A Variety of Pie Fillings

Apple

• 6-8 Northern Spy Apple. If you can't get Northern Spies, I feel bad for you because you won't believe the flavour difference. If you really can't get them, I guess you can use Granny Smith or Fujis but if I can't find Spies, I make another kind of pie. This is my son's favourite. 
• 3/4 - 1 cup of sugar - depends on how sweet you like it
• 2 tbsp tapioca. This is another important part. Some recipes call for flour to thicken the filling. The problem is that you can taste the flour. Yuck. I use tapioca. It is a great thickener with no taste. 
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• dot with butter and bake at 400°F for 50 minutes or until done. It is done with the crust is nice and brown and the filling is bubbling all over. The filling may spill over. If you worry about this and are thinking of cooking the pie on a cookie sheet, don't. If the pie plate is on a cookie sheet the bottom won't cook properly. If you are a neat freak, put something on the rack under the pie but that can interfere with even temperatures in your oven. 

Strawberry/Rhubarb

• 5-6 cups fresh or frozen strawberries. If you want to add rhubarb, make the total about 6 cups but no more than 2 cups of rhubarb or it will overwhelm the taste of the berries.
• 3/4 cup of sugar - 1 cup if you use rhubarb
• 2 tbsp tapioca. Use 3 tbsp if your berries are frozen. See above if you want to know why I use tapioca instead of flour. 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• dot with butter and bake at 400°F for 50 minutes or until done. It is done with the crust is nice and brown and the filling is bubbling all over. 

Blueberry

• 5-6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries.
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 2 tbsp tapioca. Use 3 tbsp if your berries are frozen. See above if you want to know why I use tapioca instead of flour. 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• dot with butter and bake at 400°F for 50 minutes or until done. It is done with the crust is nice and brown and the filling is bubbling all over. 

Pumpkin (makes 2 pies)

• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 4 eggs slightly beaten
• 1 - 28oz can pumpkin
• 2 cups milk or cream. If you use milk, use 2% or homo
• 1/2 cup molasses

Mix together the first 5 dry ingredients in a very large bowl. Stir in eggs. Add pumpkin taking care this mixture is well blended. Stir in milk or cream. Stir in molasses. Pour into an uncooked crust. Bake in a very hot oven (450°F) for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for another 40 minutes or until the middle is firm and the crust is well browned.

Mixed Berry

• 5-6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries. In the winter I usually use frozen and mix strawberries, blueberries and rasberries. I think this is my daughter's favourite.
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 2 tbsp tapioca. Use 3 tbsp if your berries are frozen. See above if you want to know why I use tapioca instead of flour. 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• dot with butter and bake at 400°F for 50 minutes or until done. It is done with the crust is nice and brown and the filling is bubbling all over. 

Peach (this was the first pie I made for my wife, on our second date)

• 6 cups fresh ripe peeled peaches. If they aren't in season, I would make another kind of pie
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 4 tbsp tapioca. See above if you want to know why I use tapioca instead of flour. 
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash of almond extract
• dot with butter and bake at 400°F for 50 minutes or until done. It is done with the crust is nice and brown and the filling is bubbling all over.