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Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Pie Stencils

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When it comes to Thanksgiving… I’m the pie girl. I LOVE making pie. I even have the PERFECT pie crust recipe.  However, I do understand that pies can sometimes be intimidating. Whether you’re baking your own pies or bringing store bought pies to your Thanksgiving celebration… I have a fun little way to add a little more bling to your pies… Have you ever thought to stencil your pies?

thanksgiving-pie-stencils-from-whipperberry

I thought I would experiment with ways to make you look like a rockstar when you serve your pies, homemade or store bought!

First step… If you are bringing a store bought pie, put your pie in a pie plate if you have one. That will mask the store bought pie tin.

If you don’t have that… No worries.

Bust out your Silhouette CAMEO or Portrait. (I’m giving away TWO Silhouette Portraits this week!) I have created some fun Thanksgiving pie stencils that are super easy to cut and dress-up your pies with.

Download the Thanksgiving Pie Stencils Silhouette Files HERE

Making-Pie-Stencils-with-a-Silhouette-CAMEO

Cut your stencils out of just basic 8 1/2 x 11  card stock.

Once they are cut, set them aside until you are ready to serve your pies. When you are ready to serve them place your stencil right onto of the pie.

Thanks-pie-stencil-with-Silhouette

Put some powdered sugar into a mesh strainer and gently tap the mesh strainer with a spoon and dust the top of the pie.

WhipperBerry-Thanks-Pie-Stencil

Remove the stencil and voilà… Your boring old pie has a little flair!

pumpkin-pie-stencil-from-WhipperBerry

Now with pumpkin pies, your powdered sugar will melt, so make sure you do this right before you serve. Other pies like apple will stand-up for quite a while.

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WhipperBerry-Give-Thanks-Pie-Stencil

And… They look amazing!!

Pie-Stencils-from-WhipperBerry

 All three of these pies are from the store, and they don’t look boring anymore!

If you have a Silhouette cutting machine… this is a fun way to dress-up any pie.

This is reason #586 why you need to have a Silhouette cutting machine!

I will have some GREAT Black Friday Deals here in a day or two will all the details on how you can grab a machine of your very own!

Disclaimer // This is not a sponsored post.

5 Holiday Tips + Every Meal Matters

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+ This 5 Holiday Tips post sponsored by the J. M. Smucker Company +

five-holiday-tips-from-whipperberryWe’re almost there… The Holidays!

It’s my favorite time of the year. Time to slow down and just enjoy being together.

Yes, it can be hectic. Yes, it can be stressful. However… If you can manage to find some balance, they can turn into some of your most magical memories.

They are work, but the kind of work that is so rewarding. Some of my favorite childhood memories are from those simple Holiday experiences with my family. Sitting down to a special meal together, baking Christmas cookies, playing games, door-bell-ditching your neighbors with special treats.

This is when we teach our kiddos the true meaning of sharing and caring for those who are in need. Finding ways to share some of our bounty with those who have hit hard times. Sometimes it’s sharing a simple, yet special meal.

Before I share my Five Holiday Tips, I am honored to share about a special program from the J.M. Smucker Company starting this week.

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 This campaign is near and dear to my heart.

When I was five years old I had a rather profound experience in my life. My Father had lost his job, I was still so young and naive I didn’t really know what that meant. I had no idea the heartache that my Parents were experiencing as the Holidays were approaching. I can’t even imagine the cloud that was in their hearts knowing that they would not be able to provide a magical Christmas for their young family.

As the Holidays approached, for several nights we would receive a knock at the door.

Each night when we would open the door, all that was there was a bag or box full of something special.

Some nights it was much needed groceries, other nights it would be special little trinkets for my little sister and I.

They even gifted us with our full Holiday meals.

No one was ever on our door step!

We had a special angel.

Someone who took the time out of their busy Holiday schedule to share a bit of themselves, and their Holiday purse with our little family.

I was FIVE, I don’t remember much from that time of life, but I remember that Christmas!

I remember those special nights when our Angel visited.

So many people are in need these days.

The folks at the J.M. Smucker Company (whom I have come to love,) are heading up a fantastic campaign to help Share the Goodness this Season.

