caramel apple pie

I’m quite sure that pretty soon, my iPod will only have the ability to play the same 20-odd songs, as I’ve been listening to nothing but Cole Porter, Margaret Whiting, and Radical Face on loop for the past few weeks. Not that I would complain if this were to become reality soon, since the three are perfect to listen to while strolling outside under falling leaves and welcomed sunshine.

Yesterday was spent primarily with MattMatt, as the two of us rarely get to see each other one-on-one, and it was hugely pleasant. Pumpkin pancakes and peach cake for brunch at Tommy’s, as well seeing an old friend from high school who came down for the weekend. A spontaneous drive out to the downtown mall soon followed, which made for a lovely afternoon sipping coffees, browsing dusty bookshelves in used bookshops, and searching for the perfect menswear blazer at Urban Outfitters. Though I came home empty-handed in the department of androgynous outerwear, a purse heavy with new (used) books and some quality conversation in the living room with David Tennant staring us down with a raised eyebrow was more than enough.

Now my only wish is that I had enough time to just sit on piles of pillows and blankets and read the day away. And also that my apartment had a fireplace crackling with warm flames, filling the living room with the smells of earthy cocoa and roasted walnuts.

Perhaps my next investment will be a bigger bookshelf.

I love strolling downtown at this time of year; early fall, before the leaves have had the chance to wither away and it’s still just warm enough to eat lunch outside wearing a wool scarf and sweater.

Nevertheless, today was a day to spend inside, curled up on the couch in an oversized sweatshirt catching up on work and oodles and oodles of Merlin.

And, of course, at the end of a perfect weekend, it’s only appropriate to put a basket of mountain-fresh apples to good use. 

Caramel Apple Pie
Adapted from If You Give a Girl a Cookie and Tartine


For the crust, you'll need:

• 3 cups plus 2 tbsp flour
• 2 sticks butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup cold water

For the filling, you'll need:

• 5 cups of baking apples [about 6 medium or 5 large; Golden Delicious, Jonagold, or Winesaps work splendidly, or any combination thereof], cored and sliced
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• a few shakes of nutmeg

To prepare the filling:
In a large saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium-low flame. Add in sliced apples, increase heat to medium-high, and cook the apples in the sauce until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle flour and spices over the apples, and turn them over to coat until the flour dissolves. Let cool while preparing the pie crust.


To prepare the crust:
In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, and salt the consistency is that of peas. Slowly pour in the water until the dough comes together [you may not need to use all of the water]. Divide the dough in half, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


To assemble the pie:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch pie pan. Roll each ball of dough out wide enough to cover the base of pan. Place one on the base. Using a fork, poke holes into the bottom and sides of the crust. Gently scoop the apples and caramel sauce into the pan and spread evenly. Lay the second sheet of dough on top of the apples, pinching the top and bottom crusts to seal. Make a slit or two on the top crust.

Bake pie for about 25 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes. Allow pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with sweetened cream or vanilla ice cream.

I’d like to make a confession: I’m really not that keen on apple pie. At all, really. I know, I know, as if it’s bad enough I’ve forgone all non-BBC television, I’ve now basically rejected all of the basic tenets of our great country.

But this one is pretty good. I mean, it’s no cherry Bakewell tart, but Noosh and Tommy loved it, and the flaky crust is to die for. The apples really benefit from bathing in brown sugar and butter, as obviously expected, and cooking them beforehand prevents the crust from becoming soggy. The end result is a beautifully golden, crunchy, autumn-y pie.

Would have been divine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but good company and quality television will make do just as well.

Then I'll pretend it is my bed
I'll jump in very quick
And pile their leaves up over me
For covers soft and thick

classic [but better] pumpkin pie

Aside from the odd bout of 80-degree weather this weekend, fall is in full swing. Obviously, in such fashion, long weekends spent at home mean Downton Abbey marathons with your mother, modeling men's suit-jackets in front of your male relatives, reading quality detective fiction novels, putting off all semblances of academic work, and ordering mountains upon mountains of chai lattes and pumpkin-spiced coffees.

At least, that's primarily how I spent my long weekend.


