Apple “Pie” Oatmeal

 

Today is National Pie Day….so I should really be posting about this pie:

But to be honest, the recipe needs a little tweaking before I share it with you. 

So, instead let me tell you about this Apple “Pie” Oatmeal. 

I rarely eat breakfast.  I know, Most Important Meal of the Day….blah blah blah.  I often find myself starving at 1pm realizing that I haven’t had anything in my belly all day.  Growls heard for miles.  So I decided that I need to make it easy, and quick, if I am going to give breakfast a go in the mornings.  On colder winter days, I really like something warm.  Cold cereal and milk on a WA rainy morning isn’t going to cut it.  And I don’t have time in the morning to make a hot delicious breakfast.  So I am taking a short cut.  I can pre-make this Apple Pie topping for my oatmeal, and then in the morning it just takes about 5 minutes to make some hot oatmeal.  I have time for this.  And it is so delicious…..and kinda healthy.  All that fiber from the apple and oatmeal.  I keep telling myself this…..it’s working. 

Apple “Pie” Oatmeal Topping

Makes enough for four servings

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced small (I like G.Smith because they hold their crunch after cooking)

1 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Cinnamon (depending on how much you like cinnamon)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a skillet.  When melted, add diced apple to the pan.  Let the apple “sweat” and soften a little (not too much).  Then add brown sugar and cinnamon, stir to combine.  Continue to cook the apples for about another 5 minutes to give the sugar a chance to caramelize a little.

Put the warm apple mixture into a heat proof container that can be sealed and put into the fridge.  Allow the mixture to cool before closing and refrigerated.

Use within 5 – 7 days.

It’s simple.  Cook up your oatmeal, either on the stove or in the microwave.  Take a 1/4 of the mixture and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, and top your hot oatmeal with it.  Delicious and good for you.  And I will admit, when I eat it it gives me an extra boost of energy…..and the neighbors don’t complain about the growling my stomach makes. 

Well….happy National Pie Day!  Hope you are enjoying some yummy pie today!

 

Show me your pie!

Today is the Pie Party!  Time to show me your pie!  Seriously…..show me your pie!  Pretty Please?

A couple of weeks ago I noticed a lot of talk of pie, and a pie party….on twitter of course.  And then a Pie Party event on FB….realized I must participate.  I bake enough pie.  And I had a couple of pie recipes that I wanted to try out too.  So the wheels started turning.  Thank you so much to Shauna, Gluten Free Girl, for starting the Pie Party….hope we have more of these!

First, I made this Blueberry Cream Pie….and damn was it good.

Then, I got the idea of making a S’Mores Pie in my head.  And couldn’t shake it.  Canada Day was coming up, 4th of July right behind it….and what says summer celebrations more than a S’More??  Not much. 

Attune Foods was kind enough to send me a box of their Organic Honey Graham Crackers a few weeks back, with hopes that I would make something delicious with them.  And I sure did.  This pie is incredible. At first I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough of the Attune Foods graham crackers left to make the crust…the little mice that are my children seem to have been making their way into the box and helping themselves!  Luckily after turning them into crumbs in the food processor I measured….and voila…enough.  whew.  minor crisis averted.

I love a baked Graham Cracker Crust…I think baking it just gives it a nuttier flavor and tends to be more stable when slicing.

Graham Cracker Crust:

Measure 1 1/3 cup of graham cracker crumbs, mix with 1/4 cup of sugar, add 5 tbsp melted butter, mix together to coat all the crumbs with a bit of butter.  Press into pie dish.  Bake at 350 for 8 – 10 min.  Let cool completely before pouring in pie filling.

Easy Peasy right?

Now I have a love of all things pie, but lately a GOOD chocolate cream pie has been creeping its way to the top of my list lately.  And this recipe makes a GOOD chocolate cream pie!

Chocolate Cream Pie Filling:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, plus 1 3/4 cups
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions:

In a small saucepan combine sugar, 3/4 cup heavy cream, milk, cornstarch and pinch of salt, and whisk until smooth. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil, whisking from time to time for the sugar and cornstarch to dissolve and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking at a low boil for an additional 5 minutes, whisking constantly.

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and whisk thoroughly. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and whisk over the heat until thoroughly combined and very thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, and whisk in the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Continue whisking until thoroughly combined (it will be very thick). Cover the mixture with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface and refrigerate until cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Once the chocolate mixture is cooled.  Whip the 1/2 cup of whipping cream with powdered sugar until you get stiff peaks.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  Pour the chocolate filling into the graham cracker pie crust and chill in the fridge for about 3 hours.

Now….for the Marshmallow part of the S’more….the most important part! (in my book)  You can’t just throw on a marshmallow and all it good.  It MUST be toasted.  right?  So I cut marshmallows in half, covering the chocolate layer with them….then let Jason take the torch to them to “toast” them for me…..he did such a good job…look:

And then….you have this:

Beautifully toasted marshmallows, creamy rich chocolate filling, amazing graham cracker crust….S’MORES PIE!!!

Perfect for any summer night. 

Did you make PIE for the pie party??  Show me your pie….leave me a comment with a link…would love to see what you made!

