Nothing goes to waste! Mock Apple Pie; I smell a recipe!

 Good Morning!  Well you may be reading this in the afternoon or evening, but it's morning somewhere!  Anyway, as I write this my "experiment" is still in the process stage.  I'm hopeful though, so I'm writing in anticipation of it's success.  

How many here are familiar with the "Little House" books?  Raise your hand.  

I love the "Little House" books.  Carolyn Ingles was very innovative.  I think folks had to be then if their families provision relied on pretty much what they could grow.  Set backs had to be handled in such a way as to preserve as much as they could, regardless of circumstance.  The best example, I think, for this type of innovation is found in the Little House book "The Long Winter".  The whole book is an example, if you ask me.  I remember reading this with my daughter when she was a child.  In the beginning of the book ( for those few of you not familiar), there is an early freeze coming and so the family has to pick anything left in the garden.  Unfortunately this means the end of their garden for the year.  Carolyn, "Ma", picks everything, and I do mean everything; including some green pumpkins.  She then uses the green pumpkins for that nights dessert as a surprise for Pa.  She cuts up the green pumpkins and makes a mock apple pie, using the diced green pumpkins in place of apples.  

My daughter recently found a volunteer pumpkin plant  growing around the apartment complex she lives in.  Someone had thrown out a Halloween pumpkin last year and it had reseeded.  She picked one green, not knowing it was a pumpkin.  She thought it was another type of squash.  She picked it because it was huge!  Once we determined it was a pumpkin, I reminded her of that Little House story.  She took it to heart and made 3 mock apple pies.  They were a hit at her house.  Pretty sweet to be able to replace the most expensive ingredient in apple pie with something free.  It's also great that it was replaced with a vegetable!  Way to go dear daughter!

This morning I arose to peel a watermelon rind ( from our garden) to make watermelon rind pickles,  Yes this is a thing.  They're sweet like Gherkins or Bread and Butter pickles.  As I started to peel the rind I had an idea for something better than pickles.  Inspired by that Little House story, and my daughters success, I set out to try a mock apple pie with the watermelon rind!  After peeling just one half of the watermelon, I had 12 cups of chopped rind.  If the pie is successful, my plan is to use the rest of the watermelons in the garden (uh once we eat them) to make batches of mock apple pie filling that will be either frozen in quart bags, or canned if I can figure out the process time.  More than likely it will be frozen for use during the coming year.  

UPDATE:  Fast forward about 12 hours and I can say the pie was great!  Thanks Carolyn Ingles, and Dear Daughter!!  

Another part of the watermelon I plan to use is the seeds.  Yes you can eat watermelon seeds.  It won't grow another plant in your stomach.  Lol.  Apparently you can roast any type of squash/melon seeds.  They're supposed to be good for you.  So I've been gathering seeds all summer long, drying them and freezing them until I can do a large batch of roasted seeds.  These seeds will be stored and used in Granola or just for snacking.

So here is the recipe for the pie!

Mock Apple pie

12 cups watermelon rind peeled, diced, and with all residual watermelon fruit removed

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 TBS Lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter

Crust for Double crust pie

Cook watermelon in 1 quart of water for 10 min on medium heat.  Don't boil.  Remove from heat and drain.  Pour drained watermelon into a mixing bowl.  Add the Lemon Juice and mix well.  Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour over the watermelon.  Toss watermelon to coat well.  Pour into a crust lined deep dish pie pan.  Dot with butter.  Top with second crust.  Seal edges.  Brush crust with milk and sprinkle sugar over the top.  Cover the pie edges with foil.  Bake in a 375 oven for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 350 for another 25 minutes.  Then VOILA!