Fall break always seems to line up perfectly with Yusra's birthday, and this year was no different. My baby sister turned 17 yesterday, and for the occasion had me bake her a birthday pie. Yes, pie. Of the pumpkin variety, too, to be precise. Last year, I baked a rather delicious pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, and Yusra told me then and there that for her 17th birthday, she wanted another one. Of course, I promised, thinking at the time that she'd forget about it and I'd end up baking a carrot cake or something of the sort [leaving my 16-layer-cake days behind me for now].

And yet, eleven months later, she hadn't forgotten, and on Saturday I found myself waking up to a countertop covered in allspice, cinnamon, and ginger powders, fresh nutmeg, a box of flour, cold sticks of butter, and a stand-mixer waiting to be put to use.

This year's pumpkin pie is a variation on last year's epic success, combined with a tantalizing recipe for pumpkin-streusel pie found at Go Lightly Gourmet. The end result is a tall, creamy, subtly-spiced pumpkin filling in a flaky crust, topped with a pecan and brown sugar streusel topping.

Yusra was pretty satisfied.

Pumpkin Pie with Streusel
Adapted from Go Lightly Gourmet, old pumpkin pie recipes, and Tartine.

For the crust, you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp cold water, more or less depending

For the filling, you'll need:

• 1 15-oz can of pumpkin 
• 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 heaping tbsp honey
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt

 For the streusel topping, you'll need:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 stick cold butter, cut into cubes

To prepare the pie crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch pie plate. Using a food processor, pulse flour, ginger, sugar, salt, and butter until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Slowly add in enough cold water for the mixture to come together and form a dough. Press the pie dough on the bottom and sides of the pie plate, crimping the edges. Stick the plate in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, until dough is sufficiently cold. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Let the pie cool while you prepare the filling, but keep the oven on.

To prepare the filling:
Cream the pumpkin and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Pour in the remaining filling ingredients and beat until thoroughly blended. Pour the filling on top of the pie crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the edges of the pie are set but the center is still jiggly. Prepare the streusel while the pie is in the oven.

To prepare the streusel:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and spices until blended. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until incorporated and crumbly. Add in the chopped pecans and mix until blended. Your hands can be used for all of this.

Once the pie has baked for 50 minutes, remove it from the oven and sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Place pie back into the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until set. Let pie cool to room temperature before slicing. Serve with sweetened cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

I always very much love baking pies, though I'm not quite as keen on pumpkin pies as Yusra is. Of course, I enjoy them for their seasonal perfection and spiciness, but I'm not in love with them or anything. Nevertheless, I found myself reaching for a second slice even before I was done with the one on my plate when it came to this one. The cream cheese in the filling gives it a beautiful texture, and the streusel on top is a perfect addition. Strange that it doesn't make an appearance on many pumpkin pies...

As for me, I'm back at the apartment for my lat day of break. Four days at home was lovely after a week of midterms and paper-writing, but alas, back into the fray. So, naturally, I've spent my day reading more fiction novels, cooking stew, and thinking about working on a looming philosophy paper.

I mean, it's the thought that counts, right? Right. I'm going to go with it. Academic productivity at its finest.

In other news, I hear that MattMatt has baked me a belated pumpkin and cream cheese birthday cake. I have to say, though pumpkin pie isn't high on my list of saliva-inducing desserts, Matt's cake certainly is. I anticipate a rather delicious evening.

Who ever said twentieth birthdays couldn't stretch on for two weeks? ...and involve four separate cakes?

I confidently stand by the sentiment that birthday calories do not count.


...I mean, I have to maintain the integrity of my voracity.

peanut butter banana cream pie

Skies have been rather overcast lately. The threat of rain looms constantly. Occasionally following through on its promise with bursts of lightning and roars of thunder. Everything's gray. The air smells different. Mom hates this sort of weather; she finds it depressing.

I love it, though. Three months ago, I'd hate it. Three months ago, overcast skies and rain storms meant humidity, air too thick and heavy to breathe comfortably, hair puffing up unceremoniously, and general sulkiness. Now, they mean cool nights, gentle breezes, excuses to curl up on the couch under a knit blanket with television and a good cookbook. They tell me about the autumn to come, my favorite time of year.

