I Just Blogged to Say I Love You (Vol. 7)

1. Let's start with the most awkward of the bunch.  I cannot take a full-length selfie to save my life.  But, the point is not my terrible photography, but Stitch Fix.  Have you heard of it?  I am, well, addicted.  As in, I think about it NON-STOP.  Stitch Fix is a styling service...fill out a questionnaire with your sizes, preferences, and style (it's actually a lot of fun), schedule a date, and camp out by the mailbox.

In each shipment, your stylist will send 5 pieces...clothes and jewelry...hand-picked, just for you! Each piece comes with a handy-dandy styling card showing a couple of ways to wear each piece with items already in your wardrobe...this comes in VERY handy for me since I really need to see a mannequin. ;) The cost is $20 per shipment, but that is applied to anything that you choose to keep.  Whatever you don't want goes right into a pre-paid envelope to be sent back.  That top up there is my latest "keep." I love it!!!
{PS...links above are referral links, meaning if you sign up using one, you will fuel my habit.  Thank you, I think.}

2. Now here is a reason why I won't ever be able to fit INTO those clothes.  A delicious round-up of PIES.  I so have pie on the brain this summer.  (Aren't you supposed to crave FRUIT in the summer?)

3. Speaking of fruit....I'm pretty sure this is how it was meant to be eaten.

4. How *sweet* are these iPhone cases?!? I know they're called "Best Friend" cases, but I'm thinking Mr. E and I need them.  I'm sure he'll go for it...right?  Our anniversary is next month. ;)

5. It never occurred to me to get creative with Frito Chili Pie.  I mean, it's kinda perfection on its own.  But then I saw this.  And I know I need it in my life.  Plus, I see a little red and green in there which equals healthy.  Heck, Fritos are practically a vegetable...they're just corn. (Says the Queen of Justification.)

6. Oh, the cuteness!  These ice cream cone krispie treats are sure to win you a mom of the year award.  Not only are they adorable, but I loved this post about making them so much!

7. Last but not least....my sweet friend Sandy celebrated a BIG birthday this week!  I think we all need to pop over and give her a "Happy Birthday!"  What do you say?!? (Plus, I hear she's giving away a KitchenAid mixer!)

What are you loving this week?

Pie for my Guy: Fried Cherry Pies

Fried Pies!!!  Where have you been all my life?

 (This is the 2nd month of Pie for my Guy.  Last month's pie is here.)

If you see Mr. E and me at any 4th of July gathering, we'll be toting along some fried pies and leaving quickly.  Why?  Well, it seems we've become Mr. & Mrs. Socially Awkward. 

Take the last party we attended.  Me?  I'm *always* socially awkward.  I ran into this woman at the party...I'd been introduced to her before, but had forgotten her name.  Deciding to be a grown-up, I asked her.  And then proceeded to mispronounce her name.  Twice.  In a row.  I just couldn't get it.  Embarrassed, I ended up saying, "well, it's great seeing you again," and high-tailed it to the bar.

Mr. E is a different story; he's always at ease and can talk to anyone.  In other words, we balance each other out. At this party, however, he was not so cool.  We were gathered on our friends' patio.  It's a circular patio in the middle of the yard...surrounded by huge, lush ferns and raised about a foot or two above the ground, with a fire pit in the middle. 

Now, we all know how chilly Houston evenings get *cough*, so the fire was blazing...not just contained to the pit, but flames shooting 5 feet in the air.  My make-up was melting, everyone was sweating...and I see Mr. E across the patio.  He's chatting with a nice lady...and I notice him sloooowly inching his chair back away from the fire.  Away from the fire and right over BACKWARDS into the ferns and greenery.  I'm serious.  It happened in slow-motion...EVERYONE stopped talking and watched as he fell.  Flat on his back, legs straight in the air.

*Side note: he kept his beer upright.*

So yeah...invite us to your party.  We'll drop the pies and leave.  On second thought, maybe we'll just keep the pies and stay home.  For everyone's sake.

Whether you have a cute little pie mold like this one...

....or not, PLEASE, I beg you.  Fry some pies!!!  Ree has a post on making them without a mold.  That's how pioneer women do it. ;)

Fried Cherry Pies

(makes 8)

3 cups pitted, halved sweet cherries
1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup water, divided

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

double pie crust (I used Pillsbury)

flour for dusting

egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

oil for frying (I used grapeseed)

make the filling:

In a saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, 1/8 cup of the water, and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Combine the remaining water and the cornstarch.  Add to the filling, return to a boil, and cook for 1 minute or until thickened.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Set aside to cool. 

On a floured surface, roll out the pie to to 1/8-1/16" thickness.  Cut into shapes.  

Place 1 TBSP in the middle of one cut-out.  Brush the edges with egg wash and top with another cut out.  Crimp edges to seal.  

Freeze the pies for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil for frying in a large fry pan or dutch oven to 350.  Add the pies, and fry for 4-8 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden.  Drain on paper towels.

Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve. 

I could. not. stop. taking pictures of the insides of these babies.

That cherry filling....oh, it's so beautiful and delicious.  You'll have lots of extra for topping ice cream, cheesecake, yogurt...rice cakes?  Whatever.  It'll be good.

Armed with fried pies, we will never be socially awkward again.
Maybe. 

Desserts for Dudes: That's Some Pig!

Cuts of meat: the only way to make a pink, decorated cookie look manly.

When I saw this cookie cutter on etsy, I knew I must have it.  (I bought the cow, too.)


I toyed with the idea of baking up a chocolate-bacon cut-out cookie, but I really wanted these to be pink.  For the pink, you can either tint your cookie dough pink with food coloring, or use a pink dough.  I used some leftover watermelon cookie dough, but I will say, it's a little disconcerting eating a watermelon-flavored pig.

