Jumping on the (Pie) Bandwagon

First - I am not one to jump on the bandwagon. (Someone who suddenly gets involved in an activity because it is likely to succeed or become popular.) I much prefer going my own way, doing my own thing.

Second - I have never cared about cooking or baking, butchering or candlestick making. I will make a cake or brownies from a box mix and, even though I prefer pie, I rarely make one.

Third - My Mom excelled in the kitchen. She loved trying new recipes. And she tried teaching me to make pie crust. It wasn't her fault I didn't care enough to keep practicing until I succeeded. I've made more pies in the last few years since discovering Pillsbury Pie Crusts - usually pumpkin pie because that is Bud's favorite. I can't remember ever making an apple pie even when we lived on the acreage where there were several apple trees. I made apple crisps, but pie? 

I always read the Post Secret Sunday Secrets. Three weeks ago, I saw the above secret recipe posted and for some reason copied it down, thinking I might make it someday.

Last week I had apples on my shopping list, the Galas I keep on hand, and decided to go ahead and get three Granny Smiths, too. And pie crusts just in case.

"Someday" was yesterday. I made the Apple Cream Pie, which apparently thousands of other Post Secret and Reddit followers have also been making, thus my 'jumping on the bandwagon' reference. It reminded me of Mom's Custard Rhubarb Pie so I went to her recipe box and dug out her pie recipes. Sure enough, it is very similar. 

I also looked through her apple pie recipes and pulled two - one for English Apple Pie and one for Different Apple Pie which calls for sprinkling Red Hots over the top of the pie. This one I remember her making.

But the two recipes I kept out, and will probably be making soon, were Impossible Coconut Custard Pie because I love coconut pie and like custard pie, so this should be a win, win. The other, Grandma Smith's Cream Pie, which is the pie a family member always brought for Thanksgiving and Christmas and which we all fought over for a piece. Carla soon began bringing two pies and I think I remember one year one of them being her 'gift' for the "The Game" we always played instead of buying gifts for one another. Pretty sure brother Ron found a way to end up with the pie.

When I cut my pie yesterday afternoon, I asked Bud if he wanted to try it. Remember he is not a big fan of pie, except pumpkin, and at first, demurred, actually saying, "I'm not a fan of apple pie." "Do you want to try a bite?" I asked. He decided to try a piece after I said I would finish it if he didn't like it. Let's just say he asked me this morning, "Are we having another piece of pie for lunch today?" This pie really is very good, but a tad too sweet for me. Next time I will cut the sugar amount to 1-1/4 cup. 

I noticed many of the others posting about making this pie are referring to it as "Petty Pie" trying to shame the 'petty, vindictive aunts' even further, I assume. 

I think it should be called simply My Grandma's Apple Gream Pie so, in time, everyone will forget where the recipe orignally came from and will remember and honor all the grandmothers who made the pies and passed on the recipes. 💗