Pie Night...Another One

"The most wonderful night of the year" according to a friend who attended Garlick Family Pie Night this past weekend! Fifteen scrumptious deserts made the holiday lineup this year.

Did you know it takes 44 eggs, 5 pounds of butter, and over 25 cups of sugar to turn these empty pie tins...

into this...

and this...all in one day! 

Incidentally, while measuring ingredients for the final pie, a Lemon Meringue...I'm one egg short of the 4 the recipe required. All afternoon...willing those chickens in the backyard coop to lay one more egg. Dean go squeeze a chicken or something!

Cream...lots and lots of cream...

almost an entire gallon.

Two complete bottles of red food coloring for the Red Velvet Cake.

8 bricks of cream cheese, and pounds of pecans, bananas, apples, peaches, coconut, lemons, key limes,

Big thanks to Joni...for taking most of these photos while I served pie

and flour...a TON of flour. But don't worry, I take all the fat and calories out...just in case you are worried!


There is always a flurry of last minute tasks (like wiping flour from my face and sugar off the floor) before everyone arrives. Once the doorbell rings, anxious pie eaters converge on the delectable sweet spread of yummy goodness, trying their best to decide which slice or slices to taste. Mother and daughter, Susie and Meghan came all the way up from the big city.

As friends and neighbors gather in my home,


I can't help but reflect on each of them and the perfect and poignant role they play in my life. I love Michelle's look...this being her first pie night, she seems eager to jump right in.

A friend of The Teenager's samples German Chocolate Pie...the latest addition to the pie lineup.

Olivia learning to use a fork ends up wearing most of her attempt.

Over the years, the guest list has grown, and so has my love for all of them.

Another couple of rookies to pie night this year...I was completely surprised when Karen and hubby Mark peeked around the corner.


Posing with Joni, I am reminded of my infamous college years spent giggling and eating late night Lucky Charms instead of studying. These girls have known me even longer than Dean. Collectively we've experienced years of ups and downs, remaining close to cheer each other on through it all.


It seems The Teenager has been charming the ladies.

To some people it may seem a tremendous amount of work...spending an entire day baking pies preparing for a big party. But the tradition of pie night is as important to The Garlick Press as decorating our Christmas tree.

And now that Pie Night is over for another year...I can really relax and enjoy the holidays ahead! Just don't ask me to make another pie crust for quite a while.