The Silence of the Llamas (32 page)

Authors: Anne Canadeo

Notes from the Black Sheep Knitting Shop Bulletin Board

Dear Friends,

I’d just like to thank Maggie and the patrons of the Black Sheep Knitting Shop who have been such big fans of Laughing Llama hand-spun yarns over the past few months. As you all know, this enterprise got off to a shaky start, but we are looking forward to a new year and increased production of our quality yarns.

Come visit the farm and meet our friendly, funny llamas. Stop by the Country Store for hand-spun and hand-woven products and plenty of good things to eat. You’ll have to wait until next fall for our apple orchard stand to open again, but you can enjoy a delicious pie any time of the year.

Here’s my favorite recipe for an easy pie crust from the Laughing Llama Farm Cookbook. Enjoy, and hope to see you at the farm very soon.

Ellie

Laughing Llama Perfect Pie Crust

Makes enough dough for one double- or two single-crust pies.

INGREDIENTS

2
¹/
₂cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1
¹/
₂sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, very cold

4 tablespoons shortening, chilled

1/3 cup ice water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in food processor or large bowl. Pulse to mix. Or mix through by hand with a fork or wire whisk. Add butter and shortening.

Pulse in brief bursts. Or mix by hand with pastry tool, or fork, until butter is in small bits—you should still see pieces about raisin-size. Do not overblend butter. Better to be lumpy and undermixed than smooth and overmixed.

Add water and process until dough is just beginning to make a ball. Pour out on flour board and shape into two equal-size balls.

Chill for one hour in refrigerator and roll out balls of dough in circular shapes with rolling pin that has been dusted with flour.

Place one circle of dough in a buttered pie dish and fill with 3 to 4 cups of fruit filling (such as sliced apples, peaches, or blueberries). Season fruit with cinnamon and sugar to taste.

Place second circle of dough over filling and crimp edges to seal.

Make a few thin slits with sharp knife in top layer of dough, and bake on middle rack of preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on type of filling.

If edges of pie get overly brown, cover rim of crust with foil.

Notes from the Black Sheep Knitting Shop Bulletin Board

Hi Everyone,

My friends just can’t seem to get enough of my fabulous carrot muffins, maybe because they are so tasty and made with nutritious ingredients. I’m sharing this recipe so you can all make your own . . . and let me get back to my knitting.

Specifically, Matt’s argyle vest. Yes, I know this has been an endless saga, especially for an article of clothing that doesn’t even have sleeves. But if he doesn’t find it under our Christmas tree a few weeks from now, Santa may have to bring me a new boyfriend.

Only kidding . . . I hope.

xo Lucy

Carrot Muffins with Applesauce

INGREDIENTS

1
¹/
₄cups whole wheat flour

¹/
₄cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¹/
₂teaspoon baking powder

¹/
₂teaspoon baking soda

¹/
₄teaspoon sea salt

1 cup grated carrots

¹/
₂cup unsweetened applesauce

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

¹/
₄cup milk

¹/
₄cup canola or safflower oil

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour a 12-cup standard muffin tin or use muffin papers. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine carrots, applesauce, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.

Add half the carrot mixture to the flour mixture, stir until blended, then add the rest of the carrot mixture.

Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional but pretty yummy, all agree)

INGREDIENTS

¹/
₂cup softened sweet butter

1–2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 ounces softened cream cheese

4–5 cups powdered sugar (amount needed will vary)

Beat butter, vanilla, and cream cheese in a mixing bowl on medium speed. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and continue mixing. Add in more sugar, 1 cup at a time, until consistency of frosting is smooth enough to spread, but not runny.

Use immediately or refrigerate for later use. Frosting will need to soften a bit at room temperature in order to spread after being refrigerated.

ANNE CANADEO
is the bestselling author of more than thirty books, including her popular Black Sheep Knitting Mystery series and the Cape Light series, written as Katherine Spencer. She lives in Northport, New York. You can contact her at
[email protected]
or visit her on Facebook.