Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey

I made this pie for Jennifer Perillo, in memory of her husband Mikey and for their girls.

I also made this pie for Heidi, my family's beloved chocolate lab who passed away recently after proving the vet wrong and living a year and half past when they said she would.

Finally I made this pie for Warren (known to most of you as the Boy), Mom, Dad, Ryan, Jill, Christopher, AJ, Eileen, Rich, Colleen, Nina, Jesse, Suzanne, Allyson, Brad, Chuck, Colm, Jessica, Erica and so many more friends and family who I don't get to see nearly as much as I'd like.  Who I don't tell that I love nearly as much as I should.  Who mean more to me that I think they know. 

I made it for them. All of them. 

I was inspired to make it as a result of Jennifer's request but also because as she put off making this pie for Mikey, I too often put off connecting with my loved ones.  Life just always seems to get in the way and when you live in a different country and often time zone from those you love, it becomes all too easy to make excuses or put off calling to say the things you feel or even just doing the things you mean to.  

So I took the time to make this pie.  I also took the time last night to call my sister. We spoke for almost an hour.  It's only been a couple of weeks since we last spoke, but that's far too long.  I pocket dialed my brother this morning, which was a good thing because we ended up talking and catching up, something we hadn't done in even longer.   It seems so much more important now than it did before to take that time.  I hope that I continue to take that time and don't let my job, life and international borders get in the way.  

You are going to see so many peanut butter pies on the web for mikey today and over the next few days.  It's our way of supporting the Perillo's and honoring a husband and father.  As bloggers, we are supporting one of our own. 

I cook and bake to show love, as I think do many of my fellow bloggers.  We cook to nourish our families, as well as our minds and souls.  We have this intangible connection because of that.  We meet in real life at conferences and events, but for the most part all of these connections are virtual and yet they are still so strong.  This simple act of so many of us making a pie and sharing it as a way to support and reach people make that connection stronger and clearer.  It's beautiful to have something so special come out of something so devastating.

In honor of Mikey and your own loved ones, make this pie.  It will make you a part of something so much bigger than yourself.  Share it with the people you love, tell them you love them.  There is no better time than right now.

Click on over to the Food Network Blog for an updated list of everyone who has baked along.