Posts filed under ‘55th Birthday Yearlong Plan’
5 Quotes I Adore from The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (FFF)
I love the idea of a quest and using the word quest instead of to-do item, calling, goal, or adventure.
I like reading books written for children and adolescents. I like looking for the “lesson” each one has. The latest book I finished is The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo.
My favourite character was the mouse who stayed true to his calling. He did the hard things even when he thought he couldn’t succeed.
When I read I like to collect quotes. I like to ponder them and see how they apply to my life. For this Friday’s Fave Five, I found five favorite quotations.
ONE. ” . . . an interesting fate (sometimes involving rats, sometimes not) awaits almost everyone , mouse, or man, who does not conform,” (25). The non-conformists are also the ones who are world changers.
TWO. “Say the word “quest” out loud. It is an exextraordinary word, isn’t it? So small and yet so full of wonder, so full of hope.” (221) Reading this quote makes me want to go on a quest. You, too?
THREE.. “… nothing is sweeter in this sad world than the sound of someone you love calling your name. Nothing.” (258) Especially if that name is mom, auntie or whatever my non-speaking grand-daughter (she’s not even 3 months old yet) will call me.
FOUR.. “And hope is like love . . . a ridiculous, wonderful, powerful thing.” (134) Hope and quests are like the 2 parts of velcro. You need both sides to make it work.
FIVE. “Might just as well be happy, seeing as it doesn’t make a difference to anyone but you if you are or not,” said the soldier,” (143). Such wise words. We might as well as take charge of our attitudes, feelings, and actions. No-one else has that power or care.
I see that Amazon Instant Movies has this title to rent. Hurray! I am going to watch that this week. I will let you know how it is.
Your Turn . . .
- What’s on your Friday’s Fave Five list? Leave a comment here or link up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.
- What are some of your favorite quotes from this book?
- Any thoughts on the quotes here?
- Have you seen the movie? Comments?
- Have you ever been on a quest? I haven’t. But I will be when I go to India later this summer.
Related Posts
- 3 Reasons to Read This Bible Storybook (interview with an 11-year-old)
- 11 Grief Resources: Books & Websites
- 21 Things I Learned by Reading Individual Bible Books in One Sitting
- A Grown Up Book Report on Children’s Book: The 21 Balloons
- How Good Books Aid in a Child’s Growth
- I Am a Declutterer of Books
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This is one of the books I read for my Yearlong Birthday Plan.
1st Quarter Review of 55th Birthday Yearlong Plan
This year when I blew out the candles, I had more in mind than birthday wishes. I had a plan: a Yearlong Birthday Plan.
TIME to share how well I am doing with my birthday yearlong plan. I wrote in detail here what I want to accomplish in 9 areas in my yearlong plan.
One. Collect 55 Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. I’ve packed 19 boxes so far!!! Go here for this first quarter update.
Two. Raise $4,000 so I can go to India in July. I have about $2,200. We have had a car wash and yard sale. 3 more events are coming up . . .
- June 29th – yard sale and car wash (if enough people to help)
- July 4th – sell food & drink before/during parade
- July 6th – India Dinner & Raffle
Three. Practice gratitude 55 times. I have not been very intentional about this besides writing Friday’s Fave Five and two posts on gratitude. The posts are Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss – a book review and Choosing Gratitude And Why It Matters.
Four. Move 55 minutes daily. I have not progressed in my daily minutes count – still at 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.
Five. Write 55 posts. I have written 50 posts so far. In April I was part of the Blogging From A-Z Challenge and I wrote 23 posts that month. I am so sure I can reach my goal of 55 posts.
If you want to see what I’ve written go to my right side bar (towards the bottom). “Stuff I’ve Written and When.” There is a monthly archive.
Six. Create 55 times. Go here to read about the things I created this first quarter.
Seven. Read 55 books. 14 read, 41 left to go.
Here is what I’ve read so far.
1. Fearfully & Wonderfully Made by Dr. Paul Brand & Philip Yancey
2. Acts of Love: The Power of Encouragement by David Jeremiah
3. Plan B by Anne Lamott
4. The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd by A.B.C. Whipple
5. The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
6. Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn
7. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
8. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
9. Johannes Kepler: Giant of Faith and Science by John Tiner
10.The Quest for Character by Charles Swindoll
11. Masters of Mystery: 56 Short Stories of Mystery, Intrigue, & Suspense (by different authors)
12. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
13. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
14. Secrets of the Vine for Women: Breaking Through to Abundance by Darlene Wilkinson
Eight. Do 55 things from previous bucket lists. I haven’t even looked at these lists, so I probably haven’t done any of them.
