Caramel Apple Pie

This is a break from the hair update, but I wanted to get this recipe down before I forget it.  I read a lot of recipes and reviews and this is what I put together for the best pie I've ever made.  Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Pie

Crust:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shortening (NOT butter)
1 beaten egg
5 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

To make crust:
1.  Cut shortening into flour until well blended.
2.  Add egg, water, vinegar and salt and lightly toss with a fork until it just comes together.
3.  Lightly work dough into a ball and divide into 3 pieces.
4.  Form balls into disks and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
5.  You will need 2 disks for this pie.  Not sure how long the third disk will last in the freezer.

Filling:
7-8 apples, mixed variety, peeled and sliced thin.  (I used Grannie Smith and Pink Lady.)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

To make filling:
In a small saucepan, combine sugars, flour, butter, milk, water and salt and allow to melt together. Bring to a boil and stir often.  Boil around 3 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir occasionally while it cools and you prepare the apples.

Prepare apples.  Pour in sauce over apples and stir to combine.

Roll out bottom crust and lay in pie plate.  Fill with apples.  Roll out top crust and lay over pie.  Tuck edges under and flute.  Cut several one inch vents in the top of pie.  Foil the edges of the pie and put on a cookie sheet.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes and remove foil.  Bake long enough to brown the top.

Let the pie cool at least an hour.   If you cut into it sooner the liquid spills all over.  It sets up really nice after about an hour.

Update-3 months

Just got my hair cut! I think the next cut will be similar but the one after I'm going for the pixie. Kind of exciting.

I'm on month three of grow out and so far it doesn't bother me that much. I think it is going to come in pretty silver, which is good because I'd probably chicken out if it was white or yellowish.

Anyway, enjoy the pic Universe!

Transition

It is a little funny to think about blogging right now when it has been over a year and a half since my last post. I've decided to continue this blog but with a different focus. And I'm going to start with something fun, and kind of weird. I've decided to let my hair go back to its natural color, which is not dark brown like everyone thinks that rather completely and totally grey.

I made the decision because I've been totally grey for a long time, since my early thirties, and the idea of not dying my hair anymore or stressing out about it is so liberating.

I have a little bit of grow out, but I really just made the decision about a month ago. I've returned to the salon, and I'm working with a stylist to make the transition a little less obvious.

Here is the first photo. Our original plan was to use temporary color but it didn't really take. We may try highlights next.

Cast Iron Pizza Goodness

For the last couple of years I've been obsessed with homemade pizza.  I've tried many recipes and techniques and discovered that unless you completely burn it, homemade pizza is pretty forgiving and always yummy.  It wasn't until recently that I took Bill's suggestion to try a pizza in our cast iron skillet.   This is the first time I've made something that actually tastes like it was made in a restaurant.  I've made this pizza countless times and every time it comes out perfect.  We did experiment with the tomatoes, trying sauce instead of diced tomatoes and I definitely think it should be made with diced.  If you're fortunate enough to have a pellet grill, I highly recommend baking it that way.  Such a great pizza treat!

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Crust:
In your bread maker, add the following ingredients in order listed:

1 cup warm water
1/3 cup oil
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 packet FRESH yeast

Set your bread maker to the dough cycle.  When there is about 40 minutes left on the cycle, start the other ingredients.

Tomatoes:

2 cans diced tomates, drained
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Mix together and set aside.  The longer it sits, the better it gets!

Toppings - Choose whatever you like on your pizza.  This is what I do:

1/2 pound bulk turkey sausage, browned and crumbled
1 small can sliced black olives
1/2 onion, chopped
8-10 mushrooms, sliced
8 oz sliced mozzarella cheese

Sauté onion and mushrooms until soft.  I find this step crucial.  If you put the veggies on raw, the pizza gets puddles moisture on the top.

Assembly:

When dough is done, grease your skillet with butter.  Grease it well!

Press your dough into the skillet, pulling the dough up the sides of the pan in equal thickness as the bottom.  The dough will slide down the sides of the skillet.  Keep working until the dough is the correct thickness on the bottom.

Layer cheese slices over the top of the dough.  Press the cheese deep into the corners to hold the dough in place.  Make sure cheese is covering entire bottom of dough.

Spread toppings over cheese.  Cover toppings with tomatoes.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.  Peek in on the pizza the first time you make one to make sure you don't overbrown the crust.

I blot the top when it comes out to get the pools of moisture from the tomatoes.  That way the liquid doesn't gather in the bottom of the pan when you cut the pizza making the rest of it soggy.

Let pizza rest about 5 minutes before cutting.

Try not to eat the whole thing.

Update

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday we gathered at the hospital once more because my dad had to have another procedure.  His blood pressure had dropped and heart rate increased, indicating infection.  A scan revealed gall stones and they decided to remove the stones and clean the ducts laparoscopically.  I saw Dad last night and the nurse was unable to say when he would receive the trachea tube we were expecting.

This morning, he'd improved so much that they removed the breathing tube altogether and he is breathing on his own entirely.  No trachea tube!  I think we all consider this somewhat of a miracle as we were all expecting him to need the tracheostomy and this was definitely unexpected!  And wonderful.

I called to check on him this afternoon and rather than give me to the nurse for the update the receptionist said, "He wants to talk to you."  My dad knew I was on the phone and asked to talk to me!  I was so happy and stunned and excited that I just said, "Huh?"  I talked to him for about 5 minutes and was so happy to hear his voice that I almost couldn't stand it.  After talking to Dad, I immediately called my sister and ordered her to call too.  She too was giddy with excitement and relief.  What a gift to get to hear his voice and feel positive and hopeful for the first time in two weeks.  The only explanation is that the hundreds and hundreds of prayers from Dad's family and friends have been answered.  Huge networks of people including several churches and friends of friends have been praying for his recovery and today those prayers were answered.  How grateful we all are!

It is really strange to see my father in such a vulnerable state.  My dad, 6'3", retired police officer with 35 years experience.  Larger than life.  To see him in these circumstances feels impossible.  I don't know how to comfort him because that has never been my job.  It feels so foreign to try to reassure him, or soothe him.  And what a strange place in my life to be.  To have my daughter fast asleep in her bed and my father asleep at the hospital.  I feel like I'm in the middle of two realities.  A daughter and a mother.  My role as a daughter is so different now.  I don't know what I even mean.