Pie

Tyler asked last night if I was going to start getting ready for Thanksgiving on Monday. I thought that was a little early to start making things but it got me thinking and I realized that I have never in my entire life that I am aware of spent Thanksgiving with my immediate family alone. I am sure I did when I was little. But I don't remember. I also don't remember a time in my married life where I felt like I was able to prepare and enjoy it without some sort of major anxiety going on. This year feels so different.

I decided that maybe Monday wasn't as outrageous of a suggestion as I originally thought and even decided to practice making pie crust today. It is a little overcast and my house is relatively clean and I feel calm and amazingly devoid of stress and anxiety. So as I began I started to think about the last time I made a pie. It was with my brother and sister Mary and Joe. We made a pumpkin pie and a fancy cherry pie. It was soo fun. I love cooking with those too. I love my family. All of them.

Back to today's crust practice...it was a little stressful to be honest. My boys absolutely love Grandma Young's pies and I had a feeling I was not in one try going to be able to come up with anything nearly as good. I found a recipe from Tyler's aunt I believe Janet Lawrence that looked pretty good so I decided to try it out. I was quite pleased with the results after I rolled it out and had it in the pan.

But, baking it made the sides shrink in weird.  I decided to fill it with a lemon sour cream filling recipe that I found here then top it with whipped cream.  Making the lemon custard was a little bit nerve wracking with all the separating the egg yolks from the whites and the two minutes of boiling here then resting and adding more ingredients there...then finally not touching it at all while it cools. A very picky recipe for sure. The results of the custard though before the sour cream were amazing. I think I may have found a winner here. Now, if I can only find a good gluten free crust that I can enjoy. Doubt it.

The end results will be up soon. To sum up the experience. I miss my family and I really miss Mary.  Especially while making pies. I need to find a way to ensure that we can always make pies together. Maybe she could move in next door.  OR I could move in next door to her.