WARNING: Product Plug Ahead

So, I gotta say - I am just loving this time of year. So much of the time, Im living for the whats-to-come, and right now, Im totally living in the moment, observing the leaves swirling around me, appreciating the temperature, admiring the trees and their colors, taking in the scents, it is just such a cool time of year for me and I am totally getting a kick out of it.

Along with this time of year comes my particular bents towards certain foods - namely, apple pies. Knowing I would want to start making more of these, I thought Id check out BED, BATH, AND BEYOND to see if they had a product that would make the laborous task of peeling, coring, and slicing go any faster. And, what do you know, they have just such a contraption. It looks like something from the 1800s, but, I am here to say - it totally works - observe for yourself with these pics~

This is it- its normal cost is 19.99, but with the coupons you always get from there, it drops to $15-$16. It comes ready to go, other than screwing on the handle

These are my 6 perfectly sliced and cored and almost perfectly peeled apples, I checked the clock - it took me 6 minutes to do all six..... huge timesaver........

And, here is what the pie looks like prior to going into the oven. I started the apples at 5pm, and had the pie put in the oven at 5 30, so it is a really easy recipe

Finally, here is the recipe I use, modified a bit from one I pulled straight from the Womans Day Magazine last year~

CRUNCHY CRUMB APPLE PIE

Pie Crust (I have found the Marie Calendars pie crusts in the freezer section to be outstanding, and therefore do not even consider making my own for this recipe)

Crumb Topping-
2\3 cups flour
1\2 cup brown sugar
1\3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1\2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Filling-
5 medium-large Granny Smith apples
1 Tb. lemon juice
1\2 cup sugar
1\4 cup flour
1\2 tsp. cinnamon
1\4 tsp. nutmeg

1. Mix crumb topping ingredients until mixture forms moist, coarse crumbs that clump together easily.

2. Peel, core, and slice apples (1\8 inch). Place in large bowl, add lemon juice and toss to coat. Mix remaining filling ingredients in a small bowl to sprinkle over apples, toss to coat.

3. Layer apples slices in pie shell, mounding them in center. Pat topping evenly over apples to form a top. Place pie on baking sheet.

4. Cover lightly with aluminum foil, bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees on lowest oven rack.

5. Back 45 more minutes, one rack higher, in 350 degree oven. Take foil off for last 10 minutes. (If you prefer a softer apple, put the pie in at 325, and leave in for close to an hour).