Caramel Apple Pie

Caramel Apple Pie

Combine in a large saucepan:
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tb. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
Add:
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup water
4 Tb. butter

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken, creating a caramel sauce. Add 6 cups sliced and peeled apples and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. If the apples you are using are very juicy, you may need to use 3 Tb. cornstarch in the recipe. Pour mixture into an  unbaked pie crust. Top with another crust and bake for about 35 minutes at 400° until crust is brown and filling starts to bubble out.

Apple Pumpkin Pie variation: Make half of this recipe and put the apple-caramel mixture in a pie crust. Then, instead of putting a top crust on the pie, pour about 2 cups of a pumpkin pie filling (see recipes for pumpkin pies) over the apples and bake at 375° for 40-50 minutes, or until the pumpkin pie is set.