Tag: cream cheese

Boondock Saints

Boondock Saints

Boondock Saints: “A juvenile, ugly movie that represents the worst tendencies of directors channeling Tarantino.” Fair enough. But it’s still a fun ride and Sean Patrick Flanery is feckin’ hot. If you grew up in the 90’s, you’ve likely seen Boondock Saints and have since 

Mermaids

Mermaids

1990’s Mermaids is the perfect movie for Mother’s Day– or, alternatively, any mothers/daughters out there who live for driving each other nuts no matter what day it is. Fair warning though, you’re likely to relive some excruciatingly embarrassing moments from your youth as you watch. 

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Everything Everywhere All At Once

I could spend days talking about Everything Everywhere All At Once. I can’t remember the last time I saw a film this  original, while still being relatable and intensely relevant. A24, you did so good. 

Everything Everywhere follows Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh, brilliant), a disgruntled and exhausted owner of a laundromat who is being audited by a surly IRS agent (Jamie Lee Curtis, hilarious). Her loving husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan, inspiring) is a cheery annoyance, and her difficult daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu, badass) is desperate for acceptance that will never come from Evelyn as she is now. But here’s the kicker– there are a million other Evelyns in an infinity of universes whose experiences the OG Evelyn can tap into. That’s where the sci-fi fantasy stuff comes in.

In the middle of an IRS meeting, Evelyn is snatched from her own universe by Alpha-Waymond– a much more capable version of Evelyn’s husband who knows how to obliterate an army of security guards with kung fu moves and a fanny pack. Alpha-Waymond tells Evelyn about multiverse super villain Jobu Tupaki, who is building a mysterious “something” capable of destroying everything, everywhere– and, as it turns out, this OG Evelyn is the only person who can stop her.

What ensues is an absurd, trippy, hysterical journey full of “‘verse jumping”, epic martial arts choreography, and google eyes. Visual metaphors abound, and (without spoiling the ending) viewers are left with this profound message: even when you feel like nothing makes sense, that you’re being sucked into a whirling black hole of nihilism and apathy, IT’S GONNA BE OK. The most important thing is to be kind, especially when we don’t know what the heck is going on. Because nothing and everything matters. All at once.

I can’t explain it better than that.

Luckily, the Daniels included delicious looking foodstuffs in Everything Everywhere, so creating a brunch-y menu featuring quasi-traditional Asian dishes was easy. Just no hot dog finger recipes, you sicko cannibals. Ha ha ha ha.

The Movie

 

The Menu

google eyes boba tea

Google Eyes Boba Tea

Yield: 3 Cocktails, 1 for each Wang
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

NO MORE GOOGLE EYES.

Except they're so good. Especially with whiskey. Drink enough and it won't matter that your clothes never wear as well the next day and your hair never falls in quite the same way. Life's a silly mess anyway.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 tapioca pearls
  • 2 cups prepared Oolong Tea
  • 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half
  • 3 shots whiskey, divided
  • Edible black glitter or activated charcoal, for the rim

Instructions

Start by making simple syrup-- in a small saucepan, heat water and sugar and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a larger sauce pan, bring roughly 8 cups of water to boil. Add the tapioca pearls and cook for 5ish minutes, or till your pearls reach your desired softness (I like mine a little more firm). Drain the pearls and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to chill. Gather your reamining ingredients.

boba tea ingredients

Once chilled, drain the pearls once again. Pour half of the simple syrup over the pearls, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until almost ready to serve..

To assemble your drinks-- wet the rim of three lowball glasses and dip into black sugar/glitter/charcoal. Divide tapioca pearls into your glasses and top with a scoop of ice (enough to get your glasses to half full. badum bump). Add tea, then whiskey, followed by 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 1/2 tablespoons of simple syrup into each glass. Flavor with more syrup and dairy, to your taste.

longevity noodles with a lucky egg

Extra Lucky Longevity Noodles

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Longevity noodles are a traditional, very popular dish eaten during Chinese New Year. AND eggs are considered especially lucky-- so eat it ALL. It's especially yummy for breakfast, as Gong Gong prefers.

