Apple Pie Adventures

Before we get started, I've discovered from my reader survey (thanks to all who have filled it out so far!) that the majority of you love cooking. So look forward to more food posts in the future!

If you've ever visited Smitten Kitchen or The Pioneer Woman Cooks you will be familiar with mouth-watering recipes, meticulous step-by-step instructions, and gorgeous food photography--in other words nothing like what you'll see in this post. Just kidding, I am trying! These amazing cooks inspire me to take food and photography to new heights, and I am determined to improve both my cooking skills and my artistic abilities. 

I had to take some more pictures for my college photography course, so I decided to use my lovely grandmother as the subject and show her making a rustic skillet apple pie. The recipe is quite simple, but the result oh so delicious! Believe me, guys, it's enough to blow all your New Year's resolutions to kingdom come.

First you peel the apples, the old fashioned way. Then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Don't get carried away in your pie-zeal and forget to preheat oven to 350º.

Cut the apples into wedges and toss with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Then lick your fingers :)

Melt a stick of butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add a cup of brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and it's a gooey, syrupy, decadent mess. 

Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in the skillet over your gooey brown sugar mixture (strange, I know, bear with me).

 Spoon apple mixture over piecrust...

...and top with remaining piecrust.

Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.

And, voilà, you have a beautiful, delectalicious skillet full of pie. Now what on earth are you going to do with that?

Southern Living's Easy Skillet Apple Pie

HANDS-ON: 20 Minutes

TOTAL:1 Hour, 50 Minutes

 Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples
• 2 pounds Braeburn apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (A measly teaspoon?! I think not.)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Butter-pecan ice cream

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust, and top with remaining piecrust. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.
3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with butter-pecan ice cream.

Bon Appétit!