GEORGIA'S ENTERTAINING TIPS FOR CHRISTMAS

Take a peek in Georgia's window and see what's cooking

Well, it's  December and there's snow in the air and on the ground.   A great time of planning and dreaming and just praising the Lord for this time of year.

Some years ago we had an  Open House on Christmas Eve for almost 18 years.  We have discontinued this particular Open House for the 65-70 folks we had always entertained, but I still will  be having a  Christmas Eve with  our family.

I'll still be preparing a feast so.. stop by the menu page for the Christmas Eve celebration  and also visit my  Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Menu and Recipes page..plenty of recipes and ideas and tips to help you through your entertaining.

There's  still a lot of planning that goes into preparing for an open house (whether for 30 OR 70).  I start the menu at least a week before hand..adding and deleting what I may want to have...(it pays to keep records...I have many years worth of Open Houses to fall back on)...Once I do this..then, comes the grocery planning...Where the best deals are for the week..and so on.. I normally grocery shop between three stores anyway, so this is not new...just a little more challenging. 

Remember "The Twelve Days Of Christmas"? Well, my list would go something like this:

12 packs of cream cheese

5  pounds of shredded cheddar

3 pounds of onion dip

3 packs of Smokies>

4 bags of tortilla chips

4 pounds of Velveeta

2 quarts of mayonnaise

10 pounds of potatoes

4 boxes of snack crackers

3 pounds of ground beef and 2 pounds of Italian sausage

Fruit juice, soda, and sherbert

Carrots, celery, green pepper, cucumber, broccoli

Assorted chips, pretzels, and peanuts.

Barbeque sauce, salsa, hot sauce

Heartburn, indigestion, and gas.

And a partridge in a pear tree J

Well, that's just a example of what is bought...

Now after I make the list, shop for the food, and bring back all the bundles..I begin making preparations for the cooking and storing of all of it.  One thing I don't have to worry about is the cookies and desserts...wonderful!!!!  Our daughters, Wendy and Lisa pitch in with cookies and candies and fudge and we end up with  a table full of desserts alone.  Now that everyone’s grown and has families, they all sign up and pitch in a variety of everything needed.  So it helps tremendously.

I begin preparing two days before Christmas Eve.  There are appetizers that can be made ahead and frozen..such as Bacon Squares and Party Pizzas.  I usually make them and cover a cookie sheet with plastic wrap and lay them in rows until the pan is covered..then I do another layer of them and cover that totally with plastic wrap, too.  This method is repeated until all the appetizers are gone.  At that time, plastic wrap is wrapped completely around the entire pan and then a layer of foil is put on so it seals and protects it from freezer burn.  At this time, it's placed in the freezer until needed the night of the party.

Other things that can be made ahead are dips, such as Hidden Valley Ranch (which is wonderful for veggies and chips) and also Knorr's Vegetable Soup...(great for veggies).  I make the  cheese balls or cheese spread on this day too because they can be refrigerated.

The day before...I usually make the mixture for the taco salad dip and store in an enclosed bowl with lid.  The flavor of the onion gets into the cream cheese and has a better flavor.  Salami Rollups can be done at this time too.  They're very simple, but tasty.

Boil the potatoes the day before for Potato Salad or  Party Potatoes .  This gives them time to cool and easier to handle before mixing. It's a good idea to do this with the eggs for Deviled Eggs also.

THIS IS ALSO WHEN I DO MY MAJOR CLEANING....(thought I'd just throw that in).

CHRISTMAS EVE DAY...7:00 a.m...READY.....SET.......GO!!!  Now this is when all the activities get set into gear. If you walked into my house at this time you would just die because there’s food, bowls, plates, knives, pots, pans all over the place and my pajamas on and hair sticking straight up.  But, baby, this is the busy time!

I make the vegetable tray and cover well with plastic wrap put it into the cool garage.  (Comes in handy when the temperature is down).  Then, on another tray, I spread the Taco Salad Dip mixture (I made yesterday), and put the finishing touches on that. This, also goes into the cool garage. And on and on and on until I'm completely done....I try to gear toward totally getting through by 4:30 p.m...so I can shower, get my hair fixed and dressed and take a breather before the family comes (now we're talking about nearly 30—(and that’s not including Jon’s family in North Carolina who can’t be there.. L   I try to make things that can be kept in crock pots, and on warming trays, or just cool and cold stuff and only have to bake a few things off and on through the evening.  This gives me more time to visit and just enjoy everyone when they come.(nothing worse than a grumpy hostess).

A another blog is coming with the menu and recipes.   It varies a little from year to year.

