Categories
pie

apple crumb pie

apple crumb pie

ok fall, you win. it just dropped about 15 degrees here in dc, the leaves have changed color, and it’s dark by 6pm. even though i’m counting down the days until the fireflies return to our front porch, i’m excited about the prospect of months of warming comfort food. sweaters and soups and…PIES.

apple crumb pie

apple crumb pie

granny smiths are pretty much the reigning champ of baking apples. i usually go 100% granny smith in my recipes, but you can mix it up with whatever you can get at the market.

apple crumb pie

apple crumb pie

this is probably the best part of the whole pie process. you mix the apple slices with sugar and cinnamon in a big bowl. then, you sit around and eat a bunch of the slices and pretend like it never happened before arranging the rest in a pie crust. at the bottom of the bowl, the apple juice, along with the sugar and cinnamon, forms a delicious syrup. it’s really tempting to just drink this syrup, but if you’re feeling less gluttonous, you can just pour it over the apple slices.

apple crumb pie

apple crumb pie

ooooh, pretty.

apple crumb pie

the best part about this pie is not having to worry about a fickle top crust. the crumb topping is easy to make and crisps up perfectly. it’s like having an apple pie and an apple crisp at the same time.

apple crumb pie

it’s been fall for less than a month and i’ve already made this pie twice. and i see another one coming in the near future. you can whip one of these up in about an hour and have it ready for some vanilla ice cream. it’s a good thing.

apple crumb pie

Categories
Uncategorized

knead magazine

Knead Magazine

this week, we all mourned the loss of gourmet magazine. so while this probably isn’t the best time to pitch a new food mag, i wanted to share with all of you one of my favorite pieces from my graphic design portfolio. just so everyone is clear, this is NOT a real publication. that said, if anyone is so inspired to get involved in the failing print industry…

Knead Magazine

our class assignment was to create our dream magazine and prepare some sample layouts. i immediately knew where i was headed. knead magazine is a baking magazine that caters to both experienced and novice chefs. the particular issue i created is a “special issue” focused on baking with, what else, BACON. i was really excited to get to use some real recipes and photos i had taken for the projects, and i’m really happy with how it came out. by the way, you can download a full-sized pdf copy HERE.

Knead Magazine

to answer a few questions before they are asked: it’s not a full issue of a magazine, just a few pages to show different layouts. additionally, the text of the article is just filler text (there wasn’t quite enough time during the course to write a real one). hope you enjoy! if you had the chance, what kind of food magazine would you create?

Knead Magazine

Categories
cookies

i’m back! also, here are some rosemary lemon cookies

rosemary lemon cookies

oh hello there. it’s been a while, huh? well, let’s get this out of the way – sorry for leaving you all hanging. thank you for the comments and emails asking if everything was ok, and when i’d be returning with more recipes and stories. i really hate going to a blog and finding that the author has stopped updating with no explanation, and i swore i would never do that, but it just sort of happened. a week off turned to two, which turned to just shy of 2 months. wow.

rosemary lemon cookies

so where have i been? well, i have been cooking and baking, but a few other things have sort of conspired against my free time lately, namely: leaving my old job (sad to leave everyone there), starting my new job (as a graphic designer! scary and challenging but endlessly rewarding), and going into the homestretch of my graphic design certificate at CDIABU (amazing program). combine that with finding time for freelance work to support going back to school, and there just aren’t enough hours in the day anymore.

rosemary lemon cookies

things are finally settling down though, and i think i can give this blog the time it deserves. so again, i apologize for disappearing without warning or explanation and neglecting comments and emails for a bit, but i love this too much to give it up. thanks for hanging around if you have, and if any of your friends have taken me off their feed readers, let them know i’m back – and i brought you all these cookies.

rosemary lemon cookies

about these cookies – they are SO GOOD. we’re lucky enough to have fresh rosemary growing in the backyard, and combing it with lemon in shortbread cookie form is just a natural fit. the cookies are still great if can’t get  your rosemary right from the plant, but if you have a choice, fresh is definitely the way to go.

rosemary lemon cookies

rosemary lemon cookies

not too sweet, not too savory, and perfect with coffee or tea. this was actually the first time i had made icebox cookies from scratch, and it could not have been easier. basically, you make a simple dough (something else this recipe has going for it), roll it into a log and freeze it. when you’re ready to bake, just slice the log up into rounds and bake.

rosemary lemon cookies

the logs were rolled in decorator’s sugar before slicing – totally optional, but also totally delicious. doesn’t this picture just make you want a tall glass of ice-cold milk right now?

rosemary lemon cookies

it’s officially fall here in dc (just took the air conditioner out yesterday!) and i can’t wait to get back into all the seasonal recipes and ingredients. i believe apple and pumpkin picking are both in our immediate future, so get ready for that. see you all in a few days with another post (seriously!). it feels great to be back.

rosemary lemon cookies