I guess I'll tell you about the pie I'm making to take to my family dinner tomorrow. I volunteered to make apple pie. I have done it several times in the last few years, so I figured I could do it again. The only problem is I'm trying to eat "real" food these days...you know, the things that are closest to nature...not man-made manufactured food. Well, that sort of throws a monkey wrench into the whole pie making process.
I've never been one to make a crust from scratch. {I've never been one to make anything from scratch.} I always use the very nice pre-made crusts from the little doughboy, and then I lovingly spread two cans of apple pie filling into the pie pan, sprinkle with my special Pampered Chef korintje cinnamon, dab on a streusel topping, and pop it in the oven. My pies turn out lovely.So I had some options today:
#1. Make an apple pie entirely from scratch, which would include making a pie crust of which I felt doomed to fail, peeling-coring-slicing my apples, and then adding my spices.
#2. Go with my usual method of buying a pre-made crust and pre-made apple pie filling, which is full of high fructose corn syrup, which is bad bad stuff.
#3. Buy a frozen pie, bake it, and pretend I made it myself, in which I will throw all caution to the wind as to the preservatives and whatever else is in it that might contribute to my early demise.
I weighed all 3 options, and I finally decided I would buy a pre-made crust but make my own filling. It seemed like a fair compromise if I went half-homemade.
The only problem is that I have no zeal for baking. None. Nada. Zilch. Zippo. I'm sure trying to like it, but the feeling is just not coming. So this pie predicament has been weighing on me all day. I decided to put it off until tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll have more energy then, I thought. Maybe....
Yep, that's what I was gonna do... until about 4:00. That's when I decided to go with option #3 {translation=EASY!}. I went to the store on the way home from church tonight, and I bought a frozen apple pie. What can I say? I caved.
My thinking is, Thanksgiving shouldn't have to be hard or dreaded. It should be enjoyed. So I'm getting help from Marie Callender and plan to relax and enjoy.
I hope you relax and enjoy too!
*Photo courtesy of Microsoft clip art
Ah, bummer, I was really looking forward to a half-homemade apple pie. Wow, Liz, you really know how to be a damper on my hopes!!
ReplyDeleteNot that you would've known, but you should've called me! I have a recipe for pie crust that is soo simple...seriously, even my kids could make it! You mix and press it in your pie dish, no rolling at all. My problem is that all my "from scratch" recipe's are so easy I make them way too often!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you went with the stress free option, we all need to learn to simplify things and just learn how to relax and take it easy!