Dad's Favorite Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Father's Day is just around the corner, and I love seeing all the Dad-themed crafts that are popping up all over the internet - the tie-shaped cookies, the painted stones that say 'Dad Rocks', the King-of-the-Grill aprons, the creative candy bar cards. My dad would have loved all of those things, but he passed away four years ago and this holiday has always hit close to home ever since.

To honor his memory and keep myself from too much introspection, I always make an effort to mark the day in a way that would have been special to him. Sometimes it's reading a nautical book (Arthur Ransome's stories are a childhood favorite), or watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but more often than not, it's baking strawberry rhubarb pie.

Last year, I spent the holiday on the road so I had to be satisfied with store-bought pie (at least it was Amish-made!), but this year, I had the opportunity to make my own. My Dad was a great lover of pie - a fellow sweet-tooth in a house full of savory-lovers - and strawberry rhubarb was his favorite.

We had our own rhubarb when I was growing up in England; a few large plants that sprung up at the back of our garden, amidst some rambling raspberry bushes and a hedge of beautiful-but-deadly foxgloves. I remember distinctly the first time I saw it, the slender, ruby red stalks a stark contrast to the large and spreading green leaves. I thought it was a vegetable (and it is, technically!) so I was amazed when a friend taught us to cook it with sugar and bake it in pies - such sweetness from a sour vegetable seemed nothing short of kitchen alchemy to me! I've been enthralled ever since, and though I love the magic and simplicity of a pure rhubarb pie, the addition of strawberries really does give you something special.

I make my strawberry rhubarb pies with a crumb topping because that's the way my dad liked them, but there is method to my madness - one of the most common problems with strawberry rhubarb pies is that they can become 'sloppy' during baking. Lots of recipes add cornstarch or tapioca to counter this, but I prefer to keep additives to a minimum, so I have a few tricks up my sleeve:

Firstly, the crumb topping helps to absorb some of the excess liquid while also allowing steam to escape easily during baking, unlike a regular pie crust, so there's no need for venting. Secondly, I cook my rhubarb on the stove first, with some of the sugar, to create a rhubarb compote which makes the filling thicker. And thirdly, the trick is to allow your pie to 'rest' before serving. I know there are few foods more comforting than a hot slice of pie with a cool slick of vanilla ice cream, but resting the pie does make a difference - you'll notice that I did not rest my pie before taking these pictures (do as I say, not as I do!) which is why some of them still look a little gooey.

If you really, desperately want to serve your pie hot, you can re-heat the pieces individually after cooling or just serve it fresh from the oven with the knowledge that you probably won't be dishing up picture-perfet wedges. Along the same lines, you'll get even better slice if you refrigerate your pie before serving - if you can wait that long! Of course, absolutely none of this matters if you're just going to eat it straight out of the pie plate with a fork. Or perhaps a teeny tiny spoon. Don't worry, I'm not one to judge.

Disclaimer: I have to admit that I'm not happy with the photos of this pie - Matt and I were so eager to dig into it that I didn't take the time for a proper shot, and it shows. I'm also a little disappointed that I had to use 100% whole wheat flour for the crust. I don't recommend this since it creates a drier crust, but since we're in the process of moving and trying to use up our groceries, I had to make do with what we had on hand. I guess all of that means I'll just have to make it again - soon!

Now that my excuses are out of the way, I will say that there was one thing that completely lived up to my expectations - the taste! This pie was absolutely delicious, from the first sticky-sweet mouthful to the very last brown-sugary crumb...and yes, Matt and I ate the entire thing between the two of us. Somehow, I'm pretty sure my dad would have approved.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies Round-Up

Christmas is just days away, and for those of you who've been following along with the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies Party, your cookie jars, dessert trays, and even your freezer are probably filled to the brim with tasty treats. Of course, if you're like me, you *might* have tasted a few too many (quality control is important) and now it's time to replenish your supply. The party ended last week, but for those of you who need a refresher - myself included - I'm gathering all my contributions here in one place.

To be honest, I prefer to do my holiday baking just a few days before the Big Day, not just because it keeps me from eating all my treats, but also because baking is one sure-fire way for me to get into the Christmas spirit. I love filling the house with warm vanilla smells and the tang of wintry spices like clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

For the past several years, I've spent Christmas at my mum's old farmhouse in western New York. The house is over 100 years old so, needless to say, it's pretty drafty and the heat from a working kitchen is a welcome addition. This year, we're celebrating the holiday in South Carolina with Matt's family, but even in these slightly-warmer climes, I stand by my tradition of last-minute holiday baking!

Whatever your reasons, if you still have some holiday baking to do, here are a few of my favorite recipes to get you started. Check out the individual posts for recipes and links to all the other delicious desserts that were shared that week!

