Pie Crust Simplified....

3, 2, 1

Remember that.  It's about 3 parts flour, 2 parts lard, 1 part water.  It really IS that simple.

The recipe that I use for a two crust pie is 2 C flour, 2/3 cup Crisco, 1 t salt, and 4-5 T water.

So here's what I do...throw all the cool doodads out the window and do this totally by hand.

First, spoon your flour in the jar/container to fluff.  Flour settles and compacts.  So turn it over and fluff it first.  Then spoon flour into your measuring cup and pour into your mixing bowl.  Keep fluffing between spoon fulls.

Throw in your salt and mix.

Then spoon in your Crisco and either using a pastry knife thing (looks like brass knuckles, but not brass and much sharper!) or use two knives criss crossing til you have crumbles.

Slowly mix in water that you've iced down.  It needs to be COLD.  Really cold.

Mix a little water in at a time and stir til you have dough that leaves the sides of the bowl and is sticky.

Divide in two.  (I shape mine into a ball and divide)

Shape one piece into a ball.  Turn on to a lightly floured surface.  Gently press using a hand as guide to hold it together.  Flip as needed and dust with flour.  Press down to about 1/2 inch before breaking out the rolling pin.

Then, use your rolling pin to apply just a bit of pressure moving from the middle out.  Don't grind your pie crust down!  GENTLY!  Middle to outside in all directions.

Once it's thin enough, fold it so you can move it easier.

Place into pie plate.  Fill as needed.  Repeat whole process for top.

It's NOT rocket science, but it IS an art.  Good news?  My stepdaughters can do it with minimal instruction. You can too!!!  (updated with pictures 2013Jan2)

Happy pie making!

Spanish Pork Taco with Roasted Habanero and Red Pepper Salsa, Avocado Purée and Crisp Apple

History:  This is a recipe I put together after having something similar at a lovely restaurant in Georgetown in Washington DC.  The dish has very complimentary components...hot and cold, spicy and soothing.  The closest thing I could compare it to would be a really good Peking Duck dinner.

Difficulty:  Intermediate
Time:  Prep 1 hour, cook time for meat 6-8 hours
Family Rating:  Not yet kid approved, but probably too spicy for nubile palates.
Key Tools:  Crockpot, Cheese grater with larger grates, Food Processor (if you don't have one, a blender will suffice, but get thee a food processor soon!)

Weekly Menu Partner:  Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast with Oven Roasted Ranch Potatoes and Spinach Salad  (will link to this when I have a moment)

Notes:  Many of the ingredients listed do not have measurements next to them because they are used in multiple parts of this 3 phase prep.  There are 3 distinct dishes here.  The pork (easy!), the roasted habanero/red pepper sauce and the avacado puree.  You can do all but step 4 a day or two in advance if you wish.  But don't cut up the apples til right before serving or they will brown.

Menu:  Spanish Pork Tacos, Refried Beans with Cheese and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

1 package pork loin (2 pieces of meat)
1 large onion (I use yellow or sweet Spanish--something bigger than your fist, but yellow)
1 avacado (ripe--will be green/black, soft to the touch--if you can't get ripe ones, buy in advance, place in paper bag on counter and let ripen)
Garlic cloves
Orange Juice
Apple Butter
3 Habanero Peppers (they are small!)
1 large red bell pepper or sweet red pepper
Sour Cream (invest in this.  It doesn't go bad quickly and it can be used a bunch!)
Beer (pick one, any one.  Just buy a 6 pack, use one and drink the rest!)
Bay Leaf (at least 2)
Cumin
All spice (ground)
Thyme (ground or leaves)
Garlic powder
Celery salt (if you don't have this, you're fine, just use salt instead)
Refried Beans
Shredded Cheese
1-2 Granny Smith Apples
1 package flour tortillas (small) or look for the adaptation with fried corn tortillas when I post.

Process:

1)  Pork:  Place pork into crock pot.  Chop up 1 onion into chunks

and 2-4 chopped cloves garlic (at least enough to make about two thumbs' worth, they vary).  In small mixing bowl, mix 1-2 C orange juice, 1 can beer, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 t Thyme ground or 1 t leaves, 1/4 t Allspice, 1/2 t Cumin

Cook on high for 4-6 hours, low for 6-8.  Enjoy Meal #1 of Crock Pot Pork Loin, Oven Roasted Potatoes, and Spinach salad on say...Monday.  Or some other very busy day of your week.  Reserve the leftover pork and store in juices.

2) Roasted Habanero/Red Pepper Sauce:  On the day of the Spanish Pork Taco Dinner about an hour before you want to eat, remove the stem/core of your peppers.  Slice each such that they can rest flatly on a cookie sheet.  Douse with olive oil.

Roast at 425 for approx 20 min.  Watch the small habaneros and remove sooner if they're getting too crispy.  And DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES.  (make the Avacado Puree while these cook!)  Once peppers are blackened,

remove from oven, cut up into smaller pieces and load into the food processor, a pinch of salt, and 2-3 T of sour cream.  Puree in food processor taking care to scrape the sides as needed.  Scrape into bowl, refrigerate.

3) Avacado Puree:  Slice around your avocado, cut in half and remove pit.  (Trick--slam your knife into the pit, then twist to remove)

Then scoop out the meat and place in a small bowl.  Mash with a fork.  Add a sprinkle of garlic powder, a sprinkle of cumin, a bit of celery salt or regular salt, and add a few tablespoons of sour cream.  Each avocado is a different size so you have to do this to taste.  Mash/stir/taste!  If you need more salt, consider adding celery or onion salt first.  When through, refrigerate.

4)  Apples:  Peel your apples using a small paring knife.  Using a cheese grater, grate the apple on the largest hole aiming for long thing slices.  Set aside.

Final Prep:

1) Warm up pork in microwave while still in juices, then shred using two forks going against each other til the consistency of "shredded pork".  (how's that for a description!?)  Throw the bean into the microwave for about 2 min now....
2)  Prep plates with a tortilla.  (I like to warm them first)
3)  Place about 2 T of apple butter in the middle of the tortilla.
4)  Put warmed, shredded pork on top of the apple butter.
5)  Drizzle the Roasted Pepper Sauce over pork.
6)  Add the Avocado Sauce over top.
7) Sprinkle Green Apple Shreds.

EAT!  Throw some cheese and sour cream on the beans to serve if you wish.

The Beginning

I love to cook.  I love the whole process.  From researching recipes, to designing menus, to the grocery shopping and finally the cooking itself, I LOVE to cook.  But over the years, I've heard from friend after friend that they are in "awe",  that they are "overwhelmed" or that they are just plain scared to take over the kitchen with gusto.  For these friends, a blog.   You can find a recipe anywhere.  But you still have to plan a MEAL.  And so many of the things I take for granted as far as techniques, methods, spices even--well, they're just about as foreign to some as the computer programs I used to support back when I was a working.  So.  For my friends and anyone else who feels a little overwhelmed, here is a blog for you.

Beyond the recipe, I'll show you the meal I plan, how I make it (with pictures) and will try to explain what is what in the kitchen.  Also, I will share with you how I think about a week at a time to avoid wasted produce or other items.