The Best Apple Pie

This weekend, I rounded up the crew for apple picking. Saturday afternoon was spent strolling through the local fruit farm, in search of the best, sweetest, and crispest apples. One of us even fell out of a tree in pursuit of the perfect apple that was just a liiiittle too high up... that person may have been me. Oops.  

After we filled our bags, we rewarded ourselves with some of the best cider and doughnuts I've tasted, and headed home to start on an apple pie. Little did we know, apple pies only need about 5-8 apples. Needless to say, we've got some extras. I'm already brainstorming ideas on what to do with them... Right now I'm thinking my grandpa's famed applesauce, and maybe another apple pie. Yes, this recipe is that good. But don't take my word for it... ask the empty pie pan in my sink right now. Yup, we finished it in about 18 hours. The filling is amazing, thanks to a delicious brown sugar syrup poured over the top before baking, and the crust is the perfect amounts of buttery and flaky. This pie also doesn't scorch, which is an issue I've ran into with previous pies. I'm excited to share the recipe with you, and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
For The Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, chilled and diced
• 1/2 cup ice water

1. In a large bowl, combine butter and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I find that it's best to use a food processor for this step, if you have one. Mix in water, a bit at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.
2. Roll out dough to fit a 9 inch pie pan. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. Save remaining dough for top crust. 

For The Pie:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 5-8 apples (we used 6) peeled, cored, and sliced

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan, and stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fill your pie crust with the sliced apples. Gently pour the sugar and butter mixture over the apples. Cover with a lattice work crust. 
3. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce the temperature to 350 F and continue baking for about 40 minutes, or until apples are soft. 

A Salad I Actually Like

For as long as I can remember, I've hated salad. I know, right? What kind of vegetarian am I? Caesar, chop, chef, wedge... all the salads that everyone else loves, I can't stand. This is mainly due to my unexplained disdain for lettuce. I can't explain it, I just really don't like lettuce. It skeeves me out, and I have no idea why... all I know is that I get quite upset when it winds up in my Taco Bell potato tacos or atop my black bean burgers. But recently, I've realized that salad doesn't have to involve lettuce. Therefore, I've started making much more awesome and creative salads... like this one. It's got everything good in it... quinoa, avocado, tomatoes, corn and black beans. The dressing is fabulous, and very easy to make. I ate this for dinner tonight, and let me tell you... it doesn't take much to fill you up. Which is awesome, because 1 serving (this recipe makes 8) is just under 300 calories. Enjoy!

For The Vinaigrette:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh packed cilantro leaves

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

For The Salad:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• Two 15 oz cans black beans
• 14 oz frozen corn, defrosted
• 2 avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1.5 pints grape tomatoes, halved

1. Toss everything together, then pour the vinaigrette over top. 
2. Mix it up, then let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let the flavors meld together. 

Caramelized Onion Tart

Last weekend, my sister, my mom and I decided to take a French cooking class. There was free wine, delicious food, and lots of cheese. Yes, it was every bit as amazing as it sounds. We learned how to make an array of things, like Leeks & Mushrooms a la Grecque, New York Strip Steak with Horseradish Crust, Pommes Dauphinoise, and my personal favorite... a Caramelized Onion Tart. Believe me when I say that this tart is out of this world. It's got flavor like you wouldn't believe, and I would honestly eat it every day if I could. One of the best things about it is that it can be made a day ahead. In fact, you're encouraged to do so! It involves making a Pate Brisee, (pastry dough) for the crust, which I will provide the recipe for. So, without further ado...
For The Pate Brisee:

• 1 pound butter, out of the refrigerator for about an hour
• 2.5 pounds flour
• 1 egg plus enough water to equal 1 cup

1. Firstly, you're going to want to cut your butter. Chef taught us an awesome trick for this: cut the block of butter into thin slices, but sprinkle flour in between each cut. This does WONDERS for making sure the butter doesn't clump together too much. After that, slice in the other direction to create small cubes. 
2. Press the butter into the rest of the flour until the mixture resembles small crumbs. A few pulses of the food processor will save you some time with this step.
3. Place the egg in a measuring cup, then fill it up will water until it reaches 1 cup. Lightly whisk until combined, then pour into butter mixture and begin to knead.
4. As soon as the dough begins to take shape, remove from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. It is SUPER important not to overwork the dough... just a few turns should do it. Allow to rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before using.

Makes 6 - 11"tart shells. You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months.
For The Tart:

• 8 ounces Pate Brisee
• 4 Large Spanish onions
• 2 ounces butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesean cheese

1. Roll the dough out to an 1/8 inch thick circle larger than an 11 inch tart pan. Place the dough in the tart pan and blind bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until evenly golden. Do not trim the extra dough! Wait until the crust is done, otherwise you'll have to deal with shrinkage, which isn't fun. If you're not familiar with blind baking, it's pretty simple. All you do is put some parchment paper over the dough and fill it with pie weights (or some dried beans) before you bake it. This ensures that the crust doesn't puff up too much. 
2. Once the crust is done, allow it to cool, then trim the edges with a serrated knife. In a large pan, sweat the onions over medium heat with the butter, and cover with a lid. When the onions become clear and soft, remove the lid, and turn up the heat to high. Stir constantly while the onions begin to caramelize. Once the onions are a deep brown color, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool.
3. Combine the egg and cream in a small bowl, then mix with the cooled onions. Pour the mixture into your cooled crust, and evenly distribute. Sprinkle the Parmesean cheese on top, and bake in a 350 degree oven until the tart is set, about 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.

Food Crush

I was browsing Pinterest (as per usual), and came across this recipe. I am not exaggerating when I say that my mouth is full blown watering after looking at this. It's a Raspberry Brie Pizza, and it looks absolutely delicious. It reminds me of those raspberry brie phyllo bites that are sometimes served at parties. Brie and fruit is a delicious combination that the entire world should know about, and this pizza does it perfectly. It's meant to be served as a dessert pizza, but honestly, I would eat this at any time of the day. When I have access to a kitchen again, I fully plan on whipping this up. 
You can click here for the recipe :)

Chanel No. 6

So I've discovered heaven. And it's this drink. I'm a known sucker for fruity cocktails, despite my boyfriend's best attempts to get me into drinking straight up bourbon. Sometimes I really wish I could, but sadly, it's just not my taste. But who knows? Someday I might acquire a sudden taste for Elijah Craig. But until then, I'll stick to my super girly drinks and endure being the butt of everyone's jokes. Hey, they're the ones missing out with a cocktail this delicious. It's pretty simple, all you need is:

* 1 oz vodka

* 1 ounce Chambord raspberry liquor * 1 ounce chilled pineapple juice * Chilled champagne to top it off

Safe to say, these will be my go-to from now on. 

My Favorite Breakfast

Being in college can be rough on my breakfast habits. Which really is a shame, because breakfast food is some of the best food... eggs benedict, omelets, blueberry pancakes... mmm. That said, whenever I'm home for the weekend, I take full advantage of my mother's giant kitchen and make myself some quality breakfast. When I'm in the mood for something easy yet delicious, I whip this up. It's pretty simple: just toast, scrambled eggs, avocado, and some smoked salmon. I love to use a good French bread, and usually cook my eggs over easy instead of scrambled... I just love the molten yolky goodness. It makes everything that much better. If you feel like getting fancy, you can sprinkle some chives over the top like they've done here, or add a dollop of creme fraiche (yum). Give it a try, I promise you wont regret it.