Aroma of Fall: Nana's Apple Pie

The colors of fall are so pretty.  The leaves on the trees and changing, the mums are in bloom and in the kitchen the Aroma of Fall is spicing up kitchens all over.  Pumpkins, apples, pears and squash.  Using these items in your recipes brings fall to the dinner table.

Veranda Home Collection

To compliment the Veranda Bean Pot that you will be using for those fall recipes which have been posted earlier why not bake your apple pie in the Veranda Stoneware Pie Plate shown above.  Not only will the pie look beautiful as you serve the pie from it but it bakes wonderful.  This pie plate can go in the oven and in the microwave.  As your pie is baking the aroma that will fill your home will be so comforting to the family returning home after a day away from home.

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry for 2 crusts (recipe below)
8 cups sliced, peeled assorted baking apples - about 3 lbs.  (Granny Smith, Cortland, Jonathan)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon milk

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice.
2. Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to apples and toss well to coat.
3. Fill pastry lined 9 inch pie pan with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
4. Place second crust on top of pie filling, cut slits in top of crust to vent. Seal the edges of the crust with a fork or by hand.
5. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and milk. Brush mixture over top crust.
6. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Flaky Pastry Pie Crust Recipe

Makes two 9-inch pie crusts                                                                                  
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/2 cup ice water

Directions:
1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in the ice water, a Tablespoon at a time, until the crust mixture forms a ball.
4. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
5. Sprinkle flour onto rolling surface. Roll dough out, then divide in half. Roll each half to fit a 9-inch pie plate.
6. Place crust in pie plate, pressing evenly into the bottom and sides.


Hint of the day:  No  time to make a baked apple pie you can still have that aroma of fall in your home by using a fragrance warmer.  All you need to do is put a quarter size Baked Apple Pie Jell into the saucer of the fragrance warmer and then turn on and before long your home will soon smell like baked apple pie.

 

Fragrance warmers will make a nice gift.