Particularly this autumn. Not so sure why. I don't anticipate for it to be the best autumn of my life, or anything, but then again, I don't really think of time that way. What's the point in compartmentalizing the better times from otherwise good ones? Seems silly. Too much effort. Plus, comparing now with the past isn't really...plausible. I'm a different person now than I was this time last year. Not in a positive or negative way, or anything, just...different. Older, maybe wiser, maybe more naive, what have you. So, no, it's not going to be the best autumn of my life. But it is going to be lovely.

It will be busy, of course, what with the semester starting up this week. Lots of seminars, finishing up major requirements, working part-time, volunteering, internship-hunting, etc. etc. But there will be hiking, and apple-picking, and pumpkin pie-baking, and reading, and meeting friends for coffees, and quality television, and an unending list of books, and new video games, and photography, and concerts, and traveling.

Or maybe even none of that. But even still, I love to watch the leaves change. And that's enough to make me excited.

But, you know, peanut butter banana cream pie helps. Especially when your best friend is back at the flat to enjoy it with you.

[I have, by the way, watched so much BBC that at this point, "flat" is making its way into my everyday vocabulary. It takes so much less effort to say than "apartment." Wonder why it hasn't caught on here.]

Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie
Adapted from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito 

For the crust, you'll need:

• 2 cups crushed graham crackers [approximately 16 full crackers]
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 6 tbsp butter, cold and cut into small cubes

For the vanilla custard, you'll need:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 ripe, but firm, bananas
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

For the peanut butter topping, you'll need:

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2/3 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

To prepare the crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch pie dish. In a food processor, combine graham crackers, walnuts, flour, sugar, and salt, and crush until coarse. Toss in cold butter and pulse until the mixture comes together. Press the graham cracker mixture on the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Let pie crust cool completely.

To prepare the vanilla custard:
Whisk sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the mixture is smooth and uniform, continue whisking and slowly pour in heavy cream, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until blended, and then add in egg yolks, one a at a time, and whisk. Whisk until mixture comes to a boil, and continue whisking for 5-6 minutes until mixture thickens. Finally, add in butter and whisk until the custard is uniform. Pour the custard into the cooled pie crust, and chill until set, at least one hour.

Slice the bananas into uniform pieces and toss with lemon juice. Layer the sliced bananas evenly on top of the cold vanilla custard. Return to the fridge while you prepare the peanut butter topping.

To prepare the peanut butter topping:
Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add in vanilla and peanut butter. In a separate bowl, beat chilled heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold heavy cream into the peanut butter mixture until incorporated. Dollop the peanut butter mixture over the sliced bananas. Return the pie to the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Noosh moved back in a few days ago, but we hadn't really gotten a chance to hang out until this weekend, what with her unpacking and me working. This also happens to be our last free weekend before term starts, so we figured, what better way to bond than bake something delicious and see what shenanigans the TARDIS is getting into?

[Oh yes, I've gotten her into Doctor Who. I feel like I'm single-handedly propagandizing BBC television in the United States.]


...okay so the real reason for the baking is that Noosh brought a ton of bananas here with her, and I already had quite a few, and we can't actually eat them all before they go off. So, naturally, baking with them was the best option. Plus, ever since watching the episode of Throwdown where Bobby Flay battles Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, I've been dying to make this pie.

Erm. It's freaking delicious. Best banana cream pie I've ever eaten. Gorgeous, subtle hint of peanut butter, strong banana flavor, amazing crust [my own creation, thank you very much!], silky smooth custard, fluffy, creamy, crunchy, freaking delicious. I wish I could patent this recipe, but all credit go to Mr. Lewis and Poliafito.

Brilliant men, those two.



As for me, I'm going to spend my last day of summer finishing up Doctor Who, sleeping, and watching rain storms.

lemon meringue pie and playing favorites

I like to consider myself a pretty open-minded individual: I like to try new things; I want nothing more than to travel all over the world and experience different cultures, languages, and people; I enjoy all sorts of movies, music, and literature; and if I could have it my way, I'd spend the rest of my life in university, majoring in any and every subject possible.

