An Apple a Day Keeps the Kids at Play...

Today our fun family of four ventured out to explore the world of apple picking.  I had so much fun watching Adelyn pick peaches weeks before that I decided Daddy had to be in on the next adventure.  It was cloudy and drizzled a little but that didn't dampen the day.  It actually cooled it off, kept the crowds away and allowed us to pick apples from our own private orchard.  We spent about half an hour laughing, eating and watching J climb trees to reach the cream of the crop.

We gathered enough for an apple pie, homemade carmel apples and Adelyn's new found obsession with fruit right off the tree.  We then let the kiddos run ram-pet on the grounds.  They rode tractors, played on their play place and seemed to discover every stick, rock and dirty water puddle within a mile of the place.  Good outdoor fun :)  I found a coupon on Eckert's website that allowed kiddos to pick two pounds free. So, we walked away with a pretty inexpensive trip.  I came home and decided to be Susie Homemaker and try my hand at apple pie since my peach pie turned out incredible.  Another success.  Here's the method.

Ingredients

• 6-7 cups sliced Golden Delicious Apples
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 TBSP flour
• 2 TBSP vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 (9-inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).   Core, cut and remove peel from apples. 
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.  Remove from heat and add apples.  Mix thoroughly. 
3. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apple mixture (saving some residual for the crust), mounded slightly. Cover with 2nd crust. Gently pour the remaining sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.  Brush it evenly over the surface.  Place on baking sheet to prevent spillage in the oven.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Mine turned out super messy but it was delicious!