Halloween Soup

I am so sleepy and haven't made a pie in awhile, but was delighted to read that Barack Obama's favorite food is pie.  

It was Halloween tonight and my family has been in several stages of illness all week, severe colds and a stomach bug.  We were able to participate in the festivities and Brad took the younger two trick-or-treating while I passed out candy.   Ely, our oldest, wandered the neighborhood with friends.  

Today I threw together some chicken stock with a left over chicken carcass from Monday night, some celery, carrots, a couple of shallots and garlic, bay leaves and fresh rosemary.  YUM!  I let it cool during trick-or-treat and then came in a made some deliciously silky butternut squash soup while Brad and the kids went to bed.  I had a taste, put away three and half quarts of leftover stock to be used in holiday cooking and have a nice pot of the soup for lunch tomorrow.

Off to bed.  Promises to post more often.  

Fruit tart with marscapone cream and rosemary, cornmeal crust

Last weekend we went to the lake with friends.  I had promised a fig tart with lemon marscapone cream and a rosemary cornmeal crust.  Yum!  We went out of our way to buy some beautiful, plump figs the night before and I woke early to make the crust so it wouldn't be soggy the next night (it had been raining here for days).  

After popping the crust in the oven I blended the marscapone with sugar, sour cream and lemon zest and combined red currant jelly and honey to brush over the fruit.  I stashed everything including utensils in a soft-sided cooler and we headed north to Lake Conroe.  We were visiting a colleague of Brad's from work with our kids.  Their children have all graduated from college and we coached our three on their p's & q's.  

We arrived and unloaded and as I was taking my goodies from the bag, I realized I had left the figs in the fridge at home.  Luckily my hosts had loads of blueberries in the fridge.  

I made the tart again on Wednesday using blackberries and it was equally delicious.

Continuing on. . . 

The offering follows:

A handcrafted pie will be delivered hot to your door once a month for an entire year. 

The Baker's Choice will be selected from a variety of seasonal, sweet and savory favorites including, but not limited to:

Apple Tart, Berry Pie, Plum Tart with Almond Marzipan Crumble, Mediterranean Tomato Tart, Sweet Potato Pie with Cinnamon Meringue, Sundried Tomato & Artichoke Quiche, 

Chicken Pot Pie, Cherry Pie

The item went for $150+ and I promptly donated it again to another auction to aid a neighborhood family.  The first year I baked two pies a month for very different recipients.  One family was all for apple pie and even asked I not bring some of the more "exotic" choices, when I called to schedule delivery.  The other was much more adventurous, enjoying most everything, but willing to give an honest critique when solicited.  Both families were friends and were always delighted to see me arrive, pie in hand.  The pie plates were frequently returned with a gift of fresh herbs or eggplant from their home garden or a delicious pastry from a favorite neighborhood coffee shop.  

I'm into my second year after donating again to the school auction and am excited to chronicle my adventure, along with other culinary pursuits.

Today I baked a Parmesan, Artichoke, Sundried Tomato, Salami & Basil Quiche with an almond crust.  Photos to follow!

About a year and a half ago, I donated "Pie of the Month" to my children's school auction.