But that's not to say that I don't play favorites. On the contrary, I do. Quite a lot. If "new things" involves anything with tentacles or shells, I will more than likely shy away from it [mainly because I have this irrational fear that if I eat something with tentacles, it will miraculously come to life in my stomach and take revenge on me by squeezing my lungs to dust]. I prefer indie folk over most other genres of music. I like contemporary satirical fiction, particularly if the author is Kurt Vonnegut. My travel location of choice is heavily influenced by what I'm interested in at the time [needless to say, the current dream destination is London]. And by "majoring in any and every subject possible," I'm excluding most of the sciences and math.



Well, I would consider human biology. But that's an exception.

Anyway, my point is, I like tons of things, but I love a few things. As I'm getting older, it's becoming more and more apparent to me what I love and what I like. Which makes sense, I suppose. Didn't someone famous say that college is when you learn who you are? Or something similarly cliche? [My money's on Bono.]

Okay, so, maybe I don't totally buy that [ridiculously cheesy and over-generalized] sentiment, but it does apply in some cases. And as of late, it's been dessert.


Now, I've baked an enormous variety of dessert. I've consumed even more. I love it all, of course, otherwise I wouldn't constantly be contributing to the obesity epidemic that is my future. But recently, I've begun to realize that nothing really beats pie.

At all.

It's the crust, I think. Flaky, crunchy, not-too-sweet but absolutely necessary alongside a sugary filling. And, if you're lucky, you get an incredible filling to boot. But even then, a mediocre filling still makes for a good pie. A great pie. I'm not even sure there's such a thing as a bad pie. Those two words - two, small, three-letter words - just don't seem to fit together. A crime against the English language.

I realize that I may be admitting to playing favorites with dessert. Which just seems so...sacrilegious. But I can't help it. Ever since that cherry Bakewell tart, I've had pie on the brain. And so when I came home this weekend, I knew I'd be baking some.



...to be honest, this recipe is kind of half-arsed. Mainly, I'd had quite a bit of lemon curd sitting happily in my freezer, waiting to be used up. And I figured, after two months of neglect, now was the time to do it. So I brought it home with me [a fresh batch has taken its place as of Friday] and settled on lemon meringue pie. Pâte brisée, lemon curd, meringue topping. Easy peasy, and rather delicious. If you feel so inclined as to bake some for yourself, I'll give you the recipes for the pâte brisée and meringue here. The lemon curd I used is my go-to lemon curd recipe, which you'll find via clicking the link.

Lemon Meringue Pie

For the pâte brisée, you'll need:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 10 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg 
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup cold water

For the meringue topping, you'll need:

• 4 egg whites
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

To prepare the pie crust, combine flour, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse on low speed until the dough has the consistency of bread crumbs. Still on low speed, add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, and pulse until incorporated. Slowly pour in water until the dough comes together. You may not need to use all of the water. Roll the dough out into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, butter a 9-inch pie pan, and roll dough out onto a floured surface. Roll until the dough is about 1/8-inch thick and 11-12 inches across. Place the dough into the prepared pan. Trim off any excess dough and press it against the sides of the pan, as to thicken the sides of the pie crust. Using a fork, poke holes on the bottom and sides of the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden-brown. Let cool completely.

Once the crust has cooled, spoon the lemon curd into the pie and level it with a spatula. Refrigerate the pie for at least 3-4 hours, until the lemon curd has set completely. If you're not serving the lemon meringue pie the same day, cover the top of the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day. Do not top with the meringue until you're about to serve the pie.

To prepare the meringue, whisk the egg whites on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until frothy. While the mixer is still going, gradually add in the sugar. Once sugar is incorporated, add in the cream of tartar. Continue to mix on high speed until the meringue holds stiff peaks. Gently spoon the meringue onto the chilled lemon curd. Torch the top of the meringue, and then place pie back into the fridge and chill for about 30 minutes before serving.

