Thursday, January 28, 2021

Fried Pies and Goodbyes....

 So this is one of our farm favorites that just wanted to get last day attention.... I first discovered Fried Pies in Deborah Smith's "Sweet Hush" and I thought... I must make those! Well I didn't have time for a lot of years, but then once I was doing daycare at home all day (and working nights/evenings and writing in the middle of the night until I finally convinced an editor to love me enough to pay me!!!) I started playing with them and honestly, if you don't mind making the fruit filling, you can use homemade pie crust or store bought to do these... and they're amazing!

I always use clean oil for these because I don't want a delicate pastry crust to take on an old taste from oil that's seen too much use. And I just bought a new big fryer ... I mean BIG FRYER for the farm because we're adding Fried Dough to the farm booths this summer/fall land I hope folks love it... and I hope we don't kill anyone.

Two important wishes, my friends! 

And maybe someday we'll add fry pies because folks would love, love, love them but there has to be someone else on hand to make them because I'm balancing a lot to keep up with our current baking schedule.... although Jon is the best kitchen trainee I've had in a long time. He's quick, effective and he doesn't get nervous.

Nervous people don't belong in my kitchen. They annoy me.

Wait.

That's not nice.

Okay, let's just say that I like calm, joyous people in the kitchen. :) 

That sounds better, doesn't it???

WHY AM I BEING MEAN ON MY LAST DAY???? 

Anyway, Jon is learning all the recipes and how to put things together and packaging. I think he's preparing in case I DIE.... so someone knows how to run the bake shop part of the farm in the fall, LOL! Well done, Jon!!!!

Anyway, you can sub in apple filling, blackberry filling, strawberry rhubarb, sour cherry, etc.... it's all about the ratio of tender fried crust to delicious filling, so don't make the crust too thin... and be generous with the glaze.

FRIED PIES!!!!!

Disclaimer:  

Nothing should taste this good and no one should eat these because I'm willing to bet they're about one jillion and two really bad calories for you.

Having said that:

They're amazing. And you can substitute any fruit filling for the cherry pie filling, just be sure to crimp the edges tightly with a fork.




Sweet cherry pie filling:

4 cups pitted frozen dark, sweet cherries (Or sour cherries and double the sugar)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter

Heat frozen cherries and water in 4 quart saucepan on stove over medium heat. I cover them so they defrost and heat more quickly. Once cherries are thawed, mix sugar and flour together in one bowl and add to cherries. Stir, cooking over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool.

Dough:  Go HERE and follow the directions for my pie crust.
It is never a bad idea to have little kids help you with pie crust. It may take a little longer, but the memory may last forever. So that's worth it, right?  This is Mary Ruthy... How adorable is she????
 Cut it into thirds. Roll it out, 1/3 at a time on a floured surface.


I use a 5-6 inch bowl to cut the "rounds" but you can go smaller if you want. I like "hand" pies that are similar to the really bad-tasting ones they sell at the grocery store. It's like holding a folded piece of deliciousness-pie in your hand. How could that ever be wrong, right?

So roll out your piece of dough and cut as many circles that will fit:



Fill the circles about 1/3 full with pie filling. The recipe for my sweet cherry pie filling follows, and it's easy-peasy so DON'T BUY IT.... Those are mostly cornstarch sauce, I mean really, is it worth the ten minutes to buy the can?  I submit it is not!  ;)



Fold the top half of the mini-pie over and crimp edges with a fork. I crimp them twice because I'm paranoid.... Or thorough. Yeah. Let's go with the latter!


Now slip them into a deep fryer preheated to 375 degrees. My fryer has baskets and you can fry two of these babies in each basket but I usually do one at a time to avoid an all out pastry battle in the fryer. I have a chronic abhorrence to BIG MESSES IN THE FRYER!

Remove when golden brown, drain on paper towel, paint glaze on with pastry brush and let cool.



And here's how they look ready to serve for a luncheon or a party or a shower... and these babies freeze beautifully, they're sealed with glaze, so they stay fresh for days. What an awesome plus that is, right????


Finished product. When I have time I make a bunch of batches and freeze these babies. I double wrap them so they stay fresh, crisp and tender/flaky all at once.

So this is it.... we leave you with a treasure trove of delightful recipes and memories... and we'd all love for you to find us on Facebook or email us or chat with us in Seekerville...

And I love talking and answering questions, so please don't be a stranger to any of us. We are so blessed and glad to have had these years of you watching our careers bloom and blossom, our families grow, our ups and downs and kitchen fails. Oh how we love the Kitchen Fails! :)

God bless you... everyone of you... and we are so thankful that He blessed us with this time with you.

God is good!

And the blessing of life is a marvelous thing.

When it comes to goodbyes and farewells, one that I've always loved and treasured is Derek Jeter's farewell to New York in a Gatorade commercial done to Frank Sinatra's "My Way"... this one hits home because I tend to be a "my way" kind of person. I've always been that way, and it's kind of charming in a bossy old lady New Yorker kind of way, right? :) 

Here's the link... it's not just about Jeter. Or Baseball. Or New York. It's about how time goes on and things change... but if we live that time to our fullest, doing our best, we can move forward without regret because the Good Lord's always got another chapter waiting... Until we get to The End and He calls us home. And that's not another chapter...

That's a whole other book, my friends.

One worth reading.


