Wishing You a Glittery Pie-Filled Christmas!

   Somewhere between LCD Soundsystem and  Bob Marley I finished my first batch of hand pies.  In the end, the crescent shape was chosen for purely practical reasons.  Number one: I can get twice as many hand pies out of the pie dough.  Number two:  They fit beautifully in these snazzy, glittery Chinese take away boxes I purchased.  I am a sucker for anything shiny around Christmastime.  I suppose this is why I chose to borrow a smallish silver Christmas tree from Wendy rather than put up my usual cut white pine.  The fact that I have managed to knock over the fully decorated tree for two consecutive years might have had something to do with it as well.
   I chose to fill these little moons with either  banana-caramel or caramel-apple tastiness.  Both flavors are perfect for wintery fruit pie goodness.  Tis' the season when fruit is tricky to find and variety can be limited. But you can always get a good banana.  Usually, you can get an acceptable apple. So, there you go... Apples and Bananas... the fruit staples.  And caramel is for anytime!  Caramel made with brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup and butter.  That stuff is deadly.  Deadly and delicious!  Wrap all of that up in an all butter pie crust baked to golden perfection and you have the ultimate dessert.  Really is there any question about which is better - pie or cake?  No.  It's a done deal.  Cake has a place. But pie rules!
   At the moment, I am listening to a jazzy mix of Christmas music which includes my all time favorite Christmas song - Nancy Wilsons's version of A Christmas Waltz.  Although, I gotta say Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Krall can both sing a mean holiday song.  As I sit here, I have a clear view of a diminutive silver tree, covered in white lights, red bead garland, a plethora of pink and red bulbs and surrounded by a red, pink, white and silver tree skirt.  It's gonna be that kind of Christmas.  And I love it!!  

Happy Christmas Everyone!

A remix. It's pretty fun!!