"Psych"-Inspired Cinnamon Pie

I have a confession. I am completely hooked on "Pysch"--you know, that ridiculously crazy, crazily good, pseudo-pyschic comedy-drama mystery series on USA. It's this new obsession that I discovered a few weeks ago thanks to my husband and the good people at Netflix. Last week, we watched the "Dual Spires" episode, in which Shawn and Gus go to a small town to attend a cinnamon festival, but stay for the cinnamon pie (not to mention the not-unforeseen murder investigation).Comedic and investigative antics aside, the homemade cinnamon pie in the episode was impossible to forget. It was mouthwatering. It was sweet. But most of all, it was addictive. I had to try it.

There are a few cinnamon pie recipes floating around the Internet, but this one from Allrecipes seemed to have the most promise. Boy oh boy, was this ever a good pie. Springy with a mild autumnal flavor, this custardy confection was a great little afternoon perk-me-up. I imagine it'd be just perfect with coffee, tea, or a scoop of ice cream.

But I've got to admit, it wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I envisioned an extremely rich, creamy pie with a deep cinnamon flavor and gritty texture that allowed you to taste individual sugar granules. I wanted something so strongly aromatic, I'd feel like I was in Dual Spires, something so sweet my teeth might fall out...OK, so maybe not that sweet.

Next time (and there will definitely be a next time!), I think I will try a less flaky crust, substitute the milk for half-and-half or heavy whipping cream, and add another half teaspoon of cinnamon. Maybe I could even use some brown sugar. In the mean time, try the original Cinnamon Pie recipe I used and see what works best for you!

Cinnamon Pie (Courtesy Sharon Miller, allrecipes.com)
1 C sugar
1 1/2 T all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 egg, beaten
2 T butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C milk
1 10-inch unbaked pie crust


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add the beaten egg, butter, and vanilla. Mix well and add the milk. Pour mixture into an unbaked 10-inch pie crust (glass pie plate is best). Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for and additional 45 minutes. Let cool and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Fresh Apple Butter

Autumn lays out a lovely landscape here in Minnesota. Vast, open cornfields transform into brilliant seas of vibrant squash and jeweled pumpkins. Trees erupt in elegant burst of burgundy, tangerine, and gold. School children run about the suburbs excitedly, chattering about hayrides and Halloween costumes and who's who this year at school. There are bonfires, ball games, and stacks of cinnamon-scented pinecones at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

This year, my husband and I kicked off the season with a trip to the Minnesota Harvest apple orchard in Jordan. We picked two pecks of apples--one Honey Gold and one Haralson, which we heard were good baking apples.

My husband then let his baking skills shine by turning our two pecks of apples into twelve apple pies! (By the way, I was the lucky duck who got to peel all of those apples.) :) Keeping in the spirit of things, I whipped up my own batch of apple-flavored goodies: my mom's Microwave Apple Butter. (We actually went to the market and bought an extra bag of Gala apples for this recipe.)

Our microwave apple butter and homemade apple pie

If you're a fan of apples--or just all things autumn--you'll love the warm, spicy aromas that fill your kitchen when you make this recipe. It's so simple, you could make this in a dorm room without any fancy equipment or gadgets. The texture is something like applesauce, but perhaps a little thicker. Enjoy this delicious butter on toast, English muffins, or just right out of the jar. Be sure to refrigerate it, too.









Microwave Apple Butter
8 C peeled & cored apples (Granny Smith or Gala are best)
2 C apple cider or juice
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

In a microwaveable bowl, mix apples and cider. Loosely cover and microwave for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Place mixture in a blender (if it is too juicy/syrupy, lessen juice) and blend until smooth. Return to a bowl and add sugar, lemon juice, and spices. Microwave for another 20-25 minutes, until it is thick and medium brown in color, stirring twice. Spoon into containers.

Stores in refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.