I love to bake pies.  I used to be afraid of pie crust until I took a class at Central Market and learned how to make pie crust.  I like to make the crust with my hands – feeling the butter work into the flour until it is just right.  I like how the crust rolls out just right and is ready for the filling.  Making pie crust by hand is relaxing for me.

Thanksgiving is when I make the time to indulge in making pies.  I have a book, aptly named, Pie by Ken Haedrich.  It has 300 pie recipes.  I spend days going through the book deciding which pies to make this year.  However, one pie is such a hit that the group we celebrate Thanksgiving with each year demands that it arrive with us.  This pie is Georgia Orcutt’s Thanksgiving Dried Fruit Pie (on page 307 of the Pie book).  When I saw the recipe, I thought it sounded interesting.  I decided to make it as a backup for the other pies.  However, when we ate the pie everyone agreed it is AMAZING!  Even better, it is easy as, um, pie to make.  The recipe says 12 to 14 servings.  This seems impossible out of a regular 9 1/2 inch pie, but it is true.  The pie is so full of goodness, a small slice is all it takes.  So, I’m going to share the recipe with you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do on Thanksgiving.  And, if you don’t want to make your own crust, feel free to use one from the frozen food section.

Crust (From Mary Cech’s Fall Pie Workshop at Central Market Houston; this is my go-to crust; dough can be made a day or two in advance.  It will need to warm on the counter a few minutes until it is pliable for rolling if made in advance.)

Yield: One 9-inch double crust pie dough

Ingredients

Instructions

Georgia Orcutt’s Thanksgiving Dried Fruit Pie

A few weeks ago, I admitted being a recovering food-pusher. A food-pusher is someone who pushes food on you. Someone who makes you feel guilty if you do not eat the food they have prepared. And, the food involved is usually food that challenges your ability to choose not to eat it (read “bad” although I do not like to label food “good” or “bad”). I do not like it when people push food on me, so I have to work really hard not to push food on others.

I realized recently that there may be a solution to my food-pusher tendencies. A lot of times, we turn into food-pushers at special occasions – birthdays, holidays, holiday parties, graduations, etc. When I attend these kinds of events, my stress level rises because I know there are going to be less than optimal choices there, usually a lot, that I’m going to be tempted to eat. Even though I mentally prepare and use the tricks I’ve talked about, it is still stressful.

I do not want my guests to stress about food choices at events I am responsible for. I can still indulge my love of cooking and baking, but offer better choices. For example, rather than making super indulgent chocolate cookies, I can make Ellie Krieger’s Triple Chocolate Cookies. They are a little over 100 calories per cookie which is half or more calories of normal cookies. And, you don’t miss those calories. To support this new way of thinking, I have started looking for more healthful options for recipes I would normally serve. There are lots of resources out there for finding such recipes. One of my favorites is Cooking Light (both the magazine and the website). I find when I do offer “better choices” I tell my guests which of the items are the “better” choices are. I can see them relax because they do not have to worry about the extra calories that may sabotage their health and weight control/weight loss efforts.

As you think about the next event you are planning, or taking a dish to, (remember, the holidays are fast approaching) look for better food options to serve your guests. Search the web for lower calorie, lower fat recipes. Be sure and try them out before serving them to guests, though. You can still have some indulgences, but for each indulgence try to have at least one indulgent but better choice. For example, I could have the Triple Chocolate Cookies, and some other cookies that are more indulgent calorie-wise. You, and I, can still show our guests we care by cooking for them and, even more, we care about their health because we are providing options to support their health and weight goals.

Have a great weekend!

We all have those times when you just get too busy, too overwhelmed, or too tired to deal with deciding what to have for dinner.  In these instances it is great to have a few “go to” ideas that are quick and easy.  Here are a couple of mine:

• Get a roasted chicken from the grocery store, some pre-packaged greens, some blueberries, maybe some strawberries if they are in season, some pecans, and some low cal balsamic vinegar dressing.  Pull the chicken off the bones, wash and throw the greens, berries, and pecans in a bowl.  Put some chicken on top (keep the rest in the fridge for later).  Drizzle dressing over the top.  Dinner is served!
• The Watermelon Salad I talked about a few weeks ago has been great to have over the summer.  Quick and cool.  No cooking involved.
• I do this one more by feel as far as the mayonnaise and yogurt. Get some cooked chicken, either the roasted chicken from the grocery store or out of the freezer.  Chop it up and put it in a bowl.  Add about 1 tablespoon low cal mayonnaise, 2 – 4 tablespoons of low fat/no fat plain yogurt (enough to bind everything together), a few red grapes sliced in half, some toasted almond slices, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder, and 1 to 2 tablespoons (to taste really) of Major Grey’s Mango Chutney (found in the Indian section of the grocery).  Mix well. This makes a great curry chicken salad that you can serve on top of greens or in a pita.  I’ve been known to eat it straight out of the container in a pinch.  It will keep for three to four days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Pick a few of your own quick meals and have them in mind for your own “go to” dinners.  This can make for a better choice than ordering a pizza when you can’t think of anything else when someone asks “what’s for dinner?”

