Cranberry-Apple Pie

This is my signature dish for the holidays. 

Ingredients
2 cups cranberries
3/4 cups apple juice
1/4 cups corn starch
1 cup sugar
1 pound apples (granny smith)
2 pie crusts (either the pie crust from the Double Crust Apple Pie or trader joe's pie crusts)

Preparation

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine cranberries and apple juice; bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes or until skins on cranberries begin to pop.
3. Mix cornstarch with sugar, then stir in cranberries, cook about 2 minutes until mixture bubbles and thickens.  Remove from heat and mix with apples.
4. Heat oven to 375*.  Line 9-inch pie dish with 1/2 of pastry, trimming to about 1" beyond edge of pie dish.  Spoon filling into crust.
5. Roll remaining pastry into 10" circle.  Cut top pastry into 1" strips.  Cris-cross strips to make lattice top, then flute edges.  Brush pastry with water and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Chunky Style Applesauce

Better than any store bought applesauce.  It's also great as a dessert, warm with vanilla ice cream.  Definitely worth being doubled.

Ingredients
8 large apples (granny smith), peeled, coed and cut into thick slices and chunks
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation

1. Combine apples, water and sugar in a saucepan. 
2. Bring to boil, then simmer 40 minutes or until apple as are part sauce and part whole.  Do not overcook.  It should be thick.
3. Turn off heat, and add spices as indicated or to taste.  Freezes well.

Double Crusted Apple Pie

I had been craving an apple pie for a few months when Cooking Light had an article full of apple pie recipes.  I only tried this one and decided that this will be my new go to recipe.  The crust is surprisingly easy to make, which will limit my usage of the Trader Joe's frozen crusts (which are quite tasty and save a ton of time if necessary).

Pie crust 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ice water
Cooking Spray

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 425* 
2. Combine 2 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk
3. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Gradually add ice water; toss with a fork until flour mixture is moist.
5. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.  Gently press each portion into a 4 inch circle on heavy duty plastic wrap. Cover an chill 30 minutes.
6. Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface
7. Unwrap and place remaining portion of chilled dough on plastic wrap.
8. Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap.
9. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11 inch circle.  Place dough in freezer 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed.
10. remove top sheets of plastic wrap; fit dough, platic wrap side up, into 9-in, deep dish pie plate coated with cooking spray.  Remove plastic wrap.
11. Fill with desired filling  (See Below)
12. Repeat steps 6-9, then place second pie crust over filling, remove plastic wrap, and press edges of dough together.  Fold edges under and flute. 
13. Cut several slits in top of dough to allow steam to escape.
14. Brush top of dough with milk, sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over dough 
15. Place plate on foil covered baking sheet
16. Bake at 425* for 10 minutes.
17. Reduce oven temperature to 350* (do not remove pie from oven), bake an additional 40 minutes or until golden.
18. Cool on wire rack.

Filling

Ingredients

10 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 3 pounds)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

1. Combine apples and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg), toss gently to coat
2. Spoon apple mixture into prepared pie plate; top with butter.