Nine. Bake 55 pies. I have made 7 pies so far. Below are the reviews.
1. Raspberry Freeze Pie
2. Derby Pie
3. Apple Pie
4. Dark Chocolate Cream Pie
5. Strawberry Yogurt Pie
6. Toll House Pie
7. Tamale Pie
Tally – 5 of the categories are going GREAT, 1 is okay, and 3 are a fail (so far). Come back in September for the next review.
Your Turn . . .
- Did you make any goals on your birthday this year? If yes, how’s it going?
- If not yet, what would you like to accomplish before your next birthday?
Related Posts . . .
1st Quarter Review of 55th Birthday Yearlong Plan: Collect 55 OCC Boxes
There are about 20 weeks until it’s time to turn in Operation Christmas Child boxes. That seems soon, right?
What’s in your cupboard? Some of mine are full of Operation Christmas Child Boxes.
My goal is to collect 55 boxes and shipping fee for each box by the November 2013 deadline. Right now I have 19 boxes. 10 for boys and 9 for girls.
There are 3 age ranges to buy for: 2-4, 5-9, and 10-14. From what I’ve read the most popular group to buy for is the 5-9 year old group. So I’ve been concentrating on the 2-4 age group and most especially the 10-14 year old group.
During this next quarter I am going to collect enough stuff for 15 boxes for the oldest group: 10-14 year-olds.
Several folks have asked if they could help me with this endeavor – YOU BET!!!!! Below is a list of items I’ll be collecting. This list is geared toward the 10-14 year olds.
The recommendation is to put at last one thing into the box from each of the following categories:
HYGIENE ITEMS
- Bar Soap (MILD) and bagged to keep smell from getting into candy
- Comb or Brush
- Deodorant
- Feminine Hygiene
- Grooming Supplies: good quality – nail clippers, tweezers, emery boards
- Hair Accessories: ribbon, larger hair clips, elastics
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste – make sure it isn’t expired
- Washcloth
SCHOOL ITEMS
- Blank cards for writing notes to friends/family
- Crayons/Colored Pencils
- Eraser(s)
- More complicated coloring books or sketch pads
- Paper/Notepad
- Pens/Pencils
- Pencil Sharpener
- Solar Powered Calculator
SOMETHING SPECIAL
- Fishing Kit: pill bottles with fishing hooks, line, sinkers
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Knitting needles/crochet hook and yarn
- Sewing Kit: needles, thread, buttons, ribbon, pins, fabric (1 yard), scissors
- Small Tools: Good Quality – hammer, screwdriver, nails, screws, measuring tape (metric), duct tape, pliers
- Water Bottle or Cup
SOMETHING TO PLAY WITH
- Balls, deflated with pumps or beach balls
- Toy Cars
- Harmonica
- Jacks
- Jewelry or beads to make their own
- Jump Ropes
- Legos
- Marbles
- Model Kits for the boys
- More difficult craft kits like cross stitch or embroidery
- More difficult puzzles
- Tic Tac Toe
- Toys like paddle ball, yo-yo, cards or card games, travel games
SOMETHING TO EAT
- Chewing Gum – double bag the gum
- Hard Candy & Lollipops – double bag these
SOMETHING TO LOVE
- Stuffed animal
SOMETHING TO WEAR
- Flip Flops
- Gloves/Scarf/Winter Hat
- Purse/Small Backpack
- Socks
- Sunglasses
- Underwear
OTHER
- $7.00 Shipping Fee
- Greeting Card/Note to Child
- Photo of your family
- Shoebox – either cardboard or good quality plastic
- Tote Bag
Your Turn . . .
- Have you ever packed an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox? If yes, what is your favourite thing to include? Have any buying or packing tips?
- If you’d like to help with this project, leave a comment or email me.
Related Posts for What to Put in a Box. . . If you make any extra of the following and want to donate here, please do!
