Did Somebody Say Pie!

Well, who doesn't like pie? Everyone likes some sort of pie, right? I love pie, both savory and sweet. Fall season is pretty much the only time I'll make pie - okay, "cook pie." Confession: I've never made a pie, not from scratch. I have made cheesecakes, do those count as pies.. they're made in a pie pan after all.

Now, let's talk about pie. When apple pie is served it must be warm and come with vanilla ice cream... on the side. If I'm gonna be picky, Dutch apple pie would be my preference. When it comes to pumpkin pie, nothing overly spiced or sweetened, please. I'll happily accept a serving at room temperature or out of the fridge and topped with a mountain of RediWhip. "Having a little pie with your whipped cream?" is something that is often asked, as I'm diving into my Thanksgiving Day dessert.

I really couldn't say which of those two pies I like more. All I know is that I won't say, "No," when offered a plate. I would like to try pumpkin cheesecake, and every Fall I'm tempted to call and ask for the recipe from a small hotel restaurant where I once had the most delicious pecan pie - a perfectly flaky crust that was coated with CHOCOLATE and filled with the perfectly packed, not-at-all overly sweet pecan filling. It was served warm with vanilla ice cream... and, Oh. My. God. I have not had pecan pie since; I don't want to spoil that heaven-on-this-earth experience. It's been over 10 years since we lived in Hawaii; over 10 years since that pie came into my life. Maybe I'll Google a recipe for it to try to make this year.

Unrelated to pies, another sweet dish I'd like to attempt to make this year is Mexican bread pudding - the kind my Auntie Mary used to make. So good!  Trifle is another holiday favorite, but it's strictly my Christmas and New Year's Day dessert.

Want to know a secret... all this writing about pies has made me super hungry and there's a Marie Callender turkey pot pie in the freezer. I couldn't pass it up when I was shopping the freezer section the other day. It reminds me of elementary school lunch served the day before Thanksgiving break... and it wasn't even in pie form.Cubed turkey and gravy were served over mashed potatoes, with a dinner roll and apple or cherry cobbler. Yum. That was my favorite day of the school year.

What are some of your holiday pie memories?  Any good recipes for desserts mentioned here that you'd like to pass along?  Feel free to share in the comments section below.  Thanks.