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • Soy Sauce, to marinate egg (about 1/3 cup)
  • 6 oz Yi Mein/Longevity/Long Life noodles **SEE NOTE
  • ⅛ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp regular soy sauce
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce **SEE NOTE
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper
  • 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil (divided)
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallions, white and green parts divided
  • 1 tbsp chives

Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add your egg and boil for roughly 7 minutes (don't go too much longer or you won't get that yolky jammy texture everyone loves so much). Once time is up, remove egg from the water and allow to cool. Peel, and add to a ziploc together with your soy sauce. Seal and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to 24 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, both soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper-- make sure all of your sugar is dissolved. Gather the rest of your ingredients.

longevity noodle ingredients

In a large pot, bring about 8 cups of water to boil. Cook your noodles according to package instructions-- somewhere between 7-8 mins. Check to make sure they are al dente, no one likes overcooked noodles. And remember, these babies are LONG.

long noodles

Feel free to sample, just be aware you may be eating one of your own children in another universe. Drain and briefly set aside.

Add 2 tbsp of veggie oil to a wok or non-stick skillet over high heat. Toss in white parts of the scallions and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the noodles and stir fry for another 30 seconds, tossing to coat in oil.

Pour in your sauce mix and stir fry for another minute or so, continuing to toss. If you need to, add the remainder of your veggie oil to prevent your noodles from sticking to the pan. Just try not to break them up-- you want to keep your noodles long for longevity and prosperity! Add the green parts of the scallions as well as your chopped chives to the pan. Mix until they turn bright green, just another minute or so.

longevity noodles cooked

Serve immediately, with your soy sauce marinated egg cut in half for extra good luck and longevity.

Notes

You can find legit longevity noods at any Asian market, but in a pinch lo mein or even thin spaghetti noods will work. You just won't have any good luck ya lazy bum.

Similarly, dark soy sauce can be found at most Asian grocers-- and trust me, it's worth it.

Black Hole Bagel

Black Hole Bagel

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

"I got bored one day, and then I put everything in a bagel... everything. All my hopes and dreams, my old report cards, every breed of dog, every personal ad on Craigslist, sesame, poppy seed, salt, and it collapsed in on itself. 'Cause you see, when you really put everything on a bagel, it becomes this... the truth. Nothing... matters."

Unless you serve it with scallion cream cheese. Scallion cream cheese changes everything.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup warm water, + a few more tbsp on reserve
  • 1 1/2 cup bread flour (I used OO flour)
  • 1/4 cup dark rye flour
  • 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup everything bagel seasoning
  • 3/4 cup cream cheese, your preferred fat percentage (I'm not judging, get fat, nothing matters anyway)
  • 1/3 cup sliced scallions

Instructions

Dissolve your sugar into 2/3 cup warm water, then add yeast-- you'll need to wait about two minutes for the yeast to "bloom", ie get all foamy. Add flours, salt, and cocoa powder to a separate mixing bowl while you wait-- the cocoa powder is what will guarantee a rich, dark pumpernickel color.

bagel dough ingredients

Mix dry ingredients until they are fully incorporated, and pour in your bloomy yeasty sugar water. Mix until you get a rough dough ball, adding a couple more tbsp of water as needed to get all of the flour into the dough ball. Let sit for 10 minutes-- then, on a floured cutting board, knead the dough for a minute or two until smooth.

Lightly brush a large mixing bowl with oil, add the dough, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for an hour and a half-- the dough should double in size. You'll know that it's ready when you press the dough with your finger and it doesn't bounce back:

dough rise

Punch the dough down and, on an unfloured board this time, roll it into a ball. Coat a finger with flour and create a hole in the center, stretching it out roughly 2 inches in diameter. Cover with the same damp towel and let rise for about 20 minutes while you bring a big pot of water to boil and preheat your oven to 425.

