Mini Fruit Pie Perogie Thingies

So I got all fancy and tried to take a nice picture.  This is what you get, so be impressed, please.

   I want you all to know that I may have to coin that phrase now, "Mini fruit pie perogie thingies" is going to be the name of my new cook book.  Or not, either way you heard it here first.

  So this is one of those, I wanted something fast, and I didn't get what I wanted at the store and I wanted to use an old tool I had, and I wanted it to be easy.  ( That's what she said.)

This was my set up, before the cherry pie filling hit the fan.  Or you know, got all over my stuff.

  Anyway,  I had plans to make some box mix cupcakes and I wanted to make another fast item to post about, and to take to work.  So I decided to revisit the fruit pies that I made with Pork Chop and his friend.  So I hit the store on the way home looking for pie filling and pie crust.  And this store is going in my bad books, I am always finding pass due stuff, but this time topped them all.  All the apple pie filling cans were covered in a thick layer of dust. That should have been my first clue, then I checked the dates.  I am so anal about best before dates, it drives Hubby nuts.  Anyway, they all expired in May of 2011.  It is June 2012 people.  I told a few people working their and the answer was "oh the people are all young here."

What does that even mean?

I have this rolling pin, Hubby really wanted it. I think we may have used it twice, so now it is three times.  We have a kitchen gadget issue obviously.

  So I sent an email to head office, I mean someone could get sick if they eat the old stuff right?  I mean one time it was week past due cottage cheese. But as of this post, no reply so what do I know right?

  Okay back to the pies.  So I ended up with cherry and pumpkin pie filling.  I grabbed three packs of the ready made pie crust and headed home.

I am sure if you wanted you could take the scraps and roll them back out, but you know how I am about extra work right? 

  I wanted to make small perogie size pies, because then you can eat like 4 and it is still not as bad as a big slice of pie.  Sort of.  So I had these perogie makers I got back in college.  And I actually used them in class, twice I think.  They were like $1 in china town, so it was worth it.  I like how easy they are to use and how small they make stuff.

See how clean this is, that was about to change, but not until after I took pictures.

  So to start I wanted to try pumpkin pie until I actually read the label, after I got home, and it said you needed to add an egg and evaporated milk.  I didn't have that milk, and I figured that even if I did it would make the filling too watery to work in my little perogie maker thing.  So I opted to just do cherry.

  As I was setting this all up, Pork Chop asked what I was doing, so I told him "Making baby pies like we did with So and So."  And he looked at me and said something like "I hope they are not ugly like mine" And I felt bad because he only remembered how his looked compared to his friends, not the fun of making them. So being the good mom I was I said "Yours were great!"  And he gave me "the look" and I just kept smiling like crazy, and so he walked away, and I think he was actually shaking his head.

I figured three cherries and just a tiny bit of the sauce was more than enough.  Then brushing the edges with egg wash helps them stick together.

 Anyway,I started by laying out the pie crusts, you get two in a pack.  I rolled it out just a bit to make it a little thinner.  Then I cut out the circles using the perogie maker.  I got 10 large and 6 mini ones out of each package of crust.

  Then I layed one crust in the maker, and pushed it in a little to make a dent.  Then I put a tiny bit of filling, too much and they explode.  Don't ask me how I know this.  Then I brushed the edges with egg wash.  I just mixed an egg with some water.  Then close and press the perogie maker and it seals it all together.  I placed them all on a parchment lined cookie sheet and brushed them with more egg wash.

After this one everything was covered in cherry pie filling.  I got a little carried away with it and wanted to put more in.  This was one of those times when less is more.  Which really makes no sense at all.

  I baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 9 minutes, just until the crust was browning.

  Then I used the mini circles to make chocolate peanut butter pies.  I needed something tiny and did not just want  chocolate so I used these itty bitty peanut butter cups I had.  I had to be careful, 3 of them was the max that would fit in the pie.  I sealed and egg washed them like the big pies, and they took about 7 minutes to bake.

This was my first try, I tied to put in 4 of those tiny candies and it made the stupid pie crust break, so only 3 would fit.

   Now I did bring a few to work, but I actually put a bunch in a plastic container and froze them.  I figure I can pop them in the toaster oven for a quick treat and that would be perfect.

  Pork Chop really wanted to try them, but didn't actually as far as I know.  But I loved them, and I swear one day I will do pumpkin.  This is a little pricey as the pie filling and crust are not that cheap, but if you are not lazy like me you could actually do it all from scratch.  And you know that will never happen in my home right?

Again, the professional picture I took.  I know, I just keep telling myself you come here for the humor and not the pictures.

 Also I think that pie is the new pop tart, you know, only without lots of icing.  So they are a healthier option for us.

  See what I did right there?  I just justified you being able to eat these for breakfast.

  Your welcome!


I'm linking up HERE

 

Fun New Place in Toronto to Play and a Giveaway! Sky Zone

  So this is going to be a picture heavy post, I so want you to see how fun this place is!  Firstly this is a place near Toronto Ontario.  So if you don't live near me, there are other locations all over the USA.  Just check out their website.  

 So basically I am going to tell you all about this place, the fun Pork Chop and I had there, then give away a few passes to the local blog readers I have.  Sound good?  Well if not, there are going to be lots of pictures of Pork Chop bouncing around, out of focus.  

If that doesn't keep you around, I don't know what else will.

If you cannot tell, that is a whole floor of trampolines.  And the walls?  Yep they are trampolines too!

So way back on March break when I was home with a sick little Pork Chop we saw this kids show and they were at this trampoline place.  Pork Chop was in awe, he was like "I want to go there!"  So of coarse being the super special mom that I am, I told him sure.  And like most things I thought he would forget.  

