Perfect Pumpkin Pie

This weekend was an adventure.  i wanted to make pies to bring to the two [2!] Thanksgiving dinners we will be attending.  So i ended up making seven [7!!!] pies.  And because i am ridiculous, and maybe also a masochist, i decided i wanted to try making my own crust.

i used Martha Stewart's recipe found here.  Thanks, Martha! And i used the pumpkin pie recipe found on the can of Libby's canned pumpkin.  [plus my own additions, because i apparently have problems just doing what i am told].  i used some brown sugar and vanilla.  Oh!  And, as a bonus, if you try some of the mix, and then take a sip of coffee, it totally tastes like a pumpkin spice latte.  yum.  

So, making pie crust is a pain.  Seriously.  But after tasting the creation, i think it is completely worth it, if you have enough time.  So, besides the grating of the frozen butter rather cutting it in with a pastry blender thingy, i learned a new ghetto innovative tip from my sister.  If you don't have a rolling pin, use a wine bottle!

The only reason i still had wine in the house is because it

was red wine.  If it was white wine, it would be gone.

Mmmmm wine... oh, where was i?  Oh, yes.  Pie crust.  So it turned out alright.  It just took a long time and was a lot of work.  But i would totally do it again.  When i don't have two papers to write, clothes to pack, and a house to clean.  

voilà!

i had extra dough left over to make little hearts to put on some of the pies and to make a little mini pumpkin pie so that i could eat some pie right now.

i got the mini pie idea from here, but i used one jumbo muffin cup and filled the rest of the cups with a bit of water.  

A bonus?  It takes less time than a regular pie, so you can eat it sooner!

Pumpkin Pie, have i told you lately how much i love you?

...no, seriously.  i love you.

Rainbow Madness

As you read this blog, just know that i really should be writing a psychology paper instead.

My most recent project has been a rainbow collage.  I took pictures from this summer's adventures, tinted them different colors using picnik.com, printed them out for about 7¢ each using snapfish.com, and put them together in my collage frame that i bought a while back for $8.  Final product:

I also put together Holiday photo cards from Snapfish, complete with envelopes, for about 42¢ apiece.  Always on the lookout for e-coupons!  The envelopes I feel are rather plain, so i have some decorating ideas for those, but that is for another day and another post.

Also, tonight: chicken tortilla soup from here.
One day: rainbow cake from here.