I tend to be an anxious person. If I let my mind go…well, I can end up in some pretty dark mental spaces. And so I’m learning the importance of choosing joy for my life and for my family. When I’m met with moments of fear or anxiety, I tell myself, “I choose joy,” and while not fool-proof, this simple mantra works most every time.
Because yes, the world can be scary, but it also swells with warmth and welcome and rest. I’m choosing to attend to the blessings I’ve been given: a beautiful daughter, a wonderful partner, and friends and family that most anyone would envy. I also get to do the things I love: bake, photograph, write. There is much to be joyful about.
When organic apricots went on sale last week, I picked up a few pounds. I’ve loved dried apricots since I was a little girl, but shamefully, I’d never tried the fresh variety. What I found was a tart, firm-fleshed, and sweet summer stone fruit. A new addition to our fruit bowl for sure. But because I bought so many, I turned the last few into these petite apricot pies. Beautiful to look at, even more delightful to eat, these miniature pies would be perfect for a summer picnic.
Petite Apricot Pies
One disc all-butter pie dough
3 ripe apricots, chopped
2-4 TBSP sugar (this depends entirely on the sweetness of your apricots and your tooth)
Lemon
2 TBSP apricot preserves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, combine chopped apricots with sugar and the juice from one lemon. Allow to sit while you prepare pie dough.
Roll out pie dough into a large 9-inch round. Using a small cookie cutter or biscuit cutter (about 3 inches in diameter) cut out 12 rounds of pie dough. You may need to roll scraps out again.
Gently press each round of dough into an ungreased mini muffin tin. Using your fingers, carefully ensure that the dough rises up to the edge. Spoon apricot mixture into each prepared mini pie. Be generous!
Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until fruit begins to caramelize ever so slightly and the crust turns a light golden brown. Remove and brush with apricot preserves. Allow to cool slightly before serving (with or without ice cream).
What a great post. Love your honesty so much. And by the way, these are so incredibly cool, perfect for summer!
I intend to try your mantra…. for the most part over the years I learned to get a grip on my anxiety and tendency to worry, but it’s never a bad idea to have one more tool to use.
I choose joy
I like it – and the mini pies too 😉
These are so beautiful! Mini-desserts are always something that puts a smile on my face. : )
Sounds like something I’m always telling my husband – if he wants to be happy, he has to choose to be happy.
I tend to be pretty anxious too, but it’s easy to find joy in the world when there’s pie like this <3
I have to agree with Matt–this is a fantastic post and totally lovable for its honesty! Fresh apricots really are the food of the gods, and I’m so glad you’ve become a convert, too, Monet 🙂
Apricots always remind me of my grandmother’s house — she always had them in a bowl on the table when they were in season. I scooped some up at my farmer’s market last week hoping to make something delicious like your pies with them. These little bites look so fresh and amazing! 🙂
WOW!! These look amazing and oh so cute!! Talk about an adorable little dessert! So sweet and cute 🙂
Monet, this is why I love your blog so much. Yes, I’m always in awe of the delicious and gorgeous foods you make (including these beautiful petite apricot pies! I would have a very hard time stopping myself from popping them all into my mouth!) but because you are honest, thoughtful and so incredibly refreshingly open about your life, struggles and joy. It’s funny because I wrote about a lot of the same things in my post today: my struggle with sadness, depression and anxiety, but also the need to love and appreciate the wonderful things in my life. I can totally relate to every word you’ve written. And I’m so glad you tried fresh apricots – they’re delicious, right?!
These little pies are so beautiful, and super-simple to boot! I definitely want to keep this in mind as a way to tackle our imminent plum harvest.
What a great way to use lots of apricots. I have a bad habit of over buying fruit. I’m with you, choose happy. Your mood the one thing you have absolute control over. 😀
Lovely pies made by a lovely person, glad you have found your happiness…enjoy it:)
Have to be the cutest pies ever!
Love that you choose to be happy. I know what you’re saying…it is a choice and I tell myself this often as well so I’m with you! : ) And these mini apricot pies make me happy. Beautiful food like this and food blogs like yours that share all this goodness makes me happy!
Everyday I have to remind myself to focus on the good things rather than the bad. And you’re right, it really does work.
These mini pies are so cute! They have summer written all over them.
I’ve actually never had a fresh apricot – which is just crazy! These little pies look so good!
I hear ya – I can be pretty anxious / worry wart in general but I’ve really been trying to focus on all the positive these days!
I haven’t’ had apricots in quite some time, but with these beautiful pies that’s all about to change! They look so yummy!
So crazy that you’d never had a fresh apricot before! I love them for sure. These little pies are adorable and I”m sure, delicious 🙂
Really, you had never tried an apricot? They are my favorite fruit, together with cherries. These pies are a thing of beauty!
Good mantra… or better yet: I choose the petite apricot pies!
ela h.
The little apricot pies look lovely, Monet. I love that the ingredient list is so simple so that the fruit is really able to shine through. I don’t use fresh apricots nearly enough, either, but they are incredible!
There’s a lot of crummy stuff in the world, but loads of joy, too. I know what you mean about deliberately choosing joy. Doesn’t always work, but it does much more often than not. Lovely little pies — two (or three!) for me, please. 😉
These are adorable… LOVE it! And that photo with the ice cream… I want to dive right through the screen and eat that up!!!
these little pies are so pretty! I’m to try your mantra next time I have a fit of anxiety – wish me luck!
These are just too precious for words. I struggle with the dark mental places, too… I’m going to try your mantra. Thank you for sharing it.