- Crochet This Darling Puppy (for a girl or boy) by Red Heart
- Create a Sewing Box by Clip With Purpose
- Pack a Toolkit by Clip With Purpose
- Sew an Adorable But Simple Doll and Dress by Judis Dolls
Related Posts from Frutifulwords . . .
1st Quarter Review of 55th Birthday Yearlong Plan: Create 55 Times
Sewed a piggy bank. I keep this cute feltie in my purse for any quarters that come my way. I am saving this money for spending money for India July/August 2013.
This year I am doing unexpected things all because I am 55. To read more about the 9 things go here for My 55th Birthday Yearlong Plan.
This post is about Number Six: Create 55 times. That means at least once a week I will engage in something creative. I just feel so much better (emotionally) when I set aside time for this.
I have created 12 times so far. Here’s the list which is also on my right side bar:
Planted Spring boxes. My garden lacks sunshine. So I am pleased that there are a few shade loving plants I can grow on top of the patio fence. I have begonias, impatients, and a columbine. Although the columbine isn’t doing so well.
Played Scrabble in Spanish. This is a lot more work than playing in English at least for me since Spanish is not my native tongue. As you can see I am liberal with my definition of “create.”
Created Salt Clay Crosses. This idea is from That Artist Woman. Several Sunday school classes enjoyed making these at Easter time. In fact, the 4th/5th grade class still has their crosses on the bulletin board in their classroom. Do you think they’d notice if I snuck them home?
I still have dough in my fridge. So I am ready for another time of making salt dough creations. I wonder what summer item I could create? Perhaps a sand dollar or star fish?
Mother’s Day Gift. The Women’s Ministry Team met 3 times in order to make these Mother’s Day gifts for the ladies in our church. Lorna was the designer of these. The bag is a brown lunch bag. The sachets are filled with dried lavender. The verse on the backside is Proverbs 3: 5-6.
Copied 2 cards at a card party.
Wrote a rough draft for a paper.
Cut a hardback book into a Kindle cover. I gutted one of my hardback children’s books so that I could put my Kindle inside. It was a little finicky cutting the pages, but I LIKE how it turned out.
Boiled 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk to make dulce de leche. I ended up doing this twice. 2 cans for me and 2 cans to share.
Hemmed 2 pairs of pants. Hey, it involved a thread & needle.
That’s it for this quarter. It is fun to have all these completed things on one page. See you the end of September.
Your Turn . . . What have you been crafting lately?
Related Post . . .
T: TAMALE Pie Review
A chili-type filling topped with cornbread mixture makes for a quick & delicious meal. The left-overs heat up well.
Not all pies have to be sweet in order to be enjoyed. Savory is yummy, especially a savory tamale pie. My mom used to make one when we were kids. I don’t have that recipe any more – maybe my sista does.
So I used this tamale pie recipe.
Yes, this pie, with its cornmeal crust, is filling and quick to prepare – 15 minutes quick. This pie was okay, but it didn’t have quite the taste I remember.
Tips and Observations
- The filling was tasty.
- The corn bread topping was just okay.
- Next time I make a Tamale Pie (and there will be a next time), I will find a recipe that uses eggs, less salt, and adds leavening for the cornbread part of the pie.
- Cooking it at 425 degrees for 25 minutes was too long. I should have checked it at 20 minutes.
- It served up great as leftovers.
- I added one cup of black beans and it was delish.
Go here to read why I am making 55 pies in 52 weeks. . . . Pie Count . . . 7 made . . . 48 to go.
Your Turn . . .
- Have you made a Tamale Pie before? If yes, how different or similar was your recipe?
- What would you add to the Tips and Observations?
- What was the last pie you made?
Related Post . . . Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie (2nd recipe on this post)
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NOTE: This post is written for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. There are 22 categories and my category is MI = Miscellaneous.
During the month of April I will post 26 times finishing up posts that have been in my draft fie for at least a year. For a list of all the posts go to the A-Z button on my header.
Today’s letter is T. The topic is TAMALE Pie. To find the post for U: UPSIDE-DOWN German Chocolate Cake recipe, here’s the link.
P: Two More PIE Reviews: Strawberry Yogurt Pie & Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (aka Toll House Pie)
This pretty looking pie was a disappointment with its bullet hard fruit mixed throughout.
Do you ever pick up the wrong brand or flavour of a product when grocery shopping? I do. And I am not sure how that happens.
