Best Ever Apple Pie

I made this pie with Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust and it was AWESOME! Easy and Delicious!

Best Ever Apple Pie from Country Home

We asked Country Home readers to send us their favorite original recipe for apple pie and tell us how it came to them. We read and sampled and surmised that the maple sugar- and cream-infused one from reader Vicki Ehrenberg Schlaerth was the winner. For the story behind the pie, read Vicki’s letter:

The secrets to my pie are the cream and maple sugar that give it a warm mellow flavor—it’s the perfect comfort food. The recipe is made up of parts of several “family” recipes, and the maple sugar was my own addition. I put it together two years ago after I discovered the fun of estate sales and purchased a tin recipe box filled with family recipes. I went home and spent an hour looking through the recipes—they all sounded so delicious. Since then, I have purchased every tin box I see, as long as it’s full of recipes.
—Vicki Ehrenberg Schlaerth, New York

Best-Ever Apple Pie Recipe
The winning recipe from our apple pie contest.

1 recipe Pastry for Double-Crust Pie*
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup maple sugar or packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 lb. tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (8 cups)
2 Tbsp. butter, cut up
1/4 cup whipping cream
1–2 tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. raw sugar

1. Prepare pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 pastry ball to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine granulated sugar, maple sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add apples; toss to coat. Transfer to pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter and pour whipping cream over filling. Trim edge of crust even with edge of pie plate.

3. On the lightly floured surface, roll out remaining pastry to a 12-inch circle. Cut an “x” or a design in the center of the pastry. Place pastry over filling in pie plate. Seal and crimp edges. Cut small slits in top of crust, if desired. Brush with milk and sprinkle with raw sugar. Place pie on a foil-lined baking sheet. To prevent overbrowning, cover pie edges with foil.

4. Bake in a 375° oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil from edges. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

*Pastry for Double-Crust Pie: Place steel blade in food processor. Add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup butter, cut up; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover; process with on/off turns until most of mixture resembles cornmeal but a few larger pieces remain. With processor running, quickly add 1/3 cup cold water through feed tube. Stop processor when all water is added; scrape sides. Process with 2 on/off turns. Remove from bowl; shape into a ball. Divide in half. If needed, wrap and chill until easy to handle. (Or, in a large bowl stir together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1 cup butter until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, using a total of 5 to 6 tablespoons water, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Shape into a ball.)

Aunt Lisa's Cinnamon Rolls

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 c. warm water

2 1/4 c. milk

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. crisco

1 1/2 t. salt

5 eggs

9-11 c. of flour

Mix yeast and warm water together. Sprinkle with a squosh (large pinch) of sugar, stir and let set.

Heat in microwave the milk, sugar, crisco and salt until the crisco melts.

Let the crisco mixture cool some then add 5 eggs and beat with beaters.

Add the yeast mixture and beat again.

Add 4 cups of flour and beat again.

Then add enough flour to make proper dough. (Proper dough is when the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl; usually 5-7 additional cups)

Let rise until double in size.

Roll out to about 18x24 inches.

Spread on melted butter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll up.

Cut in 2 inch thick pieces.

Spray cookie sheets with PAM.

Place 6 rolls on a sheet.

Let raise again.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

FROSTING:

1 cube margarine

1 c. brown sugar

6 oz. evaporated milk

1 bag powder sugar (2 lb.)

Boil all ingredients for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and beat in almost (but not quite) the whole bag of powder sugar.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Chasseur

Bryan's critique?... "Unbelievable!"

8 slices bacon, finely chopped
vegetable oil
6 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breast halves (10-12 oz. each or 12 thighs at 6-8 oz. each)
salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed thoroughly and finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced (or 1 t. dried)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

1. Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add bbacon to the crockpot. Reserve the bacon fat separately. You should have at least 2 T. If not, use vegetable oil for the missing fat.

2. Dry chicken with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 t. bacon fat to the skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the chicken on both sides, about 10 minutes. Put in the crockpot. (Remove the browned skin if using thighs.) Return the skillet to medium high heat and repeat with 2 more teaspoons of fat and the rest of the chicken. Discard any fat left in the skillet.

3. Add the remaining 2 t. fat to empty skillet. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add cremini's, red onion and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Cook until mushroom are brown, 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Cook for 15 seconds. Stir in wine and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Put in crockpot.

