The best Apple Pie EVER!! (And Pie Crust Recipe)

I know I just posted a recipe for Apple pie...just disregard that one and make this one!!!! First off, sorry there is no picture of the pie...we ate it so fast I didn't even think about a picture it was so good! My friend Brittony made it and gave it to us. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Seriously it is so good and Tony's favorite dessert is Apple pie and I've never really been good and making them, but I don't think this recipe can go wrong! So Tony's happy that he'll probably get more apple pie! So here it is!

Scrumptious Apple Pie

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1 pie crust

6 to 7 cups peeled and slice Granny Smith Apples (Brittony said she just used Gala's and they were really good, although I've heard that Granny smith are the best to use because they are tart and complement the sweet really well...so whatever I guess!:))

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup sugar

4 Tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup quick oats

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 jar (or more) caramel topping

In a bowl mix peeled apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, then add in brown sugar, oats, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Add apples to prepared pie shell and top with crumb topping. Cover crust edges with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil from crust and place back into the oven for another 30 minutes. Chop pecans, and when five minutes remain, sprinkle them over the pie. Finish baking.

Remove the pie from the oven and pour 1/2 jar (or more) of caramel topping over the top. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

(This is HEAVEN with some vanilla ice cream while it is still warm!)

Now for the BEST pie crust I've had. I don't like to make pies that much because I HATE making pie crusts, so whenever I make a pie I buy my pie crust and they really aren't that good, so I've never become a big fan of pie, but this pie crust was melt in your mouth good. The layers seriously just melted in my mouth! So when I make my next pie, hopefully remembering how good it was will help me through the process!:)

PERFECT PIE CRUST

1 1/2 cups crisco

3 cups flour

1 egg

5 Tablespoons cold water

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutter, gradually work the crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 Tablespoons of cold water, 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 tsp. of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into ta large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of cough (about 1/2 inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it's a good idea to put them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to chill.)

When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it's a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the counter top use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it's about 1/2 inch larger, in diameter than that of your pie pan.

With a spatula, lift the dough carefully from the surface of the counter onto the pie pan. Gently press the dough against the corner of the pan. Go around the pie pan pinching and tucking the dough to make a clean edge.

These recipes were found by my friend Brittony at pioneerwoman.com. LOVE HER! (both of them!:))

Pumpkin Pancakes

Conference weekend always gives me the perfect opportunity to try new recipes and to bake! I've been wanting to try some pumpkin pancakes for a while and found this recipe on the internet! (can't remember where...so sorry!!)  They were SOOOOO yummy!!!

Pumpkin Pancakes

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1 1/2 cups pancake mix

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 large egg

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup canned or pureed pumpkin

1 cup water, more or less

In a medium bowl, mix the pancake mix and spices together.

In another bowl, whisk the egg and the brown sugar together. Stir in the oil, the pumpkin, and most of the water.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined adding more water to obtain the right consistency. (The recipe doesn't call for them, but we thought they'd be really good with some chocolate chips in them as well, so I added milk chocolate chips to the batter before cooking...either way they are really good!)

Serve hot with maple syrup, whipped topping, and sprinkled with nutmeg! ENJOY!

Apple/Cherry pie

So I was really excited to make these cool little pies so I went all over town looking for the "squatty" 1/2 pint canning bottles and nobody had any, so I had to just make normal pies! They were still good, but wanted to try out the little ones. Here's a link to where I got the recipe for the little pies. They look so cute and so yummy!

Apple Pie

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1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

6-7 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)

1 Tablespoon butter

1 egg white

additional sugar

In a small bowl, combine the sugars, flour and spices; set aside. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss to coat.

Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Fill with apple mixture; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry.

Beat egg white until foamy; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges loosely with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.

