Apple Pie (Two Ways)

It just isn't fall without apple pie. There is great debate around here about which of these pies is better. I love them both and think that these two recipes are the only apple pie recipes you need. Mike loves the carmel apple one best, my good friend like the crumb pie best. We did decide to put a batch of carmel without the nuts on the crumb pie and that was delicious too.

Apple Crumb Pie

For crust:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup butter, melted

Mix together until crumbly. Press half the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of pie dish.

For Filling:

6-7 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and pour into pie dish. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. (It will be a heaping pie but will bake down some.) Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Carmel Apple Pie

6 cups apples (a variety works best)

2 Tablespoons lime juice

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pastry for double crust pie (Marilyn's No-Fail recipe)

2 Tablespoons butter

Carmel Topping (follows)

Peel and thinly slice apples into a large bowl. Squeeze lime juice over apples and stir. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Add to the apples and stir. Place bottom pastry in pie plate (9" is what I use). Fill with apples and dot with butter. Put on top crust, flute edges and cut slits. Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes. Watch closely and cover with foil if edges start to get dark. Make carmel. When pie is done, pour on top and bake for another 3-4 minutes.

Carmel topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons whipping cream

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional--I love them)

Melt butter in saucepan, stir in sugar and cream. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add nuts. Pour over pie.

My Notes:

The carmel apple pie tends to end up leaking as it cooks so put some foil underneath or a pan to catch it. Otherwise you get a HUGE mess!

Key Lime Tarts

Key Lime Tarts

5 egg yolks

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

green food coloring if desired

10 mini graham crusts (or you can make it in a regular graham pie crust)

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Combine the egg yolks, milk, and lime juice well. Add food coloring if you want it to be a nice green color. Place graham crusts on a baking sheet. Fill evenly with lime filling. Bake at 350 for 10 min. Cool to room temp and them put in fridge to chill. Top with sweetened whipped cream.

YUM!

Recipe source: Our Best Bites

My Notes:

To make your own sweetened whipped cream beat 1 cup whipping cream with 2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar until stiff peaks form.

**If you want to make this as a pie, pour filling into graham pie shell and bake at 350 for 15 min. Cool and top each slice with sweetened cream.

Fruit Cream Pie

1 graham cracker, butter crunch or pastery pie crust

1/4 cup cornstarch

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups scalded milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Fruit-any kind but berries taste best

Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and boiling. Boil 2 minutes and remove from heat. Stirring quickly, gradually add about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks. You want to be careful not to let it sit or the eggs will cook and you will have a chunky pudding...yuck! So stir quickly! When it is well mixed, add the egg mixture back into the hot milk and cook for 1 min. still stiring constanly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cool slightly and add fruit. Pour into crust. If crust isn't completely full, top with freshly beaten whipped cream or a meringue.

Recipe Source: Wendy Bowers

Helen's Strawberry Pie

1 baked pie shell

(make your own using your favorite pie crust recipe or use Marilyn's No-fail recipe)

1 1/2-2 pints fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced

1 small box strawberry jello

Set strawberries with a little bit of sugar in refridgerator overnight. Drain the liquid into a 2-cup measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups. Bring liquid to a boil and add 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. Remove from heat and add the box of jello and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until dissolved. Cool. Add fresh berries. Pour into pie shell and chill. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

**Can substitute raspberries and raspberry jello

Recipe Source: Grandma Helen Walker