kidding around

Ellie and Penny have been gone for the past 10 days. And so we will celebrate with pie!

I thought I would share with you all one of my very favorite ways to use up all the pie dough scraps. They are so easy to make and it totally makes my family go wild when they see me braiding up strips of pie dough.

So, after trimming your pie, gather up the scraps and create a rectangular shape. Roll it out fairly thin (the bigger you roll it out, the more twists you get!)

Now this may drive some of you nuts, but I eyeball rectangles and cut them out (2″x5or6″? you can make them bigger, of course depending how much dough you have on hand.)

Then just create 2 slits, evenly cut and braid like you would on someone’s hair…that’s why I call them “Ellie braids”, they remind me so much of her cute piggy tails she wore daily when she was younger.

Now just sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, I also like to add a touch of nutmeg and bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes. Eat warm or let them cool and drizzle a powdered sugar frosting.

So now you all know I am serious with my pie twists. What started it?

When Nathan and I were first married and lived in Whittier, CA I frequented a local bakery that made THE BEST TWISTS EVER. They would sell out pretty quick and I would seriously be totally disappointed if I couldn’t get one- I know, really…there are other things to attach such disappointment to that needs attention, but you know…

After Ellie’s birth, I used her as an excuse to watch the cake decorating lady. Fun for Ellie to watch and I could get my fill of twists as well. When we moved, I was heartsick- I know I know I know.

So now, each Thanksgiving after we make dozens of homemade pies at Moveable Feast, I have the honor of making twists for the staff and to sell. It’s a fun tradition and many can relate to their Grandmas “never wasting” and making these delectable treats.

When you make a pie next, try these twists. Heck, make pie dough and just create a bunch of twists- that’s what my family hopes I do!

Thanks to everyone that commented on my last post! I love to hear from so many friends, family, and pals I have made on line!

Here’s a look at what we are doing tonight…can you guess?

flowers for the table

basil for homemade pizzas

fresh mint for a summer drink I am dying to make!

new neighbors as guests for dinner

Happy Weekend!

Over the weekend, Nathan and I took a closer look at our garden to see what sort of progress had been made. There were a few warm and steamy days with a couple more chillier than usual…it must have been the perfect equation for a garden BURSTING. So satisfying for the amateur gardener for sure!

Every year we grow hops in a few places throughout the yard and it beautifully climbs all over our deck and trellis. So effortless!

In an effort to not spend a ton of money on my flower garden. I decided to just throw a bunch of seeds in the plot and cross my fingers. Apparently the soil was ready for the challenge and I have these beautiful Zinnias to enjoy. The shasta daisies are perennials I planted a few years ago and they do not disappoint. I also have echinnacea, bachelor buttons, lavender and poppies. I’m in heaven watching them grow!

When Nathan and I were surveying the garden, we were stunned to find 4 broccoli crowns waiting for us to cut. Home grown broccoli can not be compared with the stuff you buy at the market. The taste is 10 times more flavorful and literally blows people away when they try it! Plus, it’s a super easy vegetable to grow!

More hops! Later in the summer, you can find Nathan and the kids harvesting the hops. Hundreds of cones are produced and yes, beer is made with it! The taste is unreal and it’s fun to boast that it came from our yard.

I love how big drops of water just puddles on the huge broccoli leaves. Pretty, huh?

Ellie planted marigold seeds along the perimeter of the garden plot to ward off pests. I love that they are coming in so thick and lush.

This year we found tomatillo “starts” and are getting ready for all the fruit! We have hundreds of blossoms and are anxious to see how many we get! Salsa Verde here we come…

tiny cucumbers=tiny pickles…yum.

Brussel Sprouts…yes, we love them.

We love growing lettuce and arugula. Nothing is better than heading out to the garden and picking some fresh leaves for a sandwich. This is when I like to pretend we never have to endure long winters.

Last week, I met with a few friends and we started a “cooking class”. Our goal is to teach one another the art of canning, preserving, cheese making, and bread baking. At the end of the month, we will make sour cherry and blueberry jam and lemon verbena sugar. In August, I hope to use some of these tomatoes to make sauce. I’m sure I will post more about our fun class as we regularly meet…does anyone else do anything similar?

As Nathan and I were admiring our thriving yard, he remarked how much he loves the midwest. Gardens are lush with the humidity and rain (not too much!), people are making the most of the nice weather, and the changing seasons keeps us always planning our garden! It was so nice to hear his positve outlook since I dragged him here about 9 years ago from California! I couldn’t ask for a better gardening partner.