Recipes for a Pie-making Protege

Three Thanksgivings ago I coached oldest daughter to her first made-it-completely-by-herself pie; she is a quick study.


And two years ago, she baked all the our traditional pies single handed:

Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, and Apple Pie

This Thanksgiving she finds her far from home, staying on campus over the holiday, and invited to her violin teacher's home for Thanksgiving dinner; so, she thinks she may make a pie for her friends. Here are recipes you requested, Oldest Daughter, and we'll be thinking of you as we make the same pies half a world away.

You'll find the pie crust recipe here: Canola Oil Pie Crust

Sweet Potato -or- Pumpkin Pie Filling~

1 16 oz can pumpkin pack or 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon*
1/2 tsp ground ginger*
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg*
1/2 tsp salt
* use 2 tsp of the spice mix I sent you

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a prepared pie crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.

Apple Pie with Crumb Topping~

6-8 large Granny Smith apples (about 10 cups)
3/4-1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon*
1/2 tsp nutmeg*
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
*Hmm, even though it has ginger, you could try using the pumpkin pie spices I sent--2 tsp for one pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel, core, and thinkly slice the apples. Toss them in the sugar/spice/salt mixture, coating them well. Pile them into a prepared pie crust. Top with crumb topping and place in the oven. Bake 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake about 40 minutes longer--or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Hint: Place pie on a baking/cookie sheet before placing in the oven in case bubbling apple goodness spills over from the pie pan.

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 pound (1/2 cup) butter, chilled

Mix the sugar and flour until blended. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.