep dish apple pies. The apple pie that would force all others to admit inadequacy. The recipe I chose used a springform pan. That's how seriously deep dish it is. And it took 5-6 pounds of apples. Oh, yeah, and it had a streusel topping, too. This big bad boy was going to be awesome!

But the transition from awesome sounding recipe to pie cooling on counter had a few problems. Because it took so long to bake, the crust got tough as dog biscuits. And the apples slices, which had been mounded over the rim when I put the pie in the oven, after cooling sunk down in the middle like a tire with a blowout. And the yummy streusel topping? The butter melted and left pools of grease over the top. Tasty grease, yes, but still not attractive.

I was so disappointed I took no pictures. Instead I'm going to share with you what I did with the leftovers.

When I peeled and cored the apples, I saved those bits in a saucepan, covered them with water, tossed in a cinnamon stick, and let it simmer for an hour or so.

When the water cooled, I strained out the bits and poured the apple water in a jar and stored it in the refrigerator. Why? Because it makes fabulous oatmeal. Replace regular water with the apple water, add chunks of apples to the cooking oatmeal, top with a bit of brown sugar and some cream if you're feeling decadent. You won't believe how wonderful it smells and tastes - full of apples and heady with cinnamon. I promise you you'll never go back to store-bought flavored oatmeals!



Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

- makes 2 servings

2/3 cup apple water made from organic apple peels and cores*
1/3 cup rolled oats
handful of chopped apple (peel on is fine)

1- In a small saucepan, bring the apple water to a boil. Add the oats and stir to mix. Add the apple chunks.

2- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oatmeal is the desired consistency. I like it just when it stops looking soupy.

3- Ladle into bowls and top as you like with brown sugar, milk, or cream. My parents like a blob of peanut butter on theirs, but I think that messes with the consistency.



*This is one place where I must put my dainty foot down and insist on organic. A lot of the pesticide residue on apples is found in the peels and to boil the peels concentrates the residue into the apple water. A bowl of oatmeal in the morning is a delicious, warming breakfast for your family. A bowl of pesticides is not.

Note: the portions I used are for the serving size I like. For heartier appetites, use 1/2 cup oats per person. For daintier eaters, use 1/4 cup oats. The apple water is always in a 2 to 1 ratio with the oats. Twice as much water as oats. Isn't this the easiest recipe ever?

Off The High Horse

Sometimes I get a bit on a baking high horse. Perhaps you know the pony I'm referring to. It's snobby about ingredients, pretentious about equipment, and takes itself way too seriously when it comes to technique. But then I encounter a recipe that makes me climb off the high horse (thank goodness, I really don't like heights) and touch ground again.

My mother-in-law gave me a recipe years ago that is soooo simple that I thought was too easy to be good. All the ingredients are things that I would have in my cupboard or refrigerator. No special shopping trip required to hunt down an ingredient. A mixing bowl, a grater, and a 9 x 13 pan are all it calls for. If you have a KitchenAid, that's a bonus, but it's not required. And as for technique, it's basically a dump cake. You put all the stuff in the bowl, you stir, you pour in the pan, you bake. C'mon, even my six-year old could do that!

But the best part is the cake that comes out of the oven. It's fabulous. Moist, fragrant, studded with raisins. It's perfect for snacking, for tea time, or for dessert. Or breakfast, if my son gets his way. (Well, hey it's got fruit in it, so that's a healthy breakfast, right?) And if you feel like this was just too easy and a delicious cake needs more effort put into it, you can drizzle some homemade caramel sauce over the top.

Pat's Grated Apple Cake

5 cups grated apples*
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp soda
1 cup raisins

1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. with a rack in the center of the oven. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2- In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients. Mix until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan.

3- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. The cake should be set, the top golden. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out without batter clinging to it

* You can peel the apples, if you like, but I don't. It saves a step and gives a lovely color to the cake to leave the skin on. If you have a KitchenAid grater attachment or a food processor grater, this is a wonderful time to use it. Just core the apples, cut into quarters and throw them into the machine. You'll have 5 cups grated apples in no time! But don't despair if you don't have either; a box grater works just as well, only a little slower.

A Perfect Pearing

I am inexperienced with pears. I'm fairly clueless about how to tell when they're ripe, so I've had some hard, crunchy pears and some squishy mealy pears, neither of which is an incentive to buy more pears. But I persist because a pear that is perfect, juicy, yielding, and smooth, is beyond compare.

With my chirpy optimism firmly in place I bought a bag of pears at Costco. If you shop at Costco you know that's a serious amount of pears. When I was unloading my Costco haul my family looked curiously at the bag and asked, "What are you going to do with that?" Well, duh. Bake!

I have several recipes lined up to try and I'll bake till the pears run out or go runny.



