Good Ole Classic Apple Pie

For those of you who frequent my blog, I know what you're thinking. Is this post about pie? You made a pie? The answer is yes! Being in 2012, I thought it was only appropriate to expand my horizons and to make things I've always thought about making but end up making excuses instead. I've never been a huge fan of pie, let alone apple pie because often times the filling is congealed, too sweet, and consist of too many spices. That's the beauty of baking, I can make apple pie the way I like it!

Many people stray away from pies and pastries because of the pastry crust. It is definitely something not to be intimidated by. Pastry crust is simple to make; however, I used pre-made crust for this recipe. The reasoning is because I had never bought pre-made crust before and I wanted to try it. I love it because it is super easy to use. For those of you that haven't used it before, simply roll out the dough and it is ready to use. So if you want to make pie but is scared to make your own crust, opt for a store bought crust.

A good apple pie depends on the apples. For me, I like tart apples because apple pies tend to be very sweet in general so using a tart apple cuts down on the sweetness. For this recipe, I used granny smith apples which is probably the most tart apple you can get at the store. Also, I used lemon juice, which gave a brightness and extra tang in the pie. So while I wouldn't call this a traditional apple pie, it has all the flavors of one. It just has a little extra zing to it!

Pecan Tassies

I must admit that I am not a huge pie fan. I'll eat two kinds of pie, fresh strawberry pie and pecan pie. I think part of it is contributed to the fact that I don't like jelly or cream that tends to be what the fillings are. Now if I had to chose a pie to eat, it would be pecan pie. It's the combination of the pecans and the chewy brown sugar filling that makes it so enjoyable to eat.

This recipe isn't for pecan pie but for pecan tassies. They are mini pecan pise and they are absolutely divine. In my household, we like more pecans in our filling than the sugar mixture and this recipe does exactly that. You get that crunch from the pecans and the brown sugar filling isn't too overwhelming that you forget the pecans are there. Also, pecan pie like any pie, is very high in calories and fat, so eating a pecan tassie will give you the satisfaction of a pecan pie without adding all those extra calories! Also, these are great for parties because your guests can just pick one up and pop it in their mouth.

When we talk about pies, there are two main components. One is the filling and the second is a crust. The crust can truly make a pie from ordinary to extraordinary. The crust for the pecan tassies is not your typical pie crust because there is cream cheese which adds a nice dimension to the pecan tassies. The crust is buttery and flaky and complements the filling perfectly. Give these a try and you won't regret it!