The cookie cutter really does all of the decorating work for you.  The imprints are nice and deep and remain throughout baking.

When cutting, though, some of the smaller sections wanted to stick in the cookie cutter.  I nudged them out with a chopstick.  You can see a little of it here...

...I think it's ok, though.

To decorate, I used a #3 tip and white royal icing.

Bada-bing. Bada-boom. Done.

Sooie!  Here piggy, piggy!!!

Buttercream and Cookie Shortcakes

I mean, really....who says strawberry shortcake has to include whipped cream and cake? 
(Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

 

This recipe was definitely inspired by Amanda's beautiful red velvet cookie shortcakes. I saw them on her blog last year and they imprinted onto my brain. 

If you're looking for an easy and delicious and patriotic dessert for Independence Day this year, look no further.

Also, can we make cookies and buttercream a thing?  As in...remember the cabbage soup diet?  I propose a cookies and buttercream diet.  I might already be on day three.  Haven't lost any weight, but I am so, so happy.

Bake the cookies ahead of time, whip up a simple American buttercream, toss some summer strawberries with a little brown sugar...layer them all up and you have a beautiful red, white, and blue dessert.

{Don't you love slicing strawberries and tossing them with sugar?  They become glossy and beautiful, and make their own little syrup. Try these on your oatmeal with some Greek yogurt...once you're finished with the cookies and buttercream diet, that is.}

Layer....

....EAT.

You'll find the recipe over at Imperial Sugar.
{Feel free to omit the blue food coloring and serve them ANY time of year!}

I heart watermelon...not really.

I admit it.  I don't like watermelon.
{Are we still friends?}

What if I told you that I like watermelon-FLAVORED food?  Are we friends again?

I made you some watermelon-flavored cut-out cookies...they're so yummy and the prettiest pink color. 

They're decorated up really simply, so you can whip up a batch quickly and bring them along on a summer picnic without much fuss.

I'm blogging about them over at Parade.  Come on over, grab the recipe, the tutorial...and a little more watermelon-dislike confession.  Ah, I feel so much better now.

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Desserts for Dudes: Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Chip Blondies

If I want a sure-fire dessert hit with my boys, I know exactly the combo to go to: peanut butter and chocolate.

Enter Averie Sunshine's book, Peanut Butter Comfort.  It arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago and I've been salivating over the more than 100 recipes and gorgeous pictures every since.  I'm talking, you'll want to eat peanut butter for every meal for the rest of your life recipes.

If you have a peanut butter lover in your life, I cannot recommend this cookbook highly enough.

Because June is Desserts for Dudes month around here, I let kiddo pick our first recipe to try.  (I also let him choose because I truly wanted to make ALL of them.)

He choose the Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Chip Blondies...and oh. my. gosh.  They are dreamy.  Rich, creamy, delicious.

Peanut Butter Swirl Chocolate Chip Blondies
{from Peanut Butter Comfort, with permission of Averie Sunshine}

yield: 9 large squares

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted 
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8x8" pan with foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter and brown sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine.  Add the flour and stir just until combined, taking care not to overmix.

Fold in 3/4 cups chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing with an offset spatula if needed.

Melt the peanut butter in the microwave for about 45 seconds, on high power, and stir until smooth.  Evenly drizzle the peanut butter over the batter.  Run a knife through the batter, back and forth a few times, to marble it. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the top.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the edges begin to slightly pull away from the pan.  The peanut butter won't appear fully done but will set up as the blondies cool.

Allow the bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.  Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Averie, thanks for letting me share your recipe! 

The rest of you guys...get in your kitchen this instant and make these beauties!  (I'll admit that was a little bossy, but DO IT!)

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Desserts for Dudes: Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

It's true.  Men prefer pie over cake.  And by "men," I mean my husband and my dad, but I feel pretty safe making that generalization based on these two people.

I'm fairly certain that's why there are new and contradictory "studies" in the news every other day.  Who knows what to believe anymore?  Here's what we can believe in: pie.

{Oh, there are cookies involved, too.}

This pie combines two of Mr. E's dessert loves...cheesecake and pie.  Win, win.

Speaking of Mr. E, I told him that he'd have to check the blog this week for another Father's Day present.  The truth is...I really don't treat him as nicely as I should.  This man who is a wonderful father to kiddo...just the right mix of disciplinarian and goofball.  This man who is a devoted and loving husband.  A man who washes the dishes EVERY NIGHT.  A man who has spent hours (days? weeks?) of his life listening to me complain about the deleterious effects of humidity on curly hair.  A man who knows the names behind the blogs I love, and listens while I read their blog posts aloud and describe every recipe.

Here I am with a baking blog, and I rarely make his favorite dessert....pie.  That's no way to treat the man you love!  Well, here's your extra Father's Day gift, Mr. E.  One pie each month for one year. 

{I wonder if he thought I was going to say "sports car?"}

Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

for the crust:
1 & 1/2 cups crushed gingersnaps
2 TBSP sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted

for the filling:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

for the topping:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 & 1/2 TBSP cornstarch mixed with 2 TBSP water

Preheat oven to 325.

Stir the crust ingredients together.

Press into a 9" pie pan.  Bake for 8 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.  Add in the lemon, vanilla, and eggs; beat until combined thoroughly.

Pour into the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes, just until set.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, water and sugar in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil.  Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Stir in the cornstarch/water mixture, increase the heat and return to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Spoon the thickened berries over the cooled cheesecake filling.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.  Store in the refrigerator.

(adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library Pies and Tarts, 1992)

Is YOUR dude a cake guy or pie man? 

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