Well, folks. My iphone app says this:

Event: Turning 40

Happening NOW.

It’s here. It’s the eve of my 40th birthday, and tomorrow, I’m not planning on baking any pies. But today, I baked two new ones. They were selected solely on the basis of what I already had in my pantry and fridge. After baking them both, I have ONE egg left in my house. Makes a baker sweaty….

Before I share those, here’s a slice of yesterday’s Banoffee Pie. It was super delicious, and I won’t tell you how much I’ve had….I will make this one again for sure.

The first pie today was Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, whose recipe I found in my PIE cookbook. I have really enjoyed that “delightful pastry tome,” as the cover calls it. It had lots of cookie ingredients in a regular pie shell; eggs, butter, flour, milk, 2 kinds of sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips. The only thing I left out was walnuts. I don’t love ’em that much, and I’d always prefer a cookie without nuts, so I just didn’t add them. I added some extra chocolate chips instead. Besides, my husband’s allergic to walnuts.

It was very easy to make–only took me about 10 minutes to mix everything together and get it in the crust. It did bake for a full hour, and the book said not to worry about the top crust looking quite brown, so I didn’t.The crust got a little wonky on the edges, but I don’t think that will impact the taste. Who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies?

Pie #63 was a Fluffly Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie. I found the recipe on the back of the paper stuck in a store bought pie pan. Amazingly, I had exactly enough cream cheese to put this one together. I was glad to find one more can of pumpkin in my pantry, too. I’ll have to replace that one, because we always make pumpkin muffins for breakfast on Thanksgiving, and it’ll be here before you know it.

We’re saving the pies for tomorrow evening, when a few friends are coming over to watch a movie. Can’t wait to celebrate–with pie!

If you had told me on September 24, when I baked that first peach pie, that I would bake 63 pies by November 4, I’m not sure I’d have believed you. Crazy. Will I stop baking them now? Probably not. You might not see pie every day in my house, but now it will be a welcome guest. The holidays are coming–great excuse for more pie!

What have I learned in 40 days (plus a few) of pie baking?

1. Food can definitely be art.
2. Sometimes, you must slow down and concentrate to do something properly.
3. Even when you mess up, something good can happen.
4. Some things are worth the wait.
5. Some things aren’t.
6. Paying attention to details matters–sometimes.
7. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
8. Everyone likes gifts, and people should give more of them.
9. Gifts don’t always cost money.
10. Pie–like life–is so good, but it’s even better shared with others.

That’s my plan for now…to welcome the years with arms open wide.

“Oh, how sweet the light of day,
And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!
Even if you live a long time,don’t take a single day for granted.Take delight in each light-filled hour.”

Ecclesiastes 11:7-8

(The Message)