John, my husband, and I have been enjoying Meatless Mondays.  We have some favorite vegetarian recipes, and are having fun finding some new ones.  I thought I’d share a couple with you.

First, I made Lemon Mint Quinoa Salad last night.  Rather than just the white quinoa, I used white, red, and black.  It was very colorful.  One of the keys (we learned the hard way) is to rinse the quinoa for a couple of minutes in a sieve.  This removes the bitter outer coating called saponins.  You’ll know if you don’t rinse long enough.

The second recipe is one John found in this month’s Runner’s World – Watermelon Salad.  One of my favorite things about summer is watermelon.  Neither of us thought the salad would be filling, but were we wrong!  I’ve shared this recipe with several others and everyone is craving it.

Let me know if you give them a try!

I’m always looking for quick and easy meals.  However, I was surprised at the simplicity of this meal when I ran across it on the Cooking Light website.  It is a recipe for Refried Bean Poblanos with Cheese.  Seriously, it has 5 ingredients (OK, 6 if you decide you want cilantro), cooks in a microwave, and was ready in about 15 minutes.  They suggest serving it with a Creamy Chipotle Wedge Salad which has 4 ingredients and can be made while the Poblanos are cooking.

One of the other things I like about the Poblano recipe is that it is vegetarian, but you can make so many modifications with it.  Honestly, John and I kept saying, “Hey, you could . . . ” and suggesting variations for it.  Here are a few we thought of:
- Using different salsas.  For example, using a smoky one would change the flavor of the filling.
- We used refried black beans instead of pinto.
- You could cook and add some ground turkey or beef.
- Change the type of cheese.
- I used fresh peppers, but they have different dried peppers in the store.  Each would give it a different flavor.

This recipe is also fabulous for Meatless Mondays!

I hope you try and enjoy this recipe.  If you have favorite recipes you’d be willing to share, I’d enjoy receiving them.

“Never work before breakfast. If you have to work before breakfast, get your breakfast first.” ~ Josh Billings

Did your mother ever tell you “breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” Well, she was right. Breakfast is literally breaking the fast your body has been in while you slept. Your body needs fuel first thing in the morning. While you sleep your still needs energy because your body is still working – you are still breathing, your heart is beating, your muscles may move as you dream. All of these things take energy. To get the energy your body is using both fat and glycogen (your body’s storage form of sugar) from the liver and muscles. You can think of them like gas tanks. By the morning, your body has used up a lot of the glycogen in those gas tanks and needs to be refilled. Breakfast is the fuel that helps refill those tanks.

But, the morning is usually a busy time for most people. I hear “I don’t have time for breakfast” all the time. One trick, is to fix something the night before or the weekend and have it ready to grab-and-go. One idea is a smoothie and toast. Blend up the smoothie the night before so in the morning all you have to do is pour it in a glass or go-cup, make a piece or two of toast and you are out the door. Breakfast taco are also a great grab-and-go. You can make them on Sunday and they will keep in the refrigerator for two or three days. I’ve also included one of my favorite breakfast recipes  - muesli parfaits. Again, you can make them on Sunday and keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Another way to fit in breakfast is remember that breakfast does not have to be breakfast food. Why not have a sandwich, salad, or soup? Last summer I enjoyed a nice stew for breakfast for a few weeks. I was amazed at how much it filled me up and kept me going until lunch. Don’t be afraid to try something different. If you don’t try it, you won’t know if it will work for you.

Remember, breakfast really IS the most important meal of the day!

Things got a little crazy at the end of last week, so I didn’t get the newsletter out. Instead, I thought I would combine last week’s and this week’s newsletters.

Holiday mornings can be crazy busy with extra people in the house, extra cooking, and extra stress. Breakfast can often set the tone for the rest of the day. I like to have a breakfast ready to go that I can prepare the night before and stick in the oven that morning. No muss, no fuss, no worries about “what’s for breakfast?” I have a new one to add to my list from Ellie Krieger’s new So Easy cookbook – Blueberry-almond french toast bake. One word – YUM! Ok, I haven’t made it yet, but the picture is beautiful and it sounds soooo goood!

I hope you give it a try over the holiday weekend. And, remember to give thanks for all that surrounds you – including all the craziness.

Blueberry-Almond French Toast Bake
by: Ellie Krieger, So Easy

Yield: 8 servings (1 serving = 1 4×3 inch piece)

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 whole-wheat baguette (about 18-inches long, 8 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes (you can use a white one if you can’t find whole-wheat)
• 2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
• 8 large eggs
• 8 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (I’ll probably use frozen)
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Instructions

1. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the baking pan.
3. Whisk together the milk, eggs, egg whites, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan, spreading it around so the liquid saturates the bread.
5. Scatter the blueberries evenly on top.
6. Sprinkle with the almonds and brown sugar.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Uncover and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
10. Serve hot.