Week 1: Browned Butter Oatmeal Cranberry Bars
Possibly the healthiest of my 12 Weeks offerings, these delicious bars are based on a Cooking Light recipe. Consisting of a creamy yogurt layer, studded with dried cranberries and sandwiched between two crunchy oatmeal layers, these bars get a richness upgrade with the addition of nutty browned butter. Best of all they're quick and easy to make.

Week 2: Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies (i.e. one mega-good cookie)
What can I say, these are just the Best. Chocolate, Chip. Cookies. Ever. After a pilgrimage to the famous Levain Bakery in NYC, I just knew I had to try my hand at recreating those one-of-a-kind cookies. This recipe isn't exact, but it's pretty close and, really, just as good. Plus, you can make them in your own home - and no need to fork over the price of a place ticket to New York!

Week 3: Easy Caramel Turtle Bites
If it's Christmas Eve and you still don't have treats for your cookie tray, look no further than these ooey, gooey turtle bars. This recipe has a few shortcut options that make it perfect for last-minute baking (of course, you can take the from-scratch options for a more homespun flavor). From start to finish, they'll take you minutes to prepare - but they taste like a long afternoon spent in the kitchen.

Week 4: Colonial Williamsburg Gingerbread Cookies
If I could choose just one cookie to make for Christmas, these simple spiced goodies would be it. They've been a tradition in my family for almost 20 years - but their true history is much, much richer. The recipe comes from Colonial Williamsburg and makes the most tender cookies, deliciously spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and rich with molasses. Shape the cookies into traditional rounds, or cut them into festive shapes for a touch of contemporary holiday flair.

Week 5: Midnight Chocolate Cake with Magic Ovaltine Icing
This simple, from-scratch chocolate cake is tall, dark, and oh-so-delicious, but the real star of this cake is the icing, which I stumbled upon on a whim. Rich Chocolate Ovaltine is the key ingredient, but the finished product tastes like Cadbury Mini Eggs, my favorite chocolate treat in all the world. Of course, the cake is pretty special, too (it contains coffee, Greek yogurt and buttermilk, for goodness sake!), but even if you don't make the cake, you must, must make this icing!

Week 6: Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Let me tell you, this unassuming little pumpkin cake has been the runaway favorite this holiday season. I've made it 4 or 5 times since posting the recipe, and I've been asked for the recipe every time. My mother-in-law brought it to a gathering, and she got asked for the recipe. I even passed out the recipe at Thanksgiving. All this is to say that this one is a real crowd pleaser, and a perfect choice for any holiday gathering - just be sure to bring along a few (dozen) copies of the recipe!

Week 7: All Butter Snickerdoodles
These Snickerdoodles are another holiday staple, and a true family favorite - they were included at the request of my 93-year-old grandmother! Most recipes call for a mixture of shortening and butter, but these are all-butter - which, I kid myself, makes them a little healthier. Add some colored sprinkles for an extra festive touch, or just eat them plain, in all their cinnamon-speckled glory.

Week 8: Chocolate and Peppermint Spritz Sandwich Cookies
Another Grandma-approved holiday treat, this recipe is a new twist on a old-fashioned favorite. Everyone loves spritz cookies, but I decided to do something a little different this year, and patterned them after Matt's favorite Cool Mint Oreos. The filling is pretty close to the real thing and the cookie are nice and chocolatey, even if all you do is sprinkle them with a bit of sugar.

Week 9: Czech Sugar Cookies
In all my years of cookie baking, I've never come across another recipe quite like this one. It's another heirloom recipe, with a nod to my family's Eastern European heritage. Of course, you don't have to be from the Czech Republic to find these cookies utterly irresistible. Full of vanilla flavor, and coated in a thin covering of powdered sugar 'icing' (the icing is formed while the cookies bake!), these are a great treat for cookie lovers of every kind.

Week 10: Seven Layer Magic Bars
I'm made these at Matt's request, but they're a universal favorite. Also know as 'Magic Bars' or Hello Dolly Bars,' these easy treats have all kinds of chocolatey, coconutty, ooey-gooey-caramel appeal. These were a hit at Thanksgiving with my sister's British in-laws, who aren't used to everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type treats, but be warned, they're incredibly rich so you'll want to slice them small (and make them often!!!).

Week 11: Saltine Cracker Toffee ('Crack')
This strange-sounding treat will appeal to lovers of the sweet-and-salty combo. It combines the buttery richness of English toffee with the smooth silkiness of molten chocolate, and the salty crunch of Saltine crackers. The use of Saltines gives it a 1950s-novelty-ingredient appeal, but the resulting candy tastes, and even looks, deceptively high-end and high effort! A box of this candy would make a great last-minute gift, and no one need know how little time you had to spend in the kitchen. We topped ours with coconut (our favorite), coarse salt, and chopped pecans, but the possibilities are nearly endless. Watch out, it's addictive!

