Apples galore!

We have lots of apples. We have three apple trees and then a good friend of ours has a bunch as well. So we ended up with tons of apples. Enough that I gave Sara three full brown paper grocery bags of apples, because you can only make so much applesauce and apple pies! :) Brian even got into peeling the apples after I sliced my finger, which left me less than capable of continuing to peel... :)

Recipes to share...

Applesauce:

INGREDIENTS
20 medium sized apples - peeled, cored and chopped
3 cups water
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.

Apple Pie with French Crumb Topping:

About 8 sliced & peeled good cooking apples

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Dash of ground cloves

1 tbsp. lemon juice or 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. cornstarch or flour4 vanilla wafers, crushed, or 3 tbsp. finely ground nuts

1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

FRENCH CRUMB TOPPING:
1/3 c. butter

1/3 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. flour

1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch (or flour). Mix together with apples, brown sugar, spices, and lemon juice. Sprinkle wafers or nuts on bottom of pie shell. (This keeps crust from becoming soggy.) Spoon apple mixture into pie shell.

Make French Crumb Topping by mixing 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar together. Cut in 3/4 cup flour. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle topping over apples in pie plate. Bake for 50 minutes or until topping is golden and apples are tender.

NOTE: If you prefer to use conventional top crust, brush unbaked top crust with egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cream mixed together. Dust with sifted powdered sugar when pie comes out of oven. Or use the following topping on top of the crust before baking.
2 tbsp. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. chopped nuts

3 tbsp. dark corn syrup

2 tbsp. butter, softened

Mix all ingredients together and spread over unbaked top crust. Bake for about 50 minutes.

TIP: For a lovely taste thrill, mix 3 or 4 teaspoons of cinnamon into 1 quart softened vanilla ice cream. Refreeze. Serve a scoop of the cinnamon ice cream on warm apple-pie slices.