An Apple a Day

It's not exactly apple season, but we have made two wonderful apple recipes we wanted to share!

First, we love Amelia Bedelia in our house.  I loved the book series as a little girl, and now my girls are enjoying her books as well.  She takes everything literally.  For instance, she thinks Granny Smith is a real person in "Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie" by Herman Parish.  We recently checked this out at the library, and when there was a real apple pie recipe in the back of the book, we had to try it!  Confession...this is my first time making a real pie crust.  I don't make a lot of pies, and those I have made, I use a graham cracker crust or a store bought crust.  I looooove the crust, but it is so not good for you.  But this splurge is worth is.  My daughter's loved making this!

We also made applesauce muffins that were super tasty.  So that recipe is here also.  We certainly hope your family enjoys!


Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie Recipe

For crust
In a food processor...

2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks of cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Pulse until crumbly.  Then add...

1/3 cup of very cold water (We put water in a small bowl with a few ice cubes.)
1 Tbsp white vinegar  (I have never seen this in a crust.  It did have a strong smell, but you could not taste it once baked.  We wanted to follow the recipe perfectly!)

Divide dough in two equal parts; wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in fridge for at least an hour.

Filling

8 cups of thinly sliced, peeled granny smith apples
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix well filling ingredients well and set aside.  Preheat oven to 400.

Prepare the dough by allowing it rest at room temp for five minutes.  Then roll into 10 in diameter.  Place in 9 in pie plate.  Pour in filling.  Top filling with 2 Tbsp cold butter cut into small pieces and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.  Roll other dough into 10 in diameter and place on top of filling.  Pinch top and bottom together well.  (My oldest daughter loved this part.  She used a fork to crimp the dough together.)  Cut four to six vent holes in top of crust.  Bake for 1 hour or until crust is brown and inside is bubbly!

Applesauce Muffins

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of applesauce (I used all natural, unsweetened)
6 Tbsp melted butter

Mix dry ingredients in bowl and set aside.  Whisk together sugar and eggs until smooth.  Stir in cooled melted butter and applesauce.  Pour wet ingredients in with dry and mix until just combined.  Over mixing makes a tough muffin.  Makes 36 mini muffins or 12 really big muffins.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes for minis or 25-30 for big muffins.  Yummy!

Today's Verse

"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth."  Isaiah 40:26

http://mansionmoms.blogspot.com/2012/09/whats-cookin-wednesday_19.html