Grandma Ople's Apple pie

Any recipe that has Grandma in the title you know it's going to be a good one. This one is no exception, it is divine. I was once in a pie baking contest and lost to this recipe, so I had to try it. Since then I have never turned back. No pie tastes as good as this recipe that I was given by my friend Piper Anderson. This pie, is made differently from any other apple pie I have made, you make the crust and fill it with the plain apples and then make a caramel sauce to drizzle over it, the tartness of the Granny Smith apples combined with the sweetness of the caramel sauce is out of this world, the amount of butter you use also sweetens the deal.

 Pie Crust:
  3 C All-purpose flour
  1/4 C sugar
  1/2 tsp table salt
  3/4 C unsalted butter (cold & cubed)
  1/2 C shortening
  3/4-1 C ice cold water
  1 tsp distilled white vinegar

Stir together flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter cut into the butter and shortening until it is peas sized.

In a cup combine the water and the vinegar then while stirring gently slowly add the water to the flour/butter mixture, adding only enough to hold the dough together. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour (at this point you can freeze it and thaw in the fridge before rolling).

Roll out on a lightly floured surface being careful to handle the dough as little as possible to avoid over working it.

Pie Filling:
  1/2 C unsalted butter
  3 T All-purpose flour
  1/2 C white sugar
  1/2 C packed brown sugar
  1/4 C water
  8 Granny Smith apples

Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mound slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust.

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste, add white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil . Reduce temperature and simmer for 5 minutes.

Gently pour the sugar and butter mixture over the crust and into the apples, pour slowly so it doesn't run off.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 35-45 minutes.

Cucumber Sandwiches

Cucumber sandwiches are truly the lightest most divine sandwich, perfect for a spring day. They only require a few ingredients and a couple of minutes. Even if you don't have all the ingredients you can always substitute. Sprouts are also a great addition that we didn't have on hand but we love adding them. 

Ingredients:

 bread

 laughing cow cheese (any flavor) 

 cucumber 

 avocado

 salt and pepper

Directions: 

 Spread the laughing cow wedge onto your bread, add sliced cucumbers. Mash the acocados but not too much you want it to be a little chunky, add salt and pepper to taste. Add the avocado to the sandwich. And serve. 

Irish Soft-boiled Eggs and Soldiers

 Soft boiled eggs and soldiers an Irish breakfast staple

Ingredients:
eggs
bread
butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Place eggs in a pot and add enough cold water to cover, turn heat to high. Set timer for 9 mins. Water will come to a boil continue cooking until timer goes off, about 2 minutes.  Drain water and run the eggs under cool water to stop the egg from cooking through. Place in egg cup and cut off the top portion of the egg, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook toast as desired, butter and cut into strips.

 Dip toast into eggs and enjoy.