Thursday Dinner

I have ham and greens simmering in the slow-cooker. I'll make a pan of cornbread served with butter and raw honey and DH will be in food heaven. The children don't care for collard greens, so I'll be making pasta primavera for them.

I just took an apple pie out of the oven. It smells heavenly. We picked lots of apples at the orchard last weekend, the Northern Spy variety is one of my favorites for pie baking.


Amish Apple Pie
(Cooking From Quilt Country, by Marcia Adams)

Streusel:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter, cold
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans

Pie:
4 large apples (totaling 4 cups)
1 unbaked, 10-inch pie shell
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup cream (I have used whole milk with success many times)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor bowl, mix the first 6 streusel ingredients. Add the butter and process until the mixture is crumbly; it should still have a dry look to it - don't overprocess. Add the nuts and set aside.

Preheat the ove to 350°F. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples; there should be 4 cups. Place the apples in the pie shell. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

Beat the egg in a medium bowl, and add the cream and vanilla. Add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture and blend. Pour over the apples. Bake for 1 hour in the lower one-third of the oven. After 20 minutes, sprinkle the streusel over the top and continue baking approximately 40 minutes longer, or until the top puffs and is golden brown.