One of the first things that I noticed when I moved to this little corner of Northeast Ohio is that Sunday is NOT a good day to get things done that require going to a store. Obviously there are exceptions like the larger chain stores, for the most part, things are closed and the streets rolled up on Sunday. Believe me, this is a small price to pay for the return you get from living in Wayne County Ohio. So Sunday is as it should be in our household, family day, we still get things done, clean up the house (full time job), and cooking.
We have become quite familiar with the concept of a crock pot in a world dominated by a lack of hours in the day. You cannot lose, dump everything into this magic appliance in the morning and several hours later – out comes a dish that even the most picky eater (my son) cannot stick a nose up at. So the morning starts out with breakfast. Then the crock pots are put together and begin their journey, tempting our senses all day.
Among the other delights that we typically get rolling on Sunday is the bread. I have documented this incredibly popular and versatile recipe and baking process in the Great Bread Challenge. Still a popular culinary delight both within the family and at Lehman’s corporate office. The cinnamon and brown sugar variation is wildly popular.
We typically do not do pies, as I am not that good at the crust. I did some digging the other day on the internet trying to determine what I am doing wrong, I came across some possible sites but do not have anything to report at press time. Anyway, Lehman’s just started carrying this wonderful glass pie plate, I just had to try it out.
This is a really nice pie plate made of easy to clean glass, it certainly looks better than our metal pie pans.
Originally, we were going to make a pumpkin pie, I am pretty good at making a pumpkin pie, I make the crust from scratch then break open the handy-dandy can of Libby’s Pumpkin Pie filling. Is that really ‘Homemade’? I suppose it is because it was ‘made’ at home, my definition is somewhat more precise, don’t break open a can of filling. I like the pumpkin pie filling but for this project I wanted it ‘Homemade’ by my definition.
We had some apples left in the fruit basket, so apple pie it is. The crust is made from a recipe whose origins are a bit sketchy. My older daughter, Kayla, got busy with the filling, she is turning into quite a good cook. Rolling the dough is where I mess up, generally by the time I get the dough in the dish the crust requires a considerable amount of ‘patching’. Oh well, it comes out quite tasty and flaky.
Got the patched up dough into the plate, Kayla added the filling, we topped the piece with another patched up crust. Cut some slits in the top crust and into the oven.
Time to work on the bread.
A little less than an hour later (and a small mess in the oven), we have a very tasty looking pie. Some pictures and off to the cooling rack where my youngest daughter, Carissa, is very curious. Snap a couple pictures and warn her not to touch.
After the pie cools a bit we cut into the warm apple pie, oh does it look good! Pictures are taken with my son, Alex, for the email piece that features the pie plate. Then the pie is divvied up, this was a tasty pie, not too juicy, certainly not dry, the apples were excellent. I will be making more of these in coming weeks.
Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¹℠8 tsp nutmeg
¹℠8 tsp salt
6-8 medium tart cooking apples, pared, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
Double pie crust 9-inch pie
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and mix with apples
Divide pie crust in half. Roll to ¹℠8 inch thickness and line 9-inch pie plate. Fill with apple mixture and dot with butter. Roll out remaining crust and place on pie. Cut slits for steam to escape and seal edges. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400° for 50 minutes.
Pie Crust recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
²℠3 cup shortening, well chilled
4-6 Tbsp cold water
Combine flour and salt in medium bowl, cut in vegetable shortening with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle with water until mixture holds together. Shape ½ of dough into a ball and place on lightly floured surface to roll out to ¹℠8 thickness.
Do you have a recipe?
