Home made Apple pie

I made a deep dish apple pie today. I have to admit...I cheated. I used the store bought roll out crusts. *hides* With all the beautiful fall apples available, I just couldn't resist....but I'm not so good at pie crusts. So I cheat, but it still turns out just fine!

I wish I could say I had a recipe. I just peel and slice apples till the crust is full. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Dot with butter. Top with another crust and bake. Sorry for the vagueness, but really...that's all you need to know.

The fresh fall apples are exceptionally sweet and don't need much extra sugar. Spring apples (aka from the store...Guatemala etc) are imported and even though it is 'in season' where they come from, they don't seem as sweet to me and so I add more sugar as I fill the pie. You can add nutmeg if you'd like....or even pumpkin pie spice.

My grandma (Granny) almost never used recipes. Everything she made was by memory.....or the 'taste as you go' method. I learned a lot about cooking from her. I spent a lot of weekends at her house when I was growing up.

If you think about it, homesteading is exactly like cooking with my grandma. She made do with what she had when deciding what to make for dinner. She cooked by the seasonal availability of foods, much like we do now in gardening....or even shopping the sales in stores. I finally talked her into writing down some cookie recipes about 3 years before she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Wonderful things like nut horns, lady locks, and nut rolls. Yummy! I'm so glad that I have those recipes!

I should mention that I spent a few years working in a fine dining restaurant too...so presentation is important! I served my pie still warm with french vanilla ice cream, a small dollop of whip cream and caramel drizzle. Yum!!!!!

~L