Apple Pie

I have been wanting to bake since we arrived home from NJ and Philly. I was so happy to see everyone was safe and  sound  after Hurricane Sandy. Baby Ray had surgery today and is on his way to recovery. Sweetest Baby Boy! Thank you for all of your prayers and kind words. All of your prayers have made a difference.

This is a very simple recipe for Apple Pie. It's hubs favorite and since he picked the last batch at the apple orchard, had to make it. If you want your kitchen to smell like heaven, I think this is pretty close to it.

 

Apple Pie

Ingredients

• Pie Crust (for a double crust pie)
• 2 1/2 pounds  apples, sliced ( I am so lazy, I don't peel apples!)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
2. Give everything a toss and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring a few times.
3. Meanwhile roll out your pie crusts.
4. Fill the crust with the apple mixture. Scatter the butter over the top of the pie.
5. Cover the top with the second crust. See, you can’t even tell how ugly my bottom crust is.
6. Cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
7. Bake the pie for 30 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven. Slip a baking sheet underneath of it, and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake until the fruit feels just tender when you poke a knife through one of the steam vents. The juices will thicken and they will bubble through the vents.  It should take another 30 to 45 minutes more. Foil edges of crust so that it doesn't get as brown as mine did.
8. Recipe adapted from Baked Bree.

Cloudy Day Blueberry and Apple Pie

It feels like it has been raining for days and when it rains, I bake. It feels like the right thing to do. The creative juices start flowing and the sweets appear. I have been watching the clouds noticing what the shapes look like, a dragon, a cat, a ship, a pie....

Wild Maine Blueberries are tender, small and sweet. Blueberries are one of the most healthiest of foods, full of antioxidants. The leaves and the stems have even more antioxidants, so no need to pull them out. I have been storing away blueberries since August knowing that the season will end.

Use fresh or frozen blueberries for your pie. If you are using frozen, it is not necessary to defrost them completely.

Use 2 cups of blueberries.

2 cups of your favorite tart apples. I like Cortland and McIntosh.

Basic Pastry dough for a 9 inch two - crust pie. Four ingredients, flour, salt, shortening and water.

Cut the shortening in the flour with two knives.

Add flour and sugar to apples and blueberries. Gently toss.

Pile in the blueberry and apple mixture into a lined pie pan.

Dot with butter. Large dots for me!

Cloudy Day pie deserves clouds on top. Beat an egg and brush the top, and bottom of the clouds so that they stay on the pie, brush the egg on to the whole pie.

Bake until pie is bubbling and crust is golden brown, about 60-70 minutes. Cover with foil if pie starts to get too brown.

These clouds look like bunnies or cats or clouds. They taste flaky and yummy.

A slice of Cloudy Day Blueberry and Apple Pie. A slice of life!

This recipe was featured at Joy of Desserts! www.joyofdesserts.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

• Basic pastry dough for 9 inch 2 crust Pie
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 6-7 tablespoons water

Method

1. Mix flour and salt. 
2. Cut in shortening with a a pastry blender or two knives. 
3. Combine lightly only until the mixture resembles very tiny peas. 
4. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time. 
5. Mix lightly with a fork, using only enough water so that the pastry will hold together when pressed gently into a ball. 
6. Roll out on a floured board and floured rolling pin. Makes two crusts.
   

Cloudy Day Blueberry Apple Pie:

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 Tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter

Method
Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. Line the pie pan with half the pastry dough. Wash and pick over blueberries if you are using fresh ones; if you are using frozen berries, it is not necessary to defrost them completely. Mix the flour, sugar, salt in a large bowl. Add the blueberries, sliced apples and lemon juice and toss well. Pile the mixture into the lined pie pan and dot with the butter. Roll out the top crust and drape it over the pie. Crimp the edges and cut several vents in the top.  Using a cookie cutter make shapes for the top of pie. Beat an egg and brush over top crust, brush bottom and top of shapes. Place on top of cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned. Cover with a sheet of foil if crust gets too brown. Pie will be bubbly and brown when done. Let cool before slicing. Serves 8-10. Recipe adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook.

I'm sharing this post at these fabulous blogs!:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sundays (Everyday Sisters) A Well Seasoned Life

  

•