When your water is boiling, carefully lower your bagel in-- boil for 2 minutes, flip, and boil for another two minutes.

boil bagel

Remove the bagel from the hot water and immediate coat with everything bagel seasoning.

everything bagel with seasoning

Bake for 25 minutes and allow to rest for at least 15 before cutting. While you wait, mix sliced scallions into your cream cheese and when ready... MMMMMM DAIRY. In some universes cows don't even exist anymore, so relish it.

everything bagel

Just don't look too long or too closely-- you might get suuucked. Intooooo. the Baaaaagel...

Notes

Did you know: soldiers in China were making their own version of bagels 400 years ago, completely independently of what was going on with hole-y breads in Europe.

More on that here. HISTORY FOLKS.

teppanyaki ratatouille

Raccacoonie Ratatouille

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

STOP MAKING UP WORDS!

Except the Daniels actually did make a Raccacoonie-- and it is possibly one of the more bizarre and hilarious homages in Everything Everywhere.

So, here is what I think Raccacoonie would have done with traditional ratatouille ingredients. Teppanyaki style.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Japanese or Chinese Eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup Zucchini, cute into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup Yellow Squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup Thick Sliced Red Onion
  • 3/4 cup Red Bell Pepper, cut into chunks
  • 3/4 cup premium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Place chef hat over the raccoon controlling your every movement and collect your "ratatouille" veggies. Mix up the remaining ingredients for the marinade (oil and sesame seeds occluded).

ratatouille ingredients

Marinade veggies for 30 minutes in a sealed ziploc.

ratatouille teppanyaki marinade

Heat oil on a large flat griddle pan (or a large non-stick if that's all ya got). Add the veggies and cook, tossing every once in a while to ensure all sides are equally browned. You should be done in about 5 minutes, barring any glitches with the hair/hand connection.

teppanyaki cook

Raccacoonie, I don't know what I'd do without you...

almond cookie

Be Kind Almond Cookies

Yield: 12 Cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

A traditional Chinese cookie recipe for when you fuck up your income taxes real bad and you need an IRS agent to forget the butt plugs. It's strategic and necessary.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cups almond flour, lightly packed
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
  • Hefty pinch kosher salt
  • 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp sugar, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 large egg, whisked slightly and divided
  • 24 almonds
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 3 drops water
  • 5 drops red food coloring

Instructions

Add almond flour, salt and butter to one bowl-- sift all purpose flour, sugar, and baking soda into another.

almond cookie ingredients

Beat the almond flour mix on medium until just incorporated, then add half of your whisked egg and almond extract. Add all-purpose mix next, continuing on medium speed until you have a doughy consistency.

Scoop 12 dough balls onto a piece of parchment paper using an ice cream scoop. Chill for at least an hour, covered.

cookie dough scooped

Using your fingers, press dough into rounds roughly 2.5 inches in diameter (they should be at least 1 inch apart, they will spread as they bake!). Press two almonds into the top of each round to make eyes, and then use a small glass or measuring cup to impress a smile into each cookie. Brush with remaining whisked egg.

cookie assembly

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Check at this point and, if you need to, re-impress your smiles into the dough. Continue to bake for another five minutes until cookies turn a pale gold, and remove from oven. Allow to cool on a baking sheet.

Whisk your sugar, water and food coloring and use this red mix to paint in your smilies. Remember, red is also good luck! Just lookit how happy these little dudes are, and I think they would be even in a stupid, stupid universe where we have hot dogs for fingers.

almond cookies

  

Epilogue

A few scattered takeaways after watching Everything Everywhere All At Once:

  1. If you REALLY want to cook the hot dog fingers, here’s a recipe I contemplated adapting. But I couldn’t get past the idea. Mine just looked so lifelike… I think it was the nail polish.
  2. I haven’t seen Marcel the Shell yet but it also seems like an A24 poignant work of genius and I’m very excited about it.
  3. This month has become an unofficial celebration of Ke Huy Quan on Two Crumbs Up (see Temple of Doom and The Goonies). And it’s the below interview that pushed me over the edge. I’m so happy Ke is back in front of the camera, and that A24 created such a quality film celebrating AAPI talent and storylines. Watch if you want a pickmeup– he’s the best.

