Baking a pie really is, well, easy as pie! If you’ve never made pie crust, all it takes it a little (really!) practice and following three simple steps to turn out a tender, flaky crust every time.

The 3 steps to a tender flaky pie crust:

Cold ingredients are key to a flaky crust. Using ice water and cold (even frozen) [Read more →]

Mary Bryan from Archiver’s, the Photo Memory Store offered up all kinds of scrapbook tips this morning. Ready to learn more? Check out their class schedules online.

Looking for a little kitchen therapy? Spend an afternoon making pies.
Enjoy-
Amy

Apple Pie with Almond Filling
Makes one 9-inch pie

Prep time: 1 hour
Bake time: 35-40 minutes

Filling:
8 cups sliced, peeled Golden Delicious apples (about 3 pounds or 6 large apples)
½ cup apricot preserves
¼ cup granulated sugar [Read more →]

Check out West Side Story, the latest offering from our friends at Jersey Productions.

Donna asked for my guacamole recipe that I mentioned (a bit too quickly!) on Jeff and Jenn yesterday. It’s from my book, Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends. Here you go, Donna.

If you love Mexican food as much as I do, join me for my Mexican Brunch class August 12th at EQ at The Party Source.
Cheers!
Amy

Chunky Guacamole Serves 4-6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Make ahead: Can be made several hours in advance; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip: Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole; refrigerate until ready to serve. The limejuice keeps it from discoloring.

2 ripe avocados, pitted and diced
½- 1 cup sweet onion, finely diced [Read more →]

I first had these little Mexican doughnuts in Texas. It was love at first bite. The salt in the cinnamon sugar is what makes them addicting. They’re from my book, Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends.
Enjoy!
Amy

Cinnamon Sugar Churros
Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3-4 minutes per batch
Make ahead: Dough can be made 2-3 hours ahead. Cover; store at room temperature until ready to cook.
Tip: Nutmeg loses its intensity faster than most spices. For best flavor, buy whole nutmeg and grate it as needed using a microplane grater.

Cinnamon sugar:
1 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt

Batter:
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg [Read more →]

I’ll be judging the Bonterra Vineyards Wine and Appetizer Adventure, a culinary fundrasier for STOP AIDS tonight from 6:00-8:30pm at Currents, The Ballroom at Newport Aquarium. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. You will enjoy organic wines from Bonterra Vineyards while sampling beef-inspired appetizers. For tickets visit Cincinnati Magazine’s website
See you there!
Asmy

Findlay Market’s A Taste of Summer event includes a Salsa Contest where I will be a judge. The event will be at North Addition Plaza, Historic Findlay Market on Sunday, July 13th from 11:00am-3:00pm, the Salsa competition will take place from 1:00-2:00pm. Make sure to stop by and see me!

This morning we spoke to Former Houston DJ Dayna Steele, author of Rock to the Top: What I Learned about Success from the World’s Greatest Rock Stars. For more information about Dayna and her book, visit her website.

A bombe is a frozen dessert made with layers of ice cream, sherbet and/or sorbet. Softened ice cream is layered into a mold and refrozen until solid. The finished bombe is un-molded and sliced. Try creating individual bombes, too. Served on a swirl of fruit puree and delicately garnished, they make a spectacular finish to any meal. Easy, beautiful and delicious, these classic frozen desserts are “The Bombe”

Some basic combinations:
· Mango sorbet, raspberry sorbet and strawberry ice cream
· Orange sherbet, vanilla ice cream and chocolate ice cream [Read more →]