I’ve always been a fan of smoothies. So much so in high school, I worked at a local Smoothie King shop. I made every smoothie recipe on the menu, but my favorite was their Angel Food Smoothie, a strawberry banana smoothie with turbinado sugar and the perfect ratio of nonfat milk to add creaminess. With no trace of angel food cake in the smoothie, their Angel Food Smoothie still tasted like heaven. Read more
I’m fighting against the seasonal clock to make as many rhubarb infested treats as possible. The window is short. Too short. I nearly broke out in sweat on a cool 70° morning at the farmer’s market this week. Was I late? Where’s all the rhubarb? Oh, it was there alright. At the very last stand. Read more
I went on a baking spree this weekend. Baked straight through. And then Monday happened. I forgot to rest. At least the weekend tasted good. It started with pop tarts. Then vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. Topped off with strawberry shortcake. (Don’t worry, we had people over to help consume all these treats.) Blame it on the lack of sleep, I couldn’t decide what to post the latter half of the week—cookies or shortcake. So I used a lifeline and polled the Facebook audience. Cookies and shortcake were neck and neck. But when I started writing this post, strawberry shortcake was winning by 1 vote. I checked an hour later and it was losing. Shoot! Not gonna lie, I may have asked my husband and sister to cast their vote. And I may have told them that I already started the shortcake post. Chicago is rubbing off on me in a bad way. The good news–vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookies are coming early next week. Pinky promise. Read more
I’m on an ice cream kick. Have you noticed? Third post of the summer. Sorry if it’s getting redundant, but dwelling in Chicago requires living up summer as much as possible. In a few short months winter will be here—for six loooonnngg months. Therefore, I must make and eat as much ice cream as possible. Forgive me hips. Read more
While you’re reading this, I’m in my favorite place in the world with my favorite people. Graduate school husband and I are on vacation with my family in the mountains of Colorado. Also known as heaven. I didn’t want to go AWOL on you though, so I made a pie and stuck it in the cyber space freezer until now. I hope you are well fed even while I’m away.
I think I’m gonna be one of those wives/moms who make their family a weeks worth of dinner when they go out of town. It’s because I care. And I care about you! So without further adieu, I give you Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Happy 4th everyone!
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
PIE CRUST
makes enough for 2 single pies or 1 double crust (This is my go-to recipe)
2 1/2 c. AP unbleached flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, very cold
1 c. water with ice
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB MIXTURE
3 1/2 c. sliced rhubarb
1 16 oz. container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 3 1/2 c.)
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
TOPPING
1 egg
1 tsp. cream
turbinado
Note: I like to make my dough by hand so that I can control the size of the butter. Flaky crust = chunks of butter.
1. Make crust. Place flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. Whisk together.
2. Dice butter and place into flour mixture. Using a pastry knife, cut butter into flour until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Using a pastry fork (or continue using the pastry knife) add 1/2 c. of the ice cold water into mixture and combine. Continue adding water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together. You may not need the full cup of water.
4. Cut in half and cover the 2 disks in plastic wrap. Before rolling out, place in fridge for 1 hour, or place in freezer for 15 minutes to chill. This will make the dough easier to work with.
5. Make strawberry rhubarb mixture. Combine all ingredients in bowl, mix, and set aside.
6. Roll the dough out on a well floured surface large enough to overhang in a pie dish. Fold the dough in fourths and transfer to pie dish. Place in freezer for 5 minutes if too warm.
7. Pour strawberry/rhubarb mixture into pie dish.
8. On a well floured surface, roll out second disk. Using a pastry wheel, cut dough in the same direction, about 3/4″ wide. Place 5 strips across, using the longer strips in the middle and the shorter strips on the end. Think back to your childhood craft days, and create a lattice with the dough placing 5 more strips in the opposite direction. Over, under, over, under.
9. Seal the edges of the dough by folding over. I use a bit of cold water to help smooth things out. Create a decorative edge with your pointer finger and thumb held together pushing the dough in with your thumb. And repeat. Clear as mud? A forked edge works nicely as well.
10. Whisk together one egg and a teaspoon of cream. Brush over the top and sprinkle with turbinado.
11. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. This helps the dough to hold its shape when it goes in the oven. Preheat oven to 400°. Bake for 2o minutes. Lower the temp to 335° and continue baking for 40 minutes. Once crust begins to brown, cover with foil.
12. Allow pie to set up for at least an hour before serving.
A la mode. It’s the only way I eat pie. Stay tuned for my homemade ice-cream recipe!
