Wasn't the month of October just beautiful? The weather was absolutely perfect! We had so many warm and sunny days!
We hope that you were able to get out and enjoy. Now though that the Fall foliage has come into full effect, we're settling in at home to enjoy needed time with family, reading, and...eating.
Of course November also means celebrating the end of Summer, and taking delight in all that nature's given us. It's a time for family and friends, and for sharing meals with each other.
It's with these things in mind that Executive Residences has carefully crafted your experience in our rental homes. In addition to being fully-furnished, you'll find a variety of books to hold your interest when the Sun's early setting means outdoor fun is on hold.
It's over Thanksgiving too that I like to revisit the art of making homemade pies. And, you can do just the same - our units feature fully-equipped kitchens for the convenience of you and/or your family!
So, where to begin when making the perfect pie? Of course it all starts with those flaky, tender, and so very delicious pie crusts.
Over the years, I've surrounded myself with experts in the field of pie making and have many of their autographed cook books. But, it's one thing to read the recipe and another to get those great results that my mother or grandmother had!
So, when Cook’s Illustrated featured a Foolproof Pie Dough recipe, I thought…here I go again. Well it worked! The first attempt I measured exactly! By the 2nd to 6th pie I was more relaxed. All 6 pies were amazing. The crusts were so easy to roll out and transfer into the pan!
The crust was so wonderful you could even use all your pie crust toys and “stamp out” leaves or whatever design you might have. If you have a pie to make…check out the recipe that I used...Foolproof & Flaky Pie Dough:
www.cooksillustrated.com
OK, now after you've made the dough, try your hand at putting together this absolutely delicious apple pie.
Ingredients
- Completed pie crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced into quarter-inch sections
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt your butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour.
- Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil and immediately reduce the temperature.
- Simmer until needed for step 4.
- Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust.
- Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven at 425 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes or until the apples are soft.
For more tips, tricks, and how-to books, visit your local library.
And, if you're looking for the perfect cooking tools, Topeka, Lawrence, and Manhattan have some wonderful specialty stores.
Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!
Thank you for your stay with Executive Residences,
Julie
