The Ultimate Autumn Recipe Apple Cranberry Raisin Pie

I like my apple pie spicy and full of ingredients. I want flavor to hit my taste buds like a mac truck hitting a VW, on a wet road, with with no breaks. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It will make your home smell like a bakery shop and be warm and inviting. Serve this pie warm with ice cream or a sharp cheddar cheese slice and a smile. You will be glad you did.

INGREDIENTS:

The ULTIMATE AUTUMN APPLE PIE The Way I Like It…

• 4 cups pared, sliced McIntosh apples (I leave the skins on, that is where the vitamins are and more roughage)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen Cranberries
• 1 cup raisin or currants golden or regular
• 1 stick of “butter” (not oleo!)
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (or cup of 1/4 cup honey or sugar substitute)
• 1/2 cup raw sugar (or 1/4 cup of honey or sugar substitute)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup apple sause or apple butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon real vanilla (never cook with vanilla flavor) or the inside of two vanilla beans
• 1 teaspoon lemon or orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon  or orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional but not as good with out)
• 1 cup of love
• One large pinch of sea salt or kosher salt (if you are not allowed salt…just omit it won’t hurt the flavor
• Pastry for a 9 inch two crust pie
• one egg to brush on pie crust

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400º F
• Combine all ingredients except butter and pastry, in a medium mixing bowl and  mix well
• Pour into a pastry lined pie pan-I usually make a mound in the middle, I like a heaping pie not a skinny pie…never make skinny pies…skinny pies are for skinny people…
• Put butter slices all over the top of the mixture
• Cover with top crust or lattice
• Seal edges
• Cut several slits in top crust, if a full pie cover or use a pie spout
• Whip up one egg with a bout a teaspoon of cold water
• Using a pastry brush apply evenly to the surface of the pie crust
• Place pie in the center of the oven on a rank a little lower than medium height. If it

starts to bubble over, place a cookie sheet under it to catch the drippings.

Bake 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cover edges with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes one 9-10 inch pie

Helpful Notes:

***Try to avoid a soggy bottom crust. I recommend using a glass or ceramic pie plate and baking on the low rack in your oven on a higher temperature (425 degrees Fahrenheit), so the crust will cook quicker than the apples. I do not like a wet crust unless it is a cobbler.

***For Autumn, I like to cut out pastry leaves to make a more festive look. You can even color them with food coloring.

***Instead of an egg wash, you can alternately brush the top of your pie lightly with melted butter and then sprinkle on sugar.

*** You can always drizzle on melted carmel to give it that warm fuzzy feeling of Autumn Carnivals.

***Always serve with ice cream, whipped cream or my favorite sharp cheddar cheese.

Bon Appetit
~the Baby Boomer ~

Here are some kitchen gadgets for you to look over…Some that I like…

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