In Celebration of Pi Day!

So, Monday was Ma
rch 14, sometimes written as 3.14.  Math geeks and engineers everywhere refer to it as Pi Day; it's silly, or, as my son in law commented, "It's an irrational day."  Math is fun, really, it is.  So, with that mantra in mind, several years ago I began celebrating Pi Day with the little boys (since they are both at least 6'5" now, is it irrational that I still call them "little boys"?).

I made not one, but two pies for Pi Day.  Today, the apple pie, which had large requirements to fulfill: Must be delicious, reduced sugar, low cholesterol, low sodium, low potassium.  That's a big order for one pie.

MARJIE'S CRUMB TOPPED APPLE PIE

1 crust (your favorite or my "Best Ever ---->)
3 to 4 large Granny Smith Apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup stevia (or white sugar)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 nutmeg, grated (about 1/2 tsp)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp butter, not melted
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Grease your pie plate and lay the crust in it (or use a store crust to make things really easy).  I used a 10" pie plate.  Remove the cores from the apples and slice thin (no, I didn't peel them and no one noticed: score one for roughage).  Place the apples in a large bowl, add the 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, sugar and stevia (or white sugar), and stir to coat.  Add the vanilla and melted butter, and stir to coat evenly.  Spread the apple slices in the pie plate.  Chop the remaining butter in pieces, place in your food processor with the chopper blade, add the 1/2 cup flour, oats and nuts, and pulse until grainy.  Sprinkle atop the pie and bake for about an hour, until the filling bubbles.  Cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

My pie lasted a good 24 hours, and my menfolk made happy noises while eating it.  Now they want to know when the next apple pie will be arriving.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!