I know that the only yogurt I will eat is Greek.
So when I opened the refrigerator and saw a BIG container of regular strawberry yogurt, I wondered two things.
- Did I buy THAT container of yogurt?
- What am I going to do with it?
Off to Google I went looking for a pie that includes yogurt. And I took this strawberry yogurt pie to a meeting where amongst other things we celebrated a birthday (LaRee’s).
Only three ingredients were needed which I had on hand.
- 2 cups strawberry flavored yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced or chopped
Mix all this together and put it into 9 inch prepared graham cracker crust.
My Tips and Observations:
- It took at least an hour to thaw enough to eat, not the stated 10 minutes.
- The first time I made this, I put the contents into a 6 inch graham cracker crust. So by adding 1 more cup of yogurt, 3/4 cup off whipped topping and 1/2 chopped strawberries I had enough for two pies.
- For the 1st pie I sliced the strawberries. Big Mistake. Even after an hour they didn’t really thaw and were difficult to chew.
- For the 2nd pie I chopped the strawberries. Even though the bullet-hard pieces of fruit were smaller and easier to eat, this hard texture detracted from the pleasure of eating the rest of the contents.
- If you want to eat a frozen pie, go make this Raspberry Freeze pie. It won’t disappoint.
Your Turn . . . Have you ever made a frozen pie before? If yes, what are your tips and observations?
Related Article . . . Strawberry Greek Yogurt Icebox Pie (familyfocusblog.com)
Related Post from Fruitfulwords . . . First Three Pies: Fruit, Nut, & Frozen
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A chocolate cookie served in a pie crust? Surprisingly this was a taste hit!
This lovely pie took 10 minutes to assemble. Below are the ingredients and directions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 9-inch pie crust (I used a deep-dish crust.)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a small bowl melt 1 cup of butter. Pour into a coffee cup so it can cool faster. By time you get to step 6, it should be cool enough to add to your mixture.
- Chop walnuts. Put aside.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. You can use a hand mixer. I used a fork.
- Add both sugars and flour. “Fork” or beat until well blended.
- Blend in the melted butter. This turned the dough into a liquidy pie mixture instead of being a cookie dough.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Pour batter into one unbaked 9 inch pie shell.
- Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Put into a carry bag with paper plates and forks to transport to the restaurant. Bring it out at the end of the meal. And after singing “Happy Birthday,” serve to the group.
My Tips and Observations
- I think a better name for this is Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie. This is exactly what you are eating , a gooey, delicious slice of cookie.
- Use a deep dish crust as this recipe makes enough to fill one.
- Be creative in the flavour of chocolate chips you use. I used dark chocolate morsels. And oh my, it was DELICIOUS.
- Since these morsels are BIG when compared to the regular chocolate chips, the globs of chocolate spread throughout the pie were also BIG.
- You don’t really taste the crust except for the edges. So a bought crust is perfectly fine.
- The crust acts like an edible plate for this gooey pie.
- If you buy frozen pie shells, you don’t have to thaw it first. I didn’t. I baked it, about 5 minutes, while I was assembling the recipe. I didn’t even preheat the oven. I turned it on to 325 and stuck the crust in there.
- This is a RICH pie. I cut the pie into 8 slices. I think having half a slice would have been perfectly satisfying.
- To cut back on the rich taste, next time I will use 3/4 or maybe even 1/2 cup of butter. And I am not sure that you have to melt the butter. You probably could just use softened butter. When I try this, I will make a note here as to the results.
Your Turn . . . Have you ever made a Toll House pie before? If yes, what are your tips and observations?
Related Article . . . The Chocolate Chip Cookie Was Invented By Accident (businessinsider.com)
Related Posts from Fruitfulwords . . .
- D: DESSERT is DARK Chocolate Cream Pie
- First Three Pies: Fruit, Nut, & Frozen
- Man Cannot Live On Chocolate Alone; But Woman Sure Can
- S’mores Pie Is a Good Substitute When You Can’t Fire-Roast Your Own (recipe included)
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NOTE: This post is written for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. There are 22 categories and my category is MI = Miscellaneous.
During the month of April I will post 26 times finishing up posts that have been in my draft fie for at least a year. For a list of all the posts go to the A-Z button on my header.
Today’s letter is P. The topic is a PIE review, in fact, two of them!
