Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Filling Ingredients

2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh

2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)

1 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/4 cups for high altitude)

2 tablespoons minute tapioca

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons butter, cubed small

1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Large granule sugar

Crust Prep

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. I am not a pastry chef so I use store-bought crust, but don't use those nasty ones that come with a pan. Buy the ones that come with two individual crusts and use a proper pie pan to bake your pie. Follow the directions on the pie crust box.

Filling Prep

Mix the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl and pour out into chilled crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter. Brush edges of pie crust with egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar. Cut some holes in the crust or use a pie bird to vent the crust. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling. Let cool before serving.

Spanish Omelette

This is easy and so good! 

Pre-heat your oven to 400F. Chop one large bell pepper, a medium onion, and a large handful of flat-leaf parsley. Get that mandolin out (text or message me on FB and I'll tell you where I got a great deal!) and slice about 1 lb of red potatoes. Also, chop and mince three cloves of garlic.

Heat about 2 Tbsp. of good olive oil and 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter in an oven-proof skillet. Then add your potatoes and spread them evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Saute them about 10 minutes, flipping then over about half-way, before adding your onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

While all of that is going down, break about 10 large eggs into a bowl, whisk with salt, pepper, and the parsley you chopped earlier. After the onions start to look translucent, pour the egg mixture over the veggies and let it cook a few minutes (about 4) and then place the skillet in the oven until the eggs have set completely (about 6 minutes). It's ready to eat.

Now I don't have an oven-proof skillet, so I cheated here. I let the eggs cook a little on the stove and then I poured the whole thing into a small glass baking dish and put it in the oven for about 12 minutes. I was then able to cut the omelette into nice slices for serving.

Caprese Salad

I am in love with Caprese Salad. I have eaten it once a week for the last three weeks. It's so simple, but so delicious.

I slice a medium to large tomato, a small ball of mozzarella, and add fresh basil from a handful  that I pick up at the Farmer's Market downtown. Then I drizzle some good olive oil and some strawberry balsamic vinegar over the top. Yum!

I highly recommend a trip to the Farmer's Market in downtown Lexington. The vegetables and fruit are usually cheaper, organic, and you get the produce directly from the farmer who grew it. I have even bought coffee from a local shop right there at the Market.You have to experience it just once. Bring your reusable grocery bags and several small bills ($1 and $5). Few vendors take Visa or Mastercard, so definitely go to the ATM first.

Mountain Morels...

I've been out of touch with my cooking for the last several weeks due to dental and medical issues, but I'm back...Above and below are some shots of the morel mushrooms that my father and I collected while I was on vacation at home in WV. My mom rolled them in flour and fried them in butter.