One Crumble Apple Pie and Two Dozen Carrot Raisin Cookies

The Quintessential Crumble Apple Pie

A pie for JL.  Thanks for remembering the high five and I think I owed you one. 

I searched high and wide for a crumble apple pie recipe.  This one sounded delicious and easy.  I have to admit, I do not make my own pie crust.  Store bought crust in the refrigerator section is flaky, delicious and just way too easy. 

I always ask for honest opinions, so I can take those and make a dish better next time.  A response to this pie from a very good friend was that this pie is "everything I could want in a pie".  I take no credit for its deliciousness, as all I did was follow the recipe.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie: (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cinnamon-Crumble-Apple-Pie-108650)

1 store bought pie crust from the refrigerator section

Filling:

4-5 firm apples, a mix granny smith and firm red sweet apples peeled and thin sliced (don't use red delicious or mcintosh, generally too mushy)

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Crumble Topping:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2. Roll out crust into pie pan and crimp edges around top of pan

To prepare filling:

3. Peal, core and thinly slice apples

4. Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl

To prepare crumble topping:

5. Blend first 5 ingredients of topping in a food processor. Add chilled butter cubes; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles wet sand.  If you do not have a food processor, mix try ingredients and then cut in butter.

6. Toss filling to redistribute juices; transfer to crust, layering apples neatly in pan.  Pack topping over and around apples.

7. Bake pie on baking sheet until topping is golden, about 40 minutes (cover top with foil if browning to quickly).

8. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake  until apples in center are tender when pierced and filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 35-40 minutes longer. Cool until warm and serve. 

Carrot Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:

I had some baby carrots that we going to go bad, so I thought what better use for them than to grate them and throw them in some cookies.  Plus, one of my all time favorite desserts is carrot cake.  I don't think you could have paid me to ever try it as a little kid, carrots in dessert, carrots get dipped in ranch dressing not grated and mixed with flour and sugar.  Anywho, these are like little carrot cake cookies.  They turned out cakey, moist and pretty delicious.  Believe it or not next time I might add another tablespoon of butter.  Make sure to not over bake these as they can become too dry. 



Cakey Carrot Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup raisins

1 cup oats

1. Preheat over to 350 degree F

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice

3. In a small bowl, cream together butter and sugars

4. Whisk in vanilla and egg

5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients

6. Fold in carrots, raisins and oats

7. Place 1 1/2 teaspoon rounds of lightly flattened dough on baking sheet lined with parchment paper

8. Bake for 13-16 minutes

Enjoy!