O: My OPERATION Christmas Child Plan is to Collect 55 Shoe Boxes
Sometimes you have to attempt something miraculous in order to jump start your faith or to change your attitude.
As of April 15, 2013, I have collected 10 boxes. I only have 45 more boxes to go.
That’s why I am collecting FIFTY-FIVE filled shoe boxes for the November 2013 Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoe box drive at my church.
I want my faith to grow leaps and bounds. And I want my attitude to change.
So why am I doing this?
Since mid-February I’ve been in a funk, an age-related funk. I wasn’t thrilled about turning 55 in March. Mainly because I am not where I thought I’d be in most areas of my life. And to be middle-aged and disappointed with yourself (and circumstances) is a yucky place to be.
However, I am not going to let myself stew. So I’ve come up with a plan, a 55th birthday year-long plan. Go here to read the whole plan.
This post will deal with the shoe boxes. Samaritan’s Purse (an international relief organization) sponsors Operation Christmas Child. This is a collection of shoes boxes (cardboard or plastic) that are filled with age-appropriate items for needy children all over the world. Go here to see what’s in the boxes.
I am part of this heart-touching ministry. For years I have donated 2 -3 boxes each November.
- In 2006 I heard Twila Paris sing and she challenged us by saying, “Everyone can help one child.” I stepped up to that challenge and sent shoe boxes.
- In 2009 I took this photo and was grateful I had the means to help OCC.
- In 2012 I wrote Love in a Box. Again I sent shoe boxes.
I help with this ministry because I am a parent, auntie and missionary. Did you know that you are a missionary too? Read this post to see why I believe this.
So now you know my goal and the why behind my goal. And you probably figured out that this is something that requires the help of God in order for me to accomplish.
Want to help? If yes, then . . .
- Pray. Pray that this goal is met. Pray for the recipients of the boxes. Pray for their families, schools, and communities.
- Give a shoebox, cardboard or plastic. If you donate a plastic shoebox, please give a better quality one. That way it will withstand being packed in a carton and shipped with weight on top of it.
- Give items for the shoeboxes. Soon I will post what kinds of things I am collecting. In the meantime you can go to this link for suggestions, in case you want to go shopping TODAY.
- Give a $7.00 donation. A donation of $7 or more helps cover project expenses such as shipping the boxes. I can send the box in your name and you can see what country it ends up in.
- Give a filled shoebox. You can do that as a family, work unit, neighbors, or a single person. Of course I would put your name as the sender of the box.
Several years ago I interviewed Kathy, one of the OCC co-ordinators at our church. She had this to say about the importance of our involvement.
t’s our job to be good stewards of our money. The cost of filling one shoebox is a great investment. The blessing goes from the child upwards to the parents who often don’t have the financial means to give a gift to their child.
For some children this is the first gift they’ve ever received.
Then the blessings go outwards to the community. And whole communities have been changed by one simple shoebox.
I am wondering how and with whom God will answer this prayer.
Your Turn . . . Contact me if you’d like to help through prayer or donation.
Related articles
- Celebrate Operation Christmas Child 100,000,000 Shoebox (jlue.wordpress.com)
- Life begins when the comfort zone ends. (clairemallett.wordpress.com)
- Operation Christmas (aheartsbeginning.wordpress.com)
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NOTE: This post is written for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. There are 22 categories and my category is MI = Miscellaneous.
During the month of April I will post 26 times finishing up posts that have been in my draft fie for at least a year. For a list of all the posts go to the A-Z button on my header.
Today’s letter is O. The topic is OPERATION Christmas Child Shoeboxes.
D: DESSERT is DARK Chocolate Cream Pie
I received this chocolate bar for my birthday. I thought it would be perfect for this recipe.
I am on a pie-making quest these next 11.5 months. During that time my aim is to make 55 pies. So far I’ve made 3: a nut pie,a frozen pie and a fruit pie. And yesterday I made a chocolate cream pie.
Go here to read why I am doing this.
There are soooo many chocolate pie recipes. From full-fat to non-fat.
- The recipes called for 12 ounces to 4 cups of milk (evaporated, non-fat, 2%, whole, and half and half).
- The amount of eggs varied from 2-6. Some recipes had you separate the yolks in order to use only those. Some used the whole egg.
- The amount of chocolate varied from 3-6 ounces of a good quality chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. A few recipes called for chocolate powder.