I prefer pâte brisée as the crust for this particular pie because it holds up well against the filling. Pâte sucrée would work just as adequately, I'd imagine, but since the filling is so bold, I like a more neutral crust. Also, a glass of milk works brilliantly alongside a slice of this.


My next goal is to perfect the deep dish apple pie. I can never get mine just right. The crust always gets soggy, the flavor isn't as vibrant as I'd like, and it lacks the general homeliness I associate with good apple pie. Still, since apples are moving into season, I foresee quite a few trips to the orchard in my future.

I also foresee quite a few epic failures, but what's life without a little adventure, eh?

In other news, this was my first weekend spent in the now-furnished new home. It was kind of a surreal experience not to be driving back to the house I'd lived in for the past 11 years, and yet at the same time totally natural. It's much larger than our old house, and still smells like wood polish and new paint, but seeing familiar furniture scattered about, and my mother's decorating touch subtly permeating every room, it's been easy to adjust.

And though I've only lived in it for a day and a half, I can say, with relative certainty, that the kitchen is shaping up to be my favorite room in the house.

I'm pretty good at playing favorites, after all.

ultimate pumpkin pie

You thought it was over, didn't you? I did too. Not so.

Yusra spent all day hinting [read: loudly voicing] that she was craving pumpkin pie. "What's Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?!" "I haven't had pumpkin pie in years." "Can you please bake one?!"

...

Being the ever-so loving sister that I am, I obliged. Also, I figured we may as well, since we'd have the house to ourselves for the evening. So we ran out to pick up some necessary ingredients that I didn't have on hand, were spontaneously joined by Mustafa and Murtaza, and we [read: I] got to work.

Ultimate Pumpkin Pie

For the filling, you'll need:

• 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 15-oz can pumpkin [NOT pumpkin pie filling]
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup [1/2 stick] butter, melted
• 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly whisked
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 unbaked pie crust
• whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

For the crust, use any premade pastry dough [NOT pre-baked] or your own favorite pie crust recipe. I actually used the one that I wrote in my previous entry, with the pecan pie. Whichever you end up using, prick holes in the bottom and sides of the pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, and let cool for 10 minutes before using with the pumpkin filling.

To make filling, beat cream cheese on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add in pumpkin and beat until well-mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add in sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until fully incorporated. Pour in half and half, eggs with yolks, and butter and blend. Finally, add cinnamon and ginger. Pour filling into the cooled pie crust and bake at 350 degrees until filling has set, about 50-60 minutes.

Let pie cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Yusra could not sit still while this was baking. I had no idea she has such an epic sweet tooth.

This pie filling recipe actually comes from Paula Deen, so I knew it would be pretty good. Understatement. It's the best pumpkin pie I've ever had. Though, I suppose that's not saying too much, because I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin pie [don't get me wrong, I don't dislike it, I just don't care much for it].

It's probably the fat from the cream cheese and half and half that make this taste so good. But it's alright. It's Thanksgiving. Indulge!

Oh boy, I am all baked out. Can you believe it?

Mom's probably thrilled.

As for now, I'm ready for a long, deep sleep. After a movie or two, of course.

giving thanks and pecan pie

Thanksgiving.

Oh man. What a classy holiday. I don't even know where to begin.

Would it be too much to admit that I've been waiting for this day for the past 3 weeks?

I've had a menu planned out for a while now and have been cooking since yesterday afternoon. Come to think of it, there actually wasn't a ton of food: good ol' roast turkey, garlic herb roast potatoes, cheddar buttermilk biscuits, cornbread stuffing, and pecan pie with homemade whipped cream. We had more food last year, but then again, I wasn't the one cooking last year, and we had twice as many people over.

The rents and the rest of my extended family are going to a huge party this evening, so we didn't have a party here at home this year. But mom really, really wanted to eat turkey for lunch, so we had an early Thanksgiving dinner late this afternoon. Which I was fine with.

Last night, I set the turkey out to brine in a simple ice-cold mixture of vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, allspice berries, and peppercorns. I also made pecan pie, which turned out to be the best one I've made so far [we tried a butterscotch pecan pie last year, which was not a crowd favorite, and a chocolate pecan pie in the past, which is too unconventional for my liking]. So, I'll be giving you the recipe for that, should you wish to try it out!

