Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians!

Long weekends are like eating something sinfully delicious, then finding out that it's low-fat, low-cal and actually good for you, and so you get to grab another serving to indulge in. Right, it doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's SO good! Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians!!! I hope you all spent great times with your families and had all kind of delicious comfort food.

Now, this apple pie is definitely not like a long weekend, but you WILL have more than one slice, because it is THAT good. I doubled the recipe and tweaked it a bit by adding more spices and using things that I had on hand. The whole process takes a bit longer than your typical slice, toss and bake, but the result is an apple pie that doesn't sink.

The Unsinkable apple pie, originally by Bill Brady

• 2 pie shells
• 3 Golden Delicious apples
• 3 McIntosh apples
• 3 Granny Smith apples
• ¾ cup sugar
• juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 4 pieces candied ginger, cut into a small dice
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp instant tapioca
• 2 Tbsp butter
• egg wash of 1 beaten egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

While pie shells are thawing (I know, I know... I keep putting off making pie dough, but the pie shells were on sale!!!!) peel and core apples. Quarter them, and then slice each quarter into 4 slices. While doing so, gradually add sugar and lemon juice and toss the apples. Once done all the apples, add candied ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well to coat.

Heat oven to 450F

Put apple mix in a pot over medium low heat, stirring once in a while until everything has reduced but not cooked. Mix in tapioca. Remove from heat and let cool.
Strain apples and do it thoroughly (Save the syrup, it will be so good on ice cream!) Spoon filling into bottom pie shell, mounding in the middle. Dot with butter and cover top with the other pie shell. Make a few slits for steam to escape. Then lightly brush top with egg-wash and sprinkle brown sugar on top.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and continue baking for another 45 minutes or until crust is golden.

Being thankful shouldn't take just a dinner or two over a long weekend in the fall. Many of us are more lucky than we know it, and it's so easy to take everything for granted. We forget about the humble things that really matter. We postpone telling our loved ones how we feel about them until it's too late. We are quick to complain and don't realize that there are places in the world, where people have nothing, yet are still thankful just to be alive and well.

So share a slice, tell your loved ones how much you appreciate them. Tell them that every chance you get, not just this weekend.

Enjoy! :)

A somewhat healthier pumpkin pie

It's spring!!! The season of sun (supposedly...) flowers, yummy fruits and veggies. It's the season of the birds and the bees (understand that however you want to...) This is when we tend to lean toward the fresh, light tasting dishes, unlike in fall and winter where we need our dose of comfort food and cozy blankies. But because every season is a season to make someone happy, I made a pumpkin pie smack dab in the middle of spring.

Thank goodness for the canned stuff!

Now, most pies are things of fall and winter. Pies make us think of Christmas and Thanksgiving. They make us think of that warm, spicy and comfy feeling in our tummy after the first bite. But THIS pie is LIGHT! It's really not too sweet and dare I say, healthy-ER than most pies (Yes, i said it! *gasp*) Obviously, there is the crust to be considered in the equation, but who's checking?!

I got this recipe from Cast Sugar who got it from Chicago Tribune and the only reason for why mine is a tad lighter is due to the fat-free evaporated milk.

Crust:

• 9 inch pie shell, baked according to recipe or package. Cooled.

Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 1 can 15-oz pureed pumpkin
• 1 can 12-oz evaporated milk (I used fat-free)
• 1 tsp. brandy (I used rum, and a couple tsp more...)
• 3/4 C packed brown sugar (I thought it was perfect but you might prefer it to be sweeter)
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 C sweetened toasted pecans (I made mine with maple syrup) optional

Heat oven to 425F.

Combine eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk and rum in a pot over medium low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5-7 minutes.

Put brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a mixing bowl and add the pumpkin mixture. Pour everything into the crust and bake for 10 minutes.

