A fall activity in our home is assembling apple pies and giving them as gifts. My husband is a traditionalist, very Betty Crocker, when it comes to the recipe. He uses the crumb topping recipe from the 1969 cookbook.

Pick a tart, firm, juicy apple, such as Jonathans, Winesaps, Haralsons, or Wealthies. Leave the peel on and slice the apples thin ( better for you and time saving).

One pound equals approximately 3 cups sliced apples. If the apples seem a little dry, sprinkle with a bit of water. For more tartness, add a little lemon juice. The frozen crusts or prepackaged crusts work well.

chuck's apple pie

pie refrigerated or frozen pie crusts (9 inch) ¾ to 1 c sugar 2 t cinnamon 6 to 7 c sliced apples 2-3 T butter Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix the apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pile the apples in the crust and dot with butter. topping 1 c chopped pecans ¾ c flour *1 c toffee bits (plain, not chocolate covered) 8 T light brown sugar 6 T butter, chilled and diced Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Rub mixture together with your fingertips until the mixture is pea sized. Scatter topping evenly over the apples. Cover the edge with tin foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned. Serve warm or cold, Top with whipped cream or ice cream. *optional Recipe adapted from Betty Crockers Cookbook 1969