Monday, September 13, 2010

Make-up Day!

I 've been trying to take Mondays off, without too much success I might add! But, today, I planned to make it work. I planned a "make=up day", you know, like when you miss a day of school and you have make-up work to do. And, did I ever have a list. It was a whole creative day of another realm. I seldom get to stay home all day and do home making things that I enjoy.


I started out with a bowl of fresh cantaloupe over cottage cheese while I meandered through my recipe books, looking for a good recipe for fresh peach pie. I am long overdue on my promised pie rewards for my darling friends who helped me move the retail store almost 6 months ago...one of my friends turned down my offer for a chocolate cream pie and requested a peach pie! I had to do some research, wait for the peaches to be just right...and today seemed like the day. All went as planned.



Yes, I do own tennis shoes! Just to document it, I took a self portrait to start out the day (my friend, Rita, would call it a "Pillsbury bake-0ff" day. And that's what it was looking like. After a short workout on the elliptical, I decided to leave them on. After all, I was going to be home alone...

While I was researching the pie recipe, I started my yeast proofing for buns that I would make first. Yeast breads are among my favorite things to bake. I always provide lunch for my staff the day of our annual Paris Flea Market, and this year I have a plan for a pulled pork sandwich. Home made buns would be perfect.




I made a double recipe of oatmeal rolls and this was the result! Yum. Weight Watchers took a little set-back when lunch time came around...




After the rolls came out of the oven, I prepared the peach pie to go in next. It's nearly impossible to get perfect peaches here...9-10 at a time, all in equal ripeness. I had been planning this for several days,but still had some that were not cooperating! The bottom crust ready, I sliced my peaches and piled them in the crust. I thought about laying them in some Martha Stewart-like pattern, but in between calls from the retail staff and a quotation that I had to get out , I decided against it. Who would know anyway, once the top crust was on?!


I found a recipe in a Denver Jr. League cookbook that looked like a winner. Also, not Weight Watcher worthy...it called for one cup of heavy cream, mixed in to sugar and flour. Can't go too wrong with a cup of heavy cream!



The end result...(I made a tiny one in a vintage pie pan for Sneelock) and the large one for my friend, Dom. It smells pretty yummy and I can just taste it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I do think I still prefer chocolate cream however. I'm not sure this will ever make it into the favorites catagory. Enjoy,Dom!


Next, I polished some vintage silver forks that I purchased for the retail staff lunchroom. It seems that forks are like socks that get lost in the wash around my stock room. What the?! Where do they go? Well, here's another stash. Let's see how long they last. I just can't tolerate plastic forks!



I packaged a beautiful bouquet of roses that just came into the store for a dear friend who recently lost her sister to a brain tumor...also a bit overdue. I love these roses!


.....started some laundry. (Laundry is really hard to get to when one doesn't have a day off!)



....did some sorting for the Paris Flea Market....




Then, I mixed up my last gift of love and gratitude for the day, my personal favorite, mother's chocolate cream pie. Here it is in a water bath, cooling. Yum. Definitely, not a Weight Watcher's friend.
It was a pretty full day, but a rewarding one.

I neglected to photograph the kitchen prior to me digging in to clean it up. Now that really told the story of my day!

Now I think I need a make-up day to get over my make-up day. It was a great stylish day of being Suzy home maker.

I loved my day off.

8 comments:

Kara said...

Is it bad that reading this made me want a second dinner?? Glad you had a fun day off! And a yummy one at that! :)

Lee said...

I love all your recipes. I have printed them all out and have tried most of them. I'm sure everything turned out great. How lucky is your staff!

Charlotte said...

I will always prefer chocolate cream pie to just about anything!

michelle said...

I love that even your days off are filled to the brim.

That peach pie recipe sounds better than the one I made recently for Mim's birthday! Yum. But chocolate or coconut cream is my favorite. Lucas would be jealous of those oatmeal rolls for sure.

And I wonder if any other staff room has vintage silver forks??

linda said...

Baking is a form of therapy for me as well. I love it, except for the cleanup, I totally relate to the need for staying home and doing something you love. Those rolls looked delish as well as the pies!

Leigh said...

sounds like a great day ,pies look
delishous..is that how you rest???

Denise said...

Turn down chocolate cream pie?! Perish the thought!

I'm glad you got to have a therapy day at home. Sometimes I think I'll die if I can't just stay home and do homey things for a whole day.

shannon said...

Is that a sap bucket I see in the mix?!

I wish I could have come to your flea market sale! that *#@$% kidney stone got in the way!