Friday Musings and Thanksgiving Part 1

I had a lovely breakfast packed up that consisted of 1 slice of Arnold Double Protein bread to be toasted and topped with PB and raspberry fruit spread...however...someone brought in bagels. Not just ANY bagels...Panera bagels with reg. cream cheese and honey walnut cream cheese. I have a serious weakness for these bad boys. I never buy bagels, never order bagels...just too many carbs in one sitting. But when I have a vast selection of flavors at my finger tips that I can cut smaller pieces off of, I cave.

To make it even better, they had a seasonal bagel...GINGERBREAD!! Oh.My.God this was good. I had half of the bagel, and I took that half and split it between the regular cream cheese and honey walnut. They were both amazing. The bagel wasn't super sweet or super gingery but perfectly spiced for a breakfast bagel. Sorry no pics!!

This definitely did not have the staying power that my breakfasts usually had so I was STARVING for lunch and was really excited for a repeat of Wednesdays lunch that I never got to photograph!

Morningstar Farms Spinach Artichoke bites! Cooked in the toasted oven, and some fat free ranch dressing I found in the fridge to dip.I also had some TJ's Butternut Squash Soup to which I added some frozen veggies; corn, peas, edamame! When it was nice and hot, I topped with a little dollop of sour cream and a pretty drizzle of maple syrup...that's what the "lines" are on top.
I got out of work a little early and made trip #1 to the grocery store for Thanksgiving provisions. I try to hit up the grocery store with the best prices first!Disclaimer: this is the one time of year I have to sort of put aside my healthy shopping rules and go for the more traditional ingredients.

This trip consisted of:
1 5lb bag of AP Flour
1 dozen eggs
1 container of Ricotta cheese
1 box of neufchatel cheese (low fat cream cheese)
1lb of butter
1 pint heavy cream
1 quart whole milk
1 peach Chobani (non-thanksgiving)
1 box chocolate wafer cookies
1 loaf white whole wheat bread
1 package Arnold sandwich thins (non-thanksgiving)
2 Bananas (non thanksgiving)
1 bag cranberries
2 small cans cranberry sauce (I love to have homemade and the canned stuff :)
toothpaste (obviously)

I think that was it...and all cost only $32!

We still have a lot to buy, but this made a nice dent in the list.

After manicures and dinner, I wanted to try and get something done...so I made pie crust!
Again, this is the ONE TIME I will ever use shortening. I avoid it at all costs (trans fats), but this is the pie crust recipe that my family has always made...simple yet perfect. I know most people make butter crusts and normally I live by the "butter is better" mantra too, but for some reason not with pie crust. My thoughts are that usually the fillings are so rich that I don't like the feeling or taste of a buttery crust, maybe its just too rich. The shortening makes for a tender flaky crust but doesn't taste too too rich. I don't know if I explained it well enough but I tried.

This Crust is simply:

For 2 crusts (2 bottoms or 1 top and 1 bottom)

2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 t salt
3/4 cup shortening
5-6 T water

Combine flour, salt, and shortening in a mixing bowlSide note: I finally broke out my Giada measuring spoons...I saw them one day and HAD to have them :)
Using the pastry blender (in the picture above with the flour and shortening), cut the shortening into the flour. This is very important for pastry crusts...you don't mix it in, you cut it in to create tiny beads of shortening/butter and when the crust bakes these beads melt in layers creating the flakiness that you want in a crust.Then you add 5-6T of cold water, 1 T at a time and gently mixing it in, I like to use my hands at this point and be very gentle with the dough.

You want the dough to stick together but not worked too much...it may seem like its not together enough but be careful not to add too much water, you don't want it too sticky

I guess it's one of those things you learn over the years...when it's the right consistency. I made 3 crusts worth and divided them into balls, wrapped in plastic wrap and into the fridge!These three balls will be made into:

pumpkin pie (made by roomie)

Chocolate Pecan Pie

and

Butterscotch pie (which is sort of a misnomer to me, it doesn't really taste like butterscotch but it's delicious...you'll have to wait and see!)

Tomorrow I hope to get in an early workout before we head to Russo's for Grocery Trip #2...they have the best produce.