Carrots, Carrot Cake, Banana Cream Pie & More Spring Recipes
Easter weekend was sunny and beautiful on the Oregon coast albeit with its share of wind! We drove two hours south on the 101 to spend the weekend with family near Depoe Bay where we had no shortage of food or laughter. So, while these recipes may not be as relevant after Easter, I thought I’d share anyway! Besides, if you’re like me, I’m already thinking about what I’ll make next Easter. And, leftover ham in your scalloped potatoes is always a good idea.
Only some of what we made: Carrot Cake, Banana Cream Pie (with chocolate bird’s nest), Scalloped Potatoes, Carrots with Pistachios and Thyme, Easter Salad, Ham and Pepperjack Quiche
Quiche is the Word
One late afternoon last week, I was mulling over the monumental decision of what to make for dinner. I always have chicken and salmon that can be quickly defrosted. But didn’t want chicken again. Not salmon either. I typically buy beef the day I intend to cook it so didn’t have that on hand. Hmmm. I wanted something lighter and none of this was giving me inspiration. Then I remembered that I had a formed pie crust in the freezer from my recent pie dough mania. Maybe Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche but I announced to my husband that quiche was the word, or more specifically, quiche is what’s for dinner! Now to figure out what to put inside said quiche.
Perfecting Pie Crust
Last weekend was a rainy but perfect mother-daughter time. I mean what could be better than books, shopping and making PIE?! We spent an excessive amount of time in the delightful Vivienne Portland’s Culinary Bookstore (think cookbooks old and new, colorful linens and trays, consigned kitchenware, cute olive oils … oh my!) and went to a pie class! The focus of the class, taught by Chef Luca, was on pie skills and perfecting pie dough. I’ve always been intimidated making pie crust and get inconsistent results. But, upon taking his class and coming to the revelation (thanks to Luca) that my inner pie creativity will be unleashed once I master the art of pie pastry – I can’t stop dreaming about pie. I may even have spent all this morning going through Sister Pie and Pie Camp making a list of “pies to make.” Figure I can start practicing now and be a pro by Thanksgiving.
Fall baking: Cue the apples and pumpkin
I have slowly and a bit reluctantly let go of summer, inched into the fall season, and started dreaming of fall baking complete with warm spices, apples, pumpkin, pears and maple-flavored everything. I mean, isn’t that what fall is all about? (Okay, maybe some football too.) In my divine order of fall baking, apples come first. After all, apples are equated with teachers and back to school. I also happen to live in the beautiful state of Washington, where apples are aplenty; the state produces over half the Nation's domestically grown apples. Or maybe apples reign first for me because I refuse to give into the societal pressure related to pumpkin spice lattes re-joining the Starbucks menu in late August. Hold on pumpkin, wait your turn. My first little fall baking task was the Zoë François Apple Almond Galette. However, I’m proud to say that I waited until the calendar officially declared it was fall and then the very next day, I baked a pumpkin chocolate snack cake.