Easy-As-Bing-Cherry Pie

My mother-in-law got me a great deal on California cherries, but I wasn't sure what I should do with them. I did a little search on the internet and found this recipe. It seemed pretty easy and I love cherry pie so I decided to give it a try. We haven't tried it yet, but if it tastes half as good as it looks it is a success.

Easy-As-Bing-Cherry Pie
California Cherry Advisory Board

1 refrigerated pie crust (I made my own)

5 c. cherries, pitted
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. tapioca flour (I found this at Sprouts. It is not the same thing as tapioca pearls.)

1/2 c. oats
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400.
Combine cherries, one cup sugar and tapioca flour in a bowl and pour into pie crust.
In a separate bowl, combine oats 1/4 cup sugar, flour, butter cinnamon and salt. Pour over crust.
Bake pie at 400 for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 325 and continue baking for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

This is the pie crust I used. I love this recipe.

Easy Pastry Dough
Bon Appetit

2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. chilled unsalted butter, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. frozen shortening, cut in large pieces
1 large egg
3 tbsp. ice cold water

Blend flour, butter, sugar and salt in food processor for about 10 seconds. Add shortening; process just until very coarse meal forms. Beat egg with 2 tablespoons water; add to food processor. Blend until large moist clumps form, adding more water if dry. Gather dough into a ball; divide in half. Flatten each piece into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill at least one hour.

* * * * *

So, I gave a bag and a half of cherries away, dehydrated 5 trays of cherries and made these two pies. I still have about 3 bags of cherries left. I think I'm going to freeze them...or maybe I'll make more pie.


* * * * *

UPDATE:  So, I tried my pie. It tasted okay. It's not the best pie I've ever had, but not the worst, either. It is really sweet. Also, it didn't set and was REALLY runny. I drained at least 1/2 cup of juice from it. If I were to make it again (although I don't think I would) I'd use less sugar--maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup less--and more tapioca flour--maybe a full tbsp more. The crust is really good, though. :) 

Cherries!

Rachel's newest favorite fruit!

Kade Turned 5!

Kade turned 5 a couple of days ago. He was so excited for his birthday. He'd been talking about it for at least a month. He decided he wanted to go to Peter Piper Pizza for his birthday dinner. The kids all had a great time playing the games and eating pizza with one exception: Matt didn't like the little carousel.

After pizza we went home and opened presents. Kade got a remote control car, some Hot Wheels and an Uno game. Grandma and Grandpa Wilkins got him a nerf gun. He opened presents from Grandma and Grandpa Erickson (Ladder ball) and Aunt Gwenn (Sorry! Sliders) the next day when we saw them.

After presents it was cake time. A few weeks ago Kade and Matt were watching Team Umizoomi on Nickelodeon and Kade discovered ice cream pizza. He decided that was what he wanted for his birthday. It is a large cookie topped with ice cream then topped with candy. For his toppings Kade chose: Swedish fish, gummy bears, plain m&ms, peanut m&ms, skittles, reeses pieces, and tic tacs. It was quite a pizza!


Kade had a great birthday!

Nathan's Project

For his birthday Nathan got a circular saw from his parents. He used a kit his dad gave him and scrap wood from our back yard and made these two saw horses. They will be perfect for him to make all of the projects I have in mind. Can't wait.

Kade's Fun Day

Kade was invited to spend the day at Grandma's house with Preston. They played hard all day. They swam. They bowled down the hall. They played wii. They played cars. They swam some more. When we went to pick him up Kade said he never wanted to leave and Preston was asking if Kade could come back the next day. I am so glad that Kade has a great cousin to be friends with.

This is the only picture I have of the day and it was taken once we got home. None of us realized how bad Kade's back was until we got home. Break out the aloe vera!

Ward Water Party

Tonight we went to our ward's water activity. We had sandwiches for dinner and then some fun water games. Of course it ended (began??) with a water fight.

Rachel and Joss chillin' with twin boogers.

Kade doing a 3-legged race with his friend Bryce.

Kade after the water fight. He was SOAKED!

Hailey before the water fight. She also got soaked.

Matt's favorite thing to do was chase Uncle Patrick around spraying him.

Even Nathan got in on the fun.

Nathan Had a Birthday!

He turned 33!

I'd make a joke about him being old, but I'm older than him so...

PS. Don't look too closely at the picture or you might notice that a) half of the candles are missing and b) the remaining ones aren't even lit. This was restaged because my first one was blurry (not that this one is all that great, but it is better).

Running Through the Sprinklers

Tonight we let the kids run through the sprinklers out back. Nathan turned one bank of sprinklers on and Hailey and Kade had a great time. Matt and Ray...not so much. They stayed over by the swings and wouldn't go in the water for anything. At least not until Nathan turned on the other bank of sprinklers.

What kid hasn't done this before?

Rachel in her usual spot--on the swings.

He looks like he's having fun, right? Just as long as he doesn't get wet.

Swimming at Grandma's

We decided to go to pizza night and were told to bring swimming suits. Grandma bought a pool. A couple of pools, actually. That way Ray and Joss could have their own little wading area without having to worry about the big kids (of course, it might have actually been for their mothers' sake). Anyway, the kids had such a good time.

This is Ray jumping. Well, her jumping (her feet never actually leave the ground and she has her hands out like a zombie). It is funny to see in real life.

I don't know what Kade is singing, but he is really belting it out.

I love Matt's smile. Pure joy.

Joss

Ray

Matt

My Clock

This is the clock I made for my wall. It is much larger than the picture makes it seem. I think it has a diameter somewhere around 25 inches. The minute hand is 11 inches from the center if that gives you any idea of how big it is. I painted a big blue circle (which was an impressive feat all on its own) and then added the vinyl numbers. I really like it. Some of the numbers aren't exactly in the right spot (despite my use of a protractor and yardstick), but I'm not looking to redo it anytime soon.