Apple Season!

So folks, it's apple season!

Time for apple cider with mulling spices, apple muffins, homemade applesauce, baked apples... and

APPLE PIE!!!!

My oldest son has decided he has a definite sweet tooth for mom's apple pie and I made my fourth one of the season last night and invited him to join me in the process.

As we made the pie, he watched me make the crust and I explained to him how I had learned from my grandmother and my mother and it had taken me a very long time to learn how to really form the pie crust with my hands. He remembered me saying in the past that you have to get it right the first time and only roll it once and asked me why, so I explained the chemical properties of the gluten process. He requested extra cinnamon, so I of course obliged! I told him how my mother wouldn't use nutmeg, so I always put in a pinch of nutmeg as my little passive aggressive thing and we laughed (and he said so I guess that means I probably won't use nutmeg!)

Then he said he thought it was sad that there were families that did not bake together and how this was the most special thing that we did together as a family. And I thought wow- how little does he know how HARD this used to be for me. And how far I have come.

For all of you who aren't ready for pie crust yet- I wanted to share my recipe for baked apple slices! it's a safe and yummy treat (and great with ice cream or fat free whipped cream!)

6 sliced baking apples (we prefer the tart red/gold mixed ones like JonaGold)- leave the skin on
1 tsp butter or margarine
3 TB water
2-3 TB brown sugar
cinnamon to taste (about 1 tsp to start)

cook in a covered pan on low heat for about 10-15 minutes!