I have been so busy lately with custom projects, kids sports, yard work and just general upkeep of our home that I was starting to get a little burnt out!

Time to pause and do something fun that didn’t involve paint! :0)  Don’t get me wrong, paint is my best friend…but sometimes even friends need a break from each other! LOL…

So my bestest little friend needed to have surgery (minor surgery) to have her many growths removed.  She is 9 years old and had one particular growth growing on her bottom eye lid that was rubbing on her eye.  We decided that while she was asleep for that removal, all the others should be removed too.  Long story short, she is a little sore right now…

While she was having this done I decided the best way to pass the time and not worry so much was to maybe do a little baking :0)

I came across a recipe for Apple Pie Bars!!!  Yum!  They aren’t runny like apple pie so they make for good snacks to pack in the kid’s lunches.

keep in mind this is the first time I have made apple anything from scratch, so if I can do it anyone can :0)

Lets begin!

Here is what you will need..

nutmeg and cinnamon too…

vanilla and brown sugar…

CRUST

2 cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced into cubes
• ¼ cup 2% milk
• 1 egg yolk

• Filling:
• 5 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• Topping:
• 1 egg white
• 1½ tablespoons Turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar)
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Pie crust: Add flour and salt to a food processor bowl and pulse ingredients together. (Because I do not own a food processor I just used my pastry cutter)  Add cold, cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and egg yolk and pulse until mixture comes together and can be formed into a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing filling.

• Filling: Place diced apples in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour flour mixture over apples and toss until evenly coated.

I used my handy apple peeler for this part.  It makes it much quicker as it peels, slices and cores the apple all at the same time.

Next…

• Assemble the pie: Divide pie crust dough into 2 equal portions. Roll first portion into a 13×9″ rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer dough into the bottom of an ungreased 13×9″ baking dish by placing a rolling pin in the center of the dough, folding one side up over the pin, then folding the other side on top. Lift the rolling pin over the baking dish and unfold both sides into the dish. Carefully dump apples over the crust and spread them up to ½” around the edge of the crust. Roll out the 2nd dough portion i the same manner about ½” larger on each side. Transfer dough over apples and tuck sides of dough down into the baking dish, sealing the apples inside the crust. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy and brush over top of the pie. Combine the Turbinado sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl and sprinkle evenly over pie. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 1 hour on a baking rack before cutting into squares. Serve bars drizzled with glaze (see instructions below) or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Thin with additional milk if necessary and drizzle over bars.

I didn’t have a food processor so I just used a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour when making the pie crust.  I wish I had a food processor for that part though as it would have been quicker and easier.  :0)

Also…I am clearly not skilled at drizzling glaze…but boy is this yummy!!!

It passed the approval test from the kids and it was gone right away!  I have made a couple more so we can actually put some in their lunches… minus the ice cream of course!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Smiles!

Terry

Recipe courtesy of… Love Grows Wild: