Peanut Butter Apple Pie

Did you know that November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month?  I didn't!  This recipe was featured in the most recent issue (November 2014) of Wisconsin Cooperative Energy News , which is a publication from my power company.  They usually have a page devoted to recipe exchanges and a one or two page highlight on a particular food group (pork, dairy, etc.)  This month's spotlight was on Peanut Butter. 

In all honesty, I did not have high hopes for this recipe.  I am not the pie baker in our house.  That is my husband's title.  He was out hunting, however, and I had nearly a bushel of apples laying around on the countertop that needed to be used.  There was also an extra pie crust sitting in the fridge.  I had already made a big batch of apple butter the day before, and would still have more apples than what I would need to make the Apple Pie Jam I had been thinking about.

What started out as an "eh, why not?" recipe turned out to be a new family tradition.  No joke, this pie was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD.  I have not had a slice of pie this good since I had that little slice of cherry heaven in Door County last year (but that is another story)!  It was relatively easy, too!  We made a decision to have it every year on November 1st.  (Maybe more - 'cause it's just that good!)

Peanut Butter Apple Pie

1 pie crust, store bought or from scratch

7 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2/3 c. sugar

3 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. butter or other fat for dairy free(we used a scant measurement of lard and added a little more peanut butter)

1/4 c.  crunchy peanut butter

1/3 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Place crust in a 9" pie pan and crimp edges.  Use pie weights or dried beans to weigh down the bottom.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned.

In a large bowl, combine apples, 2/3 c. sugar, 3 Tbs. flour, and lemon juice; pour into crust.  In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients for topping.  It is easiest to use your hands to mix and mash everything together until it falls into pea-sized pieces.  Don't worry if your pie is sky-high - the apples will cook down and level out.

Bake at 350*F for 40-50 minutes.  Keep the crust edges covered with foil until the last 15 minutes.  (At this point, mine actually ended up cooking for about an hour so that my crust browned enough - it was perfect).