I gave away half of this pie. I did this for two reasons. (1) I don’t need to eat a whole pie! (2) And more importantly, I wanted to say thank you to a friend, Lynette, who works with me in children’s ministry. Her dedication to the program, families, kiddos, and me is obvious and appreciated.
I looked at the pie recipes and then put together a recipe by using the ingredients I had on hand.
Filling Ingredients
- 3 cups half & half
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup half & half (to put with cornstarch and yolks)
- 3.5 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3.5 oz high quality chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter, chopped
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Pie crust of choice. I used a pre-made 9 oz graham cracker crust (2 extra servings size). Next time I will try a regular dough crust. I thought the graham cracker flavour over-powered the chocolate taste.
NOTE: You don’t have to chop either the chocolate or butter too small as the heat will melt chunks quite nicely.
Directions
- Put 3 cups of half & half, the sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until a light simmer. Take pan off the heat.
- While the sweetened half & half mixture is cooling in the pan, whisk cornstarch into 1/2 cup half & half in a large bowl. Thoroughly whisk in egg yolks one at a a time.
- When sweetened half & half mixture is coolish (5-8 minutes off heat) slowly pour it into the large bowl, whisking thoroughly.
- Pour all this back into saucepan on medium heat.
- Stir constantly until the pudding boils.
- Lower to medium-low heat and cook for 2 minutes.The pudding should be thick.
- Take off the heat.
- Add chocolate and butter and stir until both are completely melted.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Pour this chocolate mixture into pie shell and smooth the top with the back of a heated large spoon.
- Leave on counter until cool and then refrigerate. If you eat the pie too soon, it will not keep its shape when you cut into it.
- Top with whipped cream or cool whip, home-made or store-bought
Your Turn . . . Share your favourite chocolate pie recipe.
Related Posts . . .
- First Three Pies: Fruit, Nut, & Frozen
- Home -Made Cool Whip
- Man Cannot Live On Chocolate Alone; But Woman Sure Can
- S’mores Pie Is a Good Substitute When You Can’t Fire-Roast Your Own (recipe included)
NOTE: This post is written for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. There are 22 categories and my category is MI = Miscellaneous.
During the month of April I will post 26 times finishing up posts that have been in my draft fie for at least a year. For a list of all the posts go to the A-Z button on my header.
Today’s letter is D. The topic is DESSERT: DARK Chocolate Cream Pie.
First Three Pies: Fruit, Nut, & Frozen
Apple pie is an American classic. What kind of apples do you use in your pie? We used Granny Smith & Braeburn.
There are hundreds of pie recipes that all fall into one of 2 groups of pies: sweet or savory.
In the sweet category there are (at least):
- Fruit
- Cream
- Meringue
- Nut
- Crumble
- Ice Cream/Frozen
In the savory category there are meat and vegetable.
Have you tasted a pie from each category? I have.
But I haven’t made a pie from each. Well this birthday year I will make a mere 55 pies. And maybe I will make a pie from each category. Read here to see the why.
For our women’s ministry pie bake sale a friend and I made three types of pies: Apple, Derby, and Frozen Raspberry Freeze pies.
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This was the first time I’ve ever made a frozen pie. And I have to say, making it was “easy as pie.”
This recipe calls for sherbert, cream cheese, and cool whip. We doubled the recipe and came away with 12 mini graham cracker tarts and 1-9 inch graham cracker crust filled with this tasty, light pink (because of the raspberry sherbert) deliciousness. I preferred eating the filling with the tart shells. There was a greater pie-to-crust ratio.
- NOTE: The little girls especially wanted to buy this treat from our bake sale.
- 2nd NOTE: Not all the pies made it to the bake sale. We saved some for ourselves.
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Before Friday, I never even heard of Derby pie. It is also known as Kentucky Pie, May Day Pie and Kentucky Pegasus Pie.
Our recipe didn’t call for bourbon and I didn’t know it’s not a real Derby pie if it doesn’t have bourbon. It was very tasty and didn’t need the bourbon – imho. Whats’ not to love about pecans, butter, and chocolate chips piled into a buttery pie crust?
NOTE: Of course some pie was put aside for the bakers.
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We made 3 apple pies. One was for the bakesale. It smelled amazing while baking. And there was one for each of us to put into our freezers for Easter.