Award-winning, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne is sorry to close the cafe doors but glad to have worked with so many wonderful ladies over the years... but especially with our current group of Jan, Mindy, Cate and Missy.... what started as a fun place to talk became a repository of great regional thoughts and recipes. Yay for all of us! Contact Ruthy at loganherne@gmail.com, follow her on Facebook for the moment unless it gets too crazy for her to handle in which case she'll pop up somewhere else... And you can always stop by her website ruthloganherne.com

SINCERE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU.... 

Until we meet again, may the Good Lord hold you in the palm of His hand...

19 comments:

  1. Sniff, sniff. Thanks a lot, Ruthy. Getting me all weepy this early in the morning. Shame on you. Guess you'll have to send a couple of pies my way to cheer me up. The cherry sounds AMAZING! But I could see apple being a big hit in the the fall, once you do decide to sell them during pumpkin season.

    Yes, we're leaving behind a treasure trove of recipes. But the friendships will continue and I'm so glad. :D

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    1. Yes! Sorry I got busy later yesterday with wreaths... Beth came over to help cut ribbon and we got our third prototype done so now I can show folks all three varieties of the "Wreath of Love" and that was my goal this week: that way as folks order I can get them done and picked up or shipped out.

      I love emotion in a book. I love making folks laugh and cry, but gosh, I am such a sap in real life for a MEAN person!!!!! :)

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  2. I have thoroughly enjoyed these years with the Yankee Belle Cafe and will miss these posts! Glad you will be leaving the recipes! And I’m looking forward to remind more wonderful books from all of you! Love and hugs to everyone!

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    1. We've enjoyed your visits, Edwina!

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    2. Edwina, we're so glad you've been here with us!

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    3. Edwina, I'm glad we'll still be able to connect on Facebook and maybe MeWe or Parler if they bring it back up.... but I love that the recipes and fun posts remain! I refer back here all the time so I don't have to print things up. We love you, Edwina!

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  3. These pies are over-the-top popular in Shipshewana during the summer tourist season, so I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they'll draw folks to the farm from near and far!

    And now, as the end draws near, I'm so glad we've done the YB Cafe "our way." :-)

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    1. Yes! "Our way!!!!" :)

      And I keep looking at these pies and wondering if we can produce enough to fill demand.... Our new big "shed" 14 x 36' is coming at the end of winter, and that opens up new options for me... and I'm thinking a small barn with electricity in a couple of years if God doesn't call me home... but we could do these pies in the new big fryer and get double use out of it... because they can be made and glazed the night before.

      Now we need a night shift, LOL!

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  4. "I'm so glad we had this time together..." (Carol
    Burnett show) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjQuZCTLAv4

    For most of your years here Blogspot wouldn't accept my comments (I assume it was some silly kind of incompatibility with my software) but, as was the case with the old Seekerville site, I've followed the posts with so much appreciation for your faithful offerings. I'm so sad to see you closing up shop here but glad the recipes will remain available. God's blessings to you and all who have shared their time and expertise here.

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    1. Carol, that's a perfect song!! And one of my old favorite shows. :)

      We're so glad to know you've been out there (and so sorry you never could comment)! Thank you for reading!

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    2. I love that song, too... and I loved Carol Burnett!

      Carol, thank you for your kind words and it's weird that we could never get this site to take comments properly... and yet we saw that thousands of people were stopping every month. How odd is that???

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  5. I just watched a Great British Bake Off episode that featured fried pies and I have to say they sound delicious. I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to deep frying though so I'll just have to admire them fro afar. :-)

    I'll miss these visits to the farm, Ruthy! I've enjoyed the fellowship of the cafe.

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    1. Kav, we love that show around here! It's my daughter's favorite way to relax and find calm. :)

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    2. The kids love the kids' version of the bake off... oh, the drama! We are working on cubic cm right now, and graph patterns and drawing stacked boxes... let me just say that the reason I'm not an architect is because I don't "see" perspective well.... but I'm managing to not look too stupid... Baking is easier!

      And don't be afraid of deep fryers.... the new one operates on propane, so I could blow the place up. My goal is to not blow the place up. :)

      Kav, thanks so much for coming by so often! What a pleasure you are!

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  6. Ruthy, I love a good fried pie!! My hubby's grandmother and step-grandfather used to drive to the mountains to buy them at an apple orchard and bring them back to us. SO YUM! So a good recipe to end with.

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    1. You know when I read Sweet Hush I realized that I would love to be able to make these... and I tried different ways, then realized that my homemade pie crust worked best... so I was trying to re-invent the wheel... not the first time, right?

      And the heroine's orchard was in the mountains and they had their farm store there.... so I can picture his grandparents heading up there!

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  7. Ruthy, these look wonderful. Mr. G's mom made fried pies-so good. The only ones I've ever made fell apart! But you've inspired me to try again. I DO love pie. What glaze do you us?

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    1. Linda, I hope you have good luck next time you make them!

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    2. Linda, hey! I think the trick is to use a flexible pie crust, so the one I use with egg and vinegar has that elasticity to work... and I don't roll it too thin. Once in a while I'll have one fall apart, but if I leave it that little bit thicker and use those fork tines, it's usually good.... my glaze for these is simply confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar, you can tell I'm old!) milk or water to thin and a splash of vanilla or almond (almond goes great with cherry pies) and I glaze twice, usually. That seals the freshness in. I put a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drips and re-use them. I am a sap for sugar, Linda!

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