strawberry-rhubarb mini pies

I have a enormous rhubarb plant in my yard. The thing grows nearly out of control. It sits on the edge of my driveway and I pretty much ignore it. My mother-in-law gave it to me, and I stuck it in its spot just to stick it somewhere.

Now, a few years later, I have rhubarb and then some, and it's always a weekend activity to try and come up with a way to use it.

this weekend's activity: strawberry-rhubarb mini pies,  just because everything, especially pies, are cuter in miniature size!

crust: (makes crust for 12 mini pies)
1 cup flour
3 to 5 tbs. ice water
1/3 C. chilled butter, diced
1 tsp salt (optional)

In large mixing bowl, whisk flour and salt together. Add shortening and mix with pastry blender till it looks like course crumbs. Add ice water a few tablespoons at a time mixing with a fork till dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl and pull into a ball. Place it in a sandwich bags and refrigerate for at least an hour. (You can refrigerate this longer, but it can get tough if you leave it in there overnight.)

Sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin with flour (and have flour on hand.) Roll out 1 bag of dough to about 1/4 of an inch thick slowly and gently. Do not overwork the dough-- it will make it unhappy.

filling:
2 cups diced rhubarb stalks
1 cup strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tbs flour
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Mix filling ingredients, set aside.

Once the dough is rolled out, use a measuring cup -- I used the "1 cup" size -- to mark circles. Place each circle in a muffin tin, and carefully spoon two heaping spoonfuls into each tin. Be careful not to overfill!

If you have remaining dough, you can cut little strips to do a lattice work over the pie filling.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the filling is bubbling.

Remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes, but don't wait until too long to remove your little pies-- hardened rhubarb filling can make them hard to remove!

enjoy!

xo, erika

make: boubon-baked peaches

What's the best purpose of hard liquor? In my opinion, it's best used in dessert.


Whether it's lighting on fire for a flambe or using it make a fluffy-light pie crust, or dousing fresh peaches in it, liquor is best baked.


My case in point: these bourbon-baked peaches. It's like a boozy peach cobbler without the crust. Obviously delish.

Bourbon-baked peaches (recipe adapted from here)
2 ripe peaches, halfed and pitted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 sea salt
3 tbs bourbon
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
parchment paper or foil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together sugar, salt, bourbon and vanilla until well blended.

Place peaches cut side down on a parchment sheet on a baking sheet (preferrably one with a rim)

Pour half of sugar-bourbon mixture over peaches.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and turn over. Pour remaining sugar-bourbon over peaches and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Slice if desired and serve hot over vanilla ice cream or with fresh whipped cream or anything else your heart desires!

Please note that it can take up to two hours for alcohol content to completely bake out of a dish, so these peaches will have a slight kick to them. See this chart for additional information.

xo, erika

recipe: (slightly healthy) chocolate chip cookies

I'm usually skeptical of lower fat things-- especially desserts-- for two reasons: one) if it's not homemade, lower fat usually means more preservatives or additives or two) low-fat desserts usually don't taste very good.

But these are different-- no weird additives and definitely delicious. (The husband didn't even know there was whole wheat in them.)



I wish I could take credit for these, but they're from my favorite cooking magazine Cooking Light.

The trick? Use less butter but brown it to enhance the flavor.

(slightly healthier) chocolate chip cookies
6 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs coconut oil, softened (or canola oil)
1 1/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups chocolate chips

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter browns, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or scorch the butter. Remove from heat and add coconut oil
- Combine dry ingredients-- through salt-- in a large bowl and whisk together
- Beat sugars and butter together until smooth, add eggs and beat until just mixed.
- stir in dry ingredients, careful not to over mix.
- add in chocolate chips
- drop batter on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper two inches apart
- bake for 10 to 12 minutes



the perfect treat for your weekend!

xo, erika