Will-Do Winter: Apple Pie

So I'm not sure what I was thinking hosting the first Will-Do Winter activity right in the middle of Christmas/New Year's. Participation was WAY low, which I'm sure is because the holidays are just a BUSY time! But even though not everyone is as baking-obsessed as me, I still wanted to share my pie as well as the pie of my one reader who did find some time to bake one!

First, here's Mrs. Puma's pie:

Ahhh, yummmmyyyy!

You can read more about it and check out the recipe she used here. Thanks for joining me in the pie-baking adventure, Mrs. Puma!!

Here's my apple pie, adapted from this recipe.

What the heck do you do with all the leftover apple peels? I Googled it, and the general consensus was to 1) feed them to the dog (don't have one), 2) put them in the compost pile (again, don't have one), 3) leave them outside for deer to eat (in urban Houston, really?), or 4) throw them away (which I did, sadly). 

First layer of apples...

Topped with sugar mixture...

Topped with lemon juice and butter...

Tada! Woven crust! I was so excited about the crust that I forgot to brush the milk on top, so it didn't end up as pretty and shiny on top as I had hoped, but still... I'd say it was a first-time apple pie success!

Yummm!

I don't have a photo of it sliced because we were having friends over for wine and dessert and well... I'm not quite a dedicated-enough blogger to break out the camera and photograph food in front of guests. 

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
7 medium-sized granny smith apples
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
2 uncooked 9-in pie crusts
4 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Peel and core the apples and slice them thinly. Sprinkle them lightly with lemon juice.
3. Mix together the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon zest.
4. Place one pie crust in the bottom of a lightly greased 9-in pie pan.
5. Put 1/3 of apples on top of the crust, and top with 1/3 of the sugar mixture. Repeat two more times with the rest of the apples and sugar mixture.
6. Sprinkle lightly with lemon juice, then dot with butter.
7. Cut the second pie crust into strips, and weave them across the top of the pie. Crimp the edges of the crust, and cover with foil or a pie shield.
8. Spread milk on top of the pie with a brush.
9. Bake 40-50 minutes.

So that's it! Stay tuned for the next installment of Will-Do Winter!