Obsession? Noooo...Inspiration!

My my, what a long time it has been.  Happy New Year, Everyone!  I suppose a great deal of stress was placed on me taking me away from posting.  However, time waits for no one and we all must move forward.  Which brings me to my recent attention getter.  On December 17, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies premiered.  This latest installment, a proceeding from the Desolation of Smaug re-introduced a beloved actor.  Lee Pace plays the Elven king Thranduil.  Oddly enough, I've seen Lee Pace in other movies, but it was his character Thranduil that made me obsess over trying to watch as much movies and TV shows with him that I can get my hands on.

 As I'm going down the list, I encounter a title that was hailed as one of the "TV shows cancelled too soon" according to Mojo.com.  Pushing Daisies, starring Lee Pace aired in 2007 and was cancelled in 2009.  With a label such as "cancelled too soon", I'm reminded of Firefly.  To me, Firefly was a great show.  So, I took the time to watch Pushing Daisies and like Firefly, I loved this TV show and I was saddened that it ended.  There was something I took from it, despite.  I love pie!  See, Lee Pace plays the pie-maker who has a gift of bringing back the dead.  Why he is a pie-maker has a melancholy background but either way, I became very excited in making my own pie.  In fact, I realized I have a couple of favorites.  Who knows, maybe I'll think of creating a pie joint for retirement.  With the help of AllRecipies.com and a bit of verbal push from my friend, I started with Pumpkin Pie.  To start, I wanted recipes that cut cook time.  So, I took routes that tried to avoid cutting up the fruit and if I found a canned filling, or pre-made crust then I took it.  Although Libby's provided a recipe for Pumpkin Pie on the pumpkin filling label, I went with AllRecipes because instead of carnation milk and sugar, they were combined in condensed milk.    

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon   
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

As you get your ingredients together pre-heat the oven at 425 degrees.   Bake for 15 minutes.  After the 15 minutes are up, reduce the temperature to 325 and bake for 35-40 minutes.  After the wait, you have this!

 

After that, I wanted to make another pie.  The pre-made pie crust had two in the package, so I decided to make another favorite.  Banana Pie.  

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk  
• 3 egg yolks, beaten  
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
• 4 bananas, sliced

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
2. Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
3. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for an hour.

Two of them are just the beginning.  I find the pies that are featured in the TV show are like playing a video game.  After I've made my favorites, the pies on Pushing Daisies is like going up a level.  The final boss I need to beat is the Apple Gruyere Pie, Chuck makes for here Aunts on the TV show.  Gruyere is a cheese that is not sold on Guam.  So,  that pie is going to take a little more effort to make.  Next will be Mango-Pineapple and a slew of savory pies.  Here's hoping this doesn't bite me through my power bill.  Either way, Happy Pie Making, Happy Pie Eating!