Friday is PIE DAY!

Today was the first day that I really felt like spring might actually make it back to Minnesota. This may have inspired my craziness in the kitchen. Usually, fussy things are not my style at all, but I just felt like making some little bundles of cuteness today. A big pie seemed too weighty for a sunny day filled with such promise. This day called for something tiny and sweet with a big happy puff of meringue on top.

 I was experimenting all along the way with these, so you might just have to come along for the ride. Maybe you'll be inspired to make your own version, or maybe you'll just enjoy the show!

As usual, something hanging around in my kitchen inspired the whole thing.

All week, this sad looking jar of dried fruit was tugging at my heartstrings.

Please, please, please do something with us. Please?!

We simply cannot languish in this cupboard any longer.

To save them from a long, slow demise,

I chopped them into bits,

 and cooked them down with some orange juice and sugar.

My crust got rolled out and cut into large circles.....

.....to form into custard cups for baking.

I tried a version that fit into the cup,

 and a version that had a bunch of extra on top.

I'm still not sure which one I like better.

 Any opinion?

I filled them with my dried fruit mixture....

.....then whipped up a little orange meringue for the top.

Oh! The cuteness!

They are right tasty too....

just sampled the first one with S

 as he arrived home from work.

I'm going to try to make sense of this recipe, and post it tomorrow!

As it stands, the quantities are a bit iffy and I want to make it useful to you!

Happy PIE DAY!

Christine