A Well-Loved Cold Rainy Day and what comes out of the OVEN on those days!

When Colorado gives you a cold rainy day, make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

It's always interesting to see how summer finally comes to Colorado....it can be absolutely BLAZING hot and then we remember 'back when' it was cold and long for a bit of chilly weather....but summer comes slowly.  Last June, it rained and was quite chilly almost every single day.  I have to say that I have NEVER seen Colorado look so green before.  Rain is scarce here.  It's a high desert and the dry harsh climate is tough on the growing season.  Still, I try every year to make 'my oasis' an oasis of sorts.  I've fought the winds; I've fought the hail.  I have mounds of boxes in the garage just for that purpose....to run out and place over unsuspecting plants. Last Mother's Day weekend was absolutely gorgeous and the gardening shops were full of gardeners anxious to get their hands dirty.  I, however, have finally learned NOT to plant the most delicate of species until at LEAST mid-May.  And so...this past Monday, I was NOT surprised to hear the weather forecast for the week. 70's on Monday, but then HIGH WIND WARNING and a huge drop in temperatures.  Night time temps dipped below freezing and it snowed yesterday for a bit.  Some of the higher elevations got LOTS of snow and our mountains, visible to our west, are blanketed in white right now.  Areas in Denver got accumulations of 3-4 inches in some spots and my oldest daughter has commanded snow to 'go away....I'm done' on Facebook.  She is at 7300 feet, so get the worst of it other than actually living in the mountain towns of Aspen, Vail or even Estes Park. Because I 'wasn't surprised,' I had gone outside and cut stalks of Spring rhubarb and had acquired luscious California strawberries from Whole Foods.  I was prepared to bake!  My youngest daughter had asked me over the weekend if I would do some baking for an event she is having on Friday, so I got all of the necessary items I would need to stay in on the cold and rainy days and bake to my heart's content!  First, however, I had to prepare the plants outside that have NOT been planted yet so that the bitter cold didn't ruin them. I wasn't about to leave them alone!

Temperature: 37 degrees F

I had to get out the blankies and bags for the tender plants

And wrap up the new hanging pots of plants I made over last weekend

 

 

 

 

 After gathering about 8 stalks of rhubarb, I snipped the leaves and cut them in small pieces.  Then I washed and hulled the strawberries and let them 'set' a bit to leach some of the moisture from them.

All for the compost!

The fresh rhubarb with sugar

My lovely strawberries....all ready for nibbling while I make the pies

I tried this instead of my instant tapioca that I typically use with my fruit pies and I'm actually NOT going to use it again; I did not like the outcome as well.

I made a lattice crust with some 'hearts' which I'll discuss in a minute

My crust protector and in it went into the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes

I made TWO pies...this one I did with leaves instead of hearts

This is HOT out of the oven....you can almost see it bubbling right in the picture!

 I mentioned earlier that my youngest daughter had asked me to bake.  She is in the school of Veterinary Medicine and last night (Wednesday, 5/11) after taking her last test as a JUNIOR, she officially became a SENIOR!  I cannot tell you her joy because she has wanted to be a vet since a little girl and she has done this totally on her own.....I will speak more on this in another post.  But against all odds, she has made it and I am thrilled to bake something for this accomplishment.  Well, since this year's seniors are graduating on Friday, they put the new senior to work immediately doing 'rounds' in the hospital.  She is starting in the CARDIAC unit...hence, the 'hearts.'  I made the heart pie for her and her husband to celebrate with this evening and the cookies are for her to take to a luncheon on Friday...the new seniors are getting together to celebrate.

I picked up my favorite seedless raspberry jam

I love the simplicity of the ingredients and 'no seeds'

And I made a big batch of linzer heart cookies with freshly ground almonds in the batter

I think they are going to love them!

 

 

 

I still have eggs left, however......hmmmmmm, what to bake now? It's still cold and rainy!!

Thank you so much for reading and following along with me.......I'm an inn-keeper, teashop owner, bakery shop wanna-be......and as my dear friend Nancy recently said, "You need someone to pay you!"  Yes, I do!