Home » How to Add Pizzazz to Apple Pie©

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Our apple orchard is gaining every day and I am very glad about it. I am an apple eater. However, our present energy situation here in the United States has sent us into an inflationary recession (is that an oxymoron?). I went into one of our local supermarkets the other day and picked up one apple, 1 peach and some other things. One apple came up at $1.37 and one peach came up at $1.42 and neither one of these were large. I said, in my typical old Brooklyn fashion, "Forgetaboutit!" and I declined to purchase either of them while the cashier rolled her eyes and wrote me off as a crazy old fart! With that in mind I am keeping a good eye on our apple orchard.

Not only am I am apple eater, I am an apple pie baker and one can really do a lot of things with one's apple pies.

First off whether you make your pie crust from scratch or use a pre-made pie crust is strictly up to you. I do not think it matters. Today's pre-made pie crusts are pretty good and some of the pie crust mixes in boxes are pretty good also.

Each of us has our own favorite recipe not only for pie crust, but for the apple pie filling. What I am writing about here is how to add pizzazz to your apple pie. I like to add things to my apple pies. Regardless of one's favorite apple pie recipe just add something distinct. Now what do I mean by distinct? How about 1 cup of raisins or 1 cup of golden raisins? Add that will give you a few more points on the Olympic Apple Pie rating scale.

Like raisins and still want some more pizzazz? Then add one cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to your apple mix and even ½ cup of each and you will see your diner's smiles widen as they try a slice of it. This is better than pie alamode because we do not have any empty calories here. We have good, nutritional, wholesome goodies.

When you think it is just about perfect and you want to go just one more bit of pizzazz-ness then cut out apple shapes for the top crust. No apple shape cutter? Just take your medium size biscuit cutter and cut out circles and improvise with a knife cutting a V in the top of each circle, cutting that V in half to create leaves and put about 5 or 7 Apple crusts on top of your filling and then bake as per your favorite recipe.

So take good care of your apple orchard or help a friend who has one in return for a bushel or two of apples that you can store this winter and not only will you be eating good, you will be helping your food budget and gaining great nutritional value.

Peace, Light and Love,