Thanksgiving Pie

by Kathryn Hartwell
The Newsy Neighbour
October Issue 108

This is a new one for me, for when I think of Thanksgiving, I think of turkey - not pie. Well, maybe Pumpkin Pie. I was just reading an article about the different Thanksgiving traditions people have
from all around the world and was surprized to read that more than a few people eat pie in the morning for Thanksgiving. Now, that is a tradition I could sink my teeth into.

Truthfully, I cannot even remember the last time I even considered making a pie; it is one of those things I never thought myself capable of making because I have found making that light flaky
crust pretty much an impossibility. So I have just never attempted it – cake is way easier.

Now I find out that there are many, many people out there who would not even think about Thanksgiving without their freshly baked pie!! Seriously, the stuffing and the turkey and all the other
trimmings is just about enough work for me, but who knows! The day may come somewhere down the road when I wake up and think to myself , “Perhaps I will make a pecan pie this morning." Who knows, it could happen!

So, as a good cheer to those of you who want to make a beautiful Thanksgiving breakfast pie, I thought I would share a few of the most delicious extraordinary pie recipes I could find. This first
one almost make the whole idea plausible.

Old Fashioned Raisin Pie - Delicious
2 cups raisins
2 cups water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
1 pastry recipe for a 9-inch double crust pie (or two frozen pie crusts)
Combine raisins and water in a small saucepan. Boil 5 minutes. Blend brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together; add to hot raisins. Cook and stir until syrup is clear. Remove from
heat, and stir in vinegar and butter or margarine. Cool slightly. Turn filling into a pastry lined pan. Cover with top crust. Seal edges, and cut slits in the top crust. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie - Easy
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
7 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
 1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). In a bowl combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Place mixture in a pastry-lined 9-inch pie plate. Dot with butter and adjust top crust that has been vented. Place in oven and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 275-300 degrees F (135-150 degrees C) and bake 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Let cool and serve.

Peanut Butter Pie - Decadent
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 prepared chocolate pie crust
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 (11.75 ounce) jar Smucker's(R) Hot Fudge Microwaveable Ice Cream Topping, divided
2 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
Beat together 1 cup peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium, until well combined. Gently mix in 3 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie. Reserve 2 tablespoons of hot fudge topping into the corner of a re-sealable plastic bag. Microwave remaining topping, on HIGH (100% topping), for 1 minute. Stir. Spread topping over pie, covering entire peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until set. Spread remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over hot fudge layer,
being careful not to mix the two layers. Cut a small corner from bag containing topping. Squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pie. Place remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter in a re-sealable food storage bag; cut bag corner and squeeze to drizzle in opposite direction from topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

All this time I was afraid of making a pie! As it turns out, I just may be making myself a Thanksgiving pie for breakfast this year!!

I always like to try something new – so should you.
Kathryn Hartwell