Mini Pies Are Just More Fun

About author / Christine Gable

Culinary enthusiast; kids cuisine and slow cooking; magazine recipe developer; professional writer. Her simple recipes are great for family dinners.

Now that summer’s in full swing, the kids are busy—and that means that depending upon what they’re engaged in, I don’t regularly have a kitchen helper. These warm sunny days find them out and about in all manner of activities (gladly). But on the occasion that they’re hangin’ around or in the house, I’ll call out: “Anybody wanna help ___?” Fill in the blank: slice mushrooms, unwrap bakers chocolate, roll a piecrust, sauté onions, layer lasagna noodles … you get the idea.

Informal results show that I get a helper about 50 percent of the time—and that’s with only two kids in the odds. Of course, I don’t make these helping sessions mandatory since it’s not a normal everyday type of chore—plus, it adds to the “free choice-appeal.” Nope, this is totally okay “whether or not you feel like it” … ‘cause I’ll be doing it anyway. But, as you probably can guess, I’m smiling when they choose to come and help. It gives us a little pocket of time together that is extra-special … and I usually end up learning something about them or their day that I didn’t know before. I don’t know if it’s the slicing, dicing or chopping action of keeping those hands busy, but it seems to have a magic effect of working words and thoughts out, from daily happenings to adventure stories and even complete cooking shows (thanks to daughter).

The current activity: pie crust. She answered my call, saying, “Mommy, I’m not going to help … but I’ll sit and talk to you.” And as I learned all about the Sims family (computer game), whose house she recently built, I mixed and rolled two pie crusts, with a tennis ball-size piece of dough leftover. It was that ideal size ball left to make a mini pie—and we have a stack of pans stowed beside my regular pie plates that haven’t been used much.

“Would you like to make a mini pie with the leftover dough?”

“Yes!” came her enthusiastic reply.

And she was more than ready to dig in. She proceeded to lovingly roll, cut and crimp that pie dough into the mini pan—all the while keeping me fully entertained with a story. And that made it made easy work for me to finish the filling and scoop it into the two regular-size piecrusts—with just enough filling left to fill her mini crust.

That’s the trick when cooking with kids in the kitchen: to provide just enough inspiration and guidance to keep their interest alive, when it shows up—which many be sporadically and for small amounts of time. No guilt trips. No forced fun. The trick is in letting it grow and develop—and following those glimmers of interest and excitement when they occur, however few and far between. The memories of the fun will keep them coming back for more. It’s truly the key to growing a healthy interest in cooking and eating.

Serves/Makes: 8

• 2 (9-inch size) pie crusts, purchased or homemade
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 package (10 ounce size) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 container (24 ounce size) low-fat cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon Adobo seasoning (or sea salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese