Apple Pie

Mmmm Apple Pie! I like my apple pie without spices in it. It's how my mom always made it and I'm not really a fan of spiced desserts, plus, this way really brings out the good flavor of the apples. You could always add 1 tsp. of cinnamon or nutmeg, but I would encourage you to try it without if you never have.

Apple Pie

Pie Crust:
For 1 two-crusted pie (9") or 2 one-crust pie (9")

2 c. flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
~
1/2 c. cold water
1/2 c. oil
Mix the water and oil with a fork until "creamy" looking, then pour it into the flour, sugar & salt mixture. Stir until moistened and the dough is in one ball. Separate into 2 equal portions. I roll it out in between 2 layers of wax paper or large plastic wrap, then peel off the top layer of wax paper, slip your hand under the bottom layer, under the rolled out dough, "flip" it onto the pie pan, press it into the corners of the pie pan and then peel that paper off.
Save the other portion of dough of the top of the pie.

Apple Pie Filling:
4 normal sized Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled and sliced.*
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
Mix the sugar and flour into the apples. Spread the apple mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
Roll out the top pie crust, cut some slits in it for steam to escape, lay onto the top of the apples, remove wax paper and press the edges of the top and bottom crusts together. Here are some good directions to make a decorative edge or you can just press them with your fingers or a fork.
Bake at 425˚ for 50-60 minutes. The pie will be a golden brown on top.
I place some tin foil on the bottom of the oven when I make pies- sometimes they bubble over, some times they don't. To avoid bubbling over you can put some small pats of butter on the pie just before putting on the top crust. Though, for me, I haven't noticed any difference. I used to put the butter on all the time, until I was pregnant and kept forgetting that step- but then found that it didn't matter, so I have since quit.


*A food processor is great for slicing, just quarter the apple after it's peeled, drop them in and let it slice them up. There are also Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer tools, like the one Pampered Chef sells.

Gyros

I am finding that I don't have as much time as I used to... well, I do have time, but my hands seem to be full of a big baby! It happens that when Naomi goes down for a quiet time in the morning, when I used to blog, Titus wakes up to eat and then by the time he goes down Naomi is ready to get up. And as for the afternoon... It happens much the same way, though if there is any free time in there I try to nap or clean or start dinner, and the time I am on the computer- I'm checking email or playing a quick game on facebook. There's my whole day. :-) I have been cooking and taking pictures- just not alot of time to post it to the blog.
Anyway...
I love gyros, though I don't make them often. I just had a craving for them a couple weeks ago, so I made them.
If you have a recipe for the meat that is different than this, please share! This one is good, but I think it could be better. The tzatziki sauce is really delicious- and I like alot on mine. You can't tell that by the bottom picture here... because it was leftovers the next day and this is all the sauce I had left. But normally, I would have put alot more sauce on it.

Gyros Meat
1 lb ground meat
2 TB water
1 TB lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Shape into thin patties and fry until cooked through.

Tzatziki Sauce
1 c. plain yogurt
1/4 cucumber diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mix together

Pita bread
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped onion
Feta Cheese (optional)

To make a gyro, traditionally, lay the pita bread down and layer everything on the side of it- meat, sauce, feta, tomatoes and onion. Fold it like a taco.
Or you can open the pita and stuff it all in the pocket- a little easier for little kids that way.