But first… I’m wondering if all the Canadians are amused that we’re in such a frenzy this week. It seems like Canadian Thanksgiving passed by pleasantly and festively without all the uproar of American Thanksgiving… we definitely make a big deal of things here.
ANYWAY! I got out of work yesterday feeling jubilant- I have two days off in a row! All I have to do is go to the gym, get a Christmas tree, rearrange the living room furniture (to accommodate the tree), cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner (including three pies) and run a race. What a relaxing vacation!
As planned, the dough for the pie crusts is in the refrigerator, and the pies will obviously be made today- Wednesday- so I can win at Thanksgiving. I would love to know where the phrase “easy as pie” came from- because making pies is NOT easy. I’ve tried to explain to my family that it’s really hard to make a good pie when you only do it once a year. Their solution to that is, I should make pies more often.
Last year I made a pie for New Year’s Day, and a couple times I’ve made a pie for July 4th (although I think I somehow got out of that last time.) So, my pie-making skills remain… mediocre.
I’m sure the pies will taste delicious! I’m using this recipe for the pumpkin pies, and instead of the brown sugar, one of them will be sweetened with this:
This syrup is sweetened with monk fruit, and the pie really comes out very yummy, although one year my son did a blind taste test of both pumpkin pies and could immediately tell which one was sugar-free. That’s fine- more for me. (Yes- I will eat a whole pie.)
You might be wondering why my family doesn’t help. OH, THEY WILL. I save the really unpleasant part for them. The third pie is an apple pie, and peeling all those apples really puts me over the edge- so that’s the task I delegate. Someone else can peel and chop those apples! I’ll do the rest.
Good luck to everyone cooking today and tomorrow! IT’S PIE TIME!
31 Responses
I’m not amused, so much as relieved. I’m really happy with the timing of our Thanksgiving in Canada; that said, it’s all I’ve known, so I think I’d love American Thanksgiving where it is if I was American?
And you already know my pie motto: Buy til’ I die. Unless I make it a goal in 2023 to make a pie, so I can say I’ve done it…Hmm.
Happy Thanksgiving Jenny. You are going to WIN at Thanksgiving my friend <3
Thank you Elisabeth! I would say- don’t even get started making pies, so your family will think they only come from the store.
I, like Elisabeth, am more relieved than amused!
Pies are hard to make. I just made an apple one on the weekend and all the rolling and peeling…that said, I have an apple peeler/ corer but still. I don’t eat pie myself – I have never liked it – but the guys like them.
I need an apple peeler/corer! But I would only use it once a year.
Good luck with the pies!
I’m so glad the rest of the world outside of North America doesn’t have any Thanksgiving. It would stress me out no end.
But I’m sure it feels nice once the family sits around the table. Enjoy! 😀
Thank you Catrina! It does seem like we put a lot of stress on ourselves… and honestly it’s nice when everyone sits at the table, but that part goes so fast compared to all the prep! Oh well… it’s only once a year.
I feel like I got away with something this year since I only had to buy a turkey and make desserts. I’m kind of cheating with my apple pie because the one I’m making only uses 4 apples.
I don’t think that pies are hard so much as they are time consuming. And yes I’ll eat a slice here and there but in spite of the name of my blog, I’m not obsessed with them. My #1 food obsession for tomorrow is my SIL’s green bean casserole.
Wait, how does your pie have four apples? Is it a mini pie? Mine had eight, and I felt like the filling was kind of light.
I love making pie crust. I am not very good at it, and it never ever looks pretty, but I approach each pie with such optimism. Looks delish!!
Ha ha! I’m like you… so optimistic at that start, which always leads to disappointment. It always tastes good though.
Can I come to you house? I love pies!! Apple is my favorite.
But no I didn’t make any… no time. Working today… trotting tomorrow… no kids at home to help. Wah!!
Oh, I made an apple pie- too bad I can’t send you some. Working the day before Thanksgiving seems wrong! Do you have Friday off?
nope… working Friday too.
PIE TIME, BABY! I outsourced the pie making to my mother and daughter and they had a lovely grandmother/granddaughter bonding time putting it together. I am sure it will be wonderful! And if you get someone else to peel for you, you are certainly WINNING!
Ha ha… I actually lost and peeled the apples… but won because it’s Wednesday night and the pies are made.
Pies ARE hard and that is why I make crisps. LOL. I hope you have a great pie-making day!
Yes- crisps are a great alternative. I do that whenever I can.
I am mostly impressed that you guys make the pies yourselves! We opt for store-bought pies, haha. But I do not like pie, so it doesn’t bother me.
You know, I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with store-bought. My family always wants homemade and I’m not sure why. It’s not like they’re coming out that amazing.
We are staying with friends over Thanksgiving and find it interesting to observe how others do it. I made a turkey for Thanksgiving before and love the holiday but in some ways still feel like an imposter. I never understood pumpkin pie – the apple would do just fine for me.
Yeah, I guess pumpkin pie is kind of weird when you think about it. I don’t think we even had it when I was little- my grandmother always made an AMAZING blueberry pie for Thanksgiving.
My late father-in-law was the pie maker in my Husband’s family and he had one of those handy contraptions that peels, cores, and slices the apples all at once. When he passed, we inherited this wonderful tool. The apple slices are a little thinner than I prefer, but the ease with which it goes through a pile of apples makes it worth the compromise.
I made a triple batch of pie dough this year so I have some in the freezer ready to go if I ever have a pie baking urge in the months to come.
Hope you have a lovely day of pie eating!
Thank you Diane! I want one of those contraptions! I think if I had one I’d be making apple crisps, cobblers and pies all the time. my family would be very happy.
You get a lot of pie practice this year 😉 Can’t wait to see how they turn out!
Hmmm… in this case, practice did not make perfect!
My mom is the pie maker in our family. She has made so many and does not at all get rattled by it. My eldest brother would often make a pie or 2 as well. There was no shortage of dessert. That said, I don’t love pie. It’s fine I guess? My mom usually puts aside some filling for me so I have a GF dessert. I don’t love pie crust so that works just fine for me!
I hope you guys had a wonderful thanksgiving! Ours was great until the toddler had a meltdown that last from when we left my brothers, the 30 min drive home and then probably an hour at home? He missed his nap since dinner was at 1 and then fell asleep for a short nap at 4 and woke up in the worst mood ever. But besides that, it was a really nice holiday!!
Oh… that sounds difficult! One of the most stressful things ever is driving with a screaming toddler in the car. Holidays can be a lot for them.
Have you tried a product called Swerve? It’s fake sugar, I don’t remember what it is. I used it to make the sweet potato pudding this year, and everyone said it was delicious. I don’t like sweet potatoes, so it didn’t affect me one way or the other.
Pies scare the hell out of me. I mean, I love them, but making them is scary. We had cake this year.
Yes! I can make a cake really well! I wish cake were the traditional Thanksgiving dessert. I use different sugar substitutes- not sure if I’ve ever used Swerve. I usually use xylitol, erythritol, monk fruit- or the healthiest option, stevia.
Oh pie is just so good. I even ate pumpkin pie this year. Had it way back I a restaurant once and didnt like but my friend made excellent pie. And my sisters apple pie to die for. But she also said the preps are so complicated. She didnt want to make it more often really.
I didn’t like pumpkin pie as a kid- but I like it now. And my family loves apple pie!