Celebrating National Pie Championship

By Chef Diane

Pie

Pie

Me oh my

Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry

all at once o well it's pie

Apple!

Pumpkin!

Minced

an' wet bottom.

Come to your place everyday if you've got em'

Pie

Me o my

I love pie

This is a little song that was sung in the movie Michael, a movies with John Travolta, who played an angel whose job was to introduce two people for the purpose of falling in love.  The woman, was an aspiring song writer, and came up with this song while the group had stopped at a restaurant.  This little tune has always stuck in my head to be pulled out on days like today.

If you are a pie lover, and happen to be around Florida this weekend, you are in luck!  For the twelfth year in a row, the town of Celebration, Florida will become the Pie Capital of the World on April 27th and 28th, 2013 when thousands of pie lovers, tasters and bakers gather together the Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco®. The highlight, as always, will be the Never-Ending Pie Buffet, featuring award-winning pie, ice cream, toppings, cheeses and beverages from some of our fine sponsors!

While it may be too late to enter a pie in the contest, its not to late to sample the many different types of pie, and even get ideas for your own pie at home.  The first place winner will bring home a $5,000.00 check for their efforts, not to shabby for baking a delicious pie.

If you are not fortunate enough to be in the Florida area, never fear, you can just stop by a local diner, and order up a slice of your favorite pie.

If you will be in the area, don’t miss this opportunity to check out the pie contests, and maybe even think about entering your own pie next year.  For more information, click here: http://www.piecouncil.org/2013AmateurRules

(All images from Google) 

Oh Yum! It is National Pancake Week

Yum! Pancakes!!

By Chef Terry

Pancake Week is grounded in ancient tradition. During the Middle Ages, it was common practice to prepare for Lent by purging the pantry of luxurious foods such as eggs, butter, and milk. These ingredients often became big batches of pancakes. To this day, many communities around the world feast on pancakes all the way through Shrove Tuesday--also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras--before the season of moderation begins on Ash Wednesday. In fact, another name for Fat Tuesday is Pancake Day. [Source: All Recipes.]

(Google Image)

Here are 10 favorite pancakes of America:

Pineapple upside-down

Banana nut

Blueberry

Ginger

Oatmeal

Silver oak

Orange buttermilk

Buttermilk

Chocolate

Gingerbread

(Google Image)

My favorite pancakes are:

Blueberry

Pecan

Walnut

Buttermilk

Chocolate Chip

Buckwheat

(Google Image)

Diane’s favorite are:

Plain

Blueberry

Buckwheat

Buttermilk and

Chocolate Chip

(Google Image)

What are your favorite pancakes?

(Google Image)

Enjoy a fun filled week of pancakes and try a new one as well.

National Pie Day

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest,

Little Jack Horner

By Mother Goose

Little Jack Horner

Sat in the corner,

Eating a Christmas pie;

He put in his thumb,

And pulled out a plum,

And said, "What a good boy am I!"

Yum! Apple
(Google Image) 

If you are eating in a restaurant in the south, chances are you will see Pecan Pie on the menu.   While Apple Pie may be all American, Pecan Pie is all Southern!  It is the first pie I ever baked, and one that I have baked thousands of times during my life.  Baking them can get a little tricky at times, the filling may not want to set properly, and then you have runny syrup instead of a nice firm pie.

Pecan Pie
(Google Image) 

While Pecan Pie may be my favorite, there are many different pies to choose from.  Not all pies are sweet desserts; there are savory pies as well.  One of my family's favorite is Chicken Pot Pie.  My grandmother used to make individual chicken pot pies and they were always eaten up quickly.  They were so much better than the frozen ones, and you can add whatever vegetables you like in them.

Chicken Pot Pie
(Google Image) 

Meat pies have been around for centuries.  In 9500 B.C., the Stone Age, pies were made to be able to transport food easily, and to keep it fresher longer.  Of course it was not the same thing as we would identify as a pie today.  In 2000 B.C. a recipe for Chicken Pie was written on the wall of Pharaoh’s tomb.

In the 1800's people in North America began to put a scoop of ice cream on their fruit pies, this is known as Pie a la' Mode.

Pretty sure Granny's kin-folks started this (Yum)
(Google Image)

Today is National Pie Day.  What every type is your favorite; you won't go wrong eat a slice today.  I am including my never fail recipe for Pecan Pie.  If you get a chance, give it a try today.  Or you can watch the movie Michael, and sing along with the pie song:

Pie

Pie

Me oh my

Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry

all at once o well it's pie

Apple!

Pumpkin!

Minced

an' wet bottom.

Come to your place everyday if you've got em'

Pie

Me o my

I love pie

Diane's Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 Regular pie shell (not deep dish)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Karo syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix sugar, syrup and melted butter.  Add beaten eggs and 1 tsp vanilla.  Add pecans to syrup and mix well.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for 30 minutes.  Pie is done when center of pie shakes a little.