No time like now to get going on Thanksgiving pies

Hope your Halloween week was fabulous. We handed out 1,000 pieces of candy to trick-or-treaters large and small, dressed up and not dressed up. I never get upset. If an adult comes to my door with a bag, I’ll give them candy, too. I know it upsets some, but I figure it’s one time a year that College Hill neighbors can show the rest of the city what we’re made of: pure holiday fun and hospitality. I enjoy seeing the costumes, greeting the people and spreading the candy until we run out.

You might have read last week that I taught pie classes this past weekend. Nineteen ladies came, made 20 pies, peeled/cored/sliced 64 apples, whipped up pumpkin brulee and made chocolate pecan, too. There might be some flour in my floor HVAC vents, but it’s so worth it.

Pie class is a tradition that officially kicks off the holiday season for me, and it makes me so happy. I get so much joy from seeing people’s proud smiles holding the pies they’ve made with their own two hands. My favorite is a long-time pie class attendee that says she gets extra gratification showing her mother-in-law she made that pie. You know, perhaps a little healthy competition isn’t all bad at the holidays. Keeps things interesting and lively.

You might wonder why in the world we made Thanksgiving pies so early. Well, they can be frozen. And who doesn’t love to have a leg up on a holiday? I’m working this year to be more organized and prepared than ever. My crusts are made and in the freezer for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve never done that before, but I’ve also never been as busy as I am now. This month marks eight years that I have been teaching cooking classes in my kitchen. I’ve taught other places before and once had the opportunity to purchase a ready-to-go school set up, but I just continually prefer to do it in the comfort of my own home. I think people like to come here, too. I don’t teach on a regular basis anymore, but I do truly enjoy it when I do. This weekend was prime example of that.

If you’ve been reading my column since it began in December 2016, you’ll have the pie crust recipe. But I included it just in case. The two recipes I included this week are from class: Chocolate Pecan from the beloved Wichita Art Museum’s “Artfully Done” cookbook and Pumpkin Brulee from Epicurious.com.

The Chocolate Pecan Pie is best served warm. Think gooey pecan brownie with a bit of coconut in a pie crust. Pumpkin Brulee is a richer version of a regular pumpkin pie with a crunchy sugar coating a la crème brulee. It’s irresistible, too. Don’t ask me to pick because I think you should make them both for your Thanksgiving gathering. And if you freeze them, do so before baking with the filling in a separate bag.

A few tips on the pie crust, since I can’t be there with you making it.

▪ You’ll purchase the lard in a 1-pound brick on the shelf near the Crisco. I use Morrell Snow Cap Lard.

▪ Lard must be refrigerated overnight so that it gets harder. Lard is a very soft fat, and if it’s not refrigerated, you’ll have a gooey mess on your hands (or in your food processor).

▪ Cut the 1-pound brick of lard into even quarters. I slice it so that it mimics butter sticks, but any way would work, I suppose, as long as it’s even.

▪ When mixing the water into the dough, you’ll want all of the ingredients to easily stick together (no flour left behind), and a soft, supple dough that isn’t sticky. Start with 4 tablespoons of water and add another, if needed. After 5 tablespoons, only add ½ tablespoon of water at a time. Often flour measuring is off if you need much more than 5 tablespoons.

▪ A jumbo cookie spatula is super helpful in lifting the dough off of the counter. Sold on Amazon.com.

This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 10:36 AM with the headline "No time like now to get going on Thanksgiving pies."