4. Add tomatoes, 1.5 cups broth, porcini's, thyme, bay leaves and red pepper flakes to crockpot. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 4 hours.

5. Transfer chicken to large serving dish. Tent loosely with foil.

6. Discard bay leaves. Set the crockpot to high. Whisk flour with remaining 1/2 cup broth until smooth. Stir into crockpot. Cover and continue to cook until sauce is thickened and no longer tastes of flour, 15 to 30 minutes longer.

7. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon vegetables and some of the sauce over the chicken. Serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.

Valentine Sponge Cake Cubes

SIMPLY DIVINE!!!

Cut a frozen sponge cake into 1-inch cubes.

• Tip: I bought my sponge cake at Harmons for way too much money. I suggest making your own large batch (maybe sheet cakes) because you throw a lot of it away carving it into perfect 1 inch cubes. You can reuse the discarded pieces in a trifle or something. I wish I had a best ever sponge cake recipe to share with ya'all but I don't yet.
• Best to have a really really sharp knife because perfectly straight edges are key.
  

Melt canned frosting in the microwave at 30 second intervals until it becomes the consistency of heavy cream.

• Tip: What the heck is canned frosting? Not sure why they say canned when all the frosting comes in plastic containers. Why don't they just say 'premade' or something so I don't have to wonder whether I got the right thing. For a novice like myself these little inconcistencies cause me stress only b/c I know if you don't follow the recipe exactly it could flop. And I HATE flops. Anyway, the frosting in the plastic container worked great... just be sure it's the normal stuff and not the 'whipped'. (I'm assuming that wouldn't work so great)
• Tip: On the cover of Women's Day their little sponge cubes were pink and white and dark red. Well, so I try to make dark red frosting and I empty my entire little bulb of food coloring and my frosting is still just dark pink. GAH! I still haven't figured it out. I'm thinking I have to buy a really big glass vile of red food coloring and just use it all. I must figure this out.

Dip the frozen cubes in the frosting like you were dipping chocolates.

• Tip: I just plop them in there one at a time making sure they're completely covered with frosting and then gently lift them out with a fork so that the excess frosting drips off.

Then the recipe said to slide them onto tinfoil (not sure why you would use tinfoil instead of parchment paper).

Sprinkle immediatly if you're going to put sprinkles on them. The frosting begins to set immediatly.

They need to set out for quite some time for them to truly set up. I'm guessing because the frozen pound cake continues to defrost which means it releases moisture making the frosting take awhile longer to really set up.

On the cover of WD each cube was in it's own little square white cupcake liner type thing which I thought was SOOOO cute. I think 4 or 6 of those in a cute little box would make for the perfect little valentine gift. One was dark red with white sprinkles (so cute), another was light pink with a red gel frosting heart on it (tried this.... didn't look so cute when I did it).

Parmesan Crusted Sandwhiches

These are from Heidi's recipe blog. They are utterly fantastic. I didn't have Monterey Jack cheese so we used Provolone and Mozzarella which turned out fabulous. I also substituted onion salt for onion powder because I didn't have any onion powder. I suggest cooking on a lower heat so the cheese has a chance to melt before the bread is toasted and the parmesan crusts. And I definitely suggest the Honey Mustard recipe below. It was divine.

Grilled Parmesan Sandwiches – Celeste Gooch

1 loaf – sour dough bread
Softened butter
1 clove garlic - minced
¼ C. freshly grated parmesan
1 packet Italian seasoning
Deli sliced ham
Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese
Tomato
Honey Mustard

In a small bowl, mix softened butter, minced garlic and parmesan cheese – set aside.

Cut fresh sour dough bread in sandwich slices. Spread butter mixture on bottom of bread (grilling side). Spread honey mustard on the other side of bread. Top with ham and tomato. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and top with Monterey Jack cheese. Top with another piece of sour dough bread and spread butter mixture on bottom. Cook the sandwich on a skillet like you would a grilled cheese sandwich OR if you are lucky enough to own a Panini maker (Summer) go to town with that.

I also like to make my own honey mustard – the recipe is below –

Honey Mustard – Sarah Russell

½ C. Dijon mustard
½ C. honey
¼ C. corn syrup
¼ C. mayonnaise
Dash of onion powder

Combine in small bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork.

