Mini Cherry Pies

The weather here in Southern California has been gorgeous and I can't wait for spring and the continuous warm weather! Lately I've been craving warmer weather desserts including my all time favorite... PIE! I have a special connection with pie, probably because it was one of the first desserts I successfully made from scratch as a teenager. I didn't even know at the time that pie crust was something that required skill and practice, but I just followed the recipe and lucked out with an amazing home-made pie! Since then, this cherry pie recipe has been my absolute favorite and I make it all the time. The recipe comes from an old 1990's Debbie Fields cookbook that my mom has called Debbie Fields' Great American Desserts (which I can't even find anymore or I'd link to it!) and it is truly the PERFECT cherry pie. If you have a mini pie maker you can use that, but if not, you can just make them regular sized or experiment with mason jars, ramekins, or a cupcake tin. There are so many cute ways to package a pie and they make great gifts for the pie lover in your life! I made these for my bridesmaids for our wedding crafting night and everyone loved them!

Crust: 

•  2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks COLD unsalted butter
• 6-7 tablespoons ICE water

In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a knife, cut small pea sized pieces of the cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is course and crumbly. (These pieces are what make your pie crust flaky so don't skip this step even if it is a hassle!) Then, add the ice water one tablespoon at a time and stir with a fork until the mixture starts holding together. Do not overmix! Seperate the dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other, flatten into a disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour before using.

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 16oz cans of tart, pitted red cherries drained (reserve 1 cup of the juice)
• 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large saucepan whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Over medium-high heat slowly add the cherry juices whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until thickened. Gently stir in the cherries and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool slightly while preparing the crust.

On a floured surface, roll out the larger disk 1/8 inch thick and at least 2 inches larger than the pie pan. Transfer to the pan and trim the edges to a 1 inch overhang. Chill the pan in the freezer. Grab the smaller disk and roll out. Cut into 12 strips. Remove the chilled pan from the freezer and pour in the pie filling. Top with the dough strips in a lattice pattern and press the edges with your finger to seal. Brush the pie with an egg wash (1 beaten egg + 2 teaspoons sugar) and bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Lower the temp to 350 and bake for 30 more minutes or until its golden brown and bubbly.

Now obviously that is for a regular sized pie so you'll need to adapt it to whatever way you're making it. For mini pies, you would cut the dough using the cutter your machine provides and only cook for about 8 minutes. You could also fill a mason jar with the filling and lattice the top with dough. Experiment with different containers and see what you like the best! There is no wrong way to eat pie, people! Enjoy and happy Monday! XOXO

Wedding Planning Wednesday - Celebrating handmade, day 1!

Happy 2012 everyone! I hope you all had an amazing holiday season with your loved ones! We had a great time being home and spending time with each other... that's what it's all about, right? Now that it's a brand new year though, I'm ready to dive back into wedding planning, blogging, and making new fun items for Mama Matryoshka! This first post of 2012 is one that is super special and important to me and I hope you all enjoy what I have in store!

One of the things I've been really passionate about during the entire wedding planning process is supporting local, handmade, and small businesses. My wedding planner is just starting up her own business and same goes for the company doing my cake and dessert table. I'm more than happy to hire them and help grow their businesses and I think it's so important for others to do the same. We have also been buying items from local shops and flea markets and using antiques instead of buying brand new. Also, the majority of the decor is either handmade by me and my sister or bought handmade from Etsy. Not only are you supporting a small business, but every item is unique and one-of-a-kind! This is so important to me and I know our wedding will reflect that. To demonstrate my love for handmade, I wanted to do a fun 3-day series celebrating handmade! I'll start by featuring a beautiful Etsy shop and doing a giveaway!

I was so excited to come across the Etsy shop Krumpets Designs on my search for our bridesmaids and flower girls gifts. I really wanted to give them something beautiful that they can wear and that goes with our vintage/burlap and lace theme. After telling her a little bit about our wedding, she custom designed 3 necklaces for my bridesmaids, and 2 matching headbands for the flower girls. Her vintage inspired pieces are so gorgeous and well made. She makes amazing garter sets, bridal hair pieces, and even ring bearer pillows! I just love her aesthetic... here are a few of my favorite pieces and a little bit of background info:

1, 2, 3, 4

Krumpets is a way for me to express myself and to bring the excitement and fun to others lives. My absolute favorite thing is to see others faces light up when they open their product, or see something I have made for the first time. I started out as a young married college student into photography. From there, all the creativity and craziness started. It was amazing to see how a photo can change from adding accessories, and putting a little bit more time into it! Every time I look at a photo, it represents a moment in time that I wont forget. That is what I want to bring to others. Amazing products that make their precious moments last a life time.

