Nibblefest Started Last Night Without Me, Drat....

.....so thank goodness there is the 5-Day auction option, which I fully intend to utilize....!

(in the meantime to see all the great entries so far this month,
click here)....

I get so annoyed with myself when Nibblefest sneaks up on me -- never mind that it happens pretty much each and every month....!  Oh sure, in the back of my mind I knew the August 20th deadline was fast approaching.  And I did spend a lot of time over the weeks pondering in my head the theme that is 'Coffee'.  Still, with all the hub-bub around here (daughter's first day of public school this morning, and my son home again for his late-summer break) I ended up getting an atrociously late start on my entry this time around.  Like even more than usual.  And despite painting like a madwoman last night, and getting soooo close, in the end I didn't quite finish in time.   So yeah, I blew it -- but oh well, I'll get it completed and uploaded in time for a 5-Day auction tomorrow.  Yay for second chances...!  

In the meantime, for fun, I will upload a summer full of... PIES.   For whatever reason, I suppose mostly due to my usually absent sweet-toothed son hanging around here on break, not to mention all the wonderful abundant fresh fruit at the ready this time of year, these past couple of months I've just had the irresistible urge to bake.  This in spite of our frequently horrible summer heat (though I did arrange my baking around the weather, taking advantage of cooler days here and there).  And  despite most of all the fact that I'm really ordinarily quite a bit the health nut (but I guess we all need to let our hair down once in awhile?).  So who knows what got into me exactly, I've simply found it a really pleasant distraction lately to bake for my appreciative family (while being sure to make up for it with a very healthy low-fat, veggie-laden menu otherwise).....

Here are some of the results of this summer's baking obsession 

(unlikely to win win Blue Ribbons for looks, but trust me, that's some FLAKY crust) :

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Pie (left) and fresh Blueberry-Peach (right)

A Strawberry Glace Pie (Left), and Banana Cream With Leftover Strawberry Topping (left), plus a pile (top) of Cinnamon Twists (cinnamon rolls with a different 'shape')....

Red Raspberry Lattice-Top

Not pie, but still quite yummy: Olive-Rosemary Sourdough Bread....

A straight-up Blueberry.....

A straight-up Rhubarb....

Old-fashioned Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust (my son's idea to try this).....

Blackberry....!

Now I promise you, I need to be eating pie just about as much as I need a hole in the head.  So it's probably a good thing I prefer the act of baking them more than the act of actually eating them (one small sliver with a  few bites just to taste, and I'm good.  And hold the ice cream..!).  It's just nice to appreciate my family's appreciation -- and all in good fun....