Grandma's Apple Crisp Pie {CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE}

Welcome to the all NEW and IMPROVED - CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE
October Challenge - APPLE PIE

We are in our second month of our second year of the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE, you can read all about it and join in next month (it may be too late to make an Apple Pie for today, but you never know, some people are crazy cooks like me and can whip one out in no time at all.) But, for those of you who read about the challenge last month and are prepared to share your Apple Pie with us today, we are SO excited to see what you made.

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For those of you who have already participated this past year, you know how this is done, check out the NEW & IMPROVED information here. If you are new here come on over and check out how to jump on board this wild and crazy, CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE. You can read all the details and get all the codes for you to link up, join in and get this great linky party added to your CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE post.

Last month we made Ranch Dressing and next month we will be doing Stuffing Recipes (like Turkey Stuffing or some call it Dressing), ya know that stuff we all have on Thanksgiving day. But today it's all about apples and Apple Pie.

So, after another great day of fresh Apple Picking with a couple of friends (actually one of them are my twins girl friends, but since their away at college, I just steal their friends and call them my own). Nikki, Kristina and I had an awesome day picking apples, raspberries and then came home to bake all day.

Everyone who wishes to join in on this challenge, all you need to do is add the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE BUTTON (grab the code above) and make sure your Apple Pie includes the BLOG HOP Linky Party (code is below the linky party, click on BLOG HOP CODE) or you wont be able to link up. We hope you join us in this CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE....

Just an FYI - CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE is always on the 7th of every month and will post at MIDNIGHT. Here is a SNEAK PEAK for the next couple of months, so everyone can think ahead and be prepared for the themes.

November 7, 2012 - STUFFING Recipes (dressing)
December 7, 2012 - PERFECT SUGAR COOKIE
January 7, 2013 - FRENCH TOAST

I have been practicing all week with Apple Pies (the first one we made was this Dutch Apple Pie, it was SO GOOD I am not sure I can top it, but it was for the SRC and is already posted on my blog), so I keep trying to come up with an even bigger and better Apple Pie recipe. With one failed attempt, my husband suggested I call his mom (ya, don't ya love that). It's okay, I actually don't mind, she is a great cook and is more like a grandmother to me then my mother-in-law.

I called my mother-in-law and said her son said she made apple pie all the time when he was little and could I have her recipe. She had no idea what he was talking about (funny!). She is almost 80 years old but her memory is perfect and my husband is 51 years old, so between the both of them, who knows, she did say that she use to make apple crisp all the time. She found the recipe and now I've got it. YEAH for me, another family recipe passed down. The challenge though was for Apple Pie, so my brain went to work and the creation began, apple crisp turned into a beautiful Apple Crisp Pie.

Apple Crisp Pie
adapted by me, given to me by my mother-in-law Charlotte

Pastry Crust (from the Dutch Apple Pie)
1-1/4 cups plain flour
pinch of salt
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, chilled and diced
5 tbsp ice water
1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp sugar (mix together)

Apple Pie Filling & Crumb Topping
4 cups sliced apples
1/4 cup hot water (or fresh apple cider)
1/2 cup butter (extra butter for bottom of crust)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar

vanilla ice cream
caramel syrup, drizzle

For the crust, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold diced butter over the dry ingredients, mix with a pantry knife, working the butter into the mixture, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add in 5 tbsp water (more if needed) using the pastry knife or a fork incorporate it until the dough will hold together, without being too sticky. Flatten the dough into a round disk, and sandwich in between two pieces of wax paper, roll out into the desired shape (round) that will fit into your baking pie dish. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Transfer the dough to the round pie dish and press into the base and over the top of the edges of the dish. Trim the edges to extend 1/2 an inch over the lip of the dish. Mix together the 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of sugar and then sprinkle on pie crust. Place the dish into the freezer for 30 minutes until very firm and cold. Place the oven rack on the lower middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the apple slices into the cinnamon pie crust. Pour water (or apple cider) over the apples.  Cream together with a pastry knife the butter, flour and sugar to form crumbs.

Bake in a hot oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, then raise oven to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes, until top is brown and apples begin to crisp. Serve with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel syrup.

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Dutch Apple Pie {SECRET RECIPE CLUB}

My first Apple Pie BAKED, BLOGGED and DEVOURED, my friends said "I don't even like apple pie and this was the best apple pie I've ever had". Yes, we all loved it. Good thing I had this practice run, because I am doing an Apple Pie Challenge next month with my group CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE (come check it out, it's easy to join in). I was a little scared since I had never ever even attempted to make an apple pie and now that this one came out so delicious, I don't know if I can top it, but I've already got another recipe in the making as I write this post.

