Welcome to Barefoot in the Kitchen!!

Barefoot grew out of a love of all things homemade, country recipes, and the joy of cooking with people I love.

I grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Upstate New York, equipped with 50 acres of beautiful countryside, a huge family garden, and a close knit community. My mother, Kate, taught my older brother and I to bake pies when we were still in middle school and they quickly became my favorite dessert to eat and to make. Shared family recipes and large holiday feasts were commonplace and the joy of cooking and baking for those I love quickly imprinted itself.

Fast forward 10 years. This Country Mouse takes the plunge and moves to the Big, Bad, City (specifically, the more more inviting borough of Astoria), with three of my best friends from college. Together we embark on many culinary adventures; some truly tasty (those brown butter cupcakes!), some a little strange (….avocado buttercream?…), but all full of love and unforgettable memories (pretty much everything we’ve ever created in the kitchen together).

I started Barefoot in the hopes of spreading the love and creative cooking we started in our little kitchen. Baking (barefoot!) has become a haven for me and a way to clear my head and open my heart. I hope that the recipes you find and the memories you create while cooking them are as rich and long-lasting as they have been for me (Though that long-lasting part may be hard to follow when it comes to what you bake up!)!

Much love, and even more PIE to you.

Questions? Comments? Want me to make you a pie?

You can contact me at barefootinkitchen@gmail.com or on Facebook by searching “Barefoot in the Kitchen”.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie with Lemon-Scented Crust

Crust and topping adapted from joythebaker.com, filling adapted from family recipes.

Crust and topping:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

zest of two lemons

Filling:

3 cups diced rhubard

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

3 Tablespoons flour

Dash each of nutmeg and cinnamon

For crust: In small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest with your fingers to activate the lemon oils. Combine the rest of the crust ingredients with a fork until dry and crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crust mixture for the topping. Press remaining crust into an eight-inch pie pan.

For filling: Combine all ingredients into a large bowl, flavoring with more or less nutmeg or cinnamon (depending on what you like). Pour filling mixture into pie pan. Sprinkle with the remaining pie crust mixture.

Bake: 400 degrees for 20 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. Then lower oven to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 40 minutes, 20 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered. Let cool until ready to serve.

As a rule of thumb, I let the pie bake until the filling has thickened and is bubbling nicely. Make sure you keep an eye on the crust, as it will brown quickly if uncovered. This crust is less structured, so your pie may be a little runny. If this happens, call it a Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler and call it a day!