Apple Bars

We went apple picking over the weekend, so I have lots of apples sitting in my kitchen. I've been saving recipes all week in my Google Reader and can't wait to try some of them out. Here's the first one that I made this morning. The recipe came from Gourmet Mom on the Go, but she called them Apple Brownies. I didn't think they were much like brownies because they had a cake like consistency. No matter what you call them, they are tasty!

Apple Bars
Recipe from Gourmet Mom on the Go

Ingredients:

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 C. flour

1 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 large or 4 small apples, peeled and diced

granulated sugar (for sprinkling on top after baking)

Caramel Ice Cream topping (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Choose your pan size: either a 9 x 13 pan, two pie pans, or a pie pan and four mini-loaf pans. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and apples. Mix well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sugar.

Pie Crust and Apple Pie

Never Fail Pie Crust

4 cups flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 ¾ cup shortening

1 Tbs. white vinegar

½ cup water

1 large egg

Put dry ingredients into large bowl. Add shortening and mix till crumbly (shortening the size of peas). Mix water, vinegar, and egg. Stir into flour mixture. Mix well.

Divide dough into 5 balls. Refrigerate ½ hour, then roll out. You may also freeze in a plastic bag. To use frozen, thaw about 1 hour before rolling out on floured surface.

Apple Pie

4 cups sliced apples

¼ cup orange juice

1 cup sugar

¾ cup flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¾ stick margarine

Place apples into bottom crust of 9” or 10” pie plate. Drizzle orange juice over apples. Mix together dry ingredients until crumbly. Pour over the top of the apples. Place top crust on top and pinch together sides. Vent top crust with knife V’s.

Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees.