"a pie so sweet...

...you'll forget I consistently forget your birthday and father's day."

I admit to being a flake concerning matters of calendar and celebration (except for my own). I can even be thinking about the holiday right up until the day arrives and then it magically slips from my mind like spaghetti from a spoon! Well, my dad's birthday was last weekend and since all I gave him for father's day was a big sweet phone call (he swears this is fine), I thought I'd bless his pop-out day celebration with a lovingly created and picture perfect (though I have no such photographic proof) pecan pie. It is his favorite dessert treat, and I was craving the feel of dough in my hands so I busted out a few simple ingredients and an old family recipe and tied it with a bow and served it to my pops with vanilla bean ice cream! (ok so there really was no bow its not an important detail)

As far as pie crusts are concerned I know there is a strong debate over butter vs. shortening: do you use a ratio or all of one or the other? Normally I wouldn't take the side of shortening but I've never seen a prettier shade of gold nor set my tooth against a flakier bite than the one produced by my mom's all-Crisco pie crust recipe. So there. (for the record I take the all-butter route with tart crusts)

Anyhow, would you like to see the recipe? I know you'd rather take a bite of pie (especially if you happen to be reading this entry with a hot cup of coffee next to you) but all I can offer at the moment are the words! When is your birthday? Wanna pie?

Pecan Pie
1 prepared pie crust (recipe follows)
3 eggs
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. pecan halves (I chop half the pecans and leave the other half whole- this lets you get a nice clean slice but lets the pretty glossy whole pecans stand out for good looks)
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Beat eggs, add sugar and salt and mix well (I find a whisk works well for this step); add corn syrup, pecans and vanilla and stir (this time switch to a spoon). Pour mixture into the prepared pie crust.
2. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes then turn the oven down to 325 to finish baking; 45-50 minutes or until set.
3. Let the pie cool almost completely before serving. Top with simple vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream (ice cream is best but you don't have to take my word for it!)

Traditional Pie Crust (makes enough for two 9 inch pie crusts and freezes well)
2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. Crisco (it's made from vegetables so it can't be that bad!!)
1/4 tsp. salt
ice water

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, blend in the Crisco until the mixture resembles loose floury gravel (sorry that is a bad description I know). Drizzle in a little (2 Tbs) ice water and blend with pastry cutter. Continue adding the water a little at a time until the dough feels cohesive but not wet. Ditch the pastry cutter and use your hands to mold the dough into a big ball. Divide the dough into two equal portions (if you happen to have a kitchen scale now might be a good time to use it).
2. Take one of the dough halves and set it on a floured surface. Set the other portion aside. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little flour and get ready with the rolling pin. Using the rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick all around. While you are rolling out the dough you may want to check and make sure it isn't sticking too much to the counter. Use a large flat spatula to roll the dough onto the rolling pin then unroll it onto the pie pan. Trim off any excess dough that may be hanging too far over the edge. Tuck the dough under itself all along the perimeter of the pan edge. I use my thumbs to pinch the dough together which results in a nice clean look. You could also use a fork to pinch the dough along the edge. All done!
(I promise that when I get a camera I will redo this recipe with pictures because it is hard to describe the technique)

Ok Fine Enough Procrastinating! Here's a Post!!

I've been putting off making posts to this dear little blog for my lack of camera. I figure a food blog without pictures won't look very interesting but I just don't care anymore and I want to write about a simple tasty pasta I made last night. I had foot surgery just one week ago and cooked this meal almost entirely seated. I do not recommend this method as it is dangerous and not terribly ergonomic but I can not keep myself out of the kitchen for the sake of a bum foot and hey, ya gotta eat. My ma helped with the hot pasta and the basil picking; my lot was mostly chopping and stirring but still!

Creamy Zucchini-Basil Pasta
3/4 # penne pasta (normally I would use whole wheat but the delicate flavors and textures of the vegetables wouldn't stand up well to the texture and nuttiness so I recommend using regular semolina-style here)
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
2 medium zucchini, cut 1/4 in. thick on the bias and then in half (to form two slender half-moons)
1 small spring onion, thinly sliced
2 ears-worth fresh corn kernels
2-3 Tbs mascarpone or neufchatel cheese
"a good handful" chopped fresh basil (should measure about 1/4 cup when chopped)
1. Set the water to boil and cook pasta like normal. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large saute pan and add garlic and onion. Cook garlic and onion over a low heat until they are tender and starting to look a little tan (it's summer!) which means they are caramelizing and will be sweet and yummy. When the garlic and onion achieve malibu tan status add the zucchini and corn and turn up the heat to medium-high. Spread the zucchini pieces evenly over the bottom of the pan so they brown a little then stir.
2. Hopefully the pasta is done by now. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain well. Put the pasta in a large bowl and top with the cheese. Stir in the cheese so that it softens and coats the pasta with creamy goodness. Add the cooked vegetables, basil, a good glug of olive oil and a healthy splash of the hot pasta water. Gently fold everything together and pile your bowl high! If you are lucky enough to have a mom and a back porch around, pile her a bowlful and join her on the porch for a light summer dinner and a chat!
* this would be lovely with a crisp pinot grigio or vinho verde.

let's get this cheese wheel a-rolling, shall we?

I've got a belly full of soup, ELO on the creature speakers, and am feeling as happy as pea shoots on a spring afternoon (in case you are wondering just how happy pea shoots can feel, go lie on a warm hillside in the setting sun, you'll see). I think it is the perfect time to make my first post on my very first blog, which is actually a few months old but until now unchristened (turn on the champagne fountain, stat!). I'll let this post be a simple introduction; subsequent posts will have more interesting and useful content, I promise!

Ok so I know there are a million and five super-groovy food blogs out there with delicious recipes and sophisticated  photography and maybe one day I'll be in their league but for now I just need a place to tell my dinners to. 

Although I am not much of a rule-heeder or fan of the Man, I thought I might outline a few things I am committing to do or not do  here; if I break my rules, feel free to bust me out just be real nice about it:

• I will remember to wash my hands before I type lest I smear up my dear white keyboard and mouse! 
  
• I will try my darndest not to digress to super food snobbery. Really I will!
• I will not use proper grammar at all times or punctuation or spelling and I will most likely have days when a hired spider monkey would be a better scribe than I. Ha.
• I will not use silly food metaphors and if I do please read in the proper mount of sarcasm.

Enough with the rules already! 

Today is the day we've waited for. Ok here goes!