The  key to preparation for a party of any kind is to PLAN..PLAN...PLAN.....Take notes..keep records....shop for the best buys....and enjoy yourself..And you know what made this all possible??  The Lord Jesus...just because of Him we're celebrating and sharing and giving.  Because it's HIS birthday after all.

From all of us to all of you.

FROM THE SAWHOOKS..

CHRISTMAS---GOD'S WAY

Far away and long ago ---down through the corridors of time before the foundations of the world. God in all His splendour gave thought to creating this place called earth. A place where He could manifest His glory in beauty and majesty.  So "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"  Genesis 1:1 What a beautiful beginning!

Colossians reads in Col. 1:16  "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM, AND FOR HIM.."  We were created for HIM?  God?  The creator of the universe?   Why?  Because God had a purpose that only a Divine Father could ever have.  He wanted fellowship with someone---anyone who would want to.

God could have created mankind like a scientist would build robots only to move or talk or listen or react at his command!  But God wanted more. He wanted someone who would WILLINGLY CHOOSE to love Him!  As a parent, don't we  appreciate it much more  knowing our children love and obey us .....just because?   Instead of what we do for them or what they're going to get out of it?  Of course, we do.   So why shouldn't our Heavenly Father expect as much.  He wants us to want and love Him because WE WANT TO!!

So He makes this perfect plan--creates a perfect place and puts Adam into the picture and even gives him THE perfect wife in a perfect environment--The Garden of Eden!!!  So what happened??  Did He make a mistake??   Absolutely not!  What happened was "The Test"  He gives them the “free will" to make the  decision to choose "To Sin?" or "Not To Sin?"  THAT is the question.  Well, we all know the story.  The serpent.....the fruit...the tree of knowledge of good and evil........and two human beings with their 'free will'.  Hmmmmmmm...what do they do?   They choose not to consult God about this dilemma, but rather listen to what is given them in the choice of.  "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" and "Ye shall not surely die.  For God does know that in the day you  eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil". Genesis 3:1b, 4b, 5. Wow!   Gods....Us?  Sounds pretty tempting, eh?  Yummy? NOT!

 Well, God in all His glory creating the perfect couple in the perfect environment..because of His holiness and His standards...has to do what was necessary..."And the Lord God said unto the serpent “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle etc." "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Genesis 3:14a, 15.  A way out??   Exactly!  The first promise of the Savior to come...the first prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus....and strewn throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. God shares His plan of redemption for mankind!!

He gave a choice.....it was made......and then price had to be paid..Ephesians 1:3, 4 reads.."Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; According as he has chosen us in him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love". "For God so loved the world..that He gave His only begotten Son..that WHOSOEVER believes in Him..should NOT perish..but have EVERLASTING LIFE."  

John 3:16 is commonly called, "The Gospel In a Nutshell".  God made a way of escape because of Who He is and being the Holy God that He is, He could not allow sin to enter His presence.  So in order for this to take place, a PERFECT, SINLESS SUBSTITUTE had to take our place as a sacrifice had to be  made.  A supreme sacrifice made by a "lamb without spot or blemish".   The Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:27, 28a, 30b, 31-33, 35 "To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said.."Hail thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee......."Fear not Mary..for thou hast found favour with God.."And, behold , thou shalt conceive in thy womb,and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end..."...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the  highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

So, salvation's plan was begun. God chose to send His only Son into the womb of a woman to be born as a human so God incarnate or 'in the flesh' could be made known and real to all those who knew Him.  But did they know Him??  Did they recognize their Messiah or Savior?  Unfortunately not!!  He lived a life apart from His Father and from the Glory of Eternity Past and Present and chose to die for our sins and become that supreme Sacrifice.  You know that story, too, don't you?  Yes, He was mocked, ridiculed, spat upon, beaten, stabbed, made to be a "king" with the crown of thorns, and then finally the ultimate--crucifixion upon a cross, a death only for the worst of criminals.  Then if that wasn't so horrible there was the complete separation from His Father.   The Holy God that could not look upon sin.  He had to turn His face from the terribly mauled precious face of His Son because He was to bear the SIN for ALL mankind.

But this story has a wonderful end.  Jesus just didn't die for our sins. He ROSE from the dead to become the first fruits of the resurrection.  The hope for us all to come . I Corinithians 15 reads  "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that died.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, shall all be made alive." (Verses 20-22). And also  I Corinthians 15: 3,4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Very simple---why do so many people make it so difficult??  They say "There has to be MORE than to just accept that Jesus came to be our substitute...die on the cross...be buried...and rise from the dead.  I have to do more, don't I?"

"For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED!" Romans 10:13.  And, friend, that WHOSOEVER is YOU!!  Put your name in its place.  Don't delay, don't wait ANOTHER Christmas to miss that special Gift that God sent just to you. He's been knocking and knocking for years at your heart's door. "Behold..I stand at the door and knock..if any man (or woman) hear my voice and open the door I will come in to sup with him and he with me." Rev. 3:20. 

Get into the wonderful family of God.  A family that will be there for you with the unfailing love of a Father who loves you beyond measure.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 And remember.

 

THANKSGIVING TIPS/ HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE BIG DAY

THIS IS A REALLY NEAT BUNCH OF TIPS AND HELPS TO MAKE GETTING READY FOR THE BIG DAY A LITTLE EASIER.   IT GOES FROM THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER, BUT SINCE THIS IS PAST, IT WILL STILL GIVE YOU SOME HELP, I'M SURE. 

Getting the house all ready for company

To keep track of whose cup is whose write each person’s name in ink on wide rubber bands and place them around each person’s cup. This helps avoid each person using more than one cup and it aids in ending the spread of germs. Take the rubber bands off when doing the dishes and they’re ready to be used again!

*When kneading bread or making cookies on your kitchen table, place masking tape over the seams of the table. This will prevent ingredients from getting lost between the table’s leaves and make cleanup a breeze.

*Kitchen sponges come out clean when thrown into the washing machine along with your other kitchen rags. Dry the sponges in the dryer.

*Most pie recipes instruct you to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil when it begins to brown. Before you begin baking form a foil ring around the cold pie edge, then when the edges begin to brown simply set the already formed ring in place.

*To polish silver, add one tablespoon of ammonia to your silver polish. You’ll get a super shine, plus it prolongs the shine well into the new year.

*Use a pencil eraser to take black heel marks off your linoleum.

*Murphy’s Oil Soap is a great stain remover for almost any stain. Spray on garment, rub, and then wash as usual.

*To remove paper stuck on wood moisten the paper with olive oil and then, rub it off.

*Clean piano keys with a piece of silk moistened with rubbing alcohol.

WEEK ONE OF NOVEMBER:

*Begin holiday organization.

*Invite your guests for Thanksgiving dinner. A cheery phone invitation or a written invitation is always welcome.

*If you’re ordering a fresh turkey, do it now; if you’re buying a frozen turkey you have time, but don’t wait until the last minute. Start watching those sale ads now.

WEEK TWO OF NOVEMBER:

*Make up Thanksgiving dinner menu. At the same time compile your grocery list. You can pick up the dry goods and staples for your meal now. It’s easier on the budget and makes shopping faster later. Check off items on the marketing list as you purchase them. 

*Plan your Thanksgiving table setting and centerpiece early. Check your silverware, plates, and serving dishes to be sure you have enough for the number of guests you are inviting. 

*Name cards can also be completed ahead of time. As a family sit down and find verses with a thanksgiving theme. Take a blank 3” x 5” index card, fold it in half, and stand it on the table. On the front write the name of the person who will sit at that place and inside write a Thanksgiving scripture. When everyone is seated, each person then reads his verse.

WEEK THREE OF NOVEMBER:

*Make any last-minute arrangements for Thanksgiving. If you’ll be going out of town, ask a neighbor to collect your mail and newspapers. If you are cooking, finalize your menu and entertainment plans.

WEEK FOUR OF NOVEMBER:

*Special holiday events will be happening Thanksgiving week. Decide which event you want to attend as a family, then schedule one special event for each child individually.

FOUR DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING:

*Start defrosting a large (15 to 20 lbs.) frozen turkey in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

TWO DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING:

*Prepare the serving pieces, plates, flatware, glasses, etc.

*If using cloth napkins or tablecloths, iron them now.

*Make the cranberry sauce; a couple of days in the refrigerator will give the flavors time to develop.

*Cut and cube bread for the stuffing now, and set the cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet to dry.

ONE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING:

*Pick up the fresh turkey and purchase perishables.

*Prepare the stuffing. Refrigerate overnight.

*Make the giblet stock for gravy.

*Assemble and bake pies.

*Peel the potatoes; refrigerate in a pot of cold water.

*Make side dishes that require baking and reheat them tomorrow; or assemble them today and cook them right before dinner tomorrow.

*Set the table tonight or first thing in the morning.

THANKSGIVING DAY:

*Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and cook as desired. (Some people...like me...even prefer to slow cook the turkey overnight.)

*Make mashed potatoes and bake or reheat side dishes.

*Prepare coffee, but do not brew until about twenty minutes before it is to be served.

*Prepare iced tea and other beverages early and refrigerate.

Edible Cornucopia Favors for Thanksgiving

Very simple and fun. Kids will enjoy helping.

1. Melt chocolate chips in microwave oven or double boiling pan.

2. Dip the wide opening of a sugar (dark) ice cream cone about halfway into the melted chocolate chips, set on wax paper to cool.

3. Fill with candy (Maybe some candy corn or mallow creme pumpkins for instance?)

4. Also put a little paper inside, asking guests to think of what they are thankful for. Then have volunteers share.

APPLE CANDLE HOLDERS

Take large apples and core out enough to hold a votive candle. Squeeze lemon juice around the cutout area and then insert the candle. The apples can be set on your holiday table in front of each person’s place or down the center of the table with autumn leaves, pods, grapes, pears, corn, eggplant, and even squash and nuts. When the candles are lit, you’ll have a beautiful harvest display. 

If you don’t have votive candles, use tall tapers or whatever you have available. 

(This idea can be used for Christmas with red and green apples.)

ORANGE SHELLS

Here’s a simple, decorative way to serve your sweet potatoes or yams. Cut oranges in half and remove fruit and pulp. Add the fruit to your holiday punch or let the children enjoy it as an extra treat. Prepare cooked sweet potatoes or yams and spoon into the orange shells. For an extra touch, flute top edges of orange shells with a knife and top with miniature marshmallows. Place in oven until the marshmallow melts. Nestle oranges around turkey on platter. 

THANKSGIVING MENU AND RECIPES

MENU

Turkey

Fluffy Bread Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes (Gravy)

Corn

Green Bean Casserole

Broccoli Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Sauce

Deviled Eggs

Vegetable Tray

Relish Tray

Rolls and butter

Assorted Pies 

Apple and Pumpkin Pies (plus whatever anyone brings)

ROAST TURKEY 

This basic recipe is perfect for a first-timer. Over time, you can try various herbs or spices rubbed on with the salt and pepper, or butter mixtures placed under the skin. 

Est. preparation time: 20 minutes

Est. cooking time: 3 hrs. 

Est. standing time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

12 pounds whole turkey (The Sawhook turkey is usually as close as possible to 25 pounds, but this recipe  is for a normal-sized family.)

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F 

Wash and dry turkey inside and out. Spray turkey with butter spray. 

Cut a long length of aluminum foil, enough to wrap loosely around the turkey. Foil should be loosely wrapped over turkey. If it is too tight... your turkey will be steamed and not brown as well. Put turkey in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 350°F and cook until done. 

Use following chart to gauge time: 8-10 pounds: 2-2/12 hours; 10-14 pounds: 2 1/2-3 hours; 14-20 pounds: 3 1/2-4 hour. 

During roasting, the bird should be basted occasionally. (Most turkeys are pre-basted, but it doesn't hurt to do it. It gives the skin a shinier, crunchier texture.)  Finally, remove foil for final browning. 

The turkey is done when you stick a fork in and clear juice (as opposed to pink) runs out. A meat thermometer inserted into the part of the bird without touching the bone will read 180°F. Do not overcook. Remove turkey from oven and let sit 15-30 minutes before serving so that juices will be reabsorbed by the flesh. 

Carve the turkey and transfer to a serving tray.

FLUFFY BREAD STUFFING

2 large loaves of white bread
1 box of Stove Top Stuffing

Top third of entire bunch, celery (including leaves) chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot or 6 baby carrots, chopped
(preferably chopped fine in food processor)
1 stick margarine or butter

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tsp. garlic or more to taste

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
Chicken broth and water (enough to soften the mixture)

3 eggs

Tear bread into small pieces into a large bowl. 

Sauté the celery, onion and carrot in a frying pan with margarine until tender. 

Meanwhile, sprinkle pepper, poultry seasoning and garlic salt over bread and lightly toss to mix.

 Add vegetables, mushroom soup mixture and eggs and chicken broth to the bowl of bread pieces.

Mix until blended.

 Empty mixture into a  well-greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake in 350 degree oven for  an hour. Cover lightly with foil and bake for an additional hour at 300 degrees...  more if  needed. Outside will be crunchy,  while the inside is fluffy and moist...

MASHED POTATOES/GRAVY 

5# potatoes (pared and cut into cubes)

1/4 pound (1 stick) margarine

Milk (as needed)

Salt

Pepper 

Put potatoes in large pot and cover the potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and then turn down to medium until they are tender to the touch with a fork (almost falls apart). Turn off heat. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain the potatoes into a colander inside a large bowl (to save the potato water for gravy). Put the potatoes back into the pot and add salt and pepper to taste during the whipping of the potatoes.. Using an electric mixer, begin breaking up the larger pieces and add margarine and continue to mix and whip until nice and smooth. You will then determine how much or how little milk needs to be added at this time. Taste and see if the salt and pepper is adequate as well. 

