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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Five Spice Apple Pie



Finally.  The frost is on the pumpkin.  We've had the longest, latest Indian summer I remember.  And, now I'm finally ready for some fall foods.  Like pie.  That's the theme of our Blogger C.L.U.E. Society this month.  And I got assigned one of my all time favorite blogs.  By one of my favorite bloggers!  Deb and I got to be friends almost as soon as I started blogging.  She and her hubby are wonderfully adventurous eaters who love to travel and garden.  Two of our favorite things.  Her blog is named after her cat, Eliot.  Isn't that a purrfect name for a kitty?  For years I've poked around on her blog making yummy dishes.  Too many to count.   One of Deb's recipes that's on my list is her version of Bee's Knees.  It's a cocktail typically made with honey and either gin or vodka.  We've made some version eons ago and I can't remember which Connie used.  But, her version has lavender in the honey simple syrup.  I'm waiting for my lavender buds to dry a bit.  Keep checking the things weekly and they're just not cooperating.  Here's a link to the recipe in the event you've got lavender calling your name:  Bee's Knees.  I wish I'd listed recipes made by each blogger so I could give you a list of the recipes I've tried.  But, alas, they're part of a huge pile of recipes that I've printed, made and put in a pile to organize...  I've finally started a scanned file of recipes.  But, they too need to be organized.  The story of my life.  Too much information needing too much organization!

Speaking of cooperation...  Our local grocery just hasn't been cooperating.  They've been eliminating items that we regularly buy - like frozen chopped broccoli for Chicken Elegante.  And, it's been tougher to find things we don't buy regularly but we do on occasion.  Like Cornish Game Hens.  This time it's frozen sweet cherries.  They've not had them.  And, with our wacko crazy schedules heading out on a mission to find specialty items hasn't been possible.  So, I've changed menus or substituted.  This time, I had to totally change recipes.  You see, I had my heart set on Vanilla Cherry Pie with Almond Crumb Topping.  I know.  Doesn't the name alone make your mouth water?  Then, you read the recipe and swoon.  I so want some of that pie.  And, I've wanted it since the day I found out I was assigned Deb's blog and went pie hunting. 

No cherries meant I was on to a different pie recipe.  Connie was voting for the Frito Pies but I explained this was a pie for Thanksgiving dinner.  Evidently, he loves Frito Pie so much that he'd eat it for Thanksgiving dinner.  I really need to get those on the menu for some Sunday night football!  Then, there's onion pie.  Not quiche, Deb says, but true onion pie.  It's a bit like the famous French onion tart, pissaladiere.  There's one twist to it that I'm so going to try - mustard on the pie crust before you put the rest of the ingredients in.  Doesn't that sound fabulous!

But, I digress, Thanksgiving pie is the subject here.  There were several other choices:  wine and raspberry cream, stone fruit, nutella, pears and apples, and five spice apple.  Now, we've grown to love five spice powder.  It used to be one of those specialty spices rarely used.  Not these days.  I use it in all kinds of recipes.  So, I was intrigued.  And, I was running out of time...  Heading for a conference and my pie had to be made, photographed and blogged before I left town.  We had no time to bake over the weekend.  I thought I'd seen a box of pie crusts in the fridge.  It was a cold, rainy night and traffic was horrid.  So, I broke one of the cardinal rules of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  I changed the recipe.  The box of pie crusts wasn't.  I didn't have shortening.  One of the things I used up before we moved and have never replaced.  Hunting, hunting, hunting.  Ahhh, graham crackers.  Maybe stale, maybe not.  But, something to make a pie crust out of.  What about a topping???  I kept picturing that wonderful vanilla almond topping for the cherry pie.  What if I made one of those and put some more five spice in???  Let me tell you...  This was the BEST apple pie I've ever had. Who would have ever thought that replacing cinnamon with five spice would make such a difference?  But, that's the kind of cooking Deb does.  Creative, inventive, fun.  And, it tastes so darned good!  Here's the link to her recipe and some more photos of mine...  Five Spice Apple Pie.  Please remember to head to the cherry pie recipe for the topping...







Now, here are links to the rest of my friends: 

10 comments:

Debra Eliotseats said...

You are so forgiven because I think you have created a brand new awesome recipe!!!!!!!!!! Glad you got EE this month and I hope the grocery store starts cooperating soon. My mom was just telling me that her Hyvee has changed things up so much she is shopping elsewhere now. What's the deal? I hope you have an awesome holiday!

Christy @ Confessions of a Culinary Diva said...

Frito pie does sound pretty good!

Fantastic looking pie - I hear you on grocery searches, I've had the same issue with staples -like mushrooms!

Kim - Liv Life said...

I adore Debra too, and like you I've had the Bees Knees tagged to try! But this apple pie is simply too good to pass up. Apple goes down as my all time favorite.
I'm every so thankful you were my assignment this month, I am so excited for Thanksgiving now and am going to surprise my son!

Kathy Walker said...

With such an adorable pie pan who needs to worry about the kind of crust! Graham cracker would be a perfect complement with the apples....five spices....have to give it a try with the next apple filling....can I make a galette? :-)

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

I would have never thought to make an apple pie with 5 spice powder! I bet it was amazing!

Lisa | Authentic Suburban Gourmet said...

Love all the spices and I bet your house smelled amazing! Nice choice!!!!

A Day in the Life on the Farm said...

I just have to say that not only does this pie sound delicious it looks incredible in that absolutely adorable apple shaped pie pan.

Unknown said...

I love 5 spice powder as well, though I use it in savory cooking more than sweet. Looks like I'm going to have to change that because the pie looks phenomenal.

Anna @annaDishes said...

My mom would love this! Apple pie is her fave. Great choice for CLUE!

Sue Lau said...

I've never had five-spice in a pie. I'm intrigued! This is something I need to try!