Grandmother's Japanese Fruit Pie & Southern Cooking

My Grandmother was the best ever Southern cook!  She lived in South Carolina and whenever we visited from way up in North Carolina, she served one of her famous Southern dinners!  Of note is that when I was growing up what we now call "lunch" was "dinner" and what we now call "dinner" was "supper".  So, dinner was around noon time and supper was the evening meal.  Dinner was the big meal of the day and Grandmother’s dinners were truly unforgettable.  You’ve heard about a 5 course meal?  Well her dinners were 10 course meals!  Everything was served family style from the table & a table full of family was always present!  Her beautiful bowls and platters were literally filled to the brim with good food; biscuits & gravy, skillet cornbread, fried chicken, roast beef, country ham, baked macaroni & cheese, seasoned green beans, fresh creamed corn, fried okra, mashed potatoes, buttered white rice, black eye peas, and the list goes on!  Of course you can’t forget dessert!  One of my favorites was Japanese fruit pie but her apple pie, pecan pie, chocolate cake, caramel cake, and pound cake were five star recipients as well. 

Grandmother’s Japanese Fruit Pie   This recipe makes enough to fill a 9" deep dish pie shell... or about 10 individual tarts   INGREDIENTS: 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell 3 eggs, beaten 1 stick butter, melted 1 cup Splenda sugar baking blend 2  teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons vinegar (either distilled white or apple cider) 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.	In a medium mixing bowl combine eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Beat until smooth. Stir in pecans, coconut, and raisins. Pour mixture into pastry shell.
3.	Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Cool before serving.