Apple Pie

(I will have to take some better pictures of apple pie making the next time I bake one.)

     I found this picture of a slice of apple pie that I took a few years ago. So I thought I would share my recipe while I'm thinking of it. Somehow I've managed to have this blog for 3 years now and have never done a post about apple pie! How is that possible? Apple pie is probably the one dessert I make the most throughout the year.

I took a basic apple pie recipe and altered it a little. This is how I make apple pie:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Have your two pie crusts ready. Place the bottom crust in pie pan.
I always pre-bake the bottom piece for 8 minutes in the 350F oven with foil wrapped over the edges so the sides don't cook. I just want to make sure the bottom is baked through because I've had many apple pies come out where the bottom crust is not cooked, but still doughy.

3. Peel & slice 5 or 6 big granny smith apples (enough to fill the pie pan). Sprinkle with 1 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tbs lemon juice. Toss apples to coat evenly. Pour the apple slices into the prepared pie crust. Then I take about 6 slices of butter and put them on top of the apples (I have no measurement...I just judge it. Probably somewhere between 2 or 3 tbs of butter.)

4. Put the top pie crust on. Seal & crimp the edges. Cut slits on top for air vents.

My black raspberry pie blog post has directions on putting the top crust on and pictures of crimping the edges and how to cut the slits: http://myhomemadefood-melissa.blogspot.com/search/label/berries

5. Next cover the edges with foil and put it in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes in the 350F oven. My apple pies always tend to drip like mad, so I put something on the shelf under the apple pie to catch drips and protect my oven.

6. After you remove the pie from the oven, let it cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy your homemade apple pie! It's delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Mmm...

Oven-Roasted Chicken

I watched Curtis Stone (from the tv show - Take Home Chef) make this oven-roasted chicken rubbed with a garlic herb butter mixture. He basically cut a slit in the skin and rubbed the butter mixture in between the skin and the meat. Then it was roasted on a bed of carrots, celery and onions. It came out very moist and delicious - definitely a recipe to keep.

Here is the recipe I used: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/oven-roasted-chicken.htm

(Note: I did not use the herb majoram, but used fresh rosemary instead.)

The chicken baking in the oven.

My first oven-roasted chicken!