The Challenge

Pies, Pies, Pies by Wayne Thiebaud; 1961 Oil on Canvas.
Located at Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento

I'm the type of person that likes to try something different; so the challenge of making 52 completely different pies is something I'm fairly comfortable with.

However, to commit myself to making it happen continuously every week for an entire year scares me.  I also planning on having pictures taken of every single pie that I make, and that is a little overwhelming to me. I have had my share of failures in the kitchen, and to know eventually in the coming year I will have to own up to that fact publicly is slightly intimidating. 

In this world of  TV cooking shows where the camera only shows a single cook cooking an entire spread in less than 30 minutes, the average cook has been tricked in thinking that they must somehow be inept. I am guessing the common fare in busy households across America on any given night is Hamburger Helper, fish sticks, or macaroni & cheese. Can these families cook better meals? Of course they could, but after a long day at the office or running kids to their activities; it is a treat to the cook to take a box out of the cabinet and instantly have a meal. In the past, I have had grand plans on making fresh meals for a whole month, even to the point of making out a whole month's of meals on a calendar only to have something come up where I had to skip cooking in the kitchen to sit with a sick kid or go to an unexpected meeting. I could always throw some instant pudding in a boughten pie shell and declare "Pie", but I am challenging myself to 52 truly homemade pies complete with pictures and recipes.

Even though I am hoping this next year is a smashing success with 52 perfect pies, I know there is reality. I hope my future failures can inspire busy people to be okay with doing what you can under your circumstances.

I don't like to fail, and I don't intend to do anything half-way so this is truly going to be a challenge for me. Easy as Pie Challenge 2014!