Cherry Pie

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I used refrigerated pie dough (because I HATE making it!) and layed it in the bottom of another pie plate. Then I used pie filling that I bought from the store (I know it's never as good, but I was being lazy!:)) and just added some almond extract and mixed it together and then poured it over the crust. Then I made a crumble for the top since I like those the best. The recipe for that was:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

4 Tablespoons oats

1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon

6 Tablespoons cold butter

Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter. (I usually end up using my hand...so much easier!) Add oats and stir to combine.

Sprinkle over the cherries and bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Pita Pocket Pizza's (A quick favorite!)

This is so fast and easy...perfect for that hectic evening when you need something quick!

Pita Bread Pizza

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(This picture is before we cooked them...I forgot to take an after picture!:))

Pita pockets (we used white this time because they were out of wheat, but I try to use the whole wheat ones...yummy!)

Pizza sauce

Mozzerella cheese

Pizza toppings

I give each of the kids a pita pocket and they get to make their own pizza. They spread on the sauce and sprinkle on the cheese and then put whatever toppings they want on it. We then bake them at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes and they have their own personal pan pizza! They LOVE to get creative with their pizza's and make faces or designs and whatever else their little brains think of! I think they might have more fun making them than eating them...which is BIG for my kids!:)

Sweet Pork Burritos or Salad

This is the best stuff I have ever had!!! SOOOOOO Yummy! I've been wanting to make it ever since I had it this summer at our family retreat!! My sisters Jamie and Melinda had all the recipes, so I can't even take credit for them! There are a few different recipes so I'll just post them one at a time. You've got to try this one!!!

Sweet Pork

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2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies

1 can (8 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup)

1 boneless pork loin roast (2-2 1/2 pounds)

Place roast and all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Shred meat with a fork. Return to slow cooker for 30 minutes. DECLICIOUS!!

Lime Rice

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2 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups calrose rice

1 clove garlic

grated lime rind

Juice from one lime and an little bottled lime juice

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Cilantro to taste

Bring chicken broth to boil and add all ingredients. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

(to DIE for!!!)

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4-6 tomatillos

1 packet buttermilk ranch dressing

1 packet Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup mayonnaise

Peel husks off tomatillos and discard. Wash tomatillos and place in blender along with all remaining ingredients. Blend until a fine sauce forms. Chill until ready to serve.

Baked Tortilla strips

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corn tortillas

oil

scissors or pizza cutter

Rub oil onto hands, rub tortilla liberally on front and back. Cut into strips. Bake @ 350 for 5-7 minutes per side (or until crunchy). Put on cookie rack, cool completely and salt.

For Burritos:

Place lime rice, black beans (which I forgot...and we love black beans!), sweet pork, grated cheese and tomatillo dressing in tortilla and wrap like a burrito. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, tortillas strips and more tomatillo dressing if you like! SO GOOD!!!

For Salad:

(sorry no picture!)

Place sweet pork on a bed of lettuce. Sprinkle with lime rice, tomatoes, cheese, and black beans. Add tomatillo dressing and tortilla strips! Hope you ENJOY!!

Baja Taco Blitz

This has become a family favorite.  And it's good for you.  That's always a plus!

Baja Taco Blitz

Recipe from Weight Watcher

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1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 large sweet red pepper, sliced

3 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

8 small corn tortillas

salt & pepper to taste

avocado

lettuce

shredded cheddar or monterey jack or pepper jack cheese

sour cream

salsa

cilantro

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onion for 2 minutes. Add red pepper; saute for 2 minutes more (vegetables should still be a little crisp). Remove vegetabvles from skillet and place in a bowl. Saute chicken in the same skillet until cooked through (I also add the cilantro and some fresh garlic to the chicken, I used 2 cloves of galic), about 4 to 5 minutes; add to vegetable bowl.

Heat tortillas in same skillet for 20 seconds on each side; remove to a plate.

Season vegetable-chicken mixture with salt and pepper; divide among tortillas. Top each with avacado, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantr (if you didn't already add to the chicken). Fold up and serve.

NOTE: If you use fat-free cheese and sour cream each taco only has 3 points! (for those of you using points!!:))