Some days are just too short

Afternoon all

You know some days can be really productive and others are just not so, well this is a not so for me. I can't believe its already 4.15 and I've only just got the pie in the oven.  I am not really sure what I have done to day, as I still haven't started the washing, put away last weeks ironing, or dyed my hair (which is the most important thing to do to day, big night out tomorrow and I'm not going out these roots), or done any sewing.  I have done a couple of the things on my to do list, but on the whole although feeling busy I'm not really sure where the time has gone, I think it has just been sucked out of the day.  There are other days though were you just get so much done and I was wondering if some times time takes a little trip and visits another day, so some days have only 20 hours and others have 28 relatively speaking, well it would explain alot.

Any today I'm on to section 3 of the encyclopedia, if you're new, check back over food Fridays to see what I'm talking about.  Section 3 is Pies and Tarts, and what with halloween just around the corner and pumpkins being very available, I decided on a Pumpkin Pie. Now I have never made or even eaten pumpkin pie, so really have nothing to compare mine with except a picture, but the ingredients all sounded good, with golden syrup, brown sugar and cream all featuring along with a good selection of spices, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, in the filling, so I figure I could be on to a winner.

baking beans and pumpkin

 This also gave me a chance to use my baking beans, which I bought over a year ago and still hadn't used so I was very please when I actually managed to find them without too much effort.

Here is the pastry waiting to go into the oven, for some reason, it had to chill for 20 minutes after putting in the pie dish before blind baking. That's when it goes in without it's filling to brown up a bit first, this stops you having a soggy bottom so it very important and the baking beans help keep the base flat. Prior to buying the beans I use to use rice or split peas or something similar, but I treated myself when I found some in a sale, and then with the move and all the DIY, I didn't do much baking until recently. So I was quite excited at the thought of using them, little things and all that, but I find them easy and more effective so I would recommend them if you bake even occasionally.  

Anyway this is the first time I have come across this re-chilling before blind baking, yes I'm used to putting the pastry in the fridge for half an hour after making but before rolling, but not this, so if anyone knows why this is needed for pumpkin pies I would love to find out?

Well here's the finished article and also a nice apple pie as it's really not worth just doing one pie when you're making pastry. It's just as easy to make double the quantity and even if I don't use it straight away I freeze it up so I've some pastry ready when I fancy a pie, but today I was lucky enough to have some good cooking apples at hand.

Well I'm off now to dye my hair before it gets too late, I can't tell you about the taste of the pie yet, as it's still too hot to cut, but I will try to remember next week, and for now all I can say is it smells great and I'm looking forward to it.

warmest regards and have a great weekend all.

ally x x