Stitching with Elli

The pie competition is underway. There is one team of dolls in the kitchen working and another team is sitting on the couch perusing cookbooks for the best pie crust recipe.

Introducing Team one!! Elizabeth and Josefina are co team captains. (Technically Elizabeth is the leader but she says Josefina has as much experience as she does.) Lea is in charge of calling out what the recipe says to do. Finally Debbie is the everything else member of the team.

“What are we doing –  the crust or the filling first?” asked Lea.

“Let’s do the crust first, since it says it needs to refrigerate for a half an hour”, Josefina answered.

“ooo yummy!! can we make a baked Alaska instead of apple?” asked Debbie who was staring across the page of  Lea’s cookbook. “Wait, does that mean it has Alaskan dirt in it? I don’t think we have any of that. Maybe we can do “Baked Texas” or “Baked Michigan” Or wait!! We could do baked Georgia!! we can call Nellie and ask her to bring us back a bucket of dirt!”

“Baked Alaska was created in 1867 to commemorate Seward purchasing Alaska…there is no dirt in it.” replied Josefina.  “Can you cut the butter up into chunks for us, Debbie?” Debbie  gave up the baked Alaska idea and began cutting up the butter enthusiastically yelling “hiiiah!! “On guard butter defend yourself!!”

Josefina continued to measure the flour out in the bowl while Elizabeth whisked it to make sure there were no lumps.

“The book says  not to whisk too hard or flour will go flying and make a mess.” Lea called out from behind the cookbook where she was studying. This concerned Elizabeth who hated making messes. She started doing the whisking very…….very…….very slowly.

“Perhaps not that slowly,” Josefina suggested gently. “Maybe just medium speed and slow down a tad if flour starts to fly.”

“Are you sure?” asked Elizabeth.

“I’m doooooone!!” Debbie called. “What do I do now?”

“Lets see… I think it is time to get out our secret ingredient for the crust,” Elizabeth told her and Josephina agreed.

Debbie hopped down off the counter and got into the refrigerator. She came back carrying a tub of sour cream. She opened it up and started stirring….”Oops!! I got some on my thumb. Can I lick it off?”  she asked eagerly.

She may or may not have gotten some on her thumb on purpose. But,’ it is a fact that she had never tasted sour cream and was very curious to see what it tasted like.

Elizabeth and Josefina weren’t sure if it was good “cooking etiquette” to lick one’s fingers. Lea helped out Debbie by suggesting that it was always a good idea to check and make sure dairy products were not spoiled.

Elizabeth was convinced and agreed. Debbie eagerly licked her thumb….and then made a face. “It isn’t very good. Are you sure we should put this in?” she asked. Josefina said the recipe had great reviews and was highly recommended. They would just have to use it and hope for the best.

Josefina then helped Debbie measure out the sour cream.

“I think we need one more dollop.”

“What is a dollop?”

“It is like a plop.”

After that, they mixed the sour cream into the flour, squished it all together (which is a lot of work for tiny doll hands!!) and stuck it in the refrigerator.

It was time to work on the filling next. They started an apple assembly line.

Josefina pulled the stickers off the apples and handed them to Debbie. Debbie stuck the apples on the peeler and cranked it through until the apple was peeled and sliced.

Elizabeth cut the apple in half, so the apple was now in thin uniform slices.

Finally, Lea was waiting with a big bowl to hold the slices and break up any that happened to be stuck together.

When the apples were all sliced Lea, Josefina, and Elizabeth added the sugars and spices (and everything nice! according to Elizabeth) while Debbie trotted off to fetch the pie pan.

“The pie pan is ready and waiting!” Debbie informed them. She was panting because it was hard work carrying the pie pan up to the counter by herself. She hadn’t wanted to ask to help though.She wanted to see if she could do it herself.

“Thank you, Debbie!” the others told her.

“Debbie, what do you think?” asked Elizabeth “Do we need more cinnamon in here?”

Debbie thought it needed a smidge more, so they added it.

They mixed up the apples…let them sit to release their juices….then it was time to get the pie dough  and roll it out…and assemble the pie. I was informed that this process was TOP SECRET. They didn’t want me to take pictures. After all, they didn’t want to give away all their pie making secrets to the other team.  I was, however,  allowed to take a picture of the pie right before it went into the oven.

“I think the center is perfect now”, Josefina said contentedly. She had been fussing with it and had changed it about 4 times already.

“whoohooo! It is done!!!” Debbie squealed. “It is perfect!!!! the best pie I ever helped to make!!”

“Do you think that petal there needs to be rearranged?” asked Lea reaching for it. ” How many pies have you made?” she asked  Debbie curiously.

“Just this one.” said Debbie winking at her. “I think it is just perfect the way it is.”

“I guess this is the best one I’ve ever helped to make, too.” laughed Lea.

I do think they did a good job. Do you suppose team two will be able to top this one? Wait until tomorrow and see!! Don’t forget to go comment on the giveaway post for a chance (or two!) to win the cute Fall jacket!!