National Pie Day is TODAY!

The kids are thrilled. Not only did we get to do "cooking math" today, but we get to have dessert tonight (we try to avoid sweets during the week to reduce the budget and the poundage!). Anyway, in case you hadn't heard, today is:

National Pie Day

And we couldn't be happier about it! We went ahead and made an experimental pie -- a bit of this and a bit of that recipe to create our very own "Apple Cranberry Pie with Streusel Topping and a Graham Cracker crust". It looks great, smells fabulous and the only problem is we'll have to wait till we finish dinner to test it out.

We'll let you know how it was. Here's the recipe we jerry-rigged if you'd like to try it yourself:

Graham Cracker Crust (preheat oven to 350)

• 18 graham crackers crushed to make approx 1-1/4 cups of crumbs
• 1/4 cup of melted butter

Mix together and press into a high-edged 9" pie pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes in a 350 oven. Allow to cool.

Fruit Filling (preheat oven to 400):

• 4 cups sliced/peeled apples (tarter the better)
• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tsp allspice

Mix all ingredients well so that fruit is well coated with the dry ingredients. Spoon into waiting crust.

Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 cup oats (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 1/2 cube (4 tbls) cold butter, cut into pieces.

Combine all ingredients except butter in bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle atop fruit in pie pan.

Bake pie in preheated 400 oven for 50-60 minutes. About halfway through cooking, cover pie with foil to avoid overbrowning topping. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or room temp.

ETA: This pie was sensational -- I'd send you a piece, but it's gone! EVERYONE loved it and want more.....