Just to be make sure you have a delicious tasting mashed potatoes, put a nice sized spoonful of margarine on top. Place the lid on and keep the potatoes on warm until served. Make sure this is not too hot and that the potatoes do NOT stick. 

Before serving them, use a large forked serving spoon and fluff up.

                   TURKEY GRAVY

In a medium sized mixing bowl, put 1/2 cup of regular flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a cup of milk. Using a whisk, begin mixing it together... it should be rather gooey... if it's not, add some more milk. In a large frying pan, place whatever drippings you have from the turkey  and  bring it  to a boil. Slowly add the gooey flour mixture to the broth and with the whisk, start stirring and stirring. If there's more flour mixture than broth, then this is the time to use the potato water. Continue adding and stirring until the gravy is nice and thick and creamy, at which time you may turn it down to warm. Add whatever pepper you would like and mix and cover and let sit.

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE 

20 ounce frozen bag of broccoli pieces, thawed and drained

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound creamy-style cottage cheese (can use fat free)

4 eggs, beaten

1 c. mushrooms (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper 

In buttered 2 1/2 quart casserole, stir all the ingredients. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 35 minutes (until lightly set). Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

            SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

3 cups canned, mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup butter, melted

Topping

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup all purpose flour

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, vanilla and melted butter. Mix these ingredients thoroughly and then put it into a casserole dish.

Mix all the topping ingredients in a large bowl. Spread the crumbled topping mixture over the top of the sweet potato mixture and bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients:

1 dozen eggs (hard boiled, cooled, and peeled)

Light mayonnaise

Yellow mustard

Ranch dressing

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Put the cooked yolks into a bowl and place the white halves on a plate. After all the eggs have been cut and separated, mash and mix up the yolks until they are as fine and smooth as possible. To this add about 4 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise, a hefty squirt of yellow mustard, and two tablespoons of ranch dressing. With a mixer, blend these all together until smooth and creamy. Add just enough garlic salt and pepper to taste.

With a teaspoon drop enough mixture into the center of the whites to make it look full and rounded (not flat). For an added touch, (if you like, you may add a shake of paprika or some finely sliced green olives). If not, just leave them plain, cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed.

QUICK PUMPKIN PIE  (without crust)

1 can pumpkin (16 oz.)

3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cans evaporated milk

1/2 cup flour

(This recipe makes 2 large or 3 small pies) 

Mix all ingredients with a mixer and pour into the pie pans in which you have melted 1/4 stick of margarine. 

Bake 30 minutes in a 325 degree oven or until they are set. (stick a knife into the center and if comes up clean... it's ready.) 

A quick and delicious pumpkin pie.

PUMPKIN PIE

(Libby Recipe)

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cloves

4 large eggs

1 can (20 oz.) pumpkin

2 cans (12 oz.) evaporated milk

2 unbaked 9-inche deep dish pie shells (or the homemade one listed below)

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves in a small bowl.  Beat eggs in another bowl.  Stir in pumpkin and sugar/spice mixture.  Gradually stir in evaporated milk.   Pour into shells.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree F. oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 degrees.  Bake for 40-50 minutes on until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a rack for two hours.   Serve immediately or refrigerate.  

APPLE PIE

6 cups peeled, sliced apples (Macintosh)

1 Tbs. lemon juice

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tbs. all purpose flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

2 Tbs. butter

Double crust pastry

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine apples and lemon juice in mixing bowl.  Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and mix well.  Pour sugar mixture over apples and stir to coat.  Spoon fill into a the pastry-lined pie pan. Dot with butter.  Transfer top crust to the top of the pie, trimming off excess.  Fold edges under to seal and flute the rim.  Cut slits for the steam to escape.   Bake in preheated oven  for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for additional 45 minutes.   (The pie crust below is AWESOME)

NO-FAIL CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

3 cups flour

1 cup margarine or butter

1 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Put aside the margarine (butter) and cream cheese to soften.  In a medium-sized bowl, put    the  flour and add the margarine and cream cheese.  Cut this into the flour until blended, then mix well with your hands (as you would bread dough).

This dough WILL NOT stick to your hands.   Separate into three balls and cover with plastic wrap so it  won't dry out.  Press down and roll out into the size you need for crust.  You won't even need to flour the board.   Place crust into pie pan and trip edges.  Put favorite filling into and bake according to directions.

It's the most tender, good tasting crust you've ever made and so simple.  This recipe yields three crusts.  If you only want to use two of them, you can either refrigerate it for 2 weeks or freeze in a sealed container.