Calories: 270; Total Fat: 8 g; Protein 16 g; Carbohydrates 35 g; Fiber 3 g

I love to bake pies.  I used to be afraid of pie crust until I took a class at Central Market and learned how to make pie crust.  I like to make the crust with my hands – feeling the butter work into the flour until it is just right.  I like how the crust rolls out just right and is ready for the filling.  Making pie crust by hand is relaxing for me.

Thanksgiving is when I make the time to indulge in making pies.  I have a book, aptly named, Pie by Ken Haedrich.  It has 300 pie recipes.  I spend days going through the book deciding which pies to make this year.  However, one pie is such a hit that the group we celebrate Thanksgiving with each year demands that it arrive with us.  This pie is Georgia Orcutt’s Thanksgiving Dried Fruit Pie (on page 307 of the Pie book).  When I saw the recipe, I thought it sounded interesting.  I decided to make it as a backup for the other pies.  However, when we ate the pie everyone agreed it is AMAZING!  Even better, it is easy as, um, pie to make.  The recipe says 12 to 14 servings.  This seems impossible out of a regular 9 1/2 inch pie, but it is true.  The pie is so full of goodness, a small slice is all it takes.  So, I’m going to share the recipe with you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do on Thanksgiving.  And, if you don’t want to make your own crust, feel free to use one from the frozen food section.

Crust

(From Mary Cech’s Fall Pie Workshop at Central Market Houston; this is my go-to crust; dough can be made a day or two in advance.  It will need to warm on the counter a few minutes until it is pliable for rolling if made in advance.)

Yield: One 9-inch double crust pie dough

Ingredients

• 3 1/3 cups All Purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter – very cold
• 3/4 to 1 cup ice water

Instructions

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut butter into 1/2 walnut sized pieces and add to flour.  With your hands, work butter into flour until butter is in pea sized pieces.  (This involves rubbing the butter and flour across your fingers with your thumbs – kind of like you are snapping your fingers but using all of your fingers.)
3. Add water and toss dough until it sticks together, be careful not to break butter into small pieces while tossing in the water.  (The butter pieces are what make the crust flaky.)
4. Turn onto table, knead slightly.
5. Divide into two portions with one being slightly larger for the bottom crust.  Shape each portion into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until needed.

Georgia Orcutt’s Thanksgiving Dried Fruit Pie

Yield: 12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pie crust (above)
• 2 cups pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup dried Bing cherries
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apple rings
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider (be sure to use apple cider, not apple juice)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Notes:

• I often just grab a bunch of dried fruit at the store – whatever is available.  Georgia says to keep the total to about 5 1/2 cups.
• I may also use 1 to 1 1/4 cup apple cider and 1/4 to 1/2 cup brandy rather than all cider.
• From my pie class, I learned to use a glass pie pan and to cook the pie until the crust on the bottom is golden.  This is normally a lot longer than the recipe says.  But, the pies come out with a wonderful bottom crust.

Instructions

1. Prepare the crust and refrigerate until firm enough to roll.
2. On a sheet of lightly floured wax paper, roll the larger portion of pastry into a 13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin.  Invert the pastry over a 9 1/2 inch deep dish pie pan, center, and peel off the paper.  Gently tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and let the overhang drape over the edge.  Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
3. Combine the fruit in a large nonreactive saucepan and add the cider (or cider and brandy).  Cover the pan, place over medium heat, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed into the fruit, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and scrape the mixture into a shallow bowl to cool.  When the mixture is nearly cooled, preheat the oven to 375.
4. Stir the walnuts, sugar, and lemon juice into the fruit.
5. On another sheet of floured waxed paper, roll the other half of the pastry into an 11-inch circle.
6. Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell and dot with the butter.
7. Lightly moisten the rim of the pie shell with water. Invert the top pastry over the filling, center and peel off the paper.  Press the top and bottom pastries together along the dampened edge.  Using a pair of scissors, cut the pastry, leaving an even 1/2-inch overhang all around.  Sculpt the edge into an upstanding ridge.  Poke several steam vents in the top of the pie with a fork or paring knife.
8. Place on the center oven rack and bake until the top (and bottom) are a rich golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pie 180 degrees halfway through the baking, so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward (in my experience, it can take a lot longer for the bottom of the pie to be done – see note above.  I just keep rotating the pie every 20 – 30 minutes to make sure it browns evenly).
9. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature before serving.

I know this is a nutrition blog, but I haven’t run the nutrition information on this recipe and, honestly, don’t want to.  I make, share, and enjoy this pie once a year.  For a once a year indulgence, I don’t need to know the nutrition information.

I hope you enjoy the pie!  If you make it, let me know how you like it.