Week 12: Best Sugar Cookies (and Icing)
This recipe comes from my little sister and it is my go-to sugar cookie recipe. It's consistent and delicious, and though the rolling, cutting and decorating is time-consuming, it delivers everything you could want from a sugar cookie. The icing is also pretty great - not cloyingly sweet in the way that powdered sugar icing can be, and the corn syrup gives is a great texture for decorating. It may not set hard like Royal Icing, but it tastes 50 times better! If you have time for only one festive cookie this holiday season, this recipe will give you the most Christmassy bang for your buck!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies 2011 line-up. You can browse the recipes, drool over the photos, and share your favorites in the comments!

No-Cook Pumpkin Overnight Oatmeal

It may already be December - the month of peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog - but in our house, it's still pumpkin season. Of course, that's mostly because I finally got around to cooking the bigger of our two pumpkins this past weekend. I know, I know, I'm a little behind the times, but considering the fate of last year's pumpkin (a.k.a The Pumpkin of Shame), I think I'm doing pretty well.

Although I'm not averse to using canned pumpkin, I love to make my own puree and I pick out a couple of pumpkins for that purpose every year. This year, one large pumpkin and one pie pumpkin (the flesh of the smaller, 'pie' or 'sugar' pumpkins is usually sweeter) were chosen to make the transformation from pumpkin to puree.

Unfortunately, the cleaning, cooking, and pureeing process can be laborious and messy (all those stringy insides and slippery seeds - and then you have to wait hours for the rinds to cook in the oven!) so I usually try to have a bit of fun with our pumpkins first. Since traditional carving makes the inner flesh unusable, I usually stick to relief carving - and cut into the pumpkins only a few days before I intend to cook them.

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies: Browned Butter Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Yes, the title of this post really says Christmas! I know it's not even October yet, but when I found out that the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies challenge/party started this week I just couldn't resist. I mean, who doesn't love the thrill, the smells, and, of course, the delicious products of holiday baking?

To be perfectly honest, I always get a little nervous when people start talking about Christmas in the fall. I haven't even baked my first pumpkin-laced dessert and now I'm supposed to be thinking about reindeer and stocking up on egg nog? I also find it strange that Christmas products are showing up earlier and earlier in the stores these days. I guess what bothers me the most is the commercialization of a holiday that should be about so much more than wreaths and wrapping paper.

Still, I love everything about Christmas - the music, the family, the decorations, and hope for the world that it represents. And yes, I really love Christmas baking! So each Thursday, from now until December 15th, I'll be sharing some holiday baking with a great group of bloggers - and all of you, of course! This little blog party is being graciously hosted by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic, and I can't wait to see what everyone contributes!

Those of you who are great planners (i.e the people who've already bought presents for one or more people on their Christmas list!) can use this party as an opportunity to get some ideas for your holiday baking. The uber-proactive can even crank up the Bing Crosby and start stuffing their freezers, but if, like me, you're a bit wary of Christmas-in-September, you can just treat each Thursday's post as an ordinary recipe - I promise I won't bring out the red and green food coloring for a few weeks at least!

Eating NYC: Amy's Bread, Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market really is a feast for the senses! I know I've already given you one post about this trendy, tasty NYC locale, but there's so much to see, do and taste at Chelsea Market that I've decided to make a mini series out of our visit! Over the next few posts I'll be sharing some of our favorite finds, as well as alerting you to a few places that, in my opinion, are just a bit too touristy.

Today's destination is Amy's Bread - an NYC staple that has been churning out delicious breads, cakes and pastries since it was started in Hell's Kitchen, by Amy Scherber, almost 20 years ago. The Chelsea Market location opened in 1996, so it's had ample time to become a fixture with tourists and locals alike. In this store, you can watch workers through giant glass windows as they mix, knead, shape and bake their famous breads. The shop adjoined to the kitchen has the feel of a little French cafe, with a long wooden counter, charming tiled floors, round tables bracketed by cane chairs, heaped baskets of fresh loaves, and generous display cases for pastries, cakes and sandwiches.

Simple Summer Berry Crisp

I love summer for all the opportunities it provides, but sometimes things can get a little crazy. Schedules get full, people get busy, and the weather gets desperately, unbearably hot. You know what I mean?

Sorry for the bad picture quality - I try to use natural light whenever I can, but these were taken in my kitchen at about 10pm!

Let me give you an example: today's post comes to you from New York City! I planned the visit just last week and am here to help my expectant sister and her husband pack up and move from NY to Chicago (of course, I'll be seeing the sights and eating a few pastries along the way!). I'll be on the road for the next couple of weeks and though I'm excited for the trip, because it means spending time with family (and staying in NYC - hello, bakeries, markets and Chinatown!), blogging on the road will be a challenge.

