Strawberry Pies are the Best Pies

Every pie that I've made that includes strawberries, is the best. These strawberry and cream tarts were no exception, and they were so easy to make! They have a basic pie crust, a layer of pastry cream (which is super easy to make), and then fresh strawberries on top. I also think they're so pretty! Hence why I took so many pictures.

Weird Easter Pies

I've come to the point in my pie journey, where I've made all of the safe pies. Now, if I intend to finish this project, I'm going to have to make some of the weirder pies in the book. The two pies for Easter definitely seemed more strange to me, but turned out alright!

1. Neapolitan Easter Pie

The filling is made with wheat berries, pastry cream, and ricotta cheese. The flavor was good, and they are visually appealing, but the wheat berries were an odd addition. I don't think this will become an Easter tradition.

2. Easter Passover Tart

Supposed to be gluten, and dairy free; I made it just gluten free. The crust is made of coconut, and the filling is pastry cream, cream cheese and almond flour, topped with fresh berries. Again, it was different, but oddly tasty!
3. The Sunday before Conference, I made this Strawberry Bandana Pie. It was delicious! These are the kinds of pies I like, fruity and double crusted!

Back to Pie Baking

I took a hiatus from pie baking, but now I am back! And, I have been busy making up for my absence! Last Sunday, I made a key lime pie. It was very easy; except for the tedious task of juicing 20 fresh key limes. I had a cut on my hand that just stung the whole time, but Martha was right, it does give a delicious flavor! I loved this pie, and I would make it again in a heartbeat, my favorite part was the meringue on top. Yum!

Wednesday was "Pi Day" 3.14, so I celebrated by baking a pie in my pajamas. Layered cheesecake tart. My favorite aspect of this pie was the ground almonds in the crust. I love some nuttiness! I brought this one to work, and everyone loved it!

Finally, to celebrate St. Patty's day, I attempted to make a grasshopper pie. This was a challenge. Martha had me using 7 different bowls and even after following the instructions very carefully, I still failed to get it right. The texture was spongy and gross, and the mint flavor wasn't what I was expecting, maybe I'm just to accustomed to fake mint flavor? Anyhow, the oreo crust and the whipped cream layers were wonderful! I do like the way the layers all looked together though.

I'm excited to be back on my pie baking quest!

The Happiest Place on Earth and a Pie!

I haven't blogged for a really long time. December was a busy month, with my Birthday and Christmas and Disney World!

So, here's my welcome back to real life pie. Chocolate ganache and a coconut crust. So easy, only 4 ingredients! Also, it was delicious.

Here's my favorite picture from the Magic Kingdom. I just love how beautiful everything looked with all the lights!

Yay for 2012!

Plenty to be Thankful For

Now to finish off my month of thankfulness. Once again, these are in no particular order! And, out of laziness, I'm not putting pictures with these.

17. My Sonicare toothbrush-So much better than a manual one!

18. Running Water-I think this is self explanatory.

19. Electricity-This one as well.

20. Flowers- They are so beautiful, and I am happy when I look at them!

21. Snow-Hard to drive in, but beautiful and fun to play in!

22. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents-I had so much fun with all my family this past Thanksgiving weekend!

23. Dogs-especially Bones and Parker- I like that they follow me around and want to be my best friends.

24. Contact Lenses-I would be blind without these!

25. Built in retainers-To keep my teeth from moving after braces.

26. Prophets and Apostles-I am so blessed to have their words to guide my life!

27. Modern Medicine-Again, self explanatory.

28. Honeycrisp apples-I could eat one of these every day.

29. Bike-Bike and I have been together for a long time, and we have many more adventures to come!

30. Holiday Cheer-This is such a magical time of year and I love the excitement and happy feelings that surround me.

It's been a good month with so much to be thankful for. I need to do this more often!

More to be Thankful for!

10. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon-I always feel closer to my Heavenly Father when I read, and it has a lot of great things to teach me.

11. My Freshman Year Girls-I love that we are still in touch after all these years, and how every time we see each other, we pick up right where we left off!
12. Sleep-I never get enough, but I love every bit I get!
13. Skiing-Makes me so happy. I also love meeting fun people on the mountain.
14. Tiff-She's always been there for me, and always will.
15. My Siblings-Obviously, they're awesome! I like that we are friends, and a support to each other!
16. Good Friends-Make even cold winter nights fun!

Again, these are in no particular order. More to come!

November

Today I read this quote:
"We should be grateful for all the tender mercies that come into our lives. We are unaware of hosts of blessings that we receive from day to day. It is extremely important that we have a spirit of gratitude in our hearts."
Elder Quentin L. Cook
October 2011 General Conference

I need to remember this. I need to remember that even though everything doesn't always go the way I want it to, I am still immensely blessed! So, to show my gratitude, in a very small way. I am going to be a copycat, and do an entire month of things I'm grateful for. Obviously there are more than just one per day, but I don't want to go crazy! So here are a few for the first few days of November. (In no particular order.)



1. Country Music-it makes me feel happy!

2. My Heated Blanket-for the cold nights, when we can't get our big house very warm.

3. Baking-It's a way for me to be creative and I love sharing with friends.

4. Exercise-This one may seem weird, but I love exercising and I love that my body can do it!

5. My Education-Thanks BYU!

6. Transportation-I am so glad I don't have to ride my bike everywhere in the freezing weather! I am also grateful I have a car that does well in the snow.

7. My job-It's not always my favorite, but I'm glad I have it, and that I'm pretty good at it!

8. My Mom-she is such a great lady! I never cease to be amazed at the things she accomplishes. I admire her love of the gospel and her ability to serve those around her, despite her own trials. I love her go-getter attitude and positivity!

9. My Dad-he taught me so much, and continues to teach me. I want to be more like him; loving everyone and desiring to always serve others and choose the right.

I know it's brief, but I know it's important to remember what we are grateful for and why. I think this will help everyone keep a positive outlook on life! If you haven't already, consider writing down some of the things you're grateful for. It will make you happier!