the recipe...

I have heard your cries...

A handful of you have asked for the apple pie recipe. So instead of responding individually, I'm going to please the masses in one post. You can thank me later. :)

AWESOME APPLE PIE:
-6 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced (takes about 6 medium-large apples. My favorite combination is 4 Fuji and 2 Granny Smith)
-1 T lemon juice (I usually use closer to 2 T though...)
-1 c sugar (no more, no less)
-3 T flour
-1 T cinnamon (that's what the recipe calls for, but I usually eyeball it. Just enough so that each apple has a hint of cinnamony-ness)

-Mix all the deliciousness with your hands to spread the dry ingredients evenly over the juicy apples

-Fill your bottom crust with the aforementioned goodness; top with pastry dough and bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes. DON'T forget to put aluminum foil around the edge of your pie, so as to avoid burnage. (I usually put the foil on for 35 min and then take it off for the remainder of the baking time.)

And just in case you don't have a great pie crust recipe, here goes...

SCRUMTRULESCENT PIE CRUST:
-1 c shortening
-2 c flour
-dash of salt

-Use a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients. (Seriously, use a pastry cutter, not a fork. I used a fork until last Christmas when my other dynamite roommate, Brooke, gave me a pastry cutter. The pastry cutter makes a huge difference!) When the ingredients are combined and the crumbs are done, they are roughly the size of peas. Then add:

-5-7 T cool water. (My crust always turns out better when I use 7 T; it may feel a bit wet, but at least it sticks together when you have to move it to the pie plate. You can add flour as necessary when rolling it out.)

-Use pastry cutter again to incorporate the ingredients. Divide the dough in half and add extra flour as necessary. Flour the counter top and rolling pin and...you know what to do from here. Just try not to handle the dough too much with your hands once you've added the water or else the crust gets tough rather than flaky. Tasty with any fruit pie.

-2 T melted butter to spread over the top crust, then dust with cinnamon sugar

-Don't forget to poke holes on the top crust (aesthetically-pleasing designs make for a pretty pie)

BON APPETIT!

They've gotten prettier with practice...
This pic was in my May 2008 file, so I must've made it in May.
And it was delicious.