Caramel Apple Pie

 

* 1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie 9-inch (homemade or store-bought)

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (You may need more if your family
sits by the bowl and sneaks the sliced applies when you are not looking)
Marsha likes to use golden delicious and fuji apples.
* 1 recipe crumb topping (see below)
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup caramel topping
* 1 oz. of TLC (tender, loving care - see Marsha's love story below)

Ingredients for the Crumb Topping
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
* 1/2 cup butter

Directions for the Crumb Topping
Directions for Crumb Topping: 1. Stir together brown sugar,flour, rolled
oats.
2. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until topping is like course crumbs. Set aside.
Directions for the Pie
1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and
salt.
2. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.
3. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell (I remove the store-bought pie
shell from the aluminum pie plate and transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate of
my own, but you do not have to.)
4. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture.
5. Place pie on a cookie sheet so the drippings don't drop into your oven.
6. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil.
7. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes. Then remove foil and put
back in for another 25 to 30 minutes without foil.
8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans then drizzle with
caramel on top.
9. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Marsha Brooks, Good Morning America Apple Pie Contest
2001

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

This one is more involved than the easy one I posted a couple years ago, but I love it even more!!

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

salt and pepper to taste

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.