Butterscotch Pie

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Some friends are made slowly over time.
Years of playdates and dinner dates and remembering birthdates.
And, some friends are just made.
Like when you see how immensely cool their blog is
and you mail them half of a broken-hearted BFF necklace
before they ever even know your name.
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This sort of a scenario may or may not have occurred one afternoon when Melissa Valeriote stumbled upon my blog and I happened to stumble right back, falling head over heels in adore with her clever, witty blog full of her clever, witty creations.
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If you've ever desired life in a kingdom ruled jointly by Tim Burton, Roald Dahl, and Ginger Rogers, then you must visit the world of Valeriote Design. It's utterly whimsylicious.
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Within moments of meeting, we both agreed to clear our chaotic pre-holiday calendars, unite provinces for a day, and ask each other all the intimate questions one might expect Barbara Walters to ask a two-headed woman in the mid-stages of childbirth.
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And, why not? Melissa's blog, The Holiday Queen, is not only divine daily eye candy, but it's also a place to track Valeriote Design's fast road to fame. She's been featured in multiple magazines, including Cooking with Paula Deen and upon the Martha Stewart blog. To top off her creative abilties, astounding success, and inspiring vision, I think you'll also find that the Holiday Queen is simply a divine gal.

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All hail her majesty, The Holiday Queen...
1. Good Queen, do tell...from whence do your creative visions hail?
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I think creative types are always looking at the day to day world with artistic monovision. The smallest things such as a scrap of paper, a word, a texture, a color can stir imagination, setting off a quest that consumes the day with playful creativity. Finding the time to daydream and explore is crucial to the creative process and definitely a daily challenge for me. Having a sketch book always close at hand is key when inspiration presents itself.
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2. You've been dubbed The Holiday Queen. What is it about Holidays?
However did you become the Holiday Queen? What's your favorite holiday?
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My family and friends call me the Holiday Queen. There are those who say that I go "a little overboard" with holiday cooking, decorating and entertaining but how can I resist. During the holidays hearts and homes open wide, boundaries blur between family and friends and magic fills the air. Halloween is my favorite holiday. Being born in the month of October may have something to do with my connection and fascination with the holiday. Growing up, surrounded by fantastical fall imagery and memories of magical nights are never far from my thoughts.
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3. What is the process like for you to go from a good ideas to a
finished product?
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Sometimes I begin a piece with a small, quick sketch while other times I begin by rolling a ball of clay in my hands, letting the creative process cast its spell, taking on a life of its own. Even when I begin with a sketch there is no guarantee that the finished piece will resemble the original concept. I always begin with heads. Once the facial expression is sculpted, the personality is revealed and I know just how to finish, dress and decorate the final piece to complement the character within.
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In finale...what advice would you give to other artists, bloggers, and recipe
bakers as they pursue their craft?
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Adopt a positive attitude. Try not to compare or compete. Be yourself. Don't wait for perfection. Make time for your art, even if it's just a few minutes every day. Interact with other artists online and face to face when opportunities present themselves. What I know for sure is that making time for my art, even if it is only an hour a day, feeds my soul and brings me joy. It is that joyful connection that keeps me creating. I never tire of the fact that little pieces of me are wrapped up and shipped off, scattered around the four corners of the globe, finding homes with artists, friends, collectors and like-minded people who inspire and encourage me daily. I am grateful to be part of something that is an extension of who I am and to have a career where imagination is celebrated everyday.
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CLICK HERE to visit Cheeky Secrets
where Melissa shares how she has turned her art into a succe$$ful business venture.
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and...
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CLICK HERE to visit The Holiday Queen blog
where you can read the telling interview she conducted with me.Whatever do Dog the Bounty Hunter, Richard Simmons, and Dolly Parton have to do with Tongue-N-Cheeky?
Well, you'll just have to VISIT and find out!
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* The Queen's Quickarooskie Butterscotch Pie

So easy to make, you won't believe it. So goldeny and delectable, you'll want to wear it as an accessory to your next holiday gala.

1 Refrigerated Pie Crust

1 egg

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 3/4 cup butterscotch chips

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Press crust into the bottom of a pie pan, cutting off excess around the edges. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir in butterscotch chips. Pour into prepared crust. Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. If crust becomes too brown while baking, cover lightly with tin foil. Remove from oven, allowing center of pie to fully set as it cools. If desired, drizzle warm pie with caramel sauce & a dollop of whipped cream before serving.

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P.S.
Pssssssssssssst.
Since it seems I'm in the mode of royally oversharing my deepest, dappliest secrets, here's one more...
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I promised The Holiday Queen I'd make her a recipe.
A wondrous recipe. Inspired by one of her creations.
She sent me a fine photo of her Pumpkin Kookie Kones, and my wheels were whirring all week.
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Unfortunately, so were the numbers in our bank account.
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On Monday, the Good Hubby warned me that we had $45 left for the rest of the week.
By Wednesday, that number had dwindled to $4.50
Friday, he announced the account balance had pretty well reached zero.
We were officially, completely, and totally out of cash until payday.

I gasped ever-so-slightly, “Oh, dear. I’m blogging with Valeriote the Great on Monday, and her creations have inspired this phenomenal idea for Homefrozen Pumpkin Pecan Praline Drumsticks. But the deadline is tomorrow, and I don't have any of the ingredients.”

He smiled understandingly, kissed me on the lips, and worked his way to the computer where he bent his head over our bottom line. After poring over the black and red (mostly red) money marks, he returned to me and said, “I think we can squeeze out fifteen dollars. Will that be enough?”

Nevermind the giant yellow Jeep was almost out of gas.

Nevermind the lack of handsoap and toilet paper in the loo.

Nevermind the moth-eaten socks on our frostbitten toes.

(Allright. I may be slightly overstating my point.)
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Anyhow, back to the secret story...
I fled to the grocers. I gathered the ingredients. I tallyed up the total.
$14.62
Yay, hooray!
Nothing was going to stop the Queen's recipe from becoming reality.
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And then, something happened.
Something unexpectedly electric happened.
I got zapped.
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While walking down aisle fourteen, in search of some autumny sprinkles, something caught my eye.
Well, more like poked my eye with a flourescent, flaming underwire.
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There at the end of the aisle was a floor-to-ceiling display of boosty bustiere's.
Bandeau's. Brassiere's. Over the shoulder button holders.
However, this was no display of average underthings.
Nay, Neigh.
These were extraordinarily frilly. And, frumptious. Not to mention
ELECTRIC {flippin'} PINK.
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I found them positively fantastic.
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I looked up at those little babies.
Looked down at my plastic basket full of foodstuffs.
Mulled momentarily over my fifteen dollar budget.
Then, the image of my darling John
--weary head resting at home, long legs warming our shared bedsheets, strong arms awaiting my return--
gave me the strength to remember my priorities.
My dreams. My reality.

Weren't there some photo's for butterscotch pie already stashed on our hard drive?
Indeed, I was pretty sure there were.

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Dropping that burdensome basket of gathered ingredients mid-aisle,

I suddenly couldn't get home to John (my sweet, supportive John) fast enough.
Which happened to be a very good thing. Because, as it turned out, we didn't have the funds to buy those custom-recipe ingredients, after all.