He did  talk about it again, so I knew it was a lost cause.  Now also because I am the worst mom, I didn't know what the place was called, so I googled for trampoline parks and what not.  All of the ones I found said you had to either take classes or have a birthday party.  I didn't want that, there is no way I am signing him up for another sport, hockey is it, and even that is only in the cold months.  I want my summers free to just have fun.  As in not making Hubby get up at 5:30 to go to practice.

So I actually found this site on a message board I read for weight loss patients.  I found the site and I was sold.

See that is Pork Chop bouncing off the walls, literally.  And it 's not in my house, total win - win!

  This place is called Sky Zone, it is a trampoline park and it is amazing!  The website has all their information, you can read it all there in the link I provided.  The best part?  They have drop in jumps, so any old person can show up, pay and jump until they pee their pants. 

 Which I almost did.

  Just saying.  

You can even buy time on line to ensure you get a spot, as they are super busy on weekends and such, I recommend that if you are going for the first time.  I did buy on line the first time, just half an hour each.  We showed up and the place was not too busy, we had the run of the place almost, then it started to fill up as parents and students came in.  As we were leaving they even had an aerobics class going on.  

He looks so cute airborne, and the fact he is moving so fast means my crappy pictures are even better.  Sigh.

So I filled out the online wavers for us and when we showed up they signed us in, gave us our special shoes and time stickers and we went out to jump.  Now I thought, I am the cool mom, I am going to be bouncing all over, the other parents are going to be all "wow! Look at her, I sure wish I was that cool."

 And then I got on the trampoline, and fell on my butt.  Seriously, second step in and I was down.  But I haven't been on a trampoline in my adult life, so you know, at least there were not too many people watching.  Also, be sure to go potty first, not sure if it is a woman or mom thing, if you know what I mean, but I nearly peed my pants.  Can you imagine, me falling on my butt, peeing my pants and goodness knows what else.  Pork Chop would be scared more than he already is.

And down he goes, he is like this in everything, loves to fall.  Hockey, he is on the ice more than on his skates.

See each one of those mats, you get your own when it is busy, when it isn't you can sort of move around, but never share a trampoline for safety.

And face first into the wall.  I didn't even try to bounce off the walls, that could have ended badly.

Okay so now that you know I need depends when doing activity.  Lets move on.

They have this large main jump area, that they net off so the larger kids won't hurt the littler ones, and as a parent you may be on one side and your kid on the other.  Not a big deal.  Also they let you toss dodge balls around, so fun, I got Pork Chop in the wee wee last week and he told me I hit him in "the grapes of wrath"  I have no clue where this kid gets it.  The same day he also told me he wanted disco hair when I told him he needed a hair cut.  Must be from Hubbies side.

He just had so much fun and boy did he work up a sweat.  So did I but there are no pictures of that.  I have a reputation to uphold you know.

And down again.  Obviously.

  So I have a system where I jump for half an hour ( okay I pay for half an hour, jump time may vary, it's hard!) Then Pork Chop gets an hour, so we play then he goes for the extra half hour while I drink water and take blurry pictures.

The day I took these pictures I met the owner, she was really nice and I asked if I could blog about the place.  She said of coarse yes.  I mean if I was going to say mean things I wouldn't have told her, or asked.  I am tough that way, say mean things and hope no one ever finds out.

So she said she opened the place to try to get kids off the couch and getting active.  I agree, even though I let Pork Chop play way too many X Box games, but hey I try.

So she gave me all these great flyer s to scan, and then my stupid computer broke, and you all know I am useless with these things right?  So I will just say, check out the site.  So much stuff.  They have special toddler time, toddler aerobics, adult aerobics, teen nights, younger kid night, and all of it is drop in, so no signing up.  They also have dodge ball, which I will never do.  I mean Pork Chop alone can pick me off, so I wouldn't last long at all. Oh and birthdays, which Pork Chop now wants to have here.

So fun!

So they also have a foam pit, which sounds as fun as a pit of something can sound.  I tried it a few times, Pork Chop of coarse loved it.  Me, well trying to drag my huge butt out of a pit of foam blocks with a tiny little rope to pull on, not my favorite thing.  But you should try it for sure.  The people there were so nice, they came over and taught us how to do flips into the foam.  Try to guess which one of us didn't try it.  Go on, bet you can't.

This is the foam pit,

So the foam pit is two trampolines, you are supposed to jump and then fall into the pit.  Some kids were doing these amazing things, me, I was lucky I didn't trip.

Boing!

He loved this! I couldn't get a good picture of him going in, but trust me he loved it.

And then he wanted to dance.

And pose.

And just do what it is that little Pork Chops do when they are on a trampoline.

So now on to the give away.  When I was leaving the super nice owner gave me two free half hour jump passes.  And I was all, score!  Then I thought, that is cool, but someone else really needs to try this place out, so I will give them away.  So I hope even if you don't win you check it out.

Contest rules!!!

I would like to thank everyone for commenting, but if you are not able to actually use the prize or pass it on to someone that can, please just let me know you are not interested in the passes.  Because I love reading your comments:)

-only open to Canadian citizens, and preferable ones who live near Toronto, or know someone that does.

(excluding Quebec, it's a far drive anyway)

-you must answer a skill testing question. 8x3=?

-I will not need the answer until I pick you as the winner, that should be easier that way

-the value of the prize is about $16, and I will mail them out as soon as a winner is announced and they contact me

-the winner will be chosen by random.org from all entries.  they have 48 hours to respond, if they do not I will pick another winner with random.org

-contest closed on April 11 at 12 noon Toronto time.

*I was not asked to right this post or compensated in any way.  If you pee your pants while attempting to jump on a trampoline, you are obligated to let me know in the comment section so I won't feel so bad about myself.*