They have been working this year to help bring families back to the table, because EVERY MEAL MATTERS! They understand the power of a family meal. No matter if it’s a standard Monday night or Thanksgiving… Every meal matters and we need to make sure they are special. We need to be the angels to help those in need and we need to let our own families know how much we care for them.

Did you know that On November 2 (this Sunday), there will be coupons in participating newspapers for Crisco and Pillsbury products that help you share the goodness this season and make every meal matter.

For each coupon redeemed, the J.M. Smucker Company will donate the equivalent of THREE meals to Feeding America®.

 They have committed to providing 6 MILLION meals this Holiday Season to Feeding America®.  Every $1 helps provide 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

The J.M. Smucker Company will make a minimum donation of 4.5 million meals (a $450,000 donation) and a maximum donation of 6 million meals ( a $600,000 donation) to Feeding America.

They need our help!

Let’s help the folks at the J.M. Smucker company become Angels for millions in need.

You can find more information at The Power of Family Meals or on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

JMS_FeedingAmerica-2

 Who’s Ready for Some Holiday Tips?

go-the-extra-mile

 The holidays are a special time of year. It’s time to make the magical memories that your kiddos will remember forever. You don’t need to create an over the top experience that exhausts you and is totally unnoticed by your family, but do try and go the extra mile.

Several years ago when my kiddos were little we had moved far away from our families and were on our own for the first time. I set-out to create my first stand alone holiday meal and was saddened to realize that my Mom wasn’t going to be there to create the magic… The magic was all up to me.

We didn’t really know anyone in the area quite yet, and family members couldn’t travel so we were on our own. I was feeling some serious pressure. I cooked a great meal and made sure to create a beautiful table setting for the celebration. I pulled out the good china, used cloth napkins and created a fun centerpiece. It wasn’t over the top, but it was just enough to make the day special.

have-an-ice-breaker

Many times, especially around the holidays, you are gathered with a bunch of strangers. This could be strangers from your husband’s office or even family members that you haven’t connected with for awhile. When it comes to family, at times relationships can be strained. Rather than an awkward night, plan for an ice breaker activity to level the playing field, break-down barriers and get the  fun flowing.

The ice breaker can be a silly game or a staged event that gets people talking. Ina Garten from the Food Network in one of her first cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa Parties tells of a party that was turning into a real dud. She scrambled and called in reinforcements. Her neighbor was Paul Neuman and she stealthily called her friend to come help the sinking ship. Within minutes, he walked right into the house in is racing gear, walked up to a woman, planted a shocking kiss right on her lips, turned and walked right out. Needless to say… The icy party had been shattered. All of those walls that were preventing people from connecting has been demolished.

Think outside the box to create a fun experience for all.

don't-forget-the-kiddosSo many times we plan our celebrations and events around the people over 5 feet. We tend to forget the kiddos. Make sure when you are planning your gathering, create a kiddo safe zone. A space with simple activities for the little ones that is child proof and ready for the under 5 foot crowd to have a special space of their own. You may even want to go the extra mile and hire a teen in your neighborhood to help supervise and run activities. That way, everyone can have fun!

spread-the-wealth

Farm out the cooking responsibilities. If you want a specific spread. Handout recipes to family members so you can have a controlled meal. If you have guests coming from out of town who can’t cook. Put them to work in the kitchen. No need to be a one woman show. Enjoy that time in the kitchen together!

start-quirky-traditionsFoster fun memories by creating some quirky traditions. Ugly sweater contests, Go Fish marathons, Door-bell-ditch your neighbors with scrumptious Holiday treats together. Do something out of the norm to create those lasting memories.

Disclaimer // This post is sponsored by the J.M. Smucker Company.

Pie Crust the Perfect Canvas // Mini Cherry Pies

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This post brought to you by Crisco // It's no secret that I LOVE pie! I love making pie, I love eating pie. As far as I'm concerned pie crust is the perfect canvas to make what ever you want! A few weeks ago I created a post about some of my favorite tips for making Picture Perfect Pies. It all starts with my favorite simple pie crust recipe from Crisco. Once you have that down you can make anything. You can make sweet pies or savory pies. Last night after a day of pie making, I decided to whip up some more crust dough and make some Taco Pies in my new Breville Personal Pie Maker.  The family LOVED it!! I will post the recipe soon, promise!

While I was working on this week's pie project, I thought I would make a little video on Instagram on how I make my pie crust.

