1 double pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
7 cups apples
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
large pinch of nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 cups thinly sliced apples
1/4 cup cream
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla
4 tablespoons butter, softened

Have oven preheated to 400°F for at least 15 minutes while pie is assembled.

Line a pie dish with the bottom pie crust.

Wash, peel and remove core from apples. Slice into wedges. Sprinkle fresh lemon juice over the slices.

In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir in sugar and brown sugar. Toss apples in mixture to coat well.

Arrange apple wedges in pie as evenly as possible. Dot with softened butter.

Place top crust over pie and trim edges, seal, crimp and flute. Decorate edge and top, if desired, with trimmed pieces of pie crust (leaves, vines, berries, etc). Using a sharp knife, pierce a circular vent in the center about 1/2-inch wide. Brush pie top lightly with cream or milk. Sprinkle very lightly with coarse white sugar.

Stir vanilla into the cream; mix. Just before pie is put in oven, pour a thin stream of the cream through the center vent hole.

Cut a few extra vent slits in pie top.

To prevent spills in oven, position pie on a small cookie sheet in bottom third of oven.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F if pie begins to brown too quickly and shield edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil.

Serve with a side of vanilla ice cream while still hot, if desired.

Submitted by: CM