Munchie Mondays: Cindy's Peach Pie

It's peach season in Texas right now and I've got to say this year is a pretty decent batch. Texas peaches tend to be smaller and more fragrant than their usual grocery store counter parts (normally from California) with a pinkish yellow flesh speckled with red that comes off of the pit easily ("free stone). Despite the size their flavor and flowery aroma is really unmatched compared to other peaches I've had.

For this recipe I like to use lime juice instead of the typical lemon juice because I feel like it really enhances the flavor. I like my peach pies on the tart side, so feel free to increase the sugar content up to an additional 1/3 cup if you want a sweeter pie.



I like to mix up super ripe peaches with those that are under ripe (they still tend to be sweet) for mouth feel purposes. Also, don't worry about peeling them. If you slice them thin enough the skin gives a nice color to the filling

Cindy's Peach Pie (serves 8...although I ate half a pie myself)

Ingredients:
2 prepared pie crusts (one in dish, one to cover)
5 cups of thinly sliced peaches (or about 10-12 small to medium sized fruit)
1/3 cup of whole wheat flour
1/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 tbs of butter

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slices peaches thinly (1/8 inch of thinner) into a large bowl. Immediate squeeze lime juice over peaches and toss gently to prevent browning.



In another bowl, mix wheat flour, sugars, spices and salt thoroughly. Sprinkle over peaches and toss gently so that peach slices are covered with sugar mixture.

Add the pie filling to one of the prepared pie dishes ensuring that peach slices are lying flat or packed in rather firmly. This'll help the cook the filling more evenly. Dot with slivers of butter.



Cover mixture with another pie crust. Seal and flute edges and cut ventilation holes into top crust.



Place the pie into a preheated oven and bake for about 1 hr or until the juices are bubbling out of the top crust. I suggest placing the pie plate on a cookie sheet for this reason. By the way, you should put strips of aluminum foil on the fluted edge and remove 20 minutes prior to finish, but I just always forget. If you make the fluted edge thick enough, it won't burn too badly.

This goes really well with a scoop or ice cream or a doused in half and half.

Munchie Mondays: Cindy's Rhubarb Apple Crisp Pie

As an aside, let's pretend that I am holding a beautiful bunch of rhubarb. The stems certainly look like rhubarb, but after I cut off the leaves, I discovered that what I actually had was variety of chard called not coincidentally rhubarb chard. Some times it's called spinach rhubarb. I even ate the beautiful red-veined leaves and didn't die, so it's verified. Am I a nice cook or what? The point is, I didn't actually cook with rhubarb when I took these pics.

How did this happen?

My friend Cassandra passed on to me some of the most beautiful farm grown vegetables this weekend which she obtained from another friend. The funny thing was that she didn't really know what some of the items were except that they taste good and obviously I too get my vegetables mixed up every now and then but I do know a beet from a turnip, damnit...anyhow, this recipe is for that tangy sour vegetable known as rhubarb, but I can say the one I made with the funky hybrid chard spinach beet-leaf looking stuff came out really good too (albeit mellower in flavor), so feel free to experiment!

Onto the recipe...

What we have here is a crunchy, creamy, sweet and tart warm confection perfect as a dessert or special breakfast. If you want to cut down on fat (God forbid) simply skip the pie crust and lightly oil the pie pan.



Cindy's Rhubarb Apple Crisp Pie (feeds about 8)

1 prepared pie crust in pan edges fluted
1 cup of cubed rhubarb (or rhubarb chard petioles in this case)
2 cups of peeled and cubed baking apples
1/4 cup of Bisquick
1/4 cup of wheat flour
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1/2 to 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar (adjust for taste)
1/3 cup of butter
3/4 tbs of cinnamon
3/4 tsp of nutmeg
heavy cream for serving

Heat oven to 375 degrees.


I used Jazz apples for this recipe. Pink Lady and fuji apples work well too. Gently mix the cubed apples and rhubarb in a large bowl. Since I'm a cinnamon and nutmeg nut, I added a couple more pinches at this stage, but it isn't necessary.



I also sprinkle some to the bottom of the pie crust. Again, I do this out of habit and it isn't crucial to the recipe.


Arrange apple rhubarb mixture evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. In another bowl, cut butter into flours, oats, brown sugar and spices using the side of a spoon or 2 opposing knives in a crossing motion. When the crumbs are small (about the size of a lentil) dump on top of apple mixture. Tap the pan to force some of the crumb topping into the fruit filling. Stick into preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.


When done, let it cool slightly (5 minutes or so) so the fruit can set up. Serve a slice in a bowl with lots of heavy cream on top.



I already ate half a pie's worth! It's that good.


I suspect that chopped pecans in the crumb mixture might be darn good as well. Feel free to play around with pie fillings such as parsnips, blueberries, peaches, apricots, etc.