Kinda fun… thanks to Rhonna Designs and Mindy Gledhill for letting me use some of their talents for the video.

So, I had a thought. Since I just adore pies… Why not make mini pies to give as neighbor gifts for this Christmas season? 

Mini Pies with Crisco and WhipperBerry-9

Now, these couldn't be any easier… With a great pie crust recipe, some simple store bought filling and the Breville Personal Pie maker. Nothing too crazy here, I gathered my pie crust ingredients…

Mini Pies with Crisco and WhipperBerry-1

Click Here for the Recipe

If you still have any questions about making Pie Crust, you can always call the Crisco Pie Hotline 1-877-FOR PIE TIPS (877-367-7438) for all kinds of around the clock PIE help this holiday season!

Next, I took some store bought cherry pie filling and supplemented it with some frozen sweet black cherries. The color contrast makes the filling really pretty, plus I LOVE black cherries. I used one 12 oz. bag of frozen cherries to 2 cans of cherry pie filling.

Mini Pies with Crisco and WhipperBerry-4

Then, I rolled out my pie crust and cut it using the special cutter from Breville machine, here is a quick video on how I did that as well.

Didn't they turn out CUTE?! They fit right inside those clear cellophane bags that you can find any where these days. Then I added some holiday greenery to make it look festive.

Mini Pies with Crisco and WhipperBerry-10

 These cute little mini pies are just so fun and so easy to make…

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The are just scrumptious!!  Crisco has made pie making so easy these days.

  • They have a Crisco Picture Perfect Pie Pinterest board that has all kinds of fabulous recipes.
  • The Crisco Kitchen has teamed up with Michele Stuart owner of Michele's pies in Connecticut, she is over at Crisco's site sharing all kinds of fun pie tips and ideas.
  • Crisco is hosting a fun Rate & Review contest for a chance to win a Michele Stuart pie prize pack. Visit the Rate & Review site to rate your favorite pie for a chance to win!

Crisco is giving away a fabulous Perfect Pie Prize Pack to one of you!! Here is what you will win…

A Prize Pack valued at $200!! Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter box below to enter. This giveaway is open to those with a shipping address within the United States and will be open from November 27-January 2 with the winner announced on January 3rd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer // This post is sponsored by Crisco. I did receive payment for development of this post.

Three Tips for Picture Perfect Pie Crust

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This post brought to you by Crisco // When I  was about 14 years old, I had a wise woman in my life, her name was Mrs. Robinson, who gave me some great advice… When in the kitchen, learn how to make one thing REALLY well. If you love chocolate cake, learn how to make the best chocolate cake. If you love pies, learn how to make the best pie out there. She said that if you have one really good dessert recipe, you could catch any guy you want. LOL!! Well, I decided that I wanted to make the perfect pie. To be more specific, I wanted to learn how to make the perfect pie crust. That way I could have several more options when it came to my man catching baking skills! 

I have to say, I got pretty good at it. I was always called on to make the pies in my house during the holidays and after many attempts after awhile, they turned out nice and flaky every time.    Then I met my so-to-be husband and boy was she right… He loved pies. All kinds of pies… Blueberry, Peach, Cherry & Apple.  I was golden… Thank you Mrs. Robinson!!

Recently, I was asked by the lovely folks at Crisco to become a Crisco Pie Partner and I was thrilled. I'm excited for two reasons… I'm excited to share some of my hard earned pie tips and tricks with you, and that  I could also honor my friend Mrs. Robinson, who has since passed on by sharing her sweet advice with all of you. So here you have it… Some tricks to making Picture Perfect Pie Crust EVERY TIME thanks to Mrs. Robinson.

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With the holidays here, we are all gearing up to do all kinds of holiday baking and pies are always on the list. However, many of us have taken to using store bought frozen pie crust and my friends… it's just not the same. We have been tricked into thinking that pie crust is hard to make and it's not. It's really rather easy if you follow a few basic principles. Here are my tried and true pie crust secrets…

Tip #1 // Selecting the Right Ingredients

For years the debate with pie crust has been, which fat is better… Butter, Crisco or Lard? After MANY years of making pies and trying each option myself, I hands down select Crisco shortening every time. It just seems to make the lightest, flakiest crust each time. Sometimes I will do half butter, half Crisco if I'm wanting that buttery flavor but I always use Crisco or even the butter flavored Baking Sticks. The recipe I'm using today is your simple basic pie crust using just flour, salt, Crisco and water…

Picture Perfect Pie Crust with Crisco Ingredients

It's super simple click HERE to visit the recipe page. Can I just take a minute and thank Crisco for coming up with the Baking Sticks… I LOVE them!! No mess, no fuss and the measuring is done for you. PERFECT!!

