Dutch Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce

It's that time of year...the apples are falling off the tree in my backyard. Time to make apple pies!

Betty Neels must have liked apple pies pretty well herself, as they are mentioned time and again in her novels. The End of the Rainbow has apples pies mentioned twice! Uncertain Summer, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, The Doubtful Marriage, Emma's Wedding, Sun and Candlelight, The Quiet Professor (to name a few) all mention apple pie. The Course of True Love does them one better and has Dutch apple tart with lashings of whipped cream. I decided to make a Dutch apple pie - my recipe comes from Betty Sherri. Thanks, sis. I'm including my recipe for caramel sauce - as an added bonus.

DUTCH APPLE PIE

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
6 cups thinly sliced apples

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup firm butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
(Mix all until crumbly)

Mix filling minus apples, then mix them in thoroughly. Turn into pastry lined 9" pie plate. Top with crumb topping.
Bake at 425' for 50 min. Cover with foil last 10 min. if top browns too fast.

And if that's not enough for you, here's a dandy little recipe for a simple caramel sauce...easy to make and keeps well in the fridge.

Caramel Sauce

1 14 ounce bag of caramels

1/4 cup butter (1/2 a cube)

Melt in microwave for 3 minutes.

Add:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle Brand)

mix well.

(Serve with apple slices or drizzle over apple pie). Makes a great little gift - put some in a jar with a good lid and give it with a basket of apples.

I have to admit to cheating a little on this pie. I used a frozen pie crust...Marie Callender Deep Dish. Sure, it may not rank up there as a serious sin, but I feel a little guilty. Only a little, though. The apples really did come from my backyard - so I feel that kind of evens things out. Now, please excuse me while I dish up some apple pie for Dr. van der Stevejinck. I'll be serving it with lashings of vanilla ice cream.