Thursday Anti-Rant: Random Happenings and the best Cherry Pie EVER

Life is good. Summer is here and the weather is great. If you live in the States, you have a 3 day weekend starting at quitting time today. I can’t be whiney and complainy. Instead, I’ll share some of the stuff we’ve been up to lately and a recipe for one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth.

On the Homefront

We’re taking it easy this summer, but still find time for little projects. One of the cool things about doing your own work is that you can be as eccentric as you please. I add all kinds of crazy stuff to my house that would drive costs way up if I were paying someone else to do it.

One recent example is our reading light. Mrs. 1500 and I love to read before we go to bed, so I installed this light over our headboard. There are switches on either side of the bed so we can easily turn it off before we go to sleep.

After several false starts, the installers showed up with our countertops. I won’t finish the kitchen until the fall, but at least it’s functional now.

We are now a 3 toilet family! Four people sharing one toilet, 3 of them of the XX chromosomal variety, can be aggravating. This is a huge milestone!

We’ve also been busy landscaping.

Finally, we noticed 3 rogue plants growing in front of our house this spring. They didn’t look like standard weeds, so I let them go. Turns out, they are sunflowers!

I have always liked sunflowers. The huge, yellow flowers are beautiful and I love the way the plants turn throughout the day so that they are always facing the sun.

Travels, bikes and bison

Last weekend, we went camping with friends up in the mountains.

We had a chance to sample some microbrews and take a tour.

The NSX has always been my dream car. I finally got a chance to drive one.

I love biking and I’ve recently had a chance to jump back on the bike. I saw bison this week.

Cherry Pie to Die for

And now, Mrs. 1500 will share the cherry pie recipe that converted her from disliking cherry pie to loving it.

A few houses ago, we had a cherry tree in our yard. I have never liked cherries, and certainly didn’t want to waste my pie calories on cherry pie. Mr. 1500 loves cherry pie. I had to bring something in for a work potluck, and decided to go the cheap route and pick cherries out of the massive tree. I didn’t know how to make cherry pie, and googled a recipe. It was so good, that I ate it, too.

Ugly House didn’t have much going for it when we bought it, but it did have a cherry tree in the front yard. Last year wasn’t a good cherry year, but this year it was absolutely filled with cherries.

With a few tweaks, here is the best cherry pie that you will ever put into your mouth.

Mrs. 1500’s Amazing Cherry Pie (Makes a 13X9 pie)
Crust (I use Martha Stewart’s Pate Brisee crust recipe)
2-1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup (two sticks) COLD UNSALTED butter (If you only have salted butter, omit the tsp salt from above.)
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

Filling
6 cups fresh or frozen pie cherries, pits removed
6 TBSP Minute tapioca
3/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup sugar

Mix everything together, let sit for 5 minutes.

Topping
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted

Mix together. Will be very doughy.

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out crust, place in bottom and sides of 13×9 pan. Prick with a fork several times. Pour cherry filling into crust. Drop topping onto top of filing evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400, then turn down over to 350, cover with foil to prevent burning, and bake until done, about 45 minutes.

Mr. 1500 note: Really, this is one of the best desserts ever. This is leaps and bounds above any cherry pie you’ve ever had. Your old cherry pie is a Yugo, this is an Acura NSX. Your old cherry pie is a painting done by your 3 year-old niece. This is  sunflowers by Van Gogh. Your old cherry pie is a visit to a prison camp in North Korea. This one is a deserted, white sand beach in Tahiti. Need I go on?