Baked With LOVE

The other day I was talking with the Buska's about cooking and baking. They love to bake. They love to eat. I love to bake. I love to eat--which is why I've been on a health kick (ie diet) for the past year.

Ken told me that he doesn't like Sarah's food when she cooks in anger. "When she doesn't put love into it," he says while looking sideways, smiling at her, "it tastes really bad."

Then he motions Sarah asking if they can have pizza for dinner and Ken tells her "No."

"FINE!" Ken mimics Sarah as he starts flinging his hands as though he is throwing random items into a bowl. "I'll cook dinner then!" He continues filling the bowl with imaginary fowl tasting items.

We all had a good chuckle about that.

I took a big risk and asked Ken how he liked my cooking.

"Oh, you're an excellent cook!" Gratefully, he tells me.

I'm not bad, but I have had my moments of "cooking without love."

Well, today was just one of those days.

At the end of my kid's soccer game, the coach's husband came up and asked a fellow soccer mom if I were her MOTHER!!!

I wanted to scream "I AM IF I GAVE BIRTH AT AGE SEVEN!!!"

The sad part is that I had just gone home at halftime and coiffed and sprayed and smoothed my hair. Wow. Must be time for a make over.

When I got home, I stood in front of my husband, who was watching a movie. I was waiting until he looked at my face and noticed the sad look on it. I was expecting him to open his arms and ask sweetly what was the matter. Instead, he looked at me, got a very guilty look on his face, and turned around and ran to the bedroom to change into some yard work clothes. I have no idea why he did this, but I had to chase him down and TELL HIM with WORDS that I was sad because someone said I looked like my friend's mother.

He felt bad for me, but not as bad as I felt for me.

"My ego can't take things like this." I moaned to him while scrutinizing my slumping shoulders and creased forehead in the bathroom mirror. He shook his head and hurried outside to take down the tent in the backyard that the kids have been killing the grass--uh, I mean, camping in all week long.

Later, James and the girls were watching Beastly. I couldn't bear to watch with them--the irony of it all!

So . . . I decided to bake.

In anger.

And in depression.

I thought of things I could do to that rude man and his manly parts with my serrated blade as I washed and dried it and put it away.

Then, I baked.

I baked Cherry Almond Bars and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (because they are my favorites), and a grand finale Cherry Pie with a homemade tender, flaky crust.

I thought about what Ken said earlier about baking with love and how extraordinary these items would be . . . if only I would bake them with love.

And as I cracked and measured and mixed and baked, I thought about things. I thought about who would enjoy some of these moist, chewy cookies. Who would be cheered by the cherry almond bars? Who needs a pick-me-up by a piece of pretty pie?

I thought of my good friend, Lisa and all the hardships she has endured lately; her son-in-law losing the battle with cancer and leaving her daughter and young grand baby all alone. Then last week, her sister died in childbirth. I thought of my other friend (who is old enough to be my mother), who loves to bake and wears herself out once a month teaching and feeding the women in church gourmet foods. I thought of my friends who traveled from VA to visit their daughters, leaving their business which isn't doing very well right now.

And I realized something.

I was no longer thinking of the man at the game and his hurtful words.

I wasn't baking with anger and depression any longer.

I was baking with love!

(By the way, that guy at the game, he could probably use something that was baked with love)

What have YOU baked with love lately?

Perfect Pie Crust

By Me (and Betty Crocker)

Two-Crust Pie

8-or 9- Inch

2/3 c plus 2 Tbsp shortening

2 c flour

1 tsp salt

4 to 5 Tbsp cold water (or 1/4 c)

Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas with a pastry blender. Sprinkle in water 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing with fingers until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1-2 tsp of water can be added if necessary).

Gather Pastry into a ball: shape into flattened round on lightly floured board (for 2 crust pie, divide pastry in half).  Roll it thin.  Fold into fourths and unfold and ease into pie plate. Press firmly against bottom and sides.  Trim, fill, bake. For the Cheery Cherry Pie, I filled it with one can of pie filling and did a lattice work crust on top. Bake 425 for 15 min then turn it down and bake at 325 for 30-35 min. 

Don’t forget to add a whole lot of LOVE!

*A note about pie crusts. I have heard that you’ve either got it, or ya don’t. Well, all you can do is try, right? If you’ve ever watched Martha Stuart, her pie dough is perfectly round. Well to achieve this, I add the max amount of water and knead it between my hands 4 or 5 times. Then it makes a perfect round ball, but the crust still turns out flaky. If you knead it too much, it will be tough. I use lots of flour on my counter and as I’m rolling, I roll the dough, then roll into the flour, then the dough again and so forth. That way the rolling pin won’t stick to the pie crust.

Good Luck and feel free to message me if you have any questions.