Thursday, June 7, 2007

I've been dreaming again...

I've had a lot of dreams about wax lately...I don't know why. Probably partially because I've been running, and every time I run, my legs feel like soft wax by the time I get back. Which reminds me...I should go running tonight...but I don't want to because I just finished a margarita, and my ability to actually run in a straight line is highly dubious because the margarita was consumed immediately after getting off of an 11 hour shift at work...so maybe it wouldn't be wise...but we shall see....
Anyway, my big dream of the week....Ryan's wedding...We've been working on Hassler's 12 voice Cantate Domino, which WILL be beautiful...once we learn it...Well, being in charge of the music for this wedding, I am also responsible for making sure everyone HAS the music for the wedding...but the Cantate has been the focal point, because nobody knows it, but they know everything else...so, in my dream, we were at the wedding, in the choir loft, when I realized that I only had one copy of the Cantate, and no copies of anything else, and for some reason, nobody could remember any of the pieces....even Sicut Cervus, which, as a rule, everyone can sing backwards, forwards and inside out...except, of course, for myself, who can only sing it backwards, forwards and inside out if I'm singing it with someone...anyway, as a result, Alaina glared at me, Christine said "This is rediculous!", Jen laughed, Draper informed me that I was incompetant (which, incidentally, I've been saying this whole time) and Anthony swore he would never speak to me again because Ryan blamed the whole thing on him and wouldn't allow any of us at the reception which Anthony was supposed to DJ, Mike P. did his silent head shake, Joe P. insisted that nobody noticed...and so on and so forth...you get the idea.
I'm going running now...

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Shoo Fly Pie

I've had a couple requests/questions about shoo fly pie, so I decided to post the recipe...

Preheat oven at 325.

One 9 inch pie crust -- homemade or otherwise (I have no rolling pin, so I used the "otherwise" option)

Topping:
1 Cup flour
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup butter

Mix together crumb topping with a pastry cutter, if you have one, a fork works too, until it is relatively fine and crumbly. Set aside

Pie Filling:
1 Cup boiling water
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, beaten

Mix together the molasses, corn syrup and boiling water...it will become a sort of frothy mixture. Stir in egg and baking soda. Pour into pie crust. Spoon the topping on top...most of it will be absorbed into the mixture...don't worry, that's supposed to happen.

Bake for an hour or until the pie is brown on top.
WARNING: This will almost definitely overflow the pan in the oven. Be sure to put the pie on a cookie sheet or something of the sort unless you want to have gooey molasses all over your oven smelling up your house. Better yet, wrap the pan in aluminium foil so that you don't have to deal with burnt sugar later. :-)
The pie is very yummy, but be sure that you don't cool it outside, because it is so sweet you'll have to shoo the flies away (hence the name).
Also I think that it could use a little more molasses and less corn syrup. I know you can make it with all molasses and no corn syrup if you want. Also, if you want a more custardlike filling, you can add an extra egg, although I haven't actually tried this yet. But it is very yummy and I highly recommend it. :-)