Hungry Howie: No-Fear Pie Crust and Winter Panzanella

As I mentioned in my New Year post, I'm afraid of making pie crust. Probably because my mom is so good at it and I'm sure I'll fail in comparison. Plus, anything doughy gives me the creeps and I'm a disaster when it comes to using a rolling pin. So, when I came across a recipe called "No-Fear Pie Crust," I was certain they were speaking directly to me. I gave it a try last weekend to mixed results. Here's the recipe (from a complimentary issue of Cook's Country):

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbs unsalted butter, softened but still cool

2 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool

1. Lightly coat a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. Whisk flour, salt and sugar together in a small bowl.

2. Beat butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer in a large bowl until completely combined, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture and combine on medium-low speed until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 20 seconds. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until dough begins to form large clumps [Note: this never happened for me], about 30 seconds. Reserve 3 tbs of dough. Turn remaining dough onto floured surface, gather into ball and flatten into 6 inch disk. Transfer disk to pie plate.

3. Press dough evenly over bottom of pie plate toward sides, using the heel of your hand. Continue to work dough over the bottom of plate and up the sides of plate until evenly distributed.

4. Divide reserved dough into three pieces. Roll into 8 inch ropes and place around edges of pie to form fluted edge.

5. Wrap pie plate in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly prick bottom of crust with fork. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Fill with your favorite filling.

This crust definitely tastes good--I think the cream cheese is key--but, mine was not nearly as pretty as the one in the picture. The rolling of the reserved dough into ropes and creating a fluted edge did not work out so much. I think I might need to make twice as much dough as I'm actually planning to use--regardless of what recipe I'm using. I need a lot of room for error.

I filled the crust with a banana cream pie filling from the Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum. The filling was delicious, but overall the pie was just meh. Maybe I only enjoy pie when someone else makes all the effort?

I had much more success with a recipe that I tried from my favorite food blog: Smitten Kitchen. I absolutely love this blog. The blogger has a great writing voice, her photos are amazing, and the recipes she chooses always seem to combine several of my favorite ingredients. I've been reading her for months now, but had never tried a recipe (out of sheer laziness). When I came across a recipe for Winter Panzanella salad in her archives that combines both butternut squash and brussels sprouts, I had to hit the kitchen and give it a try. Despite making a huge mess in the kitchen (you use a lot of pots and pans), it wasn't very difficult and didn't take very long to make. AND, it was totally delicious.