If you are like me around the holidays, then you are running around like a chicken with your head cut off making 10 or more dishes for a dozen people. The joys of having a huge family :). So I decided to make a dessert that I could make most of it before hand and still have fresh pies right out of the oven. Apple Crumble, Triple Berry, and Pumpkin Rum pie with a Candied Pecan bonus!

Step 1: Candied Pecans

This is the topping for the Pumpkin Rum Pies, but they are also great as a stand alone snack. They take an hour to cook so they need to go in first. These can also be made days ahead of time and will last in a ziplock bag for months. Though they are usually gone within hours around our house.

4 cups (1lb) Chopped Pecans
1 Large Egg White
1 TBS of Water
1/2 C White Sugar
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cloves

Preheat oven to 250º

Cover a baking sheet with Parchment Paper.

Seperate the yolk from the egg white and put the white Gallon size bag.

Add the water, seal the bag and shake until frothy.

Add the pecans seal and shake to coat.

In a small bowl mix together the remaining ingredents.

Pour the sugar mixture in to the bag and shake well to coat.

Spread evenly on the baking sheet and put in the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

You will need to stir the nuts every 15 min.

Break up the clumps to make sure everything is cooked throughly, let cool and seal in a ziploc bag.

Step 2: Prepping the Crust

Premade pie crusts
Large package Mini cupcake liners
Mini Cupcake tins
Rolling pin
2.5" biscuit cutter
fork

Of course you are more than welcome to make your own pie crust, but if you are short on time the premade crusts are wonderful. Its best to take the crust out of the fridge at least 15 mins prior to trying to roll it out. The crust tends to crack if they are too cold.

Preheat your oven to 350º.

Roll out your crust and cut out circles with the biscuit cutter. Each crust should make around 24 rounds.

Flatten out the liner and place the round in the middle.

Put the liner and dough in the pan and press the dough into shape.

Use the fork to put holes in the bottom of the dough, this helps keep the dough from rising in the middle.

Bake for 15 mins or until brown.

Step 3: Apple Filling and Crumble Topping.

Filling

3 Large Granny Smith Apples
2 TBS Unsalted Butter
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cloves
1/8 tsp Salt

Makes 24-36 mini pies

Crumble Topping

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/8 Cup Flour
1 Cup Oatmeal

I always use Granny Smith Apples for their wonderful tart flavor, though its always so dissappointing when you get a mealy apple. The best way to select Granny Smith's is to look for ones with the most apparent white spots. They are always the most tart and I have yet to find a mealy Apple with this method. This filling also is wonderful over pancakes or waffles so don't throw away your leftovers!

Peel and core the apples and cut into 1/2 cubes.

Sprinkle with the lemon juice to keep them from browning.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and add theapples.

Mix the remaining ingredents together and sprinkle it over the apples.

As the apples cook they will release juice and form a wonderful syrup which is thickened by the flour.

Stir the apples frenquently and let the syrup come to a simmer then remove from heat.

At this point you can let the mixture cool and put it in the fridge for use at a later date, or fill the cooked mini crusts and top with a small amount of the crumble topping.

Cook at 350 for around 18 min or until the crumble topping is brown.

The butter will need to be soft. I normally forget to take it out of the fridge ahead of time so I put it on a small plate and into the microwave for 15 Seconds. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. I just use my fingers to do this step, but a fork works as well.

Step 4: Triple Berry FIlling

2 TBS Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Fresh Blueberries
16 oz Frozen Blackberries
16 oz Frozen Raspberries
2 TBS Blackberry Jam
2 TBS Raspberry Jelly
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Cloves
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Salt

Makes 48 mini pies

This can also be made using all fresh berries, but the frozen ones work well for me. The rasberries and blackberries will break apart while cooking so don't be worried when that happens. They will still taste awesome. The leftovers for this filling just like the apple tastes great over pancakes and waffles. Also warmed up is wonderful over vanilla ice cream.

Melt the butter over meduim heat. Add the jam and jelly and let them melt.

Add the frozen berries first and let warm up while you mix the dry ingredents in a seperate bowl.

Add the blueberries and sprinkle with the sugar mixture.

Once again the berries will give off liquid and form a syrup.

Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.

At this point you can let the mixture cool and put it in the fridge for use at a later date, or fill the cooked mini crusts and place in the oven for 15 mins.

Step 5: Pumpkin Rum Filling

15 oz can Pumpkin puree (not Pumpkin Pie MIx)
8 oz can of Evaporated Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 TBS 100 Proof Captian Morgan's Spiced Rum (Any Dark Rum will work, but who can resist the Captian?)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Makes 48 Mini Pies

Pumpkin Pie and Rum, anyone going to complain? This is an idea I got from the queen of Southern cooking Paula Dean. I simplified the recipe a bit but the flavors are still there. Don't worry about the alcohol content and the kiddos with this recipe either, it all burns out in the the cooking process.

Mix all the ingredients together and spoon into the cooked crusts.

Cook at 350º for around 20 min until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Top with candied pecans.