Ann Walko's Apple Pie

Another Anne collecting apples

I got this deliciously basic apple pie recipe from my friend Insley (and her grandmother, Ann). I added a little water and yogurt to make it creamier. It helped in baking it at 7,000 ft elevation as well. 

Filling:

*6-7 med. size Macintosh apples
*1/3 cup sugar
*1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
*1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*3 scant tablespoons flour

*3/4 cup yogurt

*1/4 cup water

Directions:

1 ¼ cup sifted flour (separate ¼ cup from this and add to it ¼ teaspoon of salt) Take remaining 1 cup of flour and cut in (with two table knives) ½ cup Crisco until the mixture has bonded and is crumbly.

Next take ¼ of flour and salt and add to it 3 tablespoons of ice water.  (Sometimes it requires a bit more than this).   Stir into a paste and then add to the Crisco/flour mixture and cut again.

Ball up, divide in half and sprinkle flour on wax paper and pin to roll.  (Because the dough is usually fairly moist, quite a lot of flour can be used to roll it out and prevent sticking).
Line pan with crust.  Add filling and put 6 thin slices of butter on top of apples.  Put top crust on.  Cut off excess at edges.  Roll under and press with fork.  Cut vent holes in top crust.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes then turn down (to 325-ish?) and bake for an additional 40 minutes on the bottom rack.  (Put foil around the edges if they begin to brown.)

Apple Yogurt Pancakes

"Green Apples" Paul Cézanne

I eat these at least once a week. I'm totally in love with them. The recipe is so simple and there's actually some nutritional benefit! I have even begun mixing it up with strawberries instead of apples and vanilla instead of cinnamon. Yum!

INGREDIENTS

* 2 eggs
* 1 2/3 cups milk
* 1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3 apples - peeled, cored and shredded (cheese grater)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, yogurt and oil until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the milk mixture until smooth. Fold in chopped apple.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each cake. Cook until bubbles form in the cakes and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook the other side. Serve warm with syrup or jam.