Pumpkin Pie

For the crust, you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 9 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 4 tbsp [or more, as needed] of cold water

For the filling, you'll need:

• 3/4 stick unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated orange zest 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup agave nectar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups pecan halves

For the whipped cream, you'll need:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

 
To make crust: blend flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in butter and pulse on medium speed until dough has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Slowly drizzle cold water over the mixture until dough starts to come together. Add more water if needed. Gather dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour in the fridge.

To make filling: in a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add in brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add in orange zest, salt, vanilla, and agave, whisking until well blended and there are no lumps.

To assemble pie: preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch pie plate. Roll out the pie crust dough until about 12-inches in diameter. Drape crust over the pan and press it down gently. Fold the overhanging dough under and gently press it to the rim of the pie plate. Crimp the edges of the dough and prick the bottom and sides lightly with a fork. Scatter the pecan halves evenly over the bottom of the dough. Gently pour the filling on top of the pecans. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is set, 50-60 minutes. Let cool for at least one hour before slicing and serving.

To make whipped cream: use an immersion hand blender or electric mixer with whisk attachment on high speed to beat heavy cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add in sugar and vanilla and whisk until stiff peaks form. If not serving immediately, refrigerate whipped cream. Before serving, blend lightly once again to stiffen the cream.

I made the pie last night, refrigerated it overnight, and left it out at room temperature during the day as everything else was cooking. It kept perfectly well, and taunted us for hours before we actually got to eat it. In terms of the rest of the meal, it turned out wonderfully. I won't type out the recipes, because that would take ages, but I'll give you a rough recap:

The aromatics I used for the turkey were handfuls of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme bunched up in a cheesecloth with one red onion, one head of garlic, and one lemon, all quartered. I brushed the outside and underneath the skin of the turkey with one stick of melted butter mixed with a small handful of thyme flakes, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and some cracked pepper. Did not use any salt at all due to the brine. The 14-pound turkey roasted for 2 hours and 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Potatoes were roasted with olive oil, dried rosemary flakes, minced garlic, and cracked sea salt. Cheddar buttermilk biscuits were made like any old buttermilk biscuits would be, with a cup of freshly grated cheddar cheese thrown into the dough. Cornbread stuffing was baked with half a loaf of cornbread, half a pack of saltines, 4 slices of toasted white bread, 2 cups of celery and an onion sauteed in a stick of butter, 3 cups of chicken broth, and 4 sage leaves.

I was also going to sautee some green beans in olive oil with minced garlic, but we ran short of time. And, honestly, I'm not sure if I would have been able to eat them alongside everything else.

Actually, originally it was just going to be mom, Yusra, and me who would be eating the Thanksgiving feast. But Mustafa called 30 minutes before the turkey was done and asked if I needed any help in the kitchen, so we invited him and Murtaza over to eat with us. Everyone loved the food, especially the turkey [I recall Yusra telling me a little while later that I have to make this exact same turkey for every Thanksgiving from here on out], and I was extremely happy about it. All those of hours of cooking paid off!

And thank god they came to eat, too, or we'd have so much leftover turkey on our hands we wouldn't know what to do with it.

Well, that's a total lie. I plan on taking some of it back to Cville with me when I head home on Sunday, and mom is dying to make a turkey pot pie sometime this weekend before I leave. Plus, since I'm skipping tonight's party [if I weren't still so full, I would be all over the thought of eating a tandoori turkey tonight], I'll probably end up nibbling on some of the leftovers when I get hungry. [Though, in all likelihood, I'll probably just make a beeline to the leftover pecan pie].

In all seriousness, though, I love this holiday. I think it's such an amazing time of year to be getting together with family and enjoying the changing leaves and comfort foods. You feel so warm and cozy, you don't stress yourself out with thoughts of finals and papers [or at least, I'm not, which I know will kick my butt in a few days], and you get to spend time at home, sleeping in, drinking freshly pressed apple juice, and wondering about in PJs all day. It's perfect, really.

