The Best Apple Pie

Apple Pie, who doesn't love it?

Surprisingly, I was in the small group of people who don't like apple pie until a few years ago. I know it is so un-American, but in my mind apple pie was too sugary sweet and mushy. Once I have an idea in my head it is kind of hard to change it...

I decided to make a homemade apple pie for a Christmas dinner. I wasn't intending on trying it, but I decided after all that hard work I should at least sample it. It was amazing! I discovered that it wasn't mushy after all and it had a nice tartness.

After making it just once it became quite popular. I shared my Topsy Turvy Apple Pie back in the fall, but this...well, this is my favorite apple pie recipe! If you are in search of a dessert for your Christmas dinner, look no further. This is not only pretty simple and frugal to make, but it will impress your guests.

I serve mine with homemade cinnamon whipped cream and have been told by several that this is the best apple pie ever. Don't take my word for it though, try it for yourself!


The first part takes the longest...slicing and peeling all of your apples. Once they are ready you just toss them in a large bowl to combine with all of the good filling stuff!

Then you pile it all in your pie crust! Be careful...there are a lot of apples!

Roll out your top crust and fit on top of the apples. I always like to cut a cute shape out of the extra crust! It just makes it a little cuter...and takes your eye away from how horribly I crimped my crust.

Here it is...the final product!

Ingredients:
2 pie crusts
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/8 inch thick slices (8 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice, apple juice, or apple cider
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg mixed with 2 tablespoons water or milk for glazing


Directions:
Place 1 crust in the pie plate. Refrigerate both the top and bottom crusts.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place apple slices in a large bowl with all of the remaining ingredients besides the butter and egg glaze. Toss them together with your hands to coat the apples evenly.

Scoop the apples into the bottom crust and dot the mixture with small pieces of butter. Cover the apples with the top crust. Seal and trim the edge.

Make a pretty edge; cut 3-4 slits in the top crust; and using a pastry brush, brush the top with the egg glaze.

Bake the pie on the center oven rack for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until the top of the pie is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 1 hour 10 minutes longer. If the top crust is getting too dark, cover it with a piece of foil and continue to bake.

Remove the pie from the oven and cool it on a rack.

Recipe Credit: Rosie's All Butter, Fresh Cream, No Holds Barred Baking Book

What is your favorite dessert to make for Christmas?

Apple Bites and Apple Line Up

We have come to the end of apple-fest here at The Cutting Back Kitchen! I wanted to leave you with one last recipe...(which is perfect for this week)...and a re-cap of all of the past apple recipes!

Source: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
Apples
Slivered Almonds

Directions:
Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then place slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Tip:
If you aren't going to serve right away, baste the apple in orange juice to keep from browning!

Apple Line Up

Apple Dip



Crock Pot Applesauce

Apple Yogurt Parfait

Topsy Turvy Apple Pie

Microwave Baked Apples

Crock Pot Apple Oatmeal

Apple Crisp

Apple Cider Chicken

Which apple recipe was your favorite?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday at www.lifeasmom.com

Topsy-Turvy Apple Pie

Last week there was an occasion that called for a celebration.

My parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary!!

We stopped over bearing this wonderful apple pie.

(Am I a wonderful daughter, or what?)

I reluctantly strayed away from my old faithful recipe, but this new recipe did not disappoint.

This was a really fun pie to make. It was easy, different, and I love that it is served upside down. I was really nervous when it came time for the big flip, but it came out of the dish so easily...I was amazed.

Apple pie season is on us...and this is a must try!

Glaze and Crust:
1/4cup packed brown sugar
1tablespoon butter, melted
1tablespoon corn syrup
1/2cup pecan halves
1 box refrigerated pie crusts

Filling:
2/3cup granulated sugar
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
4cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (4 medium)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425°F. In 9-inch glass pie plate, mix brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Spread evenly in bottom of pie plate. Arrange pecans over mixture. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie, placing bottom crust over mixture in pan.

2. In small bowl, mix granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. Arrange half of apple slices in crust-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining apple slices and sugar mixture. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.

3. Place pie on sheet of foil on middle oven rack in oven; bake 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 35 to 45 minutes longer or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Immediately run knife around edge of pie to loosen. Place serving plate upside down over pie; turn serving plate and pie plate over. Remove pie plate. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream.

Recipe Credit: Pillsbury

Guest Post

For today's recipe you are going to have to head on over to New Nostalgia! I am guest posting for Amy, with one of my favorite fall recipes...homemade applesauce.

Please keep Amy in your prayers as she is fighting breast cancer. I am sure that both Amy and her family would appreciate it!

Apple Yogurt Parfait

I was kind of stuck on the whole "berry parfait" idea until I came across this recipe in my newest Paula magazine. It combined my favorites, yogurt and granola AND it is "apple month", so I knew I had to try it.

It was absolutely delicious! My favorite part was the cinnamon yogurt. I don't recall ever seeing cinnamon yogurt at the store.

Why is it that cinnamon gets the shaft?

Seriously, think about it...

Cinnamon ice cream...it's the best...but good luck finding it!

Cinnamon yogurt? I've never seen it...but it's delicious!

Cinnamon cream cheese? Now that would be great?

Cinnamon whipped cream...I made that up to top my apple pie last year and it truly put it over the top!

1 1/2 cups diced apple
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granola

In a small bowl, combine apple and sugar. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt and cinnamon.