But today, I am sharing this Dutch Apple Pie for the SECRET RECIPE CLUB. The blog I was given is all the way from the East Coast of Australia. So, crazy to meet people all over the world from this little thing we do called blogging. It's an amazing experience and I loved reading all about her life on her little piece of the Internet she calls Lick the Spoon.

Here we go with my 17th post for the Secret Recipe Club; Group C .

I picked out a handful of recipes from her blog that I can't wait to try. I think I will be making these M&M brownies later this week and these Millionaires Nuggets are for sure at the top of my list, you can check out all the recipes I pinned from her blog here on my Pin Board.

What was the most fun about this recipe is that it's the middle of September, which is usually when it begins to cool down a bit. I've already been apple picking this season which is suppose to be our fall weather and well this week in Southern California we hit record highs of 104 degrees outside. Apple Pie, is probably not the first thing you'd pick in this hot weather, but I was determined. I had a few friends over to escpape the heat and swim in our pool. It was really funny that I served hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream pool sid, not something you see everyday, but they loved it.

Dutch Apple Pie

adapted by me, original recipe found at Lick The Spoon

Pastry
1-1/4 cups plain flour
pinch of salt
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, chilled and diced
5 tbsp ice water

Apple Filling
4 to 8 apples (4 large or 8 small; we used 2 Empire, 2 Glen, 2 Johnagold, 2 Gala) 
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Crumble
1-1/4 cups plain flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted

Icing (we skipped the icing & topped with vanilla ice cream)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp water

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold diced butter over the dry ingredients, mix with a pantry knife, working the butter into the mixture, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add in 5 tbsp water (more if needed) using the pastry knife or a fork incorporate it until the dough will hold together, without being too sticky. Flatten the dough into a round disk, and sandwich in between two pieces of wax paper, roll out into the desired shape (round) that will fir into your baking pie dish. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Transfer the dough tto he round pie dish and press into the base and over the top of the edges of the dish. Trim the edges to extend 1/2 an inch over the lip of the dish. Place the dish into the freezer for 30 minutes until very firm and cold. Place the oven rack on the lower middle position and heat the oven to  350 degrees. Make sure to cut a piece of foil big enough to cover the pastry and then bake for 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove the pie dish from the oven. 

While crust is cooking you can prepare the apple filling. Peel the apples and core them (I love my handy dandy Pampered Chef apple peeler and corer, It's AWESOME!), then cut each apple into thin slices (if you don't have this slicer) and add them to the lemon juice as you are cutting them so they do not brown. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to the apples and set aside.

Heat the 2 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan until bubbling. Add the apples and cook at medium high heat for about 10 minutes until they begin to soften (yet still hold some shape). Using a colander over a bowl and drain all of the butter juice from the apples, transfer the apples and shake to drain the excess juices into the bowl.

Transfer the juices back into the sauce pan and add the heavy whipping cream. Cook this mixture, stirring occasionally until it thickens, about 6 - 10 minutes. 

While cream sauce is cooking add in the apples to the pie shell, when the sauce is finished pour hot syrup over the apples.

Lastly, combine the crumble ingredients, the flour and both sugars. Drizzle the melted butter into the mixture and crumble with a fork until it's well combined and the mixture resembles crumbs. Sprinkle this crumble over the apple mixture.

Up the heat in the oven to 375 degrees and return the pie to the oven to finish cooking. My oven took about 40 minutes. You want the apple pie to be hot and bubbly and the crumble mixture to be crispy on top. I covered the outer edges of the pie (the crust) with foil so that the crust did not burn.

Remove from the oven and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. It will still be pipping hot. We (forgot) the icing, but didn't even miss it with the delicious vanilla ice cream on top.

If you wish to make the icing, combine the powered sugar and water together until you make a paste. You can drizzle this on with a fork or put into a ziploc bag and cut the corner off to drizzle.

Here is a list of my past Secret Recipe Club recipes:

• Blueberry Muffins (Gluten-Free)
• Bean Roll-Up (extra post)
• Cucumber Salad
• Raspberry & Nutella Pizza (extra post)
• Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie 
• Frozen Breakfast Burritos
• Pink Pearl Applesauce (crock-pot)
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cake (extra post)
• Cake Mix Cinnamon Chip Brownies
• Sweet and Smokey Roasted Cauliflower
• Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip
• Trail Mix Cookies
• Creamy Noodles
• German Chocolate Cracker Candy
• Brownie Trifle
• Raspberry Greek Breakfast Parfait

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS LINKY PARTY #65 (HOMEMADE PIES) and Butterfinger Cream Pie

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky Party #65

Homemade Pies - National Pie Day is Jan 23rd (Pie Recipes)

Butterfinger Cream Pie

I am not a famous pie maker, well let's say I am a newbie at trying to make pies. I have tried my hand at a few in the last few months. They are kind'of fun, still not my forte' but I am learning to like it! I have tried a few cheesecakes (and yes they fell or cracked in the middle) and I do make a few dinner like pies (Hamburger Pie and Chicken Pot Pie, that everyone loves). So, for today I picked a super duper easy homemade pie that I hope you will love.

