Caramel Apple Pie

from the kitchen of Becky

 1 9 inch double crust (I use mom’s pie dough recipe)

1 t. cornstarch

Sprinkle corn starch in the bottom of the crust.

 6 c. apples - peeled, cored and sliced                       

1/4 c. apple juice                                                             
2 t. lemon juice    
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. corn starch    
1 T. instant tapioca
1 T. flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
2 T. butter
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping

Toss apples in juice in large microwave safe bowl.  Combine all ingredients except caramel in a separate bowl.  Mix with apples and let stand for 20 minutes.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 7 - 15 minutes on high until mix starts to thicken.  Stir every 4 minutes.  Stir in caramel topping.  Refrigerate until cold.  Heat oven to 425.  Spoon filling in crust, dot with butter.  Cover with a woven lattice top.

 Glaze:

1 egg white, 1 T. cold water, 2 T. sugar and 1 T. brown sugar

Beat egg white and add water.  Brush glaze on pie crust and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake pie for 10 minutes at 425.  Lower temperature to 375 and bake for an additional 40 minutes or until apples are tender.

Soup in a Pumpkin

from the kitchen of Becky

3 c. french bread
1/2 t. pepper
1 - 9 inch pumpkin
1 t. sage
1 T. butter
1 t. salt
5 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
2 bay leaves
3/4 c. butter
1 c. heavy cream
1 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 c. grated swiss cheese
chopped parsley

Cut the french bread into cubes. Spread the bread pieces on a cookie sheet. Bake them in a 300 degree oven for 15 min. or until they are dry. Cut a crown in the pumpkin and clean it out. Rub insides with butter and salt. Sautee onion in 3/4 c. butter for 10 min. over low heat until transparent. Stir in bread peices. Cook 2 min. for bread to absorb butter. Stir in salt, nutmeg, pepper, and sage. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into pumpkin and pour in broth. Lay bay leaves on top and replace pumpkin top. Place pumpkin in greased baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in cream and garnish with parsley. Spoon out some pumpkin pulp with each serving if you wish.

This soup is so fun to have in the fall because you get to serve a whole meal from out of the pumpkin. Sometimes I have drawn a face on the pumpkin with permanent marker before I bake it to make it fun for the kids.