Mom’s Good Old Apple Crumb Pie

I loved the Andy Griffith TV show and when Sheriff Taylor talked about “good old apple crumb pie”, I longed to have a slice.  Something about the way he said “pie” made it sound even more delicious.  Remember, he thought maybe that was what Aunt Bee brought for lunch when instead she had brought some of her not-so-good pickles.  And Helen Crump baked one for a picnic.  In honor and in memory of Andy Taylor, Aunt Bee and Helen Crump, here’s my version:

• Servings: 6
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• Pastry for 9-inch single crust pie*

Filling:

• 7 cups tart apples (Golden Delicious or Granny Smith)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar

Topping
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter, cut into cubes

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and flour.  Using your fingers, mix in the butter until small crumbs are formed.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core and thinly slice apples.  Place in a large bowl and add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour and sugar.  Mix together and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

Stir apple mixture and spoon into unbaked pie shell.

Top with sugar/flour/butter topping mixture, covering all of the apples.

Place on a flat pan to catch spills and bake @ 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool. 

Actually, I baked two apple pies because the only kind of pie my son-in-law and two grandchildren will eat is my regular apple pie.  Click here for the recipe.

*My favorite pie crust recipe.

Alabama Peanut Butter Pie

Since my daughters just got back from vacation yesterday, I offered to host the Father’s Day dinner today for my son-in-law.  I made a roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes, carrots, corn and homemade rolls.

My son-in-law and grandson will eat no kind of pie except apple, so I made one for them to share .

Granddaughter Dolphin doesn’t eat pie at all…

…but the two daughters and I never met a pie we didn’t like.  One of our favorites is Alabama Peanut Butter Pie, which I started making in 1976 from a cookbook called Garden Club Desserts. It’s not difficult but a little time consuming.  We think it’s worth it.

• Servings: 6
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• Baked 9″ pie shell (see my favorite pie crust recipe here)

Base and topping:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Filling:

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tblsp. butter

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 6 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

To Make the Base and Topping: Mix confectioners’ sugar with peanut butter to form crumbs.  Spread half of the mixture in the bottom of the baked pie shell.  Reserve the other half for the topping.

To Make the Filling: In a medium size saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt.  Add the egg yolks, mixing well, then add the cup of cold milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Whisk in hot milk.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble.  Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking and whisking for 2 more minutes.   Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Let cool slightly while preparing the meringue.

To Make the Meringue: In a large mixer bowl with wire beater, beat egg whites until frothy.  Add cream of tartar and beat until whites begin to thicken.  Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff and glossy.  Stir in vanilla.

Spoon the hot filling on top of the crumb base in the baked shell.

Spread the meringue on top of the filling, extending the meringue to the crust to seal.

Set the pie on a flat sheet to catch crumbs, and sprinkle the peanut butter mixture on top.

Bake @ 325 degrees for 10 minutes to brown meringue.  Cool on wire rack. 

This pie is very rich and very delicious.

On this Father’s Day, remembering my father who died on June 20, 1978 at the age of 66.

Tart Cherry Pie

I always make the fruit pies I’ll serve on Thanksgiving well ahead of time.  When I was competing in county and state fairs, I found I could bake a fruit pie and freeze it.  Then the night before I needed it, I could take it out to thaw and the next morning crisp it in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes with basically no change in the original pie.  I had to do it this way for the Ohio State Fair because of time restrictions plus a 2-hour drive and I continued to win ribbons.  I’ve used the technique since the early 1980s to get a jump on holiday baking.

This morning, I baked two apple pies which will go in the freezer after they have cooled, and I was remembering other Thanksgiving pies I have made through the years.  For the 20 years we lived in Blue Jay on the Ohio/Indiana border, I had the benefits of a front yard full of fruit trees.  In July, there was one old tree that produced a huge amount of tart cherries.  These snapshots from 1991 show my son and his family who were visiting from St. Louis and helping me by picking some cherries.

The little girl with the pail graduated from college last year and the baby is now a sophomore in college.  Time flies.

I froze a lot of cherries but to have the very best pie for Thanksgiving, I made one while the cherries were fresh off the tree – my husband’s favorite.  Here’s the recipe:

• Servings: 6-8
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• Pastry for 9″ double crust pie
• 4 cups fresh tart cherries, pitted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tblsp. quick tapioca
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 2 Tblsp. butter
• 1 Tblsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

In a large bowl, mix together the cherries, sugar, tapioca, salt, and almond extract.

Fit bottom crust in a 9″ pan, pour filling into crust and dot with butter.  Place top crust on pie, crimp edges and brush with milk.  Cut vents and place on a larger flat pan to catch spills.

Bake @ 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.

Cool pie completely on rack.  Serve to a hungry family or wrap and place in a two-gallon ziplock bag.  Place in the freezer until needed.  For best flavor, use within 6 months. 

I only wish I had one of those fresh cherry pies in the freezer for this Thanksgiving and my husband here to enjoy it.

A good piecrust recipe

My favorite apple pie recipe

Apple Pie for Bill

My son-in-law Bill loves apple pie – no other kind, just apple.   If I want to make a different kind of pie when they’re here for dinner, I make sure I have this apple pie for Bill and now grandson Josh is starting to request it, too.  Any good mix of pie apples would work (and I’ve used them all) but Golden Delicious are readily available and work fine.

 

BILL'S APPLE PIE

• Servings: 6-8
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5 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples – I prefer Golden Delicious

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 Tblsp. flour

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

2  Tblsp. butter

Pastry for 9” 2-crust pie

1 T milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees  F.

Combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.  Mix and let set while making crust.  Fill pastry lined pie pan, dot with butter.  Place top crust, flute edges, brush with milk and cut vents.  Place pie on a large flat pan to catch spills and bake 45 minutes @ 375 degrees F .  Cool on rack.