Butterfinger Cream Pie

adapted by me - found at Food.com

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 (12 oz) carton Cool Whip
8 mini-size Butterfinger Candy Bars, chopped/crushed

(you can buy a pre-made crust or make one from scratch)
1-1/4 crumbs graham cracker crumbs and/or chocolate wafer crumbs (I used half & half)
3 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Prepare your crust first, by mixing the graham cracker crumbs (or chocolate wafer crumbs), sugar and melted butter with a fork. Pack mixture firmly into a pie tin or form-spring pan. Bake at 350 for about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool to the touch before you fill.

In an electric mixer blend together cream cheese and cool whip , until well blended. Add in about 6 or 7 crushed butterfinger bars and combined (keeping out the add'l 2 bars for the topping). Fill the prepared crust with the mixture and then sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 crushed butterfinger candy bars. Chill in freezer overnight, before serving.

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This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"

Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!

January 30 - Recipe from Your Favorite Cookbook

February 6 - Nutella Recipes (Nutella, Peanut Butter or Almond Butter)

February 13 - Valentine's Day Treats or Romantic Dinners

February 20 - Mexican Appetizers (Avocado Recipes & Salsa Recipes)

If you are new here browse around some past weeks at THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS and you'll see why we are having so much fun and we invite you to link up too. Your hostess for this party are: Tina from MOMS CRAZY COOKING, Angela from Big Bear's Wife, Nicole from The Daily Dish and Kristi from Veggie Converter. We host this theme linky party every Monday (and the party stays open all week long)! We hope to inspire you to make something with our theme or get an old post notice by linking it up to the linky party below.

If you are a regular, link-up we're excited to see what you made this week. Just follow our simple rules, so that everyone can enjoy the linky party! If you forget to follow the theme, your post will be deleted. Please don't feel hurt, just come back and link up a recipe that follows the theme. Thanks a million, we look forward to blogging with you!

The LINKY PARTY is opened ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.
This week's theme is: HOMEMADE PIES (Desserts or Meals)
Please only link recipes with our theme!

This week's theme is: HOMEMADE PIES (Desserts or Meals)
Please only link recipes with our theme!

The De-Constructed Pumpkin Pie from GUEST BLOGGER: The Lady Behind the Curtain

When I saw today's guest post I was so excited. I had just pinned a recipe almost exactly like this and so I knew I wanted to make something like this soon. But there are only so many days in a week and so many desserts my family can eat up in such a short amount of time. I am still happy that I get to share this recipe with all of you even though I didn't get to make it myself YET, it was made by a guest blogger, JUST FOR YOU, SO ENJOY!

Today's guest post comes to you from Sheryl at Lady Behind the Curtain. We are involved in a few projects together each month Secret Recipe Club, The Improv Cooking Challenge and Crazy Cooking Challenge, so we are getting to know each other quite well through blogging.

Blog: Lady Behind the Curtain

TAKE IT AWAY: Hi Everyone, I am Sheryl from LADY BEHIND THE CURTAIN. I am HONORED to be here at MOMS CRAZY COOKING as a GUEST BLOGGER! I have been blogging since January of this year and LOVE it! My passion is ENTERTAINING. I LOVE TO COOK! Giving the gift of a homemade meal is my way of showing the people in my life how much they mean to me. LADY BEHIND THE CURTAIN offers many recipes which range from the beginner cook to the more seasoned cook. Like, my Italian Sandwich , PERFECT for Game Day or The Old Fashioned Layer Cake which is easy to make but looks IMPRESSIVE.

Nothing says Holiday like Pumpkin Pie. I decided to take the traditional dessert and mix it up a bit (literally). I have given you three options on how to serve this dessert ( see below). A push up pop, parfait cup and a mason jar.

I have been making this pie filling for over 20 years. It’s ALWAYS a BIG hit! This year I decided to add the homemade cinnamon whipped cream (recipe below) and all I can say is “YUM!” I hope you enjoy this twist on my families Thanksgiving tradition.

