"Building a Pie 101"

    Awhile back I had a very enjoyable conversation with one of my Dad's dear childhood friends whose name was Jack Klema. Now Jack had worked construction most of his life, had raised 5 daughters, and at the time, he and his wife Jean were operating a wonderful restaurant called "The Barn on York." It actually was a beautiful barn they had renovated and made into a restaurant. They served delicious meals and offered live Bluegrass music upstairs every week. My Dad, Dick Parker, happened to be in that band and was the bass player. You could enjoy a great slice of pie with your coffee while enjoying live great bluegrass music. What fun times those were!!
    One evening Jack sat at our table and told me, very proudly, that he had gotten his "pie building down to 10 minutes per pie." He explained the steps to me and was so very matter of fact in his pie building process that I had to smile as I envisioned him in an apron slicing apples and rolling out dough, assembling the pie and placing it in the oven, watching the timer and making sure it came out bubbly and not burnt. Not so much unlike the building process of a barn or house, I suppose. Both required planning, precision, and patience and giving great satisfaction and pride in the finished product.
     So, to remember Jack's story, to fondly remember both he and my Dad, and to honor those who take great pride in their "pie building", I dedicate the following pictures of this past weekend's mini pie baking, as chronicled by my very talented photographer daughter, Caitlin.


                                                       THE "BUILDING" OF A PIE

                                                               rolling out the dough....

                                                         piling the apples high...........

                                                    putting on the "lid" and crimping the edges......

waiting for finishing touches..........

                                                            cutting out the decorations.....

                                                          placing the snowflake cut outs....

                                                       brush with milk & sprinkle with sugar.....

                                                        cut vents & ready for the oven..


    Give me a great pie anytime. I'll take it over cookies, cake, brownies, candy....you name it. There isn't a pie I don't love. I've always said it's "all about the crust"...flakey..sugary and just delicious. This mini pie is just the right size for two. Just add a dollop of ice cream in the middle, 2 forks and you're set!  
      
     I hope you enjoyed this story and I thank all the pie bakers and pie lovers out there!!!
 Keep up the pie love....................

Sue


 

Sue's Kitchen Menu

SIGNATURE PIES (available in deep dish 9", 7" or individual): Mom's Apple, Tart Cherry, Big-n-Bold Blackberry, Summertime 4 Berry, Fencerow Black Raspberry, My Georgia Peach, Sweet Red Raspberry, Beautiful Blueberry, Springtime Strawberry-Rhubarb, Just Rhubarb, Southern Pecan, Kentucky Chocolate Walnut Bourbon, *Pumpkin.
*some are seasonal "
9" pies range from $16-$25
7" pies range from $10-$16
Individual pies range from $7-$9

SIGNATURE COOKIES: Best Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chunk, Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal Walnut Crispie, Effie's Oatmeal Raisin, Rose's Molasses Sugar, Peanut Butter, Peanut Blossom.
$10/dozen
Iced Sugar Cut Outs, Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate, White Chocolate Macadamia and Sue's Skinny Jean Cookies.
$14/dozen
*Minimum of 3 dozen for all cookie orders

Winter Baking, Farmers' Markets and Testing New Recipes

     Sue's Kitchen will return to the Columbus Winter Farmers' Market this Saturday at the Clintonville Womens' Club. Winter baking is comfort food to me, as long as it is in small portions as part of your balanced diet. If you need something sweet, here are some of my signature items I'll be bringing for you:

• Individual Granny Smith Apple Pies
• Triple Chocolate Brownies
• Chocolate Chip cookie snack pack stacks
• Cranberry-Lemon Scones w/Lemon Glaze

     I'm in the process of trying new recipes that will become additions to my menu. Currently I'm working on a granola recipe and crispy crackers. I'll keep you posted on my progress. So far I'm enjoying the research:)

Enjoy the week and I hope to see you at the market!
Sue
    

Don't bother me-the flour will be flying!

     JUST KIDDING! After tomorrow I am on vacation from work and can concentrate on baking cookies.....tons of cookies! Oh-and pecan tassies and bourbon balls and pumpkin cream cheese bread and cranberry orange pecan bread and more cookies. Then there's the buttercream frosting and sanding sugar and chocolate dipping and sprinkle sprinkling.
     After that's all done we package everything in mugs and bowls and on plates and platters...wrap them up in cellophane with ribbon and bows and string and tags...then send them all home with you!!!
     Hope to see you all here next week. Somebody has to come get all this stuff I'm making!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

  Here's one of my pies all dressed up for the Thanksgiving table. We're also having a scrumptuous
Pumpkin Cheesecake that we watched Paula Deen make today on her show. She said to add a sprig of mint to get your vegetable serving. That woman is a nut-but we love her :)
    Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones and remember to be thankful for all your blessings.
Sue

Sue's Kitchen aka Pickin' Chix @ The Rural Society Antique & Garden Show

                           Mark your calendars Ladies and Gentlemen!
    On October 14&15 there will be a fabulous antique and garden show just north of Mt. Vernon at a beautiful farm owned by Page Price. If you like ANTIQUES, vintage, re-purposed, garden decor, plants, dried nature, delicious food, and just plain everyday country, than this is the show for you.


