Easy as Apple Pie

The phrase "Easy as Apple Pie" is terribly deceiving. Maybe the eating of the pie is easy, but the making of it is a whole other story! Loralie got it into her head that she wanted to make Daddy a REAL apple pie. She has been pestering me for days. Finally today I gave in. I have a pie crust recipe that my family has used for generations. Ok, maybe just a few years. Well, a friend of the family gave it to my parents and they have been using it ever since 2008. But I digress. The crust recipe is easy and pretty fool proof ( I let Loralie do all the measuring and it still turned out great.). However, I forgot to check the pantry before we started and we only had half the amount of shortening it called for so I subbed butter. Probably made it a little softer, and it browned a little quicker. Ok, the outside edge was pretty crispy. And black. Oh well, I kinda hate pie anyways. But all that to say that the crust was easy, but the peeling, coring, and slicing of apples took forever. And don't even get me started on the mess. So I vote that we should change the expression to "Easy as a Pop Tart". Here is the pie crust recipe and I recommend that you follow it without subbing butter for shortening:

4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup COLD water

Mix flour, shortening, sugar, and salt with fork. Combine vinegar, egg and water in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients. Stir until well combined. Shape into ball with hands and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 15 min. Pie dough can be left in refrigerator up to three days. Divide dough in two. Flour surface and roll out. Makes crust for two 9 inch double crusts and one 9 inch single crust. You can freeze excess dough.