Gluten Free Can Do: Dutch Apple Pie & Pumpkin Chai Latte

As I mentioned Monday, one of the field trips we took while in Michigan was to an Apple Orchard.  Apple Charlie's holds particularly fond memories for me from my childhood.  It has always been one of my favorite places to go and I've been almost every year of my life.  It's not that there's a ton to do - the opposite, really. It's a nice little mom and pop orchard where the parking and admission are still free.  You can watch them make donuts and cider.

They have bee hives that let you get the inside on honey making and enough animals to allow them to call one section a "petting zoo"

There's a small country store that sells homemade jams and butters and my favorite...apple jelly. The best part though, is the U-Pick area of apple trees.

There's just something about having memories of my cousins and me climbing trees to get the best apple and then watching my own kids do the same.  Sweet nostalgia :).

So we came home with a peck and the boys had the perfect idea about what to do with all these apples- apple pie.

I have to say, this is the first GF apple pie I've attempted and oh my...it was worth the effort!!  I used Gluten Free Pantry's All Purpose Flour that I bought at Kroger.

Awesome Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

FYI...this is one of those GF recipes you can slide by unassuming non-GF guests - they'll never know; it's SO good!

What would apple pie be without its accessories?  I made homemade vanilla ice cream but next time I plan to do cinnamon ice cream which I think would be a perfect fall pairing.

And for your beverage...

oh my, have you seen??

Tazo is making a Pumpkin Chai Latte concentrate.  I had a very hard time finding a link for this; it's available through the Starbucks store, but I bought mine at Target for about $4.

I didn't care that I was in the middle of an aisle at Target; when I discovered this fantastic find, I was jumping up and down saying in my loudest whisper to my husband, "do you see this??!!!  And we can have it!!!"  My sadness over having to give up Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte years ago almost entirely faded away at that moment.

I even found you a coupon. :)

Yes, there is a good bit of sugar and some caffeine so I don't go crazy with this stuff, but it's a nice treat, especially paired with unsweetened almond milk and of course...apple pie ;).

P.S. Don't forget about the GIVEAWAY!!!  Less than a week left to enter!!