Lower heat to 350F and bake another 35-45 minutes, or until set. Arrange pecans around rim then let stand until cooled, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Maple cinnamon pecans

• 1/2 C pecan, toasted in a pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes
• 1 tsp maple syrup 
• 1/4 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Toss everything together until pecans are well toasted. Spread on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. While pie is baking, stick the sheet in the oven on the lower rack for 5 minutes or so. Let cool then decorate when pie is done.

Now, this pie might taste even better if you listen to this song while eating it... It's about a merchant who has the best pumpkin pie recipe ever and wouldn't give it away to a corporate guy... And then you should really hear the part at the end when the credit rolls.

Enjoy a slice and the song, pumpkins!

pI love you!

I'm not really a "pie person", but I adore the smell of baking pies in the house. There is something so loving and cozy about the fragrant spices and the steamy bubbly filling that makes me want to hug someone special.

And on cold rainy days like these, we can all use some love, hugs and a couple of slices of warm pies. So go call someone you love, tell them that you're coming over in an hour and get in that kitchen!  

Quick apple ginger pie

(makes 1 pie)

• 2 pie shells (1 if you want an open-faced pie)
• 4 medium apples, peel, cored, quartered and sliced
• a small knob of fresh ginger, a little less than an inch or so, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• about 1/2 cup sugar (I used half brown and half white)
• about 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• about 1/2 to 1 tsp ground nutmeg (depending on how much you like the spice) 
• about 1 Tbsp flour
• egg wash, optional (1 egg white and a tsp of water)
• a few pinches of sugar for sprinkles

Heat oven to 375*F

If you are using frozen pie shells (yes... I cheated... LOL) thaw them out on the counter for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the prepared apple slices, ginger, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour together. Put everything into the first pie shell.

Take the second pie shell and drape over the pie. Make a cross in the middle for the steam to escape while the pie bakes. Brush egg wash on top, and sprinkle some sugar on top, liberally.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or so, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.

Now, bring it to that someone and spread the love, one slice at a time.

St-Morgon spinach quiche

I had a block of Saint Morgon cheese just sitting in my fridge screaming "Spread me!" It's great on crusty bread because of its creamy smooth texture, pungent aroma and delicious taste BUT (yes... there is always a but... ) with all the hearty, rich and compact holiday meals wedged in, I just couldn't imagine myself ingesting all that. So I knew I had to make something with it...

Quiche! And just like that, it was one of the things featured on the menu for my dinner with friends. Since I was going to use the oven, I thought I might as well make two. Serve one and eat one by myself freeze one for later.

St-Morgon spinach quiche
(makes 2 pies, serves 8-10 each)

• 2 deep dish pie crusts, home-made or store-bought.
• a drizzle of olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 onions, sliced
• A handful of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped.
• 1 bag frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed of excess water (about 6-7 oz, a bag is 10 oz but I took out some for something else)
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup table cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 wedges of La Vache qui rit cheese
• 1 block of creamy Saint Morgan cheese (this is what I had on hand. Substitute with Brie if you want)
• 16 big pieces of sun-dried tomatoes to decorate top if desired

Thaw pie crusts and pre-bake according to package. Let cool when done. Set oven to 350*F

In a pan over medium heat, drizzle the oil n butter, when butter melts, add the onions and cook until soft, about 10, 15 minutes, stirring once in a while. Then add the handful of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, stir around for a minute, then add the spinach, mix well and take off the heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Add cream, milk, and break little pieces of La Vache Qui Rit, then whisk everything together.

Slice cheese (Saint Morgon) and put onto bottom of pie crusts, top with spinach mixture, and then egg mixture. Use a fork and nudge the spinach a bit so that the egg mixture fill up every space there is. Top with the rest of the tomatoes for decoration before putting them in the oven.

Bake until the center is just set. Mine baked for about 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes or so before serving.

***Just a little tip for the one you will be freezing. Cool it completely, cut into desired wedges then wrap individually in aluminum foil. Freeze. When you want to eat one, do not thaw, heat it as is, with the top opened, in a 350*F oven, for about 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.