A Pie and A Prayer

It’s National Apple Pie Day!

It’s National Pie day! Again! Turns out there are several of these days, but we’re not complaining! More to celebrate 🥧🥳

With two small children (2 and 3 months) we have been struggling with sleep. It seems like once one is asleep, the other needs something. My husband and I rarely see each other after 9:00 pm and both of us are usually up with a child at least once in the night. We know this won’t last forever, but we’re tired.

I’m often craving a Midnight Mocha with an extra shot of espresso. And maybe some chocolate covered espresso beans on the side. But I’m breastfeeding, so my caffeine is limited.

While sitting up with the baby tonight, my thoughts wandered to pie. And specifically to pie with espresso. I was excited to come across this Chocolate Midnight Pie from The King Arthur Baking Company. I think I feel more awake just reading the recipe!

There will be a day that I sleep all night. A day that a baby doesn’t wake up crying. A time that my babies don’t need or want our help with everything. But today is not that day. So we focus on loving and comforting them. And we dream of chocolate espresso pie.

Chocolate Midnight Pie A deep, dark, dense chocolate pie nestled in a flaky crust flavored with a hint of espresso.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent-its food shall be dust!

-Isaiah 65:25

It’s hard to imagine a paradise as described in Isaiah 65. My first thought upon reading it was if this paradise exists, why do we have to wait for it? But maybe that’s not the right way to look at it. Maybe it’s something to work towards. Maybe it’s the hopeful silver lining to the cloud. Maybe our lives are the journey and paradise is the destination.

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On Earth, we often equate paradise with warm, tropical climates. Places where exotic fruits grow and the sun shines. As we in Wisconsin are rapidly descending into winter, paradise is literally anywhere warmer. But even if we can’t get to a warmer climate, we can make a tropical Paradise Pie and eat it while curled up with a blanket in front of a warm fire.

Paradise Pie Recipe Paradise Pie recipe from Grandma's Cookbook of kitchen-tested recipes.

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?

-James 2:1

This is the question, isn’t it? Do my actions reflect what I say I believe? I want to confidently say “yes.” But even as that word leaves my mouth, I know it’s not true. I know there are times when I act in contradiction to what I claim to believe. I can do better. I think most of us can.

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Cherry Cranberry Lattice Pie (Taste of Home) is simple, yet elegant. I feel like it’s easy to overlook. In fact, I made it for a picnic a few months ago and it was overshadowed by the fancy cream pies I set out next to it. But, when we brought it home and tried it, it was one of the best things we tasted that day. It’s definitely worth a try and would be perfect for upcoming holiday celebrations.

Cranberry-Cherry Lattice Pie My mom used to make this pie for the holidays when I was a girl. Your family will ask for it all year long. —J. Tomasi, Toledo, Ohio

Religion, faith, and prayer is a very personal experience and journey. Even if you belong to a church or affiliate with a major religion, your relation, your relationship with your higher power is personal and unique.

My journey with religion, faith, and prayer hasn’t always been smooth. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I do enjoy reading, learning, and growing.

My background is in Christianity, specifically Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is relevant only because it gives you insight into my perspective. While I love and value diverse perspectives, I am choosing to stick with sharing from my knowledge, background, and traditions so that I don’t misrepresent yours. That being said, feel free to share your faith, beliefs, and traditions with me! I value the opportunity to learn ❤️

There is something very comforting about a homemade pie. Maybe it’s the stability of the crust. Or maybe it’s how the ingredients comes together to create a sweet (or savory!) filling. Maybe it’s the beauty of the finished pie or knowing that when you take a bite, you’re tasting something that someone made with love and care.

I enjoy the act of making pie. I find it peaceful and relaxing. I love mixing together the filling and rolling out the dough. I love trying new recipes and combinations. And I love slicing the pie to share with family and friends.

A Pie and A Prayer is an idea that has been floating around me for several years. Sometimes it gets close enough for me to feel it and sometimes it’s flittering just out of reach. Today, it whacked me on the nose and practically begged to be written down (for the second time, the first attempt was unfortunately lost to a damaged hard drive). And so we start (again) to record both my journey with pie and my journey with prayer and finding peace. Join me and my family as we explore pie, our relationships, and some prayers.