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...