4. Just be a rock.

For more menus, check out my movie directory here!

A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own

So last month kind of sucked for women. Actually, it really really sucked. But all the more reason to watch A League of Their Own– 30 years old on July 1, 2022 and a wonderful film to spend your afternoon with if you’re not feeling 

Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy Old Men– the perfect movie to help you transition from Thanksgiving turkey time to whatever December holiday you choose to celebrate. The sixth of ten films in which great friends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau costarred, Grumpy Old Men is set in the freezing 

Return to Oz

Return to Oz

Hi, hello, and welcome to a screening of perhaps the scariest “kids and family” movie ever made: Return to Oz. Trust me, it’s on lists. You’ve got mental institutionalization, Frankenstein-d animal/vegetable/furniture hybrid creatures (sometimes with or without a head), the witch actress from Willow, evil rock monsters, and (eeeee) the Wheelers. No idea how baby Fairuza Balk made it through without serious trauma. But I guess I did as a child, so here I am, telling you all to suck it up– because this is a wonderful 80’s fantasy film.

Return to Oz picks up where Wizard of Oz leaves off… kind of. Taking more directly from L. Frank Baum’s series of books than its predecessor, this non-sequel follows the adventures of a much younger Dorothy Gale who has returned to Kansas and is experiencing some serious insomnia. As you continue to make your way through the film, you quickly realize that Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion are, at best, peripheral. There is no singing, there are zero Munchkins, and Glinda has seemingly peace-d the hell out of Oz. And that’s understandable, because some shit has gone down since Dorothy left.

But I won’t spoil the movie. Except to repeat, “Beware the Wheelers”. SCARY SCARY.

There was so much I wanted to do with this menu– but let’s just say my thinking ran down. In the end I settled for an Oz-adjacent luncheon featuring (of course) CHICKEN eggs and loads of green stuff.

“OZ!” <poof>.

 

The Movie

 

The Movie

return to oz cocktail

Liquid Silver with Emeralds

Yield: 1 cocktail
Prep Time: 5 days 3 seconds
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 days 5 minutes 3 seconds

You've gotta give it to the Nome King-- he seems to have a pretty good palate. I opted for an iced version of his melted silver cocktail (because who wants warm gin?), accompanied by a rock candy swizzle (which was surprisingly easy to make).

Be forewarned, this is a strong drink. See that you don't lose your head-- who knows who will pick it up for their own, personal use.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 drops green food coloring
  • Mason Jar, Swizzle Stick, String, Tape
  • 2 oz Gin
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 Egg White
  • 1 tsp Fine Sugar
  • 2 oz Club Soda
  • Edible Silver Glitter (if you have it)

Instructions

Several days beforehand, start your rock candy. Bring 2 3/4 cup sugar and water to a boil and reduce heat-- simmer until all of the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Stir in your food coloring-- add a few extra drops for a more vibrant emerald green. Pour into a mason jar. Using your string and tape, hang your swizzle stick so that it is at least an inch and a half away from the sides of the jar, and an inch from the bottom:

rock candy formation

If you don't have a swizzle stick with a hook to hang on your string, fasten with more tape, or alternatively use a clothespin to fasten the stick in place. Cover the jar with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool, dry place. Crystals should begin to form over the next few days-- the longer you allow the sizzle stick to remain in the sugar syrup, the bigger your crystals will be (the below took about 3.5 days).

rock candy

When you're ready to drink, remove your rock candy and set on parchment paper to dry. Mix gin, egg white, sugar, lime juice and silver glitter (if you're bougie like me) in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for a minute or two until frothy. Pour into a glass with additional ice and top off with club soda and rock candy swizzle.

ham pinwheels

Lunch Pail Pinwheels

Yield: 2 Servings
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

The visual of Dorothy picking her lunch pail from a tree always stuck with me-- it's very much like the sandwich scene in Neverending Story. I always felt a special kinship with kids on epic quests who had sense enough to look for (and savor) sustenance during their journey.

