Greetings from Chicago!

"Let all the people's praise You, O God;
 Let all the people's praise You.
 The earth has yielded its produce;
 God, our God, blesses us."
 Psalm 67: 5 & 6

                                                  
As American as Apple Pie

My friends Mary Kay & John Rogers have a small farm in South-Central Michigan.  Nearby is an apple orchard where they "rent" two apple trees from a farmer.  (Who knew you could rent a tree!)  Each autumn, when the harvest is ready, the farmer calls them to let them know the time is right for picking.  In turn, Mary Kay & John call family & friends to summon them to their annual apple-picking tradition.  Equipped with ladders, bushels, chairs and a moveable feast, they head to the orchard for this "elevated experience."  This year they picked over 600 apples, of which, I received a lovely basket.  The heirloom varieties are not perfect; some are small, others spotted and even misshapen . . . but what intense flavor and sweetness!  So what does one do with this abundance . . . make butter, cider, crisp, slice, sauce or the quintessential all-American dessert, apple pie?

I have sweet childhood memories of baking apple pie with my mom and her parents.  Grandma & Grandpa lived with our family for many years.  Grandma was mostly a homemaker with a narrow repertoire of things she could cook and/or bake and apple pie was one of her specialties.  So each fall bowls full of apples would appear on our kitchen counter signaling it was time to make pie.  It was an all-day affair.  Mom would get Grandpa started peeling and with a single knife, he produced a perfect curlicue.  The naked apples were then diced and placed in earthenware bowls that Grandma used for all her baking.  She seasoned by taste and we all eagerly sampled the mixture.  Mom prepared the dough; the early years with a pastry cutter and later graduating to the more modern food processor that produced the flakiest crust.  Mom and Grandma would roll out the crusts, fill each "shell" and together crown the filling with another sheet of dough.  The crust was crimped and, for my part, I sprinkled cinnamon sugar over the top. Not the most important contribution but . . .

My day would come many years later when I made my own version of Apple Pie for Thanksgiving Dinner for Dan and the kids.  I have a recipe that was shared by a former colleague, Lona Massong.  I adjusted it to make an open-faced pie with a crumb topping and caramel drizzle (thanks to Culvers!).  I dread making it each year as it is such a mess . . . so imperfect!  But each time I set it out on our Thanksgiving table, I gaze upon it lovingly, my crowning achievement in this celebration of abundance.

What a metaphor as we recall those things we are thankful for!  600 apples . . . loving hands making memories in my heart . . . sharing heartfelt thoughts from the abundance of my life --- "God, our God, blesses us."

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

(inspired by Lona's recipe; this is Jake's favorite!)

Sour Cream Pie Crust:

     1 1/4 cups flour

     1/2 tablespoon sugar

     3/4 cup butter

     1 1/2 oz. sour cream

     1 tablespoon ice water

     1/8 teaspoon salt

     egg white - beaten

In food processor, combine flour & sugar.  Add butter and pulse until just blended.  Add sour cream, water and salt.  Stir with a fork to form dough.  Shape into a large, flat disk.  Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

Roll out crust and fit into 10 inch pie pan.  Trim dough close to rim of pan.  Turn dough under to form edge.  Finish by crimping.  Prick bottom crust with fork.  Brush inside of pie shell with egg white.

Filling:

     3 tablespoons flour

     1/4 cup sugar

     1 teaspoon cinnamon

     1/8 teaspoon salt

     8 cups peeled, sliced & diced apples (Granny Smith are best!)

Combine filling ingredients and scrape into pie shell.

Topping:

     1/2 cup melted butter

     1 cup brown sugar

     1/2 cup flour

     1/2 cup oatmeal

Stir together ingredients and crumble over pie.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 and bake another 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle top of pie with 1/2 cup pecans.

Drizzle 1/2 cup caramel over topping and cool.  Serves 8

Lord,

We are thankful for this land of plenty in which we live.  We are reminded of simple abundance like the harvest of apples.  We remember simple pleasures like baking pie with those we love.  As we gather at the Thanksgiving table this Thursday, bless the food that we share and the people we hold dear.  Amen.