I have been married for 15 years! I have 5 beautiful kids who inspire me to be creative. I spend every free moment making things for my kids and others that I love. Every day is a new day to create and experiment. I love to be able to take something "usual"...and make it extraordinary!

 Here are the beautiful necklaces she made for my bridesmaids, headbands for my flower girls, and the garter set for me! I love them so much I'm ordering a matching hair piece to wear on the big day! The quality is unbelievable and they look even better in person! I'm SO excited to give these to my bridal party!

Now for the fun part... the giveaway! The winner will receive this beautiful magenta lace garter. It would be perfect for the spring bride or anyone who wants to fancy up a little bit for their husband!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and will end next Friday, January 13th. To enter, just make sure you are a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect and leave a comment telling me your favorite item from Krumpets Designs! And be sure to leave your email address as well so I can contact you if you win! You can find her Etsy shop here and Like her on Facebook here.

Good luck everyone! And make sure to check back in tomorrow for day 2... I have another Etsy giveaway for you coming up! XOXO

Wordless Wednesday - Flowers at the Bellagio

Friday Favorites, My 100th post, and the GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Wow, my 100th post... First of all, I can't believe I made it this far! I started blogging back when I was pregnant with Cayden and my posts consisted mostly of the day-to-day ramblings of a pregnant woman with some pictures thrown in. And while I do still ramble, over time my blog has developed into what I envisioned it to be... recipes, crafts, pictures of Cayden, giveaways, and most of all, creative inspiration! Now that I have a new camera I can't wait to keep growing and developing my blog into a place where you can go when you want to feel inspired. I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who takes the time to read my posts. One of the ways I like to thank my readers is by having giveaways to give you all a chance to win something I think you'll love! So without further ado, here are the winners of the Bountiful Blessings giveaway!

Winner #1 who wins any item of their choice from the Bountiful Blessings Baby Boutique is...

Michelle S.!

Winner #2 who receives a 50% promo code to use on the item of their choice is...

OttosMom

CONGRATULATIONS! Please leave a comment with your email address and I will contact you shortly. If I do not hear from you in 48 hours I will have to choose a new winner so please be in touch! 

Now, let's get down to business. It's Friday and you know what that means... it's time for this week's Friday Favorites! Even though I live in Southern California, the land of 70 degree weather, I still look forward to Spring every year. As soon as March rolls around the days get warmer and the sun shines brighter and I start craving the outdoors. Picnics, gardening, camping, the beach... I love it all! This is Cayden's first spring and I can't wait to show him all it has to offer. As the warm weather approaches, more and more Spring items start to pop up on Etsy and it has inspired me to get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather! 

When is the last time you flew a kite? I can't even remember, isn't that sad? This kite pillow cover makes me think of running down a grassy hill as a child and I love it. I can almost *feel* the green grass under my feet.

This sign was created 'as a tribute to fresh food' and was made from recycled farm machinery. I love farms and the life of hard work and simplicity that goes along with them. I want to hang this in my kitchen and bake a pie.  

This fabric flower headband makes me think of Easter dresses, tights, and Mary-Janes. Have any of you started decorating for Easter yet? It's one of my favorite holidays and I can't wait to make Cayden's first Easter basket!

I'll be honest, I've never gardened before. I have this irrational fear of worms and they tend to pop up out of the soil when least expected so I've always stayed far, far away. However, this year I'm determined to plant a little garden at my mom's house. I want big, colorful flowers that will be in bloom in time for Cayden's first birthday party! I adore this vintage watering can... now I need to find the perfect straw hat to match! 

I've always wanted to throw a Spring garden party. Lemonade, a big salad, fresh bread, and angel food cake for dessert. Mmmmm. I would definately decorate with some flowers and this darling Spring bunting banner.

I adore vintage silverwear. I love looking at it when I go antique shopping and I would love to start a collection one day. Hammered spoons have a classic and unique look and can be used for anything from keepsakes to these garden markers.

Thanks again to all of my readers and for everyone who participated in the giveaway. If you didn't win, don't fret! I have another one already lined up for you. I'll post it soon so keep coming back!