Life is a series of doing stupid little things.  I found this to be true in regards to higher education.  I spent a lot of time getting to classes and setting up child care so I could go to those classes. I spent a lot of time taking children to and from their child care so I could go those classes.  I spent a lot of time in class listening, participating, and asking questions (after class) I was too embarrassed to ask in class. I spent a lot of time in professors offices asking questions I was too embarrassed to ask in class and in advisers offices setting up schedules to take sequences of classes that may lead to a degree if I continued to do all the stupid little things.  I’ve come to the realization that I probably spent more time jumping through hoops in order to complete a degree than I did actually learning.

I shouldn’t be so harsh. I actually learned a lot about staying power, jumping through hoops, and patience!

Everything is like this, to a degree, in life.  Even just a simple day in the life of a human is a series of doing stupid little things.  Getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, showering, etc… are all part of this series of steps we take usually without thinking.

Sometimes just one little extra, out of the ordinary, thing can throw me off and intensely annoy me.  Something as simple as simple as having to call and check on a prescription that wasn’t ready the moment I expected it to be.  You mean to tell me that I got out of bed, made coffee, checked my email, and now I have to make a phone call to the pharmacy to ask about my prescription? Why can’t I just be happy that the medication I was prescribed even exists?

Now I’m happy! Something as simple as writing this post about my psychological hang ups helped me realize that life is good!  I have the rest of the day with my family.  I feel worlds better physically than I did last week (because of modern medicine), all the appliances in my home are functioning correctly, I have a home! I can safely say that my positive outlook is back in working order.  I can also check this pie off my list of things I’ve wanted try in my lifetime.

I realize I didn’t come up with the idea for this Caramel Brownie Pie combination.  This is merely my version.  I put together my go-to (most favorite) sweet pie crust recipe with a cake like brownie that isn’t overly sweet.  Then I topped it with a simple sweet/salty caramel.  It was the near perfect combination I thought it would be!  It’s a little labor intensive. But, you can tell that by looking at it.  You have to make three separate things.  But, it goes a lot faster than you would anticipate once you get started.  Preparing food is therapy for me so I don’t usually get too intimidated by complicated recipes as long as time isn’t an issue.  

It’s a once in a lifetime must try!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, have a great week, and try not to get too annoyed by all the stupid things you have to do today!

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Caramel Brownie Pie

Ingredients

• crust:
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces, kept very cold
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening cut into small pieces, kept very cold
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. ice water
• brownie layer:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp. oil I used grape seed
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• caramel:
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter room temperature, cut in pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

1. crust:
2. In a large food processor combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Add the cold butter and shortening and pulse until you get a pea sized consistency in your dough.
4. Drizzle in the water while the processor is turned on until the dough begins to clump together. You may not use all of the water.
5. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and form into a disc. You may need to add more water if the dough will not come together.
6. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
7. When you are ready to make the pie, preheat your oven to 425°F.
8. Roll dough out onto a well-floured surface to about 1/8 of an inch thick. Because of the pastry flour, this dough is very delicate. I rolled my dough out on a large floured piece of parchment paper. Then I wrapped it around my rolling pin (with the parchment paper) and carefully unrolled it into the pie tin.
9. Next. I fit the dough to the tin using my fingers. Then I crimped the edges with my fingers and pinched off the excess dough.
10. At this point, I take a fork and prick all the surfaces (sides, corners, and bottom) of my crust so it will keep its shape while baking. A lot of people will place parchment paper and dry beans or pie weights into the crust to bake it so the crust will not distort. I just make my holes with my fork and cross my fingers!
11. Next, bake your crust for 10 to 15 minutes (until the top edges are golden brown).
12. brownie:
13. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the sugar, butter, and egg together on medium speed.
14. Meanwhile in a medium bowl add together the cocoa powder and oil. Mix until well combined.
15. Add the cocoa powder mixture to the butter mixture. Beat at medium speed until well combined.
16. In a separate, medium sized, bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
17. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
18. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined but not over mixed.
19. Pour and spread evenly in prepared pie crust. (Depending on the size of your pie tin you may or may not use all of the brownie batter, only fill 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up.)
20. Place a pie ring or tin foil over the top edges of the pie crust so they do not burn.
21. Place on middle rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
22. After 30 minutes remove from the oven and cool.
23. Adapted From: Courtship Brownies on page 145 of The Essential Mormon Cookbook by Julie Badger Jensen
24. caramel:
25. While the brownie is cooling, prepare the caramel sauce.
26. Get all caramel sauce ingredients together before starting the sauce (once the sugar begins to caramelize the process moves very fast).
27. In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the sugar while stirring/whisking it. The sugar will clump together. Just keep stirring it will eventually melt.
28. When the sugar is completely melted and begins to boil, stop stirring, and watch closely.
29. The sugar will begin to turn a caramel color. When it begins to turn a dark caramel/amber color (at this point the sugar can burn quickly so don't let it get too dark) carefully add the butter while stiring/whisking (the sugar will bubble up when you do this).
30. When the butter is melted (it only takes a few seconds) remove the pan from the heat and add the cream and salt. Stir until combined and smooth.
31. Let the sauce sit on the stove top and cool for about 10 minutes.
32. Pour sauce over pie (covering the entire brownie). You may have a little left over. You can store it I'm the fridge for up to a week.
33. Adapted from Salted Caramel Sauce by Two Peas and Their Pod
34. Slice yourself a huge hunk of pie and Eat!!!