In two small glasses, layer yogurt mixture, apples, and granola, ending with granola. Garnish with apple slices, if desired.

Serves 2

Microwave Baked Apples

For the first time in my life I microwaved an apple.

I will admit, the idea seemed a little beneath me...microwaveable dessert? I am supposed to bring forth fabulous desserts that take a lot of time, but on my search for apple recipes I decided to try it.

After my delicious apple experience I was left with the following questions...

How can such a wonderful dessert be made in the microwave?

How can such a sinfully delicious dessert be remotely healthy?

This is so simple, you have got to try it...you won't be sorry!!!


1 apple
1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons brown sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon
3-4 pecans, crushed

Core apple, leaving a little bit in the bottom. Place apple in a microwaveable dish. Place butter, pecans, and brown sugar inside apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Microwave until tender...about 2-2 1/2 minutes. Let cool a little...it will be really hot inside. Pour the juice over the apple. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Apple Oatmeal

Well, I am back with a recipe to help you celebrate "National Apple Month"!

Didn't know there was such a thing? Well, neither did I. That is, until my friend and I came across "S'mores Day" in a cookbook. S'mores day sparked a special interest in researching these grand old days and months.

In honor of "Apple Month" I will be bringing you apple-ish recipes all month! (Actually it will be going into October because that is "Apple Month", too!)

If that just doesn't get you all excited, my friend, I really don't know what will!

So, I have been hitting the gym a lot lately! Seriously, like EvErY morning. I come home sooooo hungry I could eat a horse. I came across this recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking, and knew I had to try it.

It is just perfect for my mornings. I throw the ingredients in, go run, dream about this healthy apple-y goodness, and a little over an hour later it is waiting for me...just wonderful!

Gotta love the old crock pot!!!


1 cup oats
2 cups milk
1 apple, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch of salt
cinnamon


Add oats, milk, and apple to crock pot. Add brown sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or low for 2-3 hours. Garnish with cinnamon.

Serves:3-4

Really you should check out the "Days and Months"...some provide a good laugh

Today is:
National Cream-Filled Donut Day

Tomorrow is:
Make a Hat Day

This post is linked to:

Ultimate Recipe Swap at www.lifeasmom.com

Ingredient Spotlight at www.eatathomecooks.com

Apple Crisp

I made this wonderful Paula dessert last week with some apple we needed to use up! See, eating from the pantry can be quite yummy!

Mine came out with a little more crisp to apple ratio than I prefer, but I used smaller apples than the recipe called for. I had to make do with what I had on hand! So, I would advise large apples or use more if you have smallish ones.

6 large apples (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1/4 cup water

juice of 1 lemon

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 tablespoon cinnamon

2 sticks melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the apples, water, and lemon juice in an 8x8 inch baking pan. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour in the butter and stir to make a crumbly mixture. Spread the topping in an even layer over the apples and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and browned.

Apple Cider Chicken

I sat down the other day to drink some hot apple cider that had been "gifted" to me. While I was savoring it, I decided I needed to come up with something else to do with it. I knew we couldn't drink it all, and I hated to see those good apples go to waste! I'm all over the idiom, "waste not, want not"!

I came across a recipe and immediately wrote it down on my menu plan. I tweaked it to make it my own (or maybe I just didn't have all the ingredients on hand), and the result was great. I made it with apple cider, but I am sure it would be equally good with apple juice if that is what you have on hand!

Another plus, besides you probably have most of the things on hand already...is that it is quick and easy! See, I listened when you all said you were looking for some quick and easy meals. I have added a "quick and easy" label on the side bar so now you can search by that!

2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoon butter
¼ cup all purpose flour
4 boneless Chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ Vidalia onion, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
1 Teaspoon dried Thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cup apple cider/apple juice

Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Place the flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Add the chicken to the pan and sear until golden, about 4 minutes on each side.
Remove chicken from pan and set aside, cover with foil to keep warm. Add remaining butter, apple, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. Saute until apples get color and onions soften, about 6 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir for 2 more minutes. Add chicken back to pot, and add apple cider/juice, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve over rice, if desired.


Recipe adapted from Food Network

Countdown to Christmas - Apple Cranberry Salsa

I thought for the first recipe I should start with the meat, the main thing. I don't have much advice on baking a ham, it is kind of self explanatory. So, what does everyone make to go with the ham? A glaze or sauce! In my case though, I make a "salsa". You should give this a try this year, it is so good! I saw it in an ad in a Paula Deen magazine a few year ago. I immediately wrote it on my menu for Christmas dinner. The flavors go so well with the ham...and it is now the only sauce I will make with Ham.

2 medium apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 ham glaze packet (it comes with a spiral sliced ham)

Chop and core apples; toss them with the lemon juice.
Melt the butter in skillet, add walnuts. Stir in apples, cranberries, maple syrup, and glaze packet and mix until it dissolves. Bring to a boil. Spoon over ham.

Caramel Apple Dip

I made this dip a few weeks ago for a party. I get tired of regular old fruit dip, and I wanted something with a fall-ish feel. The caramel and the cream cheese flavor really came through, neither overpowered the other! It was really good, and took no time to whip up.


2-8 oz. packages cream cheese
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 small jar caramel ice cream topping


In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar til smooth. Add the caramel topping; beat until blended. Serve with apple slices. Refrigerate leftovers.