    Check "The Rural Society Antique and Garden Show" on facebook for all the details including dates/times, vendor list, and directions. There will be such a collection of talented, creative people there!


     My friend, Bee Katz, and I will be there as our alter egos, the "Pickin' Chix". We will have everyday antiques that have been loved through the years: re-purposed antiques (i.e. old farmhouse doors made into headboards, rolled paper wreathes from old hymnals); vintage recipe boxes filled with handwritten dessert recipes, vintage blank recipe cards and cooper cookie cutter-fabulous gifts for that baker in your life; pretty cake plates made from vintage glassware; Bittersweet bunches; pillows made from felted woolens and re-purposed sweaters; gorgeous chalkboards from antique picture frames; mantiques (very cool tool chests); picnic baskets; unique fall decor using everyday items and so much more.
    
      Did I mention we will also have some GOODIES for you? Sue's Kitchen will have personal size Pecan Pies and Cowtown Candies will have FUDGE (peanut butter, chocolate and one more kind). A girl has to have her sweet fix, don't ya know!


      We are still working on our finds and getting organized. We hope to see you there!
Sue

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

     I posted this recipe a couple of years ago on the Westerville Farmers' Market blog but I wanted to share it again because it's just so darn good! You can use small or boat sized zucchini-whatever you have. If you use the larger size it would be a good idea to remove the pithy seed center and just shred the meaty part of the zucchini. Just a little hint.
     Hope you enjoy making and sharing this recipe :)

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9x5" or (5) mini loaf pans. I also line my pans with parchment paper up over the sides so the loaves are easy to lift out without sticking once baked..hint #2.

     You will need:
(2) 1 ounce squares of unsweetened choclate-melted and cooled
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 cups hand grated zucchini (hint #3-hand grating helps keep the zucchini from getting mushy)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. each; baking soda, salt and cinnamon
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

       Directions:
Cream sugar and oil; add eggs one at a time then beat in chocolate. Add vanilla and zucchini.
Mix the dry ingredients together and add-mix til blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

     Bake large loaves for 1 hour and smaller loaves about 40 minutes OR til a knife inserted in the middle comes out with crumbs-not gooey. Cool on a wire rack.
     Hint #4: sprinkle a few chocolate chips on the top of each loaf while they are still hot. Looks really good and is so yummalicious!

To Die For Buttercream Frosting

     If you want delicious and pretty frosting for your special cupcakes, cakes and cookies, there is nothing as good as buttercream frosting. It's easy and you can color it any color your little heart desires.
Here is the very basic recipe I use for my cookies, cakes and cupcakes like the ones you see above:

Delicious Buttercream Frosting
2/3 cup butter-room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp. milk (or more to get spreading consistency)
1 tsp. vanilla (use clear if you want whiter frosting)

Beat the butter til creamy then add the sugar a little at a time. I usually end up with a sugar shower so be careful. You can add some milk a little at a time to help prevent this. After you've added the liquids beat the frosting for 2-3 minutes until its nice and fluffy and creamy and just the right consistency. If you're adding food coloring put it in when you add the vanilla. Gel colors are brighter. You can also get fluorescent colors now that are really bright-great for kids. Sanding sugar or Sprinkles top off your masterpieces and look like a real bakery pro came to your kitchen for the day.

Enjoy making something special for your sweetie this Valentine's Day and I'll see you soon!!
Sue

What a Wonderful Holiday Season

Lots of baking and little blogging has been going on in Sue's Kitchen. After baking 60+pies for Thanksgiving the kitchen stayed humming for Christmas time baking. The pictures are from my annual "Christmas in the Country" Open House. We had a gorgeous winter day and many friends and family came to enjoy the hot spiced cider while shopping for gifts and goodies to enjoy for their parties. When it was all said and done I think Sue's Kitchen produced over 140+ dozen variety of Christmas cookies....and a few pumpkin rolls, dessert breads, pies and cakes. The cookies in the pictures are Gingerbread Men and Red Velvet Whoopie Pies.

Thanks to my friends, Bee (Cowtown Candies) and Gretel (Sunny Meadow Flower Farm) for their wonderful sweets and homemade soaps/salves they brought to the open house. Bee's fudge is the best in Central Ohio and Gretel's soaps smell so wonderful. Their packaging is so perfect, too! Gretel also brought some of her homemade jams and honey-YUM!!