Fresh Apricot Pie

Nothing says summer more than fresh local fruit!  I consider myself blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest with it's bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables.   Apricots are a summer treat and putting them in a pie is a family tradition I intend to keep and pass on to my two new daughters-in-law that are joining our family this summer!

 My Mom taught me how to make this pie....without a formal recipe. We used the recipe from the old Betty Crocker cookbook for the pie crust .  I am a good pie crust maker but.....I have started to use the Trader Joe's Pie Crust.  Simple to use and it's a darn good crust. Perfect to have in my freezer.  
The apricots are firm, ripe fruits that I pit and quarter.  I add sugar, flour, a pinch of salt, and I tried a new addition of Penzey's Pie Spice.  Wow!  The Pie Spice is a combination of cinnamon, vanilla sugar, mace, ginger, nutmeg, anise, and clove.   Fantastic flavor.  I hope you'll give it a try and see exactly why I love this pie!

Summer Apricot Pie

4-5 cups fresh apricots, pitted and quartered

1 1/2 - 2 cups of sugar~depending on the tartness of the apricots.

1/3 cup flour

2 t. Penzey's Pie Spice or cinnamon 

1/2 t. salt

Mix filling well in a large bowl and let it sit for about 15 minutes to make some juice. 

After 15 minutes, pour filling into a 9-inch pastry lined pie pan.  Dot with butter, about  2 tablespoons. Add the top crust. Crimp the edge and vent the top of the pie. Brush with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 30-35 minutes until you see juice bubbling out the top.

Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies~A Christmas Tradition

When I was growing up Christmas was a much awaited holiday.  Santa always brought toys, and socks, and an orange in our stockings.  We were allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve and it was always pajamas!  My Mom made Chocolate Butter Fudge; a recipe I have only made successfully one time!  It is the best and I am going to try it once again this year.  She also made these delicious oatmeal shortbread thumbprint cookies...with yummy mint frosting tinted pale pink and mint green.  It can't be Christmas without them.

Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T. vanilla
Cream this together until fluffy.

Add:

2 cups flour

1/2 t. salt
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

Mix well and rolls into small balls, about the size of a walnut. Press your thumb into the center. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Mint Frosting

3 T. butter, softened
2 C. powdered sugar
4 T.  heavy cream
1/8 t. mint extract
1/4 t. vanilla

Red or green food coloring

Mix all butter, powdered sugar, and cream together till well mixed. Add the mint extract....it should be very subtle and the vanilla. Tint the frosting very PALE pink or green.