CARAMEL APPLE PIE

Ok, so it's time for dessert! This is a pretty easy recipe and doesn't require a whole lot of ingredients!

Items to purchase: 2 refrigerated pie shells (I like pillsbury sheets-2 in a box), 1 can of apple filling, and 1 jar of hershey's caramel sauce

Price: approximately $7

Ingredients:
2 pie shells (9 inch)
1 can apple filling
1/2 cup caramel sauce
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter

for a crumbly topping:
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp sugar
dash of salt
dash of cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter (room temperature)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On stovetop, place 2 Tbsp butter, apples, salt, cinnamon, and caramel over medium heat. Warm until combined.

In a 9 inch pie pan (I like to spray with Butter flavored Pam, I'm always concerned my crust will stick), place 1 pie shell into the pan...cut around the pan to make neat (there will be some crust that will overlap, these are the little bits to cut off). Once the filling is warmed through, place into the pie pan, smooth out evenly. Then place the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter (cut into small pieces) over the entire top of the filling. Next you can either place the remaining crust on top of the pie, using a fork to seal it, cutting an x on the top center for ventilation OR you can cut the remaining shell into small strips and do a lattice crust. Really this is not as hard as it seems!!!! It's trial and error but it makes it really pretty! Start from the middle out, lay one strip down the center, then work out to each edge about a half a thumb length between each strip. Don't worry they will be too long, do the other direction first then trim them! Start in the middle again in the opposite direction...alternating over the first strip, under the next one....do the next piece the opposite under the first, over the next one. Like I said it's trail and error!

Once you've decided on the top crust (if you aren't happy with your lattice "look" this will help cover it a little) combine the ingredients for the crumble topping in a bowl. Smash 2 Tbsp of butter with a fork through the mixture. It takes a little work, but don't worry it will turn into a crumble! Keep mixing through the butter until it looks similar to a "granola like" texture. Sprinkle this over the pie!

Now for cooking. Place pie in the oven for 10 minutes on 425 degrees. THEN reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for the remaining 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream and the remaining caramel sauce :-)! Enjoy