One of the secrets to this pie recipe is to use a lot of apples and pile them as high as they will go. This can be made a month or so in advance by freezing the pie before it is baked. Keep the unbaked pie in the freezer until the day before you want to serve it. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and leave it on the counter for a couple of hours before putting in the oven (it needs to be thoroughly defrosted).
Grandma Anna's Apple Pie
Servings 10
Equipment
- 9" Deep Pie Plate
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour sifted
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup shortening chilled
- 4-5 Tbsp ice water
- 12 apples Granny Smith are best, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- Fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Crust (or use store bought)
- Put flour, salt and shortening in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until coarse. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough forms a ball.
- Divide dough in 2 equal balls and chill for an hour (can be made the day before).
- Roll out crusts on a floured surface.
Pie Filling
- Mix together the sugars, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Place apples in a large bowl and pour mixture over apples. Stir until apples are well coated.
- Put one crust in the bottom of a greased 9 inch deep pie dish.
- Put about 1/3 of the apples in the dish.
- Dot with 1/3 of the butter.
- Squeeze lemon juice over apples.
- Repeat twice more.
- Cover the pie with the final crust and press edges together with your fingers. Flute.
- Make 4 small slits in the top of the pie to release steam.
- Freeze your unbaked pie by covering it with plastic wrap, foil and wrapping in two plastic grocery bags.
- Defrost before baking in a 400 degree oven for 55 minutes. Be sure to line the bottom of your oven with aluminum foil because this is one juicy pie.
Notes
For a truly professional look, using excess dough cut out leaf shapes with a pastry cutter and place on the top of the pie.
Serve the pie warm with vanilla bean ice cream.
Cinnamon and cloves in a beef stew recipe? Absolutely! Prepare this updated version of beef stew and your home will be filled with a wonderful aroma and your family and friends will be filled with a delicious, hearty meal. This isn’t your grandmother’s beef stew …
Contemporary Beef Stew
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 2 inch cubes
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 whole cloves
- 3 whole allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
- 20 ounces skinned pearl onions use frozen if you are crunched for time
- 3 stalks celery chopped in slices
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 can can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes 14 ½ ounces
- 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
Instructions
Marinade
- Place all ingredients up to pearl onions in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate over night.
Stew
- Drain the beef, but reserve the marinade.
- Melt butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a dutch oven.
- Sauté onions and celery on medium heat for about 5 minutes and place in a bowl using a slotted spoon.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
- Sear beef, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.
- Add marinade, onion, celery, tomatoes, tomato paste and enough water to cover the beef.
- Bring to boil and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender.
Notes
Serve over egg noodles, or herbed noodles, such as the basil noodles, pictured above.This stew can be made several days in advance. Freeze any leftovers.