I have been getting recipes ready for Pie Day, which is January 23rd. Internet research tells me that “it was created simply to celebrate the pie” (Nationaldaycalendar.com). How should one celebrate this special occasion? If you like to bake, make a pie. If you like to share, bake one for someone else. But the best way of all, eat pie!
Some people regard pie as comfort food. A piece of pie and a cup of hot tea or coffee, or maybe a glass of milk, can make life seem better – at least for a while. Thinking about the comforting value of pie reminds me of a story. Since both parties involved have graduated to Heaven, I am going to share it.
It seems that my friends Bill and Trish were in the middle of a marital spat. Harsh words were flying between them; neither was willing to back down. Searching for a way to make his point, Bill spotted a freshly-baked butterscotch pie sitting on the kitchen counter. He picked it up and flung it to the floor, where it landed with a satisfying (to him) splat.
Bill’s action only served to escalate the argument until Blondie, their aptly-named cocker spaniel, entered the picture. Blondie loved to glean any table droppings she could find; now she had a whole pie! The disagreement rapidly dissolved into laughter at the sight of a greedy dog standing in the middle of the mess, eagerly lapping up every single mouthful that she could manage to inhale. It was as if she knew if discovered, she would be removed from her source of over-indulgence. When they related this story to me later, Bill and Trish had forgotten what they were arguing about in the first place.
While I would not advise throwing a pie as a way to enjoy National Pie Day, I would recommend any of the other methods that I mentioned. I have recipes to help out.
I love lemon pie, but most of it has meringue on top. I am not particularly fond of meringue, so when I found a recipe for Double Crust Lemon Pie, I knew I had to try it. I baked the pie one evening, but could not sample it until the next morning because it needed to cool in order for the filling to set up. All I will say is this: It was worth the wait!
Can’t make pie crust? Don’t need a whole pie? Want something easier to share? Try Apple Pie Bites. Made with crescent roll dough, these tasty treats are simple to make. I also include a recipe for homemade apple pie spice; it is not something I keep on hand, although the ingredients for it are in my spice cabinet.
Apple Pie Bites
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice, plus additional for sprinkling on top of crescent rolls
3 tablespoons butter, melted; divided
1/3 cup chopped pecans, optional
1 small baking apple, cored and sliced into 8 (1/2-inch) slices (peel apple, if desired)
1 (8-ounce) can crescent rolls
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and apple pie spice. Set aside.
Toss apple slices in 2 tablespoons butter, set aside.
Arrange crescent roll triangles on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Evenly distribute brown sugar mixture onto each triangle.
If desired, sprinkle each triangle evenly with the chopped pecans.
Place an apple slice on the wide end of each triangle. Wrap crescent roll dough around each apple. Brush each crescent roll with remaining butter. Sprinkle lightly with additional apple pie spice.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes: 8 apple pie bites.
Double Crust Lemon Pie
Pastry for 2-crust pie
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
In heavy saucepan, blend cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Add boiling water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and is very thick and clear (not milky looking). Add sugar, lemon peel, and butter. Cool.
Stir in eggs and lemon juice. Pour into pastry-lined 9-inch pie pan. Adjust top crust, flute edges, and cut vents.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then at 425 degrees until top of pie is golden, 5 to 10 minutes. (You may need to cover edges of crust with foil during hotter stage of baking.) Cool completely on rack before serving.
Homemade Apple Pie Spice
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
Mix all ingredients together.