pretty cran-apple pie

Sorry for the no recipe posts lately. With all the wedding amazingness I've been a little busy!!! I made this gem around christmas time I think. I was a hit. Even if you don't like cranberries, just try it, you'll love it.

Pie Crust

2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. shortening
8-9 T. cold water

Mix flour salt and sugar. Add shortening and with a fork mix in the shortening. With the fork you lift from bottom to top, you don't press down to break up the shortening. It will take a little bit of time, and the pieces of shortening should all be pea size or smaller.
Take a few fork fulls of dough crumbles and set aside. Add the water to the flour mixture. If you're adding sugar to the recipe, you may need the extra tablespoon of water. The dough should come together as a ball in your grip, add a few more drops of water if necessary.
On a floured surface roll out dough with a rolling pin. Just roll it out to the edge of your surface or about 1/4 inch thick. It doesn't matter the shape or look of the dough at this point. Sprinkle the dry dough mixture, that had been set aside, on the top of the dough, to the edges. Roll dough up, like a fruit roll up, and close off the edges so the crumbs don't fall out. Cut into fourths, stack on top of each other, and smash down, so you have one large mass of dough. Cut in half and set one half aside.
Again on a floured surface roll out dough. This time you're going to eventually need a close to perfect circle, so when rolling out, try to keep your shape. After you've rolled dough out an few inches wider than pie pan. Place pan in the middle of dough and cut a circle out, use the extra pieces of dough to fill in places that didn't quite keep shape. Using rolling pin, roll dough over and then onto the top of the pie pan. Lift dough into pan, making sure that it's up against the walls and edges. Using your fingers roll the edges of the crust down and in so that it sits just along the edge of the pan. Once you've circled the whole crust, go back around, using your thumb and index finger to shape the crust. You can make the wave as tight or loose, as big or small as you would like.
Your crust is done! Whether or not the crust is cooked now or after filled depends on the pie being made.

{for picture instructions}


Cran-Apple filling

3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 T flour
1 t. nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
6-8 apples (peeled, cored, and cut in 6-8 slices)
1/2 c. cranberries whole (frozen or fresh)

After you're finished with the apples (yes it takes forever sometimes, I know). Mix all the dry ingredients separately. Add about 3/4 of the mixture to the apples. With the bottom crust prepared in the pan, start to assemble the apples. It works best if you place the on the outer ring of the crust and work your way in. Sprinkle a few cranberries on each layer of apples until you've filled and exceeded the top of the crust. Dust the filling with the rest of the sugar/cinnamon mix. Assemble top as a basic pie, or a lattice top.

{for picture instructions for a lattice top}

Bake at 375 for about 50-60 minutes. You may need to use foil to cover the top and edges of your crust (they tend to burn before the filling is cooked through). The pie is done when the apples can be poked with a fork with ease (there shouldn't be much tension).