Hello Friends!
It's been the kind of weather that has felt better to be in the kitchen rather than outside of late, so I have been busy with my pots and pans, baking up a storm, no pun intended, with all the windfall apples.
My neighbours and I have one thing in common right now. We all have huge amounts of windfall apples. We have tried offering them to each other, but we are all politely declining as we have mountains of our own.
One thing I dislike, and I know many of you do too, is food waste. So, the other afternoon to use up the some of windfall apples I have, I baked an Apple Cranberry Crisp and an Apple Mincemeat Pie. After all, there's only so much apple sauce one can make, and it was inevitable there would be something left over.
It turns out, it was the smallest piece of pastry and a tiny amount of crisp topping, so what could I do with them? Not enough to warrant freezing, and the oven was still hot. I pulled out an individual serving size loose bottomed tin, rolled out the pastry and there was just enough to line it. I peeled and thinly sliced a small windfall and layered it in the pie crust, and gently patted the left over crisp topping over the apple. I baked, on a tray, for about 25 to 30 minutes in a moderate oven until it was cooked and cooled in the tin.
Et voila! A hybrid apple pie crisp, or apple crisp pie. it was delicious with a smidgeon of Greek yogurt, but will go equally well with your choice of sauce, and is good warm or cold. I think it shows promise, and I shall make a larger one next time. I now have to come up with a name for it. Maybe Hybrid Pie? Do you have a suggestion?
The small, deep fluted tin I used was bought to make individual quiche. I have yet to use the set for that purpose, maybe I will make some this week. Quiche is always acceptable for lunch or supper in my cottage, and useful to have in the freezer.
As an aside, I am shocked to learn that almost all the shops in my nearest town have, apparently, done away with social distancing, have no staff on hand to guide shoppers, and now allow entire families in to shop. It is, by all accounts, as if we turned the clocks back to early March and Covid never happened.
Your hybrid apple pie crisp looks wonderful so yummy. Lucky you having lots of apples. I bought some apples and will be making an apple pie this week. What about Deb's apple special? It sounds very special indeed. Here the shops are cautious, people have to queue up outside, most only allow 2 or 3 in. At our little supermarket it's a bit more, they put out a certain number of shopping carts and you are allowed in when a cart is free. No free cart means wait outside. People are all sensible in the trams, too, everyone was masked today. Hope you have a good week, take care. Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteThank you. Seems you have better precautions in place than we do now, and people behaving responsibly, which is more than they are doing here.
DeleteHugs, Deb
Interesting and innovative. You have inspired me to work in the kitchen today.💖
ReplyDeleteHave fun!
DeleteYour hybrid apple pie crisp looks delicious. I like the idea in the comment above about calling it Deb's Apple Special. Bought some more cooking apples back from Herefordshire although they are very tart! I've heard the same thing about everything reverting to pre lockdown in supermarkets which is worrying news. In my naivety I assumed there were still one way systems, limited numbers and trolleys being sanitised - obviously I was wrong. I shall stick with online shopping as long as I can. In fact I am still horrified when I think back to March before lock down when I was regularly going to shops and post office without realising how high the infection rate was although even then I was getting exceedingly nervous.
ReplyDeleteThank you, and I agree with you, online shopping it is for a long while yet. I had a sinking feeling the day it was first announced, back in January, and as the news worsened I became more and more anxious each time I left the cottage. Enjoy those tart apples!
DeleteOf course, you know that I’m on my way! Such a surprise for shops to let down on their precautions! We’re a long way from having this virus on the way gone!
ReplyDeleteThank you Nellie, I've saved bites for you and Martha Ellen! I agree, this battle with Covid is a long way from being over.
DeleteWindfall apple crisp sure does look delicious, Deb. A beautiful crust color there, my friend. Nellie and I should be there soon enjoying tea with you.
ReplyDeleteWe have noticed folks here becoming more and more "relaxed". It scares the bejeebers out of me! Grayden went out for propane gas for our grill and found it to be quite a problem paying while no one used a mask or was social distancing. Thank goodness he wore a mask and used his disinfecting wipes while paying. This is lasting way longer because of this foolishness!
Thank you, yes, I was very happy with the crust too, and no soggy bottom. Nellie and you have earned every bite of pie! I hope Grayden was able to pay by a contactless method? It's frightening when you have to go into any situation you simply cannot avoid. xoxo
DeleteI am delighted to see how you cook and use it all. And it looks delicious, too. Pity about the shops doing away with social distancing. That doesn't sound wise and I am glad you are taking care. Love this post so much, Deb.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeanie. I am discovering so many ways to use apples now. From Scrumpy to jelly, in cakes and bakes, and my favourite courgette, onion and apple stir fry, which I even use as a topping for a Pizza Blanco!
DeleteI just found this post in my spam file. Boy am I mad! It's good I keep checking that file.
ReplyDeleteI don't care what you call your invention, I call it delicious looking! I truly want to move to your neighborhood. Maybe you could adopt me? lol I'll clean for food! lol I love to read how you are clever in trying to not waste anything that can be used. It inspires me. Keep up the excellent work, Dear Friend.
Love and hugs~
My Dear Friend, you are so funny. Mind, having someone clean up the kitchen after me would be a treat indeed for me, it's the downside of baking. Sending you adoption papers soon! I know you hate food waste as much as I do. xoxo
DeleteAgreed that food waste is not a good thing and that's why many of our recent dinners have been unusual so that we do not waste any veggies. I don't have a name for your "creation" except that it looks so good. I have four small individual pie tins and you have given me the idea to try and make 4 small pies, once apples are available in the supermarkets and/or local farms by the bagful. One year we did pick our own, but not sure if that will still be done this year. We still have the masking up requirement in all indoor places here in Nashua, NH, along with the one way directional arrows in stores and the recorded messages about social distancing, which drive me a bit batty - worse than hearing holiday 🎄 music, which I would dearly prefer now.
ReplyDelete