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Three Thoughts for Thursday

Three Thoughts for Thursday

Walking coatless in November, an analogy involving pie and grandchildren, and Thanksgiving baking in this week's 3 thoughts.

  1. Yes, global warming is a reality to be confronted. But an early morning walk in November without a coat is a present grace to be savored.
  2. A house without grandchildren is like pie without ice cream: comfortable and satisfying, but missing a sweet little something.
  3. Speaking of pie, I’ll be baking apple, cherry, and mince for Thanksgiving. You?
Wednesdays with Dorothy for a Fantastic Friday

Wednesdays with Dorothy for a Fantastic Friday

This post from October of 2010 sheds light on one way Mom has changed in the last 5 years.This Friday’s post comes from October of 2010. Back then, Tuesdays were my normal day to visit Mom and the switch to Wednesday was a welcome change for her. Five years later, we’ve made a permanent switch to Wednesday. Mom would choose Village Inn and free pie every Wednesday (if that was an option), and then send the pie home for the Man of Steel. Because her appetite for pie has decreased, though her appetite for a great bargain has not.

Wednesdays with Dorothy

Tuesdays are usually for visiting my mom, Dorothy. Most weeks we go out for lunch, run errands, keep appointments, pay her bills, and balance her checkbook. But my crazy week of travel meant our day out was today, Wednesday.

Which was fine by Mom. She’s been hankering for schedule change ever since Village Inn started their Wednesday-free-pie-with-any-purchase promotion. So today we made a beeline for Village Inn – before putting gas in her car or buying some birthday cards – and made quick work of lunch. Then we ordered our free pie. Cherry for Mom. Strawberry-rhubarb for me. It was surprisingly good pie, though it couldn’t hold a candle to homemade.

The fact that it was free had Mom, thrifty survivor of the Great Depression, grinning from ear to ear. Free pie made her happy enough to crack a few jokes on the way home. Engaged enough to read yard signs and comment on the political leanings of home owners along the way. Secure enough in who she is to use her cane in the Target parking lot. Silly enough to choose the goofiest card she could find for her son-in-law’s birthday. And to think, all it took to make her happy was a schedule change and free pie.

Wednesday with Dorothy – priceless.

Grandma Conrad’s Never Fail Pie Crust

Grandma Conrad’s Never Fail Pie Crust

Grandma Condrad's Never Fail Pie Crust is back, this time with pictures to illustrate almost ever step of the pastry-making process.In the interest of full disclosure, readers should know that the grandma referred to in the title of this post is not and has never been my grandma. However, she is the grandmother of seven of my cousins (our mothers are sisters) on their dad’s side of the family. She was a lovely woman and a wonderful cook.

In the interest of fuller disclosure, readers should also know that this pie crust recipe has appeared on this website before. Without pictures. Because making pie crust is floury business and by the time my hands are clean and the camera comes to mind, the pie is usually in the oven already.

Until this week, when I kept the camera at hand for this new and improved version of the only pie crust recipe I can make, complete with pictures, illustrating almost every step along the way.

Grandma Conrad’s Never Fail Pie Crust

6 cups flour                                            2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder                    1 –  1 1/2 cups lard
1 egg                                                      2 tablespoons vinegar

In a 1 cup measuring cup, beat egg with a fork. Add vinegar and enough water to make one cup. Set aside. (Using the Tupperware measuring cup you won at a party over 30 years ago is optional.)

Grandma Condrad's Never Fail Pie Crust is back, this time with pictures to illustrate almost ever step of the pastry-making process.Sift together flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. (The large Tupperware mixing bowl you received as a wedding gift in 1977 works well for this.)

Grandma Condrad's Never Fail Pie Crust is back, this time with pictures to illustrate almost ever step of the pastry-making process.Cut in lard until mixture is crumbly but not clumpy.

Grandma Condrad's Never Fail Pie Crust is back, this time with pictures to illustrate almost ever step of the pastry-making process.Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture and stir with a fork until it forms a large ball, enough for 6-7 pie crusts.

Grandma Condrad's Never Fail Pie Crust is back, this time with pictures to illustrate almost ever step of the pastry-making process.Cover the dough and let it sit for 10 minutes. Roll out all the crusts. (The gi-normous rolling pin your mother-in-law bought for you in Hawaii is a good choice for this step.)

Grandma Condrad's Never Fail Pie Crust is back, this time with pictures to illustrate almost ever step of the pastry-making process.When they’re rolled out, place a piece of waxed paper on the crust and carefully roll the paper and crust into a tube. Put the crusts in a 2 gallon zipper bag and freeze. Then, thaw the rolls and use them when you’re ready to bake.

Three Thoughts for Thursday

Three Thoughts for Thursday

The perils of automatic doors, pie baking dreams, and praying with a friend in this week's 3 thoughts.

 

  1. Is anyone else out there getting so used to automati glass doors that you have nearly run into the ones that don’t open when you draw near? Please, someone say I’m not alone in this.
  2. Someday, I hope to bake a fruit pie that will not boil over. Today, alas, is not that day.
  3. Not too long ago, I had an intense phone call with a dear friend who moved out of state. Her mother is critically ill, so we closed by inviting Jesus into the conversation and gave him an earful. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

What are you thinking about this week? Share it in the comment box.

Homemade Apple Pie

Homemade Apple Pie

Try this homemade apple pie and see if it makes the world a better place. At the very least, it will make your house smell wonderful.

Imagine my surprised when I discovered no recipe for apple pie had yet been added to the Gravel Road website. This omission was, to put it lightly, not right. So then and there, I took steps to rectify the situation by baking an apple pie, taking photos of the finished product, and writing this post.

Not because I was hungry for apple pie or anything like that. No, my motives were purely altruistic, my desire only to make the world a better place. And pie truly does make the world a better place. If you don’t believe me, try this recipe. At the very least, your house will be a better place because of the aroma of homemade apple pie.

Homemade Apple Pie

6 large pie apples,* washed, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 cup flour
1/4–3/4 cup sugar, depending on tartness of apples
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter (or Earth Balance Vegan Spread for non-dairy)
2 unbaked pie crusts

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Place sliced apples in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle dry mixture over apples and stir until apples are well-coated.

Arrange one unbaked crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Pour apple mixture into the shell. Dot apples with butter or Earth Balance. Arrange second shell over the apples and seal the pie by pinching the two pie crusts together. Sprinkle top with cinnamon if desired.

Place pie on drip pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to 400 degrees and bake for 30-45 minutes until apples are tender. (If crust gets too brown, lightly lay a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the pie.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

*Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonathans, or Jonagolds are my favorites