Old Fashioned Apple Pie

In a coffee mug or cup, pour about ½ cup of boiling water.  Add 2 bags of regular tea and set aside for later.  You will need 6 or so large cooking apples.  I use Granny Smith apples.  Peel, core and slice the apples into a large bowl.  Then add:

·        1 cup of sugar

·        ½ tsp. powdered Ginger

·        1 tsp. cinnamon

·        ¼ tsp. nutmeg

·        ¼ tsp. salt

·        2 tbsp. flour

·        1 tbsp. lemon juice

·        3 tbsp. strong brewed tea

Toss the ingredients into the apples and let them sit a while.  Now it’s time to make the pie crust or buy one if you like.  You will need to double the recipe for a 2 crust, 9 inch pie.

Pie crust:

·        1 cup of flour

·        ¼ tsp. salt

·        1/3 cup Crisco white shortening

·        3 tbsp. cold water

Preheat your oven at this point to 350 degrees.  Now rollout ½ of the pie crust and gently lay it in the 9 inch pie pan with just a little over lapping the edges.  Now fill the pie with the apples and let them mound up slightly in the middle of the pan.  Dot the pie with about 2 tbsp. of butter and roll out the next dough for the top.  Lay it gently over the pie also over lapping slightly on the edges.  Now fold both portions of the dough toward the center of the pie and crimp the edges with fingers or a fork.  Brush the top of the pie with half and half or milk and cut 2 or 3 slits in the shell for the steam to release.  If you want to give it a real old-fashioned look, you can now sprinkle it with coarse sugar before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or so until the apples are slightly soft.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or favorite whipped topping.

Apple pie is very Americana!

ENJOY!!