Pie Month 2015!

November is Pie Month at Piedmont Grocery…and we do sooo love pies!

Because so many of us prepare our Thanksgiving feast, and because recipes are fun to peruse, here is a wonderful list of what we have found across the internet, and published on Facebook and Twitter.

Visit our feeds each day in November for a new pie recipe. Read more…

Caramel Nut Pie

The Life of PIE

To everything there is a season, and to every season…there is a pie.

Springtime means cherry, rhubarb, and lemon meringue. Summer is a pie-a-palooza with apple, peach, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry…and so on. Winter is reserved for the chocolates and for some interesting citrus versions, like this one.

Apple is really a year-round option. (‘Cause when is it not a good time for apple pie?)

But the Fall, it’s all about nuts and squash. There are some fruits thrown in for good measure. Apple, of course, Pear too…and both are often found mixed with cranberries. While Pumpkin and Pumpkin Spice seem to rule the month of November, for me the nut pies are the real stars.

Since November is Pie Month at Piedmont Grocery, I decided to get in the spirit and make a pie over the weekend—mainly so that I could eat it, but also to teach my daughter how to make her own. I have always been a big fan of Pecan Pie, but that’s what we will be having for Thanksgiving. I wanted to do something a different, and decided to try a Caramel Nut Pie recipe that I saw in the American Pie Council’s America’s Best Pies 2015-2014 cookbook my sister gave me last Christmas. I was a little concerned about letting my 9 year-old make caramel, but it turned out great, and we had it for dessert Sunday night.(And some of us may have had some for breakfast on Monday, maybe.)

This Caramel Nut Pie would make a great stand-in for pecan at Thanksgiving. It’s for anyone who loves nuts—especially if they are not a big fan of the gooey center. Fair warning, this pie is basically all nuts. It is as dense as it is rich. It is also very good.

Below is the recipe as printed in the book. If I were to make this again, and I definitely will, I would make some changes. (*See my notes.) For example, I added salt to the caramel because I thought the mixture was just too sweet and needed more of a buttery flavor. Second, next time I will bake this in a tart pan. It would make it easier to slice, and frankly, I think it works better as a tart. Third, I would get a little wacky with the mix of nuts…maybe add some hazelnuts or cashews to the mix. I also want to see what it would taste like with a little cayenne pepper added to the caramel. I left off the white chocolate because I didn’t think it was necessary, but a little melted semi-sweet chocolate could be tasty option too…

Caramel Nut Pie
America’s Best Pies 2014-2015 by American Pie Council
Christine Montalvo, Windsor Heights, IA Read more…

Beef Short Ribs Braised in Dark Beer with Bacon and Red Onions

Get Shorty

On Monday, November announced its presence with authority—some crazy rain, wind and even lightning. My first thought was…”Ooooh, short ribs.” (I know. Just go with it.)

Whenever the weather gets cold, I think of slow-cooked short ribs, my ultimate comfort food. (Though I have a long list of favorites.) My list of recipes I consider for short ribs is appropriately short. There are two.

The first is a classic bistro-style braised recipe that I serve with mashed potatoes. It combines Guinness, red onions and bacon. How can you go wrong with that? Don’t you just feel warm and comforted by the mere thought of that combo? Or am I just weird and hungry? I could die happy in a vat of this stuff.

The second recipe is perfect for mid-week, because it makes use of the crock pot. If you have ever heard the term “Sunday Gravy” used to describe a slow-simmered meat sauce for pasta, this recipe is a great example—except that it uses a crock pot instead of simmering on the stove. This rich sauce that gets even better after a day in the fridge. You can serve this over pasta or with cheesy polenta. Whatever floats your boat…

Either recipe is the answer to the colder weather and the arrival of El Nino.

Beef Short Ribs Braised in Dark Beer with Bacon and Red Onions
Adapted from Bistro Cooking at Home by Gordon Hamersley Read more…

Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole

Food to Die For
Halloween hasn’t arrived yet but I am already over it. Too many stores have had the Halloween stuff up and on the floor for sale since August. (Even worse, I have seen the Christmas stuff in some places…really?) The over-availability of anything Halloween-related has made me indifferent to the goblins and ghouls. Even my kids seem lukewarm about Halloween—and when you think about the amount of candy that could come their way, that’s saying something.

To combat this, I have decided to stage my own personal rebellion (Okay, teenage angst tantrum is probably more accurate.) and focus on the day after Halloween. This year we are going to honor our dead with a Dia De Los Muertos feast.

Some of you may see this for what it actually is: another excuse for me to make Mexican food, my favorite. You would, indeed, be correct. But consider it as a way for me to educate my family about the fascinating traditions of other countries, thus making them more well-rounded and accepting citizens of the world. …Nah, I wouldn’t buy that either.

I will say this, any opportunity to get together with family and friends, to remember those whom we have loved and lost, is worthwhile. If it happens to also come with some rockin’ good food (and don’t forget the Margaritas!) from south of the border, so much the better.

Most of our honoring will occur on the soccer pitch, because of playoffs. I am going to use this Chicken Mole recipe to make life a little easier. Mole is one of the most iconic and flavorful dishes of Mexico. And is, therefore, the perfect choice with which to coax the spirits of the departed back to gather with friends and family for a great feast.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole
Adapted from Martha Stewart

What is great about this recipe is the ease of preparation. It is perfect to do in the morning, and find a simmering pot of mole when you get home from a day’s work.
Read more…