The De-Constructed Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Pie Crust

2-crust pie dough -- your favorite recipe or pre-made

Roll out a small piece of dough. Cut out shapes using a small pumpkin or leaf cookie cutter. Brush with egg wash ( 1 egg to 1 tablespoon of water) sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned.

Roll out remaining dough to fit a large baking pan (like a jelly roll pan). Bake until browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Put the cooled crust into a food processor to make into crumbs. Set aside.

Pie Filling

1 – 16 ounce can pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 eggs

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup milk

Mix together pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Add eggs, lightly beat eggs into pumpkin mixture with a fork. Add the evaporated milk and milk; mix well. Place into a spring form pan. Place pan into a baking pan larger then the spring form pan, put into a pre heated 375 degree oven.

Fill the larger pan with boiling water.

Bake 45 minutes or until when a knife is inserted into the center comes out clean. CAREFULLY remove pan from water bath and cool on wire rack. Once cooled remove the outside ring.

Scoop the pie filling into a bowl and whip with a spoon.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Recipe

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat.

Construction

For the push up pop add 1 tablespoon of pie crust crumbs; for the parfait cup or mason jar add 2 tablespoons of pie crust crumbs.

Fill a piping bag with the Pumpkin Pie Filling and another pipping bag with the Cinnamon Whipped Cream each fitted with your favorite tips.

Pipe pumpkin pie filling on top of the pie crust crumbs, and then pipe cinnamon whipped cream.

Repeat layers and top with a cut out pumpkin or leaf.

I know not all of you love to bake like I do, so I have an easy semi-homemade way you can make this dessert. It’s all in the presentation. Right?

Semi-Homemade De-Constructed Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie from Costco

Cool Whip

Cinnamon

Yep, that’s it! Now there is NO excuse. You too can have an impressive dessert. Just scoop out the pumpkin from your pie into a bowl mix until fluffed. Put the pie crust in the food processor and make into crumbs. Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to a large tub of cool whip and mix. Scoop pumpkin pie filling into a pipping bag fitted with your favorite tip. Fill another pipping bag with the cinnamon cool whip also fitted with your favorite tip. Layer pie crust crumbs, pumpkin pie filling then cool whip into your container of choice, do this twice.

I am very THANKFUL for the opportunity of bringing you this recipe and a NEW idea on how to serve THE PUMPKIN PIE! HAPPY THANKS GIVING to you from LADY BEHIND THE CURTAIN!

Thank You Sheryl, WOW what an amazing recipe!

And the semi-homemade idea. WAY TO GO!!!

Yep, I will be making this for sure!!!

Buttermilk Pie from GUEST BLOGGER: Armstrong Family Fare

I would like to Welcome today, Willa from ARMSTRONG Family Fare. I love that her husband gets in the kitchen and enjoys cooking with her. How cool is that? Maybe in my next life?

Blog: ARMSTRONG Family Fare

TAKE IT AWAY: 

Hello to everyone visiting MOMS CRAZY COOKING!  I’m so excited to be guest posting today.  My name is Willa.  I live in Ohio with my husband, Eric, and our son (2 years) and daughter (6 months).  I have always loved cooking and spending time in the kitchen making tasty things for my family and friends.  After being asked frequently for recipes, I decided it was time to do something about that.  A few months ago I began blogging at Armstrong Family Fare and am enjoying sharing our families’ favorite recipes!  When I’m not blogging (or hanging out on facebook!), I’m trying to keep up with my active little ones, involved in various church activities, decorating cakes or working on a new crocheting project.

When I saw that the theme for guest posts was Thanksgiving Recipes, the first recipe that came to mind was for our Buttermilk Pie!  I know that’s not a traditional Thanksgiving pie recipe, but I promise if you give it a try it might very well become a new Holiday favorite.  Our family makes this pie every year for Thanksgiving and sometimes Christmas as well!  It’s that good!

This recipe was found in a 1994 issue of Midwest Living Magazine that was featuring prize winning pie recipes. According to the article this pie was made by the chef on the USS Missouri. He served this pie to President Harry Truman, who later asked for the recipe. At the time the chef refused to share the recipe, however upon his retirment he changed his mind and gave the recipe to the President! We're very glad he shared!

Buttermilk Pie

found in Midwest Living Magazine (1994)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter.  Mix until well blended.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg is added.  In a small bowl, combine flour and salt.  Gradually beat into butter mixture.  Add buttermilk and blend well.  Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust.  Sprinkle pecans on top.  Bake pie for 1 hr and 15 minutes, or until filling is set.  Cool and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving!

Thank You so much for sharing this recipe! I will be pinning and making sure that I make this recipe for sure! And I love the historical background, that too is very cool!