Pie Love(r)

 

I adore a good piece of pie.  The flaky crust, the yummy filling….I am drooling.  I prefer a fruit filling, but am not one to turn down a cream, pumpkin or pecan pie.  

When doing some research a few months ago about all the places (mostly food related) that I wanted to visit in Seattle when we moved out West, I stumbled on High 5 Pie.

I knew that it would have to be one of the first places I check out.  So last week when I was in desperate need for a break from these crazy boys, I tweeted that I was heading to Seattle for some pie, and did anyone want to join me.  I was super excited when a new (and awesome) friend said that she would be in the city and would love to join me.  Yippee!  Pie and conversation….yes, please.

Libby and I decided to share a couple of slices so that we could, without huge guilt, try two slices out of their incredible looking selection.

Lemon Shaker

and Maple Blueberry

I have to say that I can’t decide which I enjoyed more….they are both delicious and so different from each other.  I had never heard of lemon shaker….but it is a candied lemon peel filling.  Tart, tangy and just a little sweet.  Perfection.  Loved that the Maple Blueberry was a one crust pie with a crumble topping…it was so great.  Had those tiny blueberries that just burst with juice when you bite them. It was so good that is what I chose to bring home to Jason.

So, if you are ever in Seattle, and want to go for some pie….this is the place.  And call me, I’ll join you for a slice!

 

Blueberry Pie Love

It is a week until Love Day.  I adore Love Day (otherwise known as Valentine’s Day)!  Even though I try to Love BIG every day, there is still that spark of Valentine’s Day that fills me with even more love.

To celebrate this upcoming day of love, I thought that it would be fun to shower my loved ones with some of my favorite goodies…..one for each day of the week before the big day.  Fun and full of love right? 

So today I decided to make a couple of mini Blueberry Pies.  I don’t think the boys have ever tried blueberry pie…..a shame, I know. 

Mini Blueberry Pie (makes 2 – enough to share with little ones)

Blueberry Pie:

Ingredients:

2 cups Fresh Blueberries

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp Flour

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 425 deg.

I will admit – I cheated and used a store bought crust – and this brings me a little shame (I suffer from sever pie crust failure).

Roll out the crust a little bigger than pre-made – you need it a bit bigger to cut out the right size for the bottom crust.  Use the edges of the pie dough to cut strips to make the lattice top.  I chose to cut out a few little hearts to celebrate the occasion.

Butter the cute mini pie plates, place the dough in the plate and make sure there aren’t any air bubbles under the crust.

Place berries in a medium sized bowl and gently stir in the sugar, flour, and lemon juice.  Let sit for a few minutes to merry before spooning into your pie shell.   Gently give the berries one last turn and then spoon the mixture into your pie shells. 

Take the strips of pie dough and create the lattice top.  Use a wet fingertip to secure the lattice to the bottom shell.  Cut off excess.

Using 1 egg and a tsp of water create an egg wash.  Brush the egg wash onto the crust and then sprinkle with some sugar.

Bake at 425 deg for 15 minutes.  Then reduce oven temp to 375 deg.  At this time check to see if the lattice top is getting too dark (mine was a little) – if it is tent the pies with foil.  Bake for another 30 – 40 minutes til filling is bubbly and crust looks baked.

Let cool before digging in.  I recommend eating Blueberry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream, if you have it.

Enjoy….and don’t forget to Love BIG.

Wordless Wednesday

I know I usually don't do a Wordless Wednesday post, but today I decided to give you this.....

Thai Sweet Chili Pasta with Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas.

Simple. Easy. Delish.

Take Care,
Tania

Love Big, Bake Often

Tuesday's with Dorie...chocolate cream pie, my way!

Chocolate Cream Pie with a Layer of Caramel

in a Pretzel Crust!

I was really looking forward to this week's recipe. I love chocolate cream pie. I love Sonic's chocolate cream pie blended thingy....

When looking at the recipe I decided that a chocolate pie crust was not what I wanted to do...I needed to mix it up a little. So I went the salty sweet way....I decided to make a Pretzel Crust! I food processed up some pretzels, mixed in a little salt and sugar and some melted butter to bind it all together. I baked it and was happy when the second time around it held together as a nice tart crust! I also decided to 1/4 the recipe and make two little tarts.....better for my figure and I think they are just cute as can be! A whole chocolate cream pie has no place in my kitchen! And friends are too far away to be taking treats to them every week....so I plan it into my diet these days. It seems to be working.

Back to the pies..... I also decided that to go with the salty pretzel crust that there needed to be a layer of caramel. I think I made it a little too think...but we will see. This was the perfect chance for me to use some of the AMAZING Askinosie chocolate that I got in the mail a couple of months ago.....it is a Mexican 75% dark chocolate....do dark....see?

The chocolate cream in this pie is so rich...I LOVE IT! And I used some of my fantastic vanilla sugar to sweeten the whipped cream just a touch! Absolutely perfect. This pie is rich, creamy, chewy, salty, chocolatey and absolutely phenomenal. I will be making it over and over again.

Be sure to check out the other TWDr's here, and see all their wonderful creations.

And thank you to Kim, from Scrumptious Photography, for choosing this wonderful dessert.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Take Care,

Tania

Love Big, Bake Often