Tip #2 // Cold Ingredients are your Friend

The absolute key to making good crust is to use COLD ingredients. I place my Crisco Baking Sticks in the freezer for a few hours before hand and I use ice cold water when mixing the crust. I also try not to touch the dough too much with my warm hands. That will also cause the dough to warm up and you don't want that.

The reason why you want things to stay cold is… You want your Crisco to stay solid and in small little pieces within the crust. When those little nuggets are hit by the heat in the oven that is what makes those flaky little pockets in the crust that we love so much. Without those little gems, your crust will turn out solid and tough and not a whole lot of fun to eat. 

To start, I place my flour and salt in a large bowl. Then I remove the Crisco from the freezer and cut it into small pieces…

Picture Perfect Pie Crust with Crisco-2

Sometimes, I even stick the Crisco back in the freezer for a few minutes after I have cut it, in order for it to chill again.  Then I place my shortening into the bowl with my flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter I cut the Crisco into the flour…

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Again, you want to make sure to leave your shortening in small little pea size pieces so don't over work. 

Tip #3 // The Key is a Light Hand

When it comes to working with this kind of dough. a light hand is key. Don't over mix the Crisco into the flour. Next, you will lightly fold in the cold ice water into the dough. I use a rubber spatula at this stage and gently fold in the water starting with one tablespoon and slowly mixing it just until the dough starts to come together. Again… light hand here. The more you mix the tougher the dough will be.

Picture Perfect Pie Crust with Crisco-6

For this crust, the recipe calls for 3-6 tablespoons of water. I ended up using 4 but, that will depend on your environment where you are baking. You may need more, you may need less. Then I pour the loose dough out onto a clean board and this is what it should look like…

Pour your dough on a clean surface

Now, this is the one step where I will quickly use my hands. I carefully pull the dough together and form it into a disk like so…

Picture Perfect Pie Crust with Crisco-8

Then I wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Once it has chilled again, than I am ready to roll it out. On a clean floured surface I roll out my dough. I carefully turn the dough after a few passes with the rolling pin, to ensure that the dough doesn't stick to the board. You may even need to turn it and flour your surface  a few times. But, be careful not to over flour.

Then using your rolling pin as a handy tool… roll the dough onto your pie plate…

Use your rolling pin to help transfer the crust to your pie plate #pictureperfectpiecrust

I trim my edges a bit and then crimp my edges using my two finger pinching method…

crimping pie crust

Now, you have the perfect canvas for any pie that you can dream up…

Picture Perfect Pie Crust with Crisco-13

Not sure what to make? Crisco has you covered! Here are some fabulous resources for creating the perfect pie…

  • You can call the Crisco Pie Hotline 1-877-FOR PIE TIPS (877-367-7438) for all kinds of around the clock PIE help this holiday season!
  • Crisco has a Picture Perfect Pie Pinterest board that has all kinds of fabulous recipes.
  • The Crisco Kitchen has teamed up with Michele Stuart owner of Michele's pies in Connecticut, she is over at Crisco's site sharing all kinds of fun pie tips and ideas.
  • Crisco is hosting a fun Rate & Review contest for a chance to win a Michele Stuart pie prize pack. Visit the Rate & Review site to rate your favorite pie for a chance to win!

I hope Crisco and I have inspired you to pass on the freezer pie crust and try your hand in a truly homemade pie. I promise, if you follow these tips you will blow your family away with your scrumptious pies this year! In order to do just that… Crisco is giving away a fabulous Perfect Pie Prize Pack to one of you!! Here is what you will win…

A Prize Pack valued at $200!! Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter box below to enter. This giveaway is open to those with a shipping address within the United States and will be open from November 27-January 2 with the winner announced on January 3rd.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer // This post is sponsored by Crisco. I did receive payment for development of this post.