Easy Awesome Apple Pie

There is nothing better than an apple pie right out of the oven. Period. I'm not a big baker, and I don't have a huge sweet tooth, but during apple season, I feel like it's my duty as a mother to bake an apple pie. This apple pie recipe is delicious, but easy enough for even novice bakers to master.

But first, an "Apple Tale of Woe" (read: epic baking fail).

Sunday was apple picking day. It was a beautiful sunny day - brisk and a little windy. Perfect. Along with the kids, we rode on a wagon out into the apple orchard, and ate about as many apples as we picked (which, in hindsight, didn't bode well for the plumbing  probably wasn't smart, but don't worry, all was ok!).

Inspired by all things "apple", I got home and made Roast Pork Loin with sautéed onions and apples. Big A set to work on the Apple Crisp, which was going to be a great ending to a perfect day. When dinner was over, Big A pulled the crisp out of the oven, and darn! The Crisp on the Apple Crisp Wasn't Crispy.

"No problem" Big A said, "I'll just put it under the broiler". This seemed sensible.

There was one tiny little snag - our 19 year old couldn't stay for dessert and had to leave. We walked him out, and while saying goodbye, forgot all about the crisp under the broiler. I'm not sure how long we left it, but let's just say, when the smoke alarms went off, not only was the crisp blackened, but the apples were a deep mahogany.

Blackened fish is good. Blackened crisp is not.

We ran in to save the Apple Crisp (and the kitchen), while the other 3 kids raced downstairs in fits of giggles (this isn't our first rodeo with the smoke alarm system). In the end, we flung the apple brick crisp into the garbage.

Alas, Round Two. Plan B.

 

Easy Awesome Apple Pie

This Apple Pie Recipe uses vanilla pudding mix for the filling, instead of sugar.

Ingredients:

1 pre-made pie crust (defrosted)

4 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 package Cook and Serve, Vanilla Pudding (3 oz box)

1/2 cup chopped quick oats
1/4 cup (half a stick) softened butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup if your apples are tart)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together the sliced apples, vanilla, and vanilla pudding mix (DO NOT MAKE PUDDING, just use the dry mix).
2. In a separate bowl combine the oats, brown sugar and butter
3. Carefully spoon the apples into the unbaked pie crust
4. Sprinkle the oat mixture on top
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. (About 3/4 of the way through I covered the edges of the pie crust with tin foil, to prevent the crust from getting too dark.)  
6. *Do not leave the house during baking (see above)*
7. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

I hope you try this easy yummy pie. I can tell you, it was a lot better than our Apple Crisp. (Not that I tried it, just in case, or anything).

Let me know if you have any interesting ways to use apples. We have quite a few left to use up!

Or maybe I'll just keep them in the bowl because they look so pretty!