Simple Saturday: Simply Pies

Did you notice that it’s been all about pies on the blog this week. (Scroll down to see the other posts.)

And why shouldn’t it be.

You know what’s so great about pies, other than the sweetness and that tantalizing buttery crisp crust?

Pies are made to be shared. Although some of us may have, at times, thought about eating a whole pie ourselves, we know that they’re meant to be eaten together with others. Pies are shaped and made to be sliced and given away, with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Who did you eat your last pie with? Your family? Your friends? Was it during a holiday or recently this summer?

No matter when or where or what type of pie, there should be love all in it and around it.

What pie are you craving or wanting to make?

Here are a few to mull over in the mean time:

Atlantic Beach Pie

Banoffee Pie

Coconut Buttermilk Pie

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

Real Pumpkin Pie

And since you’ve gotta have a killer, easy crust:

Easy Pie Crust

Sweet Pie Crust

It’s pie time!

Pie Week Part 2: Coconut Buttermilk Pie

Combos are the  best, right?

What’s your favorite combo.

I have so many favorites that I can’t even pick one.

I also like trying recipe mash-ups. Sometimes I go to Google with a really specific recipe idea in mind, and I just need a template or a few recipes to guide me along my way.

Last Days at the Beach (Pie Week Part 1)

Are you missing days on the beach?

Warm sand granules surrounding your brightly painted toes. Reading a new book then falling asleep in the sun. Enjoying the flavors of the summer- bright citrus mingled with sweetness.

Sadly, I only got one day (well three hours) at the beach this summer. But, thankfully, I only live a few hours away, so I’m sure I’ll have many more days there in the years to come.

The day that I did spend was on Atlantic Beach here in NC.

After my beach trip, I heard word (through Food52), that there was an Atlantic Beach Pie that was made famous by Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, about 45 minutes from where I live.

Simple Saturday: Good Reads

Lately, I’ve stumbled upon some really great reads.

First let’s get it out of the way that I am a library book gal to the core. I love going to the library, using the computer catalog and switching out books every few weeks or month.

I know that these things called eBooks exist, but I just can’t give up my real, hard-back books. Sorry, technologically advanced people, but studying abroad at Oxford basically ruined me to all things library/book/cool old things.

It should also be addressed that since I’m a library girl, I often can’t get my hands on any new or trendy books (people snatch them up like crazy these days), so I often read books that aren’t as new, or sometimes I have to settle for large print.

I don’t mind how or where you read these books, but you should give them a shot!

Gnocchi in 30

Summer meals really are some of the best.

Ok, so I usually enjoy any seasonal meal, but summer meals that require just a few steps (without the oven) and are full of freshness are extra special.

We’ve already eaten two of our nightly meals this week based around the beautiful summer tomato.

Like my husband said, “I feel sorry for people who have only tasted Walmart tomatoes.”

There may be no other vegetable that’s so different in its fresh state from its grocery store state.

A Legendary Breakfast

A few weeks ago, I saw that Food52 was asking for recipe testers for their berry recipe contest!

And I ran across this recipe for Legendary Blueberry Biscuits from another North Carolinian. (You can find a recipe headnote from yours truly introducing the recipe.) I knew that I had to try these out!

Simplify Saturday

We’re doing Simple Saturday even more simple today, with some ideas for simplifying our lives.

With food, clothes, our words and most things in life, we often have room to simplify.

I’m talking about cleaning out or closets (or actually wearing the clothes we buy), cooking out of our cupboards and saying what we mean and speaking positively.

These are some of the simple things that have been on my mind, along with:

-This article from Relevant on 5 Ways to Simplify Your Life really got my wheels turning this week. Am I making daily steps to simplify and get the clutter out, or am I creating more?

-I was introduced to Zady this week, and I actually ordered a v-neck that I can’t wait to get. Last weekend I was all set to go on a big mall trip with my monthly clothing budget, and then I ran across this article about the clothing industry. Wow- and things got real. What I buy affects others…and if I really believe in quality over quantity, then things have to change. I love that there are companies like TOMS (how cute is this shirt), Zady, Everlane and many others who are ethically producing cool clothing.

-And because this IS a food blog, this Vegan PB&J Pie from Minimalist Baker and the blog post with it highlight simplicity and remembering the things we treasured as children (and can still treasure today).

What has been inspiring you to simplify lately?

The Last of Summer Salad

It seems as the last of summer might be here.

With all of these rain storms and cooler winds (and I hear school is starting back), it seems as though the seasons are showing signs of changing.

But, thank goodness, I still have peaches and tomatoes and zucchini to buy at the farmer’s market.

Easy Pimento Cheese

Remember Saturday when I jogged your mind about how delicious Pimento Cheese is…well, I hope I did.

Well, today’s the day that you get the key to making easy food processor Pimento Cheese for you to eat with crackers, in sandwiches, on burgers, in grits and however else you want to eat it.

Before this year, I had always just bought pimento cheese from Braum’s when I wanted a fix, but now that I don’t live by Braum’s, and I’m trying to make more things myself, I decided to give it a whirl.

And when I saw this recipe from Cozy Kitchen that used the food processor, I was totally on board.

Simple Saturday: Pimento Cheese Ideas

Since moving to NC, I’ve really gotten on the pimento cheese train.

I would occasionally get on it before we moved, but now it’s everywhere and I love it!

With this in mind, I started making my own Pimento Cheese a few weeks ago (which is so easy), which led me to discover even more ways to use it.

By the way, I’ll be sharing that easy Pimento Cheese recipe on Monday, so please come back to get that!

Here are a few of the new ways that I’ve been loving this peppery, cheesy Southern concoction:

Pimento Cheese Hamburgers