Apple Pie

Richard's Grandma said she loved apple pie as dessert for her traditional Irish dinners.  She's no longer with us, but the tradition continues.
I have some odd inability to make a decent pie crust, so I buy mine.

You can be lazy and buy canned pie filling, (this way often lacks flavor) but the best way to make the pie filling is finding tart apples, and following on of the many recipes such as this one by Paula Dean.  I find apple pie filling to be like a bread recipe.  Everyone has a recipe they love, but few of them are truly bad.

The bottom layer needs to be poked with a fork to keep its shape and keep from bubbling.  Trim the outside of the bottom crust so it doesn't go over the sides.

dump pie filling into bottom crust and even out as best as possible.

Place the top layer, centered, on top of the fruit.  Use your fingers to "close the lid" and pinch the crust all the way around.  Sprinkle with sugar.

Use a small, sharp knife, like a paring knife to make air holes.  you can be creative or just make large slits.

Cover crust edges with foil. You do this because the crust will brown well before the middle of the pie is done with out it.  By the time the pie is done, with out foil, the crust will burn on the edges.

Bake at 400 for 20-30 min and remove foil.  Continue to bake until crust is browned.

Voila!

Grandma Jean's Applesauce Pie

When my dad was little he didn't like the chunks of apples in an apple pie, so my Grandmother came up with this recipe for Applesauce Pie, which if you ask me is just as good or better, and definitely quicker to prep!

1 48 oz jar of Cinnamon flavored Applesauce
2 cups water
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
2 prepared pie crusts

Pour entire jar of applesauce in a large pan. (You can use plain applesauce and then add cinnamon if you want.)

Pour water and corn starch into empty applesauce jar and shake until corn starch and water are mixed well. Add to apple sauce. Add sugar and lemon juice.

Bring mixture to a boil. Stirring often so that it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan. As it boils the mixture will thicken and change color. Let the mixture boil until it can't be stirred down. When the mixture is thick, pour into pie crusts. It will make 2 pies. Bake at 375 until the pie crust is done. Let cool and then refrigerate until ready to eat.