Want to talk politics? Yeah, me neither.
The division in our nation is deeply troubling, and I find myself wondering what happened to the concept of common ground. There must be ideals that most Americans value and want to promote—truth and liberty and creativity and industriousness and justice and peace come to mind. There have to be some causes that could unite us and help us move our nation forward in a positive way.
This week, though, might not be the week to figure that out. But it might be a good time to make a homemade apple pie.
Sometimes when I can’t see a clear solution and I’m not sure where to begin, I bake. And, I was thinking that not much is as American as apple pie—unless it’s making apple pie and eating it on Election Day while watching the results come in.
Apple Pie
For the Crust
3 cups flour
¾ cup canola oil
2 tsp. vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar)
5-6 Tbsp. iced water
Sift flour into a large bowl. Combine the oil, vinegar, and water. Add the wet ingredients to the flour and quickly stir them together. You will probably need to mix it with your hands at the end to form the dough into a ball. Divide dough into two pieces and roll them into balls. Place each ball between two sheets of waxed paper to roll out with a rolling pin. Remove the wax paper to place the crust in the pan.
For the Apple Filling
6-7 large tart apples (I like Granny Smith)
3/4-1 cup of sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter (optional)
Peel, core, and slice the apples thin. Place them in a bowl with the spices, sugar, flour, and vanilla.
Place the apple mixture into the lower crust. Dot the apples with small slices of the butter, and add the upper crust. Fold it closed around the edge and crimp the crust.
Slice vents in the top crust. Brush a little milk on the top crust and sprinkle it with sugar mixed with a little cinnamon.
Preheat to 425. Bake 10 minutes. Lower to 350 and bake another 30-40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or just as it is. Enjoy!
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