Plus, there's so much that I'm thankful for. Family that loves and supports me, even though they think my philosophy degree will leave me unemployed indefinitely; friends that are amazing to be around and encourage my obsessive baking habits; the opportunity to attend a great university; living in a comfortable apartment with the best apartment-mate I could hope for. Not to mention good food. Man, am I thankful for good food. 

I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving full of comforting food, good company, and joy. After all, it's the beginning of an excellent holiday season.

left: before dinner; right: after dinner

In other news, I have decided that there is no way I am stepping foot outside to go shopping tomorrow. Which is odd, seeing as I'm pretty sure I woke up at 4 am last year and shopped for about 8 hours.

It's funny how living on your own, working 10 hours a week, and having the 'rents stop funding you changes your perspective on personal finances.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

sweet potato pie

Aw man. Sweet potato pie. Quintessential autumn treat.

Okay, I'll be honest for a second: I had never eaten a sweet potato until today. Well, I had some sweet potato french fries at Boylan sometime last year, but since that one moment, sweet potato in any form has not touched my lips [plus, Chelsea and Rudhdi told me that the fry incident counts for nil anyway]. So yes. Never have had a sweet potato in my life, until today.

chelsea & roods peeling some scalding hot sweet potatoes

And you know what? It was damn good.

After Farmers Market-ing earlier this morning for sweet potatoes with Rudhdi [not to mention splitting an incredible grilled root vegetable naan sandwich], I picked Chelsea up and brought the two of them to the apartment for a cute little autumn baking date. Roods and I had decided a while back that we wanted to try a sweet potato pie at some point, and this weekend, the weekend before Thanksgiving and midway through fall, was perfect.

Plus, I love baking with friends. Especially two who are as big of foodies as I am. LOVE.

Sweet Potato Pie

For the crust, you'll need:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal [almond flour]
• 1/4 cup crushed pecans [I like to use a hammer, myself]
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp cold water

For the pie filling, you'll need:

• 1.5 pounds of sweet potatoes [about 3 medium-sized potatoes]
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• pecan halves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch pie pan.

For crust: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend wheat flour, almond meal, crushed pecans, and salt on low speed until well mixed. Toss in butter and increase speed to medium. Beat until dough has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add in water slowly, until dough starts to come together. Press dough into the bottom and sides of a greased, 9-inch pie pan. Using a fork, poke holes into the bottom and sides of the crust. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

For filling: boil or microwave potatoes until soft. Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes. In a medium-sized bowl, mash potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Add in sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and continue mashing. Once mashed, add in eggs, condensed milk, and vanilla. Blend well. Finally add in melted butter and blend. Pour filling into pie shell. Lace the sides of the pie with pecan halves. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until filling has set and crust is golden. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

It turned out pretty well.

Or at least the cries of "SOOO GOOOOOOOOOD" coming from Chelsea and Roods when they tried it would suggest so. I liked it a lot myself. Especially the nutty crust. I'm becoming a huge fan of using a combination of wheat flour and almond meal in place of white flour in crust recipes. The pecans in the crust and on top were a fantastic touch, too.

The only thing I would change about this recipe in future is maybe adding a bit more sweetened condensed milk. Though, truthfully, I eye-balled it, so it very well may have been less than the recipe called for. In any case, I was pleased.

Roods took some home for tomorrow, Chelsea took some home for Liz, and I rationed off a slice for Charlie, my wonderful SR from last year, as a peace-offering for stealing Roods away from today's Quidditch tournament. And Noosh and I have got about a quarter of it left. Excellent.

 

In other news, Deathly Hallows Part 1 was amazing. The epicness completely made up for the total lack of sleep Noosh and I got on Friday morning. Seriously. I plan on watching it again. Soon. The pumpkin pasties held up pretty well, too. And there was definitely a lot of emotional eating of the Bonbons during the movie. Glad I planned ahead on that one.

Not to mention this Dark Mark is STILL on my arm [sometimes I forget the magic (pun intended) of henna], for all my dorkiness out in the open for the world to see. Which is okay by me.

I may even retrace it before it fades completely. Maybe.