I'm not sure how much internet access I'll have, and my poor little computer is on his last legs; he's currently being held together with prayers and electrical tape. I'll try to keep the posts coming, but between bakeries in NYC, pizza in Chicago, and Sara Beth's wedding in Indiana, I'm sure I'll have a lot to share with you when I get back.

For now, though, I'll leave you with this beautifully simple, summer dessert. Because when life gets crazy, I like to bake simple things - especially simple things that create the illusion of lots of time spent in the kitchen, and showcase the freshest of summer berries. The reality is about ten minutes prep time and 30 minutes in the oven, and you can use any combination of berries (fresh or frozen - be sure to thaw first) that you have on hand.

Oreo Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies: One Cookie Dough, Three Ways

For the past few months, Oreo stuffed cookies have been making their rounds of the blog world. I believe they started at Picky Palate, but there have been countless reincarnations since - and here's one more! Of course, I had to make my own changes - using oatmeal dough instead of chocolate chip and substituting mini Oreos for the regular-sized version - which is why you should still give this version a try, even if you've already had a ride on the stuffed-cookie bandwagon.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cranberry Cookies: One Cookie, Three Ways

I hope you enjoyed those delicious Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies as much as I did, because here's where we take them to the next level! I've already mentioned my love for the Cranberry-Butterscotch version, but this variation will give those rich goodies a run for their money.

I have mixed feelings about adding peanut butter to cookies because I think the flavor often dominates all the other notes and nuances of a recipe. This is fine in a pure peanut butter cookie, but add this nut butter to chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies and you lose all the rich butter, caramel or spice flavors normally involved . Well, thankfully that's not the case here, because we're not just adding peanut butter - we're adding Reese's Pieces! Coupled with dried cranberries and oatmeal, they make these cookies something else entirely - a little bit like the tasty love-child of health-food granola, trail mix, and Monster Cookies. Delicious!

Again, I'm using the Quaker Oats base recipe, but with a few changes; I like to push the brown sugar flavor in this version and cut back a bit on the cinnamon. Other than that, they're exactly like their 'classic' cranberry cousins - but the flavor couldn't be more different! Don't make yourself choose between them - make them both!

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies: One Cookie, Three Ways

Matt's heart may belong to Chocolate Chip Cookies, but I've always been partial to the wholesome, spiciness of a good, chewy Oatmeal Cookie. I can take or leave the raisin variety, but throw in some cranberries and you have the makings of one of my favorite cookies in the whole world. In fact, the only thing better is to add a few butterscotch chips!

When I was living in southern Arizona, I caught word of a magical little place called the Cookie Cabin, situated high above the cactus line, atop Tucson's Mt Lemmon. Located in the mountaintop community of Summerhaven, this little chalet-style eatery is famous for serving plate-sized cookies and thin crust pizzas.  I'd been wanting to visit long before I heard that their most popular offering was a divinely rich and gooey oatmeal, coconut and butterscotch cookie, but when I learned that this confection was called the 'Rachel' cookie, I knew I was destined to make the trip!

Perfect for a Princess: English Sweets and Treats for the Royal Wedding

The venue: Westminster Abbey

Everyone, it seems, has caught the Royal Wedding fever and with the big event only days away, I'm caving to the pressure with a London Foods themed post. There's something exciting and almost fairytale-like about the idea of a commoner-turned-princess - and, of course, I'm always eager for an excuse to rave about British sweets!

The pastry case at Harrods

It's been almost two years since I was last in London, visiting my sister and her husband in September 2009, but our family visited often during our years in England. We also had a few brushes with the Royal Family - I met Prince Philip at a presentation at St. James' in 2003, and my mum even appeared with Princess Diana on a national magazine cover. Before my decision to return to the States for college, I was accepted into the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where William and Kate met. I'm sure St. Andrews had a record number of applications during those few years, so I don't have too many regrets about resigning my place to another princess-hopeful!

Cream tea in the garden

I'm not sure if I'll be watching the wedding live (Matt and I are sharing a hotel room and he's none too excited about waking at 3am to watch TV) but I'll certainly catch some of the coverage and possibly celebrate with a tasty treat or two.  We've been informed that the royal wedding cake will be traditional English fruitcake, but I can think of several tastier options for a viewing party - many of which can be obtained or recreated right here in the U.S.A. Here's a round-up of some of my favorite British baked-goods and bon-bons:

As English as Apple Crumble

Apples for Crumble

When I was four years old, my parents moved our family from western New York to central England.  My youngest sister was born there, and my parents stayed until after I'd grown and returned to the States for university. With the exception of those first few years in New York and a few more, later, in central Indiana, most of my childhood was spent overseas.