Our recipe came from Martha Stewart. We used a combination of Granny Smith and Braeburn apples. We doubled the recipe (and added one extra apple) and were able to get three generously filled pies.
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So what did I learn from making these pies?
- It is fun to make pies with a friend with whom you are kitchen-compatible.
- It is fun to try new taste experiences.
- Sherbert is also known as sherbet.
- It will be a wonderful treat to have a made-ahead dessert this coming Easter since it will be such a BUSY weekend at church.
Pie Record
- Pie 1 Raspberry Freeze
- Pie 2 Derby Pie
- Pie 3 Apple Pie
Your Turn
- What kind of pie have you made recently?
- What new recipe have you tried? How about leaving the recipe or link here?
Related Posts
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Pocket Pies
S’mores Pie Is a Good Substitute When You Can’t Fire-Roast Your Own (recipe included)
Why We Made 70 Pies for Annual Tea
Final Note: I did take photos of or pies. And as soon as I find my camera, I will include them in this post.
My 55th Birthday Yearlong Plan
In some stores I can now get a senior citizen discount.
It’s just a number. And yet this number, this year, has got me all worked up.
I’ve never been a woman who was bothered by her age. So it has surprised me that this birthday, my 55th one, has found me resistant. Sad. Maybe even a little depressed.
After some prayer and lots of thinking I see that I am not satisfied by where I am in life. Some of the dissatisfaction is due to some of my choices (over-weight, no six-pack) and some are due to the consequences of other’s actions (failing stock market, a divorce I didn’t want).
I could go on. But you get the picture. By 55 I thought I’d be in such a different place in so many areas of my life.
This is nooooo way to live. So I came up with a plan.
I am going to do things this year that help me to focus on others, need God’s help to accomplish, and a few things that are just out-of the ordinary fun for me.
My list may change. I may not accomplish all of them. But I will have a different focus by March 12, 2014. So here are some of my ideas.
I want to . . .
One. Collect 55 Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. I already started this after the collection in 2012. I knew I needed to spread out this project over a whole year because of the financial investment. They are due mid-November.
Two. Raise almost $4,000 so I can go to India July 25- August 10. Our team will (1) put on a conference for 500 women, (2) buy, pack, and distribute shoeboxes (not Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes), and (3) buy 60 sewing machines for four sewing centers.
Three. Practice gratitude 55 times. This could be done in a journal, gratitude letters, or through Friday’s Fave Five. Or???
Four. Move 55 minutes daily. This means that I will walk/exercise this many minutes each day. Right now I walk and exercise 30 minutes a day. I started this because of a bad hip and back. My plan is to be diligent and consistent so I can become fit and more energetic.
Five. Write 55 posts. I do like to write, but I don’t normally give myself permission to take the time to do so. And when I do write, many times I don’t finish it. You should see how many drafts I have in this Wordpress blog.
Six. Create 55 times. That means at least once a week I will engage in something creative. I just feel so much better (emotionally) when I set aside time for this.
Seven. Read 55 books. I was going to read the classics, but decided to read my own books. I am always trying to declutter, but I cannot get rid of my books unless I have read them first. Some I read so long ago that I don’t know why I’ve kept the book.
Eight. Do 55 things from previous bucket lists. I don’t actually know if I have 55 things left to do. But I would really like to experience all the things I’ve previously dreamed up. Plus it is satisfying to cross things off a list.
Nine. Bake 55 pies. Why pies? Who knows? It sounds fun. And tasty. And there are a ton of different types of pies. I don’t plan on eating all of them myself. So you just may get a pie!
That is my list from the sober to the trivial. The first three items (shoeboxes, $ for India, continuos gratitude) will certainly need God’s blessing in order for me to “succeed.”
There are more than likely too many things here for me to accomplish in one year. My daughter certainly thinks so. That’s okay. I really enjoy coming up with ideas. And focusing on these things instead of where I am “not” has got to improve my mental, spiritual, and physical outlook.
Your Turn . . .
- Have you ever been bothered by a birthday? If yes, why? What did you do to get over it?
- What would you like to accomplish in honour of your birthday this year?
- Please consider helping me buy items for a shoebox or helping me raise $ for India. More information will be posted here soon.
- If I were going to bake a pie for you, what kind would you like?
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