When I was a child, we celebrated the birthdays of 2 Presidents in February - Lincoln on February 12, and George Washington on February 22.  My memories of these Presidents' days consisted of days off from school, and cherry pie to celebrate Washington's birthday.  Washington's birthday was a day after my fathers birthday - and as his name was also George, I sometimes got confused. 🙃

Even though things have changed - we now have just one day, but it's for all Presidents, not just 2 - and it is a Monday that is merged into school vacation week...I still bake cherry pie.

This week's video explores the world of Presidential foods beyond cherry pie (and there are some surprises), but I am also including my easy cherry pie recipe, as well as a coupon for 20% off the Cestari Pastry Blender, for those of you who want to stick with tradition!

Enjoy,

Susan

The instructions here are for a FAST cherry pie. I use a homemade crust (instructions below), but start with canned pie filling that I doctor up a bit.

You'll need a 2 crusts, fresh or premade, 1 can of cherry pie filling, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, a pinch of cinnamon, 2 Tablespoons of butter, 1-2 Tablespoons of heavy cream, and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon sugar.

Mix the canned filling with the lemon juice and almond extract and set aside.

Place one crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate.

Spoon the filling into the crust.

Cut the butter into small pieces, and dot over the top of the filling.

Lay the top crust on top of the filling, and crimp the edges to seal.

Brush the cream on the top crust and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Cut 6-8 vents in the crust.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes until crust is golden.

This is the pie crust recipe we include with the Cestari Pastry Blender:

• Combine 2½ cups flour and ½ tsp salt in a bowl

• Add 1½ sticks cold butter, cut into tablespoons

• Combine the butter and flour with the Cestari Pastry Blender until the mixture

resembles really tiny baby peas

• Sprinkle the water over the flour, and use the Pastry Blender a few times

to mix the water in just until the dough starts to get sticky

• Using your hands, gently shape the dough into two balls.

• Roll out each ball into a 12 inch round, and proceed with your pie recipe

Save 20% on the Cestari Pastry Blender.  Save 20% with code   CHERRYPIE through February 27 at the Cestari store on Amazon

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• Emma from New York writes, "Plan a 'Presidents' Day' themed dinner where each dish is inspired by a different U.S. President's favorite food. It's a fun and educational way to celebrate the holiday and explore historical culinary preferences."
• Lucas from California suggests, "For an easy and stress-free vacation week, prepare and freeze several meals in advance. Dishes like lasagna, chili, and casseroles reheat well and can save you a lot of time."
• Ethan from Texas shares, "Organize a family cooking night where each member is responsible for a different course. It's a great way to spend quality time together and teach kids valuable cooking skills."
• Olivia from Illinois advises, "Try international themed dinner nights to keep mealtime exciting. Explore different cuisines like Italian, Mexican, Japanese, or Indian, and learn about the culture through its food."
• Ava from Washington suggests, "Make breakfast for dinner one night. It's quick, easy, and a hit with kids. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon can be a fun and simple meal that breaks up the routine."

WOULD YOU LIKE A MINI TURNTABLE?

We'll be focusing on how you share love through food throughout February.  We'd love to feature some of your best tips, tricks, memories, and stories. Please let us know what you know!  You can submit your thoughts by replying to this newsletter, or sending them directly to  [email protected] with the subject "Newsletter - February."  Every subscriber whose contribution we use will receive our mini turntable as our thank you gift.
 

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