Grandchildren Make Life Grand!

Writing this cooking blog and sharing our recipes with everyone has truly been a heart warming experience for me. I have searched out all our favourite recipes and now have them in one location – that’s a feat in itself. But, it has also allowed me to explore many new and exciting recipes - recipes for the health conscious, recipes using ingredients in season, especially the garden. It has been a journey and a commitment but it has also been fun. I hope you have enjoyed the recipes and my little stories about life.

“Life is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get” by Tom Hanks is one of my favourite quotes. Life with grandchildren is truly the sweetest reward ever! The best part is watching them grow, learn and laugh. Our family has been truly blessed!

I was initially inspired to write this blog for two reasons – to practice my writing skills and to share moments of my life with everyone. But over the past year, I realized that it also allowed me to share many parts of my life and to pass onto my grandchildren a legacy of family traditions like cooking and celebrations that make life beautiful.

Keep your kitchens warm with love……Sincerely, Gloria

Recipe #52 Fresh Pear Pie

Ingredients:

Classic Pie Pastry for one 9 inch double-crust pie. I used the Perfect Processor Pastry

Filling:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 pears (about 6 cups)

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Topping:

1 tsp half&half

1 tsp sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry using method listed below. Line a 9 inch pie pan with bottom pastry

Filling:

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Peel, core and dice pears into small pieces, about 1/4 inch thick. Toss pear pieces into sugar mixture, stir until well mixed. Sprinkle lemon juice over pear mixture, stir until well mixed.

4. Spread pear mixture into pastry-lined pan. Dot with butter. Cover filling with the top pastry and flute the edges. Cut slits in top pastry to allow steam to escape.

Topping:

5. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush milk over top pastry and fluted edges, sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar.

Bake:

6. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Bake an additional 60 minutes, or until pear juices are bubbling and the crust is a golden brown.

Tip: During baking, if crust is getting too brown, loosely place a piece of foil over the top to prevent the crust from over browning.

7. Remove from oven. Cool on a wire cooling rack before cutting and serving.

Perfect Processor Pastry

• 3 cups all purpose flour


• 1 tsp salt


• 1/2 cup cold butter cubed


• 1/2 cup cold lard or shortening cubed


• 1 egg


• 2 tsp white vinegar


• Iced water
  


• In food processor combine flour and salt, process to mix


• Using on/off motion, cut in butter and lard until mixture resembles fine crumbs with a few larger pieces


• In measuring cup, beat egg until foamy; add vinegar and enough ice water to make 2/3 cup. With motor running, add egg mixture all at once; process just until dough starts to clump together. Dot not let it form a ball.


• Remove; press together into 2 discs. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.


• Let cold pastry stand for 15 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.

The Fresh Pear Pie recipe can be found at the following website: http://thebakingpan.com/

The Pastry Recipe is taken from Canadian Living's Deserts by Elizabeth Baird and the Food Writers of Canadian Living Magazine.

Special thank you to Mary Catherine of SunLife for sharing her lovely fresh pears with us. It was perfect timing!