Pie Making

 Each year at Christmas time, I join my mother in pie making.  We like to make and give apple pies to loved ones as a Christmas treat.  We freeze the pies so that the recipient can bake the pie when they are ready to eat it.  I consider this a two-way treat.  First, it isn't a goodie that must be consumed quickly; it can be saved for some weeks in the freezer and baked later, after all the Christmas snacking/munching/over-eating, or immediately if it must be consumed quickly (who can let apple pie sit around anyway?).  The second great thing is that by having the recipient bake it, their house gets filled with the wonderful cinnamon-y smell of baked apple pie.

When my mom and I work together, our pie making is very speedy.  One of us will make crusts while the other will cut and peel apples.  This year I was entrusted with the crust, the trickier portion of the project.  Getting the crust rolled out and into the pie tin requires a delicate touch.  Working together, Mom and I made six pies in a hour, all for her to give away.  I had thought I didn't need any pies this year.

Much to my chagrin, on Wednesday (the 22nd) I decided I wanted to give pie to my in-laws (Kent's parents and siblings).  My mom was unavailable, so I enlisted expert help from Brandt.  Using the Cuisinart, we made the pie dough and shredded apples, with Brandt doing most of the "operating" of the equipment.  He did all the apples while I rolled out pie dough, and while we certainly are not as fast a team as me and Mom, I was grateful (truly) for his assistance.  Blythe helped too, but she mostly just licked sugar and flour off her fingers.