It had to happen

This long, warm summer lulled us into complacency, but the first fall storm blew in yesterday.  A good night for chili and pie, made with apples brought home from eastern Washington.

For the homemade crust I tried the "vodka trick" for the first time. It sounds weird--  instead of using water to bind the dough in the final step, substitute a few tablespoons of vodka.  We don't drink the stuff, but there was a bottle laying around from a party a few years ago.  It made the smoothest most elastic dough ever, like something an expert would roll out on the Food Network.  The crust handled so well I thought it would be tough, but it baked flaky and light with no taste of booze.  Give it a try sometime.

October 14th is always National Dessert Day.  Never mind the calories and fat, in America we love our sweets and have the waistlines to prove it.  There are lists of everything on the internet so you would think a seasoned researcher could find the most popular desserts in America, but it varies by region.  Here's the generic list:

1.  Cheesecake
2.  Cupcakes
3.  Jello
4.  Carrot cake
5.  Fudge
6.  Apple pie
7.  Ice cream
8.  Brownies
9.  Chocolate chip cookies
10. Chocolate cake

Happy National Dessert Day!