Is It Autumn Pie Season Yet?

For me, unwinding in the kitchen cooking is very relaxing. Almost therapeutic after an extremely busy day at work, or hectic Saturday of running errands all over town. As I contemplated what dessert I wanted to make with lasagna and bread sticks, the recent cold snap had me longing for autumn. With autumn comes the holidays and thanksgiving. Some sort of pie sounded amazing, and coconut creme pie seemed to fill the need for combining dessert with wishing it was harvest time.



The best cream pie recipe I feel, is from the Lion House Cookbook. The mixture when cooked is thick and rich, and slices well. It does not ooze out onto your plate like other creme pies notoriously do. I use this recipe as a base, but also adjust it each time to my own liking or Holly's liking.



After the custard cooks, and is rich and thick, butter and best quality vanilla extract gets whisked in, along with coconut. Sometimes I mix in as is, sometimes I toast the coconut beforehand. All depends on my mood I guess.



The finished result with lots of whipped cream on top, large flaked coconut from Bob's Red Mill out of Oregon, and my favorite Lindt white chocolate shaved as a garnish. This hit to spot after a comfort meal of lasagna, bread sticks and salad. After we shared our meal, Holly and I "hunkered" down and enjoyed a nice film from the 1950s featuring Frank Sinatra and Doris Day. It was a perfect weekend.