Heidi's Sausage Stars

25 count pkg. won ton wrappers

1 lb. sausage, cooked and crumbled

1 ½ C. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 ½ C. Monterey jack cheese, grated

1 C. ranch-style salad dressing

2 ¼ oz. can sliced black olives

Press one won ton wrapper in each cup of a muffin tin; Bake at 350 for five minutes. Remove won tons and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining won tons; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients well and fill baked wrappers. Bake at 350 for an additional five minutes or until bubbly. Makes 4-5 dozen.

So delicious…just don’t count calories on these babies!!

Potato Puff Rolls

(disclaimer: this is a picture of a batch I did not do well... they are much prettier than this and when I make them again and make them right I will most definitely be replacing this picture)

warning: this makes 5-6 doz. so usually you would half it unless you're feeding an army.

4 c. warm water
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. shortening
2 c. mashed potato flakes
4 T. SAF yeast (instant rise yeast)
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 T. salt
8-11 c. flour

Mix ingredients together in a mixer and knead for 5 minutes.
Let rise until double in size.
Roll out for dinner rolls.
Let rise again.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

BIG TIP: DO NOT OVER FLOUR! The trick to the absolute bestness of these is not adding too much flour AND not over cooking them. So, only add enough flour so that the dough is barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl. After it has risen and you pull the dough out to roll... it will be sticky. Just flour up, baby. The extra flour that's on your hands and on the table will add just enough flour to make these perfect. THEN... many times I only set my oven to 325 and barely cook them for 18 minutes. It really depends on altitude and stuff like that (I think). If the tops are becoming golden brown pull them out. If the tops are cooked and the inside isn't... next time lower your oven temp. Seems complicated, huh? Ya, but once you get it right they are TO DIE FOR!... perfectly moist and SUPER SOFT!!!

BEST EVER Big & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have finally found the best ever chocolate chip cookie recipe. These are definitely big and chewy. Tip: I had to add 1-2 additional T. of flour to get it to the right consistency. Also, I could only fit 6 cookies on one cookie sheet. My batch made 17 cookies. It is important to take them off the pan after 10 minutes of cooling or they will overcook. Enjoy!

Makes 17-20 large cookies

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 T. vanilla extract
1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips (2 c.)

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the flour, bakins soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the chocolate chips until incorporated.

4. Working with 1/4 cup of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are golden but the centers are still sof and puffy, 17-20 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.

5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

This recipe is courtesy of America's Test Kitchen.

Heidi's Best Ever Tomato Soup

Best EVER tomato soup EVER! I wanted to make Ultimate Grilled Cheese sandwhiches with this but didn't have the time. Instead I just slapped some mayo and a slice of velveeta on some wheat bread and grilled it. It was FAB-U-LOUS dipped in this BEST EVER tomato soup.

3 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 Large Onions, diced small
5 cups diced and seeded tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup basil pesto
salt & pepper to taste
Fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook onions in oil over med-low heat until translucent.
Add tomatoes and allow to warm to a simmer.
Add chicken stock.
Bring to a simmer and allow to cook 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and add whipping cream and pesto.
Blend to desired consistency in blender.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Top with fresh parmesan cheese and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Abbi Penn.

Keri's Texas Sheet Cake

This is the best Texas Sheet Cake EVER!!! Primo Deliciouso!

1 c. water
1 c. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan. Add water and cocoa and bring to a boil.
In a bowl mix the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add in the chocolate mixture.
Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
Beat well and pour into a greased and floured sheet pan.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. (I baked mine for 20 minutes)

FROSTING
1 cube butter
6 T. milk
1/2 c. cocoa
4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

melt butter in a saucepan. Add milk and cocoa and bring to a boil.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
Mix and frost cake while hot.
Delicious!

Soft, Perfect Sugar Cookies

This recipe courtesy of The Picky Palate.
They are delicious and I love her suggestion about using the rolled fondent. It was a lot of fun decorating these soft, perfect sugar cookies.

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter.
Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined.
Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.
Once chilled, roll and cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes depending on how thick you cut your cookies. Remove and let cool. Frost and decorate as desired.

Fondant Frosting Directions:
Roll the fondant out into an even thinness. (I used parchment paper to roll the fondant, so it didn't stick)
Use the same cookie cutter you cut the cookie into to cut out your shape.
Brush a light layer of corn syrup on top of the cookie
Press the cut fondant over your cookie.
Press around the edges to seal.

