How to bake the love in

We had some special friends to dinner the other night and I made my Grandmother's recipe for homemade apple pie - including homemade crust.  As I used her rolling pin, antique pie pan and referred to her recipe, I couldn't help but think of the countless pies she made for others.  She would bake people's favorite pies for their birthdays - double crust apple for TJ, blueberry for Uncle Leonard, pumpkin for Bradley... and she would nearly stalk them to make sure they returned her pie pans (but wouldn't imagine using a tinfoil pan!) Even when her fingers were completely numb and her hands were so hard to manipulate she would still peel the apples, core and cut them into slices and nimbly work the edge of the crust.  I've learned baking and cooking are a way to show people how much they mean to you. That you're willing to go to the extra effort to make the crust from scratch, to peel and core the apples... to bake the love in.  It tastes better that way!

Rolling out the dough with Grammy's rolling pin

Grammy's Blue Bird antique pie pan

Grammy's "Fool Proof" Pie crust

"Home is where your story begins" sign in the background

A sink full of skins

Grammy's secret ingredient: Harvey's Bristol Cream

YUM!

Carter making his pie

Carter joined the fun in time to make his own little pie

Carter enjoying apple skins

Carter likes to make his own pie with extra apple skins baked in

Kiefer enjoying long apple skins

Baking the love in!

"Look, Mommy!  It's the number 6!"

"Looks good hope it tastes good!" And it was delicious!