At first I thought I'd make an apple, pear pie that sounded scrumptious. It still sounds scrumptious and depending on how the supply holds out, I might still make it, but this crumble sounded waaaay easier to make. And it, too is scrumptious. Somewhat surprisingly, though, the predominant flavor is orange. If you like orange and cranberry together, you will adore this. If you don't like orange flavor, I'd suggest leaving out the orange zest and swapping out the orange juice for apple or pear juice.

Pear, Apple, & Cranberry Crisp
- adapted from Barefoot Contessa At Home by Ina Garten

2 lbs ripe Bosc pears (I used Bartlett), about 4 pears
2 lbs firm Macoun apples (I used Fuji), about 4-6 apples
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

topping:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

1- Preheat the oven to 350 deg. F. with a rack centered in the oven.

2- Peel and core the pears and apples and cut them into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl with the dried cranberries and the zests. In a small bowl combine the sugar, flour and spices. Sprinkle the fruit juices over the fruits, then toss the fruit with sugar mixture. Pour into a 9 x 12-inch baking dish. (If you don't have one, a 9x 13-inch would be fine.)

3- For the topping, combine all the dry ingredients in either a mixer bowl or a food processor bowl. Add the butter and either stir with paddle attachment on low for 1 to 2 minutes, or process with several pulses until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle the crumbles evenly over the fruit, covering it completely.

4- Place the baking dish on a sheet pan (lined with parchment paper if you like, for easier clean up). Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm. A drizzle of cream or a dollop of good vanilla ice cream would pair nicely with it.

Apples to Apples

I'm sorry I've been absent of late. My brain short-circuited when my daughter informed me that the wedding was only 45 days away. 45 days? How did that happen? I've had a year and a half to prepare and now I feel so unprepared. So much to do and so little time.

For some reason, way back early in the planning stages, we decided that it would be simpler and easier to hold the wedding in our back yard. Huh? Where was my brain? What was I thinking?

We spent most of last summer having the front and back yards landscaped. Now we're into filling in the landscaping with more plants and forever weeding. Cleaning, scraping, sanding, and painting the deck comes next. And in between are the innumerable details involved. Always more things to be done. Instead of getting shorter my to-do list is getting longer.

So if I don't post super regularly or don't make it to your site to leave a comment, please understand, I'm not being aloof or snotty. I'm probably balled up in a corner whimpering. This, too, shall pass, but in the meantime, please be patient with me.

Here's the post that I meant to get up for Mother's Day, but it also fits in with today's theme of stressed mother of the bride. When I got married my mother helped put together my wedding from out of state. She did all the invitations. She sent up her wedding dress for me to wear. She even encouraged me to spend money! All this with much less whining than I'm doing.

She just makes it all look so easy. Easy as pie. Which for her is true. She's a whiz at making pies.

Growing up, I didn't appreciate pies like I do now. They didn't have frosting, so they rated much lower in my book than cakes. But now that I have made a fair amount of pies, I'm amazed at the number of pies my mother made. When our apricot tree began to dump it's annual ton and a half of fruit, my mother would whip out pie after pie and put them in the freezer so we could feast on fresh apricot pie all winter. When apples were in season, she'd throw together an apple pie just to make my dad happy. And she made it look so easy.

So here is my late Mother's Day tribute to mom and her amazing pies. Apple pie bars. The taste of an apple pie without the fuss of a crust, because as much as I practice, pie crusts aren't as simple for me as they are for her. And I know she'll understand the post being late. She knows me pretty well by now.

Apple Pie Bars
- adapted from Great Cookies by Carole Walters

6 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey

crust:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg

streusel topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup medium-chopped toasted pecans

1- In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the apples with the brown sugar, lemon juice, and honey. Cover the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover when the apples have released their juices and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have turned a golden brown and there is no liquid left in the pan, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2 - Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 deg. F. Line a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, pressing it smooth and snug in the corners and sides. Using a pastry brush, grease the bottom and sides with softened butter, taking care not to tear the foil.

3- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

4 - In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix to blend. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing only to combine after each addition. Divide the mixture into eight parts and place them in two rows down the length of the pan. With lightly floured hands, press the mixture evenly into the pan.

5- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the crust has turned golden brown and begins to release from the sides of the pan. While the crust is baking, prepare the streusel topping.

6- In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, granulated and brown sugars, cinnamon, and salt for the streusel topping. Mix briefly on low speed. Add the butter and mix on medium-low speed until the mixture is crumbly and barely holds together when squeezed gently. Stir in the pecans with a large rubber spatula or a large wooden spoon. Set aside.

7 - When the crust is done, immediately spread the cooked apples evenly over the hot crust. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples, pressing gently to help it adhere.

8 - Reduce the oven temperature to 350 deg. F. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and crisp. Let rest in the pan for 2 to 3 hours before removing and slicing with a long, sharp knife. They will slice better if they are chilled.

To store the bars, refrigerate layered between sheets of wax paper for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Unbirthday Surprise

One of the definite advantages of having a birthday during the non-summer months is that your friends are around to help you celebrate. Whether it's cupcakes in pre-school or the whole class singing the happy birthday song to you, there's a lot of attention to make you feel special on your special day.