So here's a spin on Dorothy's lunch pail ham sandwich that also pays homage to those freaky Wheelers-- Dorothy's first encounter in this new terrifying version of Oz.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Cream Cheese
  • 1 Scallion, Pale and White Section chopped (appx 1 tbsp)
  • ½ tsp minced parsley
  • Salt & Pepper
  • ½ tsp Half and Half
  • 1 ½ tbsp Minced Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 1 Large Spinach Wrap
  • 7-8 Slices Deli Ham
  • 1 cup Spinach Leaves

Instructions

Begin by mixing the cream cheese, scallions, parsley, a pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper, 1/2 tbsp of the bell pepper, and the half and half-- this last ingredient will help the cream cheese mixture more spreadable.

Spread cream cheese mixture onto your spinach wrap. Sprinkle remaining bell pepper pieces over the cream cheese (I did a spiral yellow brick road pattern cause I'm fancy).

pinwheel assembly

Sprinkle spinach over the cheese and bell pepper, and top with ham slices-- these should be evenly spread over the surface of the wrap.

Beginning at one side of the wrap, roll tightly to the other side, applying a bit more of the cream cheese mixture to the very edge if needed-- this will help glue the wrap shut.

rollup

If you'd like to wait a beat before serving, you can wrap your pinwheel sandwich tightly in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or so-- this will also allow the sandwich to set. When ready to serve, slice your wrap into wheels, starting at the center. Each pinwheel should be about an inch to an inch and a half thick.

lunch pail

sidekick eggs

Sidekick Eggs

Yield: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

If you think you'll miss Dorothy's old Wizard of Oz friends, don't worry-- the non-human, not-always-alive sidekicks in Return to Oz are more complex and (dare I say it) more endearing.

This three-in-one recipe is a tribute to Tik Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, the Gump, and Dorothy's CHICKEN Billina (or perhaps more accurately her eggs. look away, no spoilers here).

Ingredients

  • 3 Large Eggs (with one spare if you have it)
  • JACK PUMPKINHEAD
  • 1 tbsp Pepitas
  • 1 tsp Schmalz (if you don’t have this, use any oil)
  • Generous Pinch each of Cumin, Chile Powder, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt & Pepper
  • 1 tsp Mayonnaise
  • 1/8 tsp cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
  • ¼ tsp Paprika, divided
  • 1-2 Chives, cut into 1/4 pieces
  • TIK TOK
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil, divided
  • 1/4 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves (some leaves reserved)
  • ½ tsp Caper Juice
  • ¼ tsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Mayonnaise
  • Black Pepper
  • 6 Capers
  • THE GUMP
  • 1 tsp Mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp Horseradish
  • ½ tsp Dijon Mustard
  • ½ tsp Minced Fresh Dill, divided
  • 4 Parsley Leaves

Instructions

Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil. Add 3 eggs to the water (or, if you're like me and want a spare in case of peeling accidents, 4 eggs). Boil for 10 minutes. Remove and place immediately in cold water.

While eggs cool, add pepitas/pumpkin seeds to a saute pan with schmalz, cumin, chile, garlic, salt and pepper. Toast over medium heat for a couple of minutes, keeping a close eye on the seeds to prevent burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool before chopping in a small food processor or with a knife.

spiced pepitas

Next, assemble a deviled egg assembly line-- one egg per recipe.

egg ingredients

Cut your eggs in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks-- add one yolk to each of your bowls. Now, it's time to assemble.

For Jack's eggs: Spread your chopped pepita/pumpkin seeds on a cutting board and place each egg-half face down in the "dust"-- when you lift, there should be a nice coating of pepita seeds around the rim of the egg (if the seed pieces are not sticking, you can add a bit of water to the rim before coating).

pepitas eggs

Then, thoroughly mix yolk with mayo, mustard, half of the paprika, and apple cider. Scoop the filling into each egg white hollow, and sprinkle remaining paprika on top to achieve a more orange-y color. Finish with three chive pieces inserted into the filling to look like pumpkin stems.

