The. Best. Apple. Pie. EVAH!

I promised some recipes and then when I went to cut and paste from my recipes in Word, the ones I wanted to do weren't in there yet.  So, I copped a 'tude and didn't do anything.

As it gets closer to Thanksgiving, I thought you might want a recipe or two for the holiday.  One is absolutely sure to please.  The other is more of an acquired taste.  In fact, a lot of people hate it.  Grocery Boy and I love it, but no one else in our family does.  Try it.  You might like it.

Tomato Aspic Salad

I got this recipe from my grandmother who got it from her sister in law.  She always made this salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As you can tell by the ingredients, it seems a little strange, but if you like what's in it you will probably love this salad.  Good luck.  I don't recommend just springing this on people.  I would love any comments from those of you who try it, good or bad.  I can take it.  Besides, I don't know where you live.

Recipe:

1 ¾ cups tomato juice

1 package lemon Jell-O

Heat tomato juice to boiling point then remove from heat.  Add package of lemon Jell-O and dissolve.  Pour half of the mixture into bottom of mold or pan and place in refrigerator to set. 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 t. mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)

1 envelope Knox gelatin

Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise together well.  Dissolve Knox gelatin in 1/3 cup cold water and mix with cheese mixture.  Add the following ingredients:

Diced celery

Stuffed olives, chopped and drained well

Green peppers, chopped

Onions, chopped or grated

These ingredients should total about 1 ½ cups.  I add a little garlic powder also.  Set in refrigerator and chill until almost set.  Add cream cheese mixture to first layer of set tomato juice.  Let this set.  Add remaining tomato juice mixture and let set.  Cover with Saran wrap.

FYI:

-I use a rectangular, glass pan for this.  I do not like to use metal due to the taste.

-Also, grease the pan you use with mayo or Miracle Whip.

Now if you survive this one, how about one of the best pie recipes that I have ever run across.  I got it out of a magazine.  I can't remember which one, but I know it wasn't Taste of Home or Family Circle.  I think it was a little higher end than that.  I am not a super great cook, but I can bake, baby.  

For the pie crust, use your favorite two crust recipe or just wimp out and buy those pre-made ones that are in your grocer's diary case.  They don't taste as good, but they don't taste like butt or anything.  

Apple Cranberry Pie

  

Recipe:

6 Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored and sliced

½ cup cranberries

2 T lemon juice

1 ¼ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

1 ½ t cinnamon

¼ t ground allspice

1/8 t salt

1 recipe pastry cream

1 egg, beaten

1 T whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out pastry dough and transfer to a 9” deep dish pie pan.  In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries and lemon juice.  In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice and salt.  Spread bottom of crust with Pastry Cream.  Toss apple mix with dry ingredients and pile over pastry cream.  Cover with second part of dough.  Cut 4 small slits in top to allow steam to escape.  Combine egg and cream.  Brush on pastry.  Bake for 1 hr., 20 min.

When I made this for Thanksgiving I threw in about half of a bag of frozen cherries.  Yummy!

Pastry Cream for Cranberry Apple Pie

1 cup milk

¼ cup sugar

Cook over medium heat in a medium saucepan until bubbly on edges.

2 egg yolks

3 T sugar

3 T cornstarch

¼ t salt

Mix until combined in a separate bowl.  Gradually beat in 1/3 cup hot milk mixture; quickly beat in remaining milk mixture.  Return to saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in:

2 T butter

½ t vanilla

Transfer to bowl.  Can store, covered in fridge up to three days.