In my jr. high (yes, that makes me an old timer - they're now called middle schools), there was a fun tradition for birthdays. Even though the administration lectured strictly about never giving out your locker combination, of course you shared it with your best friends. How else could they get in to borrow a hairbrush, lip gloss, feminine products, or, weirdly enough, a textbook?

Armed with the locker combination it was the job of the close circle of friends to decorate the birthday girl's locker on her day. They'd come to school early and stuff her locker to the brim with balloons, candy, and a banner, so when she opened her locker, it would all spill out and her everyone around her would yell, "Happy Birthday!"

I was always envious of these lucky birthday celebrities because, having a summer birthday, I knew that would never be my lot in life. Sunny birthdays - yes; birthday lockers- no.

Recently I saw a post about fabulous apple pie on Melinda's Online Diary. She used a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking (so I knew it had to be good!), but added quince cheese, something I'd never heard of. I left a comment asking if substituting tart apples would be OK. When she wrote back and asked for my address I had a sneaking suspicion that she was going to send me some quince cheese. Imagine someone so nice they'd send me some quince cheese just so I could make apple pie!

About a week later a box arrived. Not just quince cheese but a whole cornucopia of treats! I felt like I'd opened my birthday locker as all the wonderful gifts tumbled out onto my lap! I was surprised and overwhelmed at Melinda's generosity and thoughtfulness. Thank you, sweetie!

So, for this week's Pie Day, I had, of course, to take a shot at Melinda and Dorie's Apple and Quince Pie. It is delicious. If you want pie heaven, have a slice of this pie. Seriously.

Dorie's crust is tender and flaky and, if you follow her instructions for chill, chill, chill, it's easy to work with. I figured out why my old piecrust recipe always had me cursing and pulling my hair out. It didn't make enough. I'd have to roll it wafer thin to get it large enough to fill the pie plate and it would invariably tear, making me shriek out curses on the foul dough. Dorie's recipe yields a generous amount so you have enough to work with, plus extras if you want to get fancy and put cut-outs on your pie (I was not that fancy). Right now I have a small ball of dough in the refrigerator that I promised my daughter she could have for making her own tiny pie.

I've never had quince, so I didn't have a clue what quince cheese would be like. My daughter says it smells like apricots. It isn't a dairy cheese, but rather quince, lemon and sugar, adding a delightful, piquant zip to the pie mixture.

Because I'm lazy, I'll let you find the crust recipe on your own (Just buy the book. It's awesome and you need it. Trust me.) but I'll give you the recipe for the filling, with Melinda's adaptation.



Melinda and Dorie's Apple and Quince Pie

1 recipe Pie dough for double crust, chilled
4 lbs (about 6 very large) apples - I used 7
3/4 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8-1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 round quince cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp graham cracker crumbs (or dry bread crumbs)
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the glaze (optional):

Milk or heavy cream
Decorating or granulated sugar

1- Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. I use this tool to streamline the job and the kids love to help.

2- In a large bowl toss together the apple slices with the sugar, lemon zest, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

3- If using the quince cheese, nuke it for about 45 seconds in the microwave to soften it then add it into the apple mixture. Cover and let the mixture sit. Depending on your schedule you can let this sit as little as 5 minutes, or overnight. The quince seems to keep the apples from browning.

4- Pour off the accumulated juices into a small saucepan. Boil for about 3-5 minutes to thicken, then let cool completely.

5- Butter a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Preheat the oven to 425 deg. F.

6- Roll out half of the pie dough and lift it into the pie pan. Cover this with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator while you roll out the other half of the dough.

7- Place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs on the bottom of the crust and put the sliced apple mixture into the crust. Pat them into an even mound. Dot the apples with the bits of cold butter. Pour the cooled apple juices from the saucepan over the apple mound.

8- Lightly moisten the rim of the bottom crust with water and then place the top crust over the apples. Seal the edges by pinching or by pressing with a fork, trimming off the excess crust.

9- Using a sharp knife, cut 6 slits in the top crust. You can add cut-outs from the excess pie dough to fancy it up.

10- If desired, brush the top crust with a little milk or cream and sprinkle it with sugar. I used turbinado sugar and my pie came out looking freckled.

11- Bake pie for 15 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 375 deg. F. and bake the pie for another 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is gorgeously browned and the juices bubble up through the top crust. After about 40 minutes, if the crust looks like it's browning too quickly, cover the pie loosely with a foil tent.

12- Transfer the pie to a rack and let it rest until it is only just warm or until it reaches room temperature.

The most difficult part of making this pie is keeping hungry people from cutting into it while it's hot. It smells divine, but if you cut it fresh from the oven, you'll have a soupy mess. Let it cool and you'll be able to cut beautiful pie slices.

(If you'd like to make your own quince cheese, try this link.)