Now it's time for Tik Tok. Mix yolk, mayo, caper juice, lemon juice, olive oil, and thyme until smooth. Scoop filling into hollowed egg white halves, and top with a few thyme leaves, pepper, capers, and one more spritz of oil to prevent your action from running down.

Next up, Gump-- a weird reindeer/couch creature who merits a horse-radishy deviled egg. Mix yolk with mayo, mustard, horseradish, and half of your dill (aka the powder of life for most great deviled eggs). Scoop your filling into the egg white halves and stick some parsley leaf "wings" into each side of the filling. Finally, proceed with remaining dill(/powder of life) in accordance with the following instructions:

Sprinkle lightly one dusting dose on static object to be brought to life, speaking the words "WEAUGH, TEAUGH, PEAUGH". Repeat if no reaction.

sidekick eggs

Notes

If you like certain flavors more than others (or characters, you meanie), you can make just one of these deviled egg recipes and increase the quantity accordingtly. That said, I (like Mombi) prefer an assortment of toppings to choose from.

limestone pie

Limestone-Fruit Pie

Yield: 2 Mini-Pies
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Admitting it freely-- baking is not my strongest talent. But these personal sized pies were relatively simple, down to the "decor" on top. And the lovely ruby-red stone fruit filling is a nice visual tie to Dorothy's Ruby Slippers and their (albeit brief) appearance in Return to Oz.

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 1 cup Flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 tbsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 stick Butter (8 tbsp)
  • 3 tbsp Cold Water
  • A few drops of Green Rock Candy Sugar Solution
  • Butter for Greasing Two 12oz Ramekins
  • 1 Egg (for egg wash)
  • STONE FRUIT FILLING
  • 3 cups Stone Fruit Berries (I used frozen cherries, raspberries and strawberries)
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch

Instructions

Assemble crust a couple of hours in advance: in a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt. Cut the stick of butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the flour mixture. You can cut the butter in with knives (tutorial here), but I prefer to get in there with my hands.

pie crust

Break up the butter into the flour, until you are left with a mix that looks a bit like wet sand. Add cold water by the tablespoonful until a loose dough forms. Dump your dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rough disk-- wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about an hour.
While your dough rests, make your pie filling.

pie filling ingredients

Combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and bring to boil-- reduce heat and simmer berries for 5-10 minutes until fruit is just bursting. Remove about half a cup of berry juice and mix the cornstarch into the juice-- doing this before you add the cornstarch to the pot prevents lumpies. Mix your cornstarch berry mixture into the rest of the filling, and simmer for a few more minutes until it is thickened to a loose jam consistency. Set aside to cool.

pie filling

It's now time to assemble your limestone pies! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, grease two ramekins with butter, and (in a separate bowl) whisk your egg with a splash of water-- this will be used to brush your pie crust before baking.

Remove dough from the fridge and cut into four equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll two of the dough balls into appx 8-inch circles, about 1/4 inch thick. Fold these into your ramekins-- these are your pie bottoms. Then, take your other two pieces and roll them into 4 inch circles, still about 1/4 inch thick (reserve any extra dough-- these will be used for topping decor).

pie assembly

Spoon your filling into the dough filled ramekins. and top with your 4-inch rounds-- push down around the border to create a mound shape (see below), and seal the edges. Brush the top of your pies with egg wash.

pie assembly 2

From your excess dough, cut petal/leaf shapes and a two small balls for the center of your flower toppings (see image below). Place on top of your pies, relying on the egg wash to help these pieces stick in place. Using a fork, press around the rim for a final decorative flourish!

pre bake pie

Bake for about 40 minutes until crust turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 mins.

pies baked

To remove the individual pies, twist gently at the edges of the crust-- if you need a little help, use a sharp knife to run around the inside rim of the crust (though your butter should make this process relatively smooth). Serve your limestone pies warm or at room temperature.

Notes

If you don't have 12oz ramekins, you can make this as one full size pie-- the dough recipe supports a single double crust pie.

 

Epilogue

I dunno that I need to write anything else for this supremely creepy movie. So here’s this:

wheelers

 

For more menus, check out my movie directory here!