Ugly Dip

2 avacados
2 ½ tomatoes
1 cans black beans
2 green onions
1 can corn, drained
¼ bottle Italian Dressing

Mix and Serve with chips

BEST EVER!!!

White Chicken Chili

5 (15 oz.) cans Great Northern beans
5 cans chicken broth (8 c. or ½ gal.)
2 large white onions
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chilis
1 t. salt
2 t. cumin
1 ½ t. oregano
½ t. cayenne (red) pepper
4 chicken breasts, grilled and cut into pieces

In a large pot, combine beans, broth, onions, garlic, and chilis.
Bring to a boil and simmer one hour.
Add salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and chicken to pot.
Let simmer another ½ hour.
Serve with sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese (with, of course, French bread).

BEST EVER!!!!!!!!

Macaroni Grill Chicken Scallopini

4 oz. lemon juice
2 oz. white wine
4 oz. heavy cream
1 lb. butter
6-8 (3 oz.) chicken breasts, pounded thin
Oil, for sautéing chicken
Butter, for sautéing chicken
½ -3/4 c. flour, seasoned with salt & pepper, for dredging
6 oz. pancetta, cooked
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
12 oz. artichoke hearts, sliced
1 T. capers
1 lb. cappellini, cooked
Chopped parsley, for garnish

To make sauce:
Heat the lemon juice and white wine in a saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third.
Add cream and simmer until mixture thickens (3-4 minutes).
Slowly add butter until completely incorporated.
Season with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and keep warm.
Cook pasta and drain.
Heat a small amount of oil and two T. butter in a large skillet.
Dredge chicken in flour and sauté in pan, turning once, until brown and cooked through.
Remove chicken from pan and add to pan remaining ingredients.
Heat until mushrooms soften and are cooked; add chicken back to pan.
Place cooked pasta on each plate.
Add half of butter sauce to chicken mixture and toss.
Taste and adjust, adding more sauce if needed.
Place chicken mixture over pasta.
Garnish with parsley.
Alternately, mix pasta and chicken together.
Toss with butter sauce.

BEST EVER!!!!

Keri's Sinful Potatoes

2 lbs. frozen hash browns (thawed)
½ c. melted butter (optional)
1 t. salt
¼ t. pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 c. grated cheese
½ c. fine chopped green onion
2 c. sour cream
Crushed potato chips or unseasoned bread crumbs.

Combine all ingredients except bread crumbs or chips.
Mix well.
Spread in 9x13 pan.
Top with chips or crumbs.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Peach Torte

Graham Crackers, crushed
2 eggs
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 cube melted butter
1 ½ c. cool whip
Sliced peaches

Put a layer of crushed graham crackers on bottom of pan.
Mix eggs, powdered sugar and butter.
Dribble over crumbs.
Fill pan with peaches.
Cover with cool whip.
Put crackers on top.

This is an absolute Best Ever! One of my momma's recipes.

Keri's Yummy Dip

2 c. Sour Cream
2 c. Mayo
2 c. Grates Cheese
1 pkg. Buttermilk recipe ranch dressing mix
Chopped green onions (optional)

Mix all ingredients together.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Serve with crudities.

b

Fruit Dip

1 can Eagle Brand milk
8 oz Cool Whip
8 oz. Cream Cheese

Mix together well.
Chill and serve with fresh fruit.

Given to me by Keri Willis.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2 boxes devils food cake mix
4 eggs
1 ½ c. shortening
1 t. vanilla

Mix and roll into small balls.
Place on cookies sheet.
Bake at 350 for 6 minutes.

Buy pre-made cream cheese frosting for middle.

Best Ever! Makes about 18 sandwhiches.

Dipped Ginger Snaps

1 ¼ c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
½ c. molasses
4 c. flour
4 t. baking soda
1 ½ t. ground ginger
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. salt
2 pkgs vanilla baking chips
¼ c. shortening
Additional sugar

Combine sugar and butter. Cream well.
Add eggs one at a time. Stir in molasses.
Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into 1 in. balls and roll in sugar.
Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Let cool 1 minute on pan.
Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Melt chips and shortening in small saucepan over low heat.
Dip the cookies halfway; shake off excess.
Place on waxed paper to harden
Yield 8 doz.

These are FABULOUS! One of my absolute favorite cookies. Don't overcook or undercook to ensure them the best-ever.