Karry's Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS:

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats (I used regular instead of quick cooking and it was much better - more crispy!) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
2.	Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
3.	Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. (instead, I tossed the apples with all of this, then poured it in the pan - so it evenly coated the apples)
4.	Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Christy's Pie Crust

I just learned the secret to making pie crust a couple weeks ago.

2 C. flour

1 C. butter (only the real stuff) straight from the fridge

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar

3 Tbsp. ice cold water

Combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into tablespoons and add to the flour. Cut it in. This is the hard part, especially if you do it by hand (using two knives criss-crossing each other or a pie dough mixer) You can use a food processor if you have one that's big enough or a stand mixer. You want it to look crumbly.

In small bowl, combine egg, lemon juice and water. Dump into the flour mixture and kind of toss until it's all together. You really don't want a stirring motion here. Add more water as needed. The dough should stick together when you form it into a ball, but you don't want it sticky. I think I added an 2 extra Tbsp.

Separate into two balls and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 min. or more (if you have the time). The key to flaky crust is keeping that butter super cold.

Roll out dough on a well-floured surface, turning over once or twice while you roll. I like to roll between two sheets of waxed or parchment paper. That makes it way easier to transfer to the pie plate. 

Again, if you have time, refrigerate to get it all nice and cold again.

As for the filling, I just took it off the back of my tapioca box. I like to use tapioca with apple and peach pies because it keeps it from getting too juicy/runny. I think it works way better than flour.

Vickie's Cranberry Relish

1 Bag of fresh cranberries

1/2 small orange, unpeeled

1/2 to 3/4 c. orange juice

1 Tblsp. lemon juice

1 c. sugar

Process orange in food processor till finally ground (include peel).  Add cranberries and process some more till there are small bits of cranberry. Then mix all the ingredients in a pan, bring to boil on stove and then turn heat down and cook for about 45 minutes.  Cool and serve.  (Add red food color if it needs to be redder.)

Cheese Souffle Dip

3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
8 oz. parmesan cheese, shredded
1 c. mayonnaise
1 package frozen chopped white onions, or 3 small/2 medium yellow onions

Mix everything in a small casserole dish. Bake at 350 F for 45 min. or until it starts to brown on top.

Yummy things to dip: crackers, toasted baguette slices, celery sticks.