This is How to Fake a Homemade Apple Pie

We love to take people food when they are too busy with life, hurting, or just new in the neighborhood, right?  Sometimes it is the only way I can think of to help or say Hi!  I care about you!  Listen, I'm a cook, a sometimes baker, and an all the time wishing I were more helpful and outgoing...so I can bake an apple pie.  I also don't happen to think it's on the difficult side.  But there are plenty of people out there that have neither the time nor the inclination to whip up a fresh baked good just to hand it over to a new neighbor.  So when a speaker at my Moms Group at church told me this little trick to fake a homebaked apple pie, I thought it was hilarious and would be a fun thing to try out at home.  Here are the halfway decent results (with just a little fail thrown in for good measure).

Grab yourself a Mrs. Smith's from your local freezer section...I hear they're the best!

Take the frozen wonder out of the box and let it thaw on the counter.  Probably only need to do this for an hour or so, but I was busy!  It sat out all day.

And then pop it out of the tell-tale tin pan like so...

And place it (gently!) into your very own pie plate.  Okay, now here is where I'm going to need y'all to put on your imagination caps.  See, I didn't know that store bought pies are just a smidge smaller than your typical pie dish.  And the only one I have that was small enough was clear.  Fine for your neighbor/friend, but not so pretty for pictures. Just imagine the flaky crust covers the edge of my pie plate.  

Then make your decorative cuts on top of the pie.  I have no idea why I started zig-zagging; I realized immediately it wasn't very cute, but I already started so we will just deal, right?

Read the instructions and toss it in the oven.  I cut the temperature down a little (to 350) since this was thawed, but it still took almost as long to bake.  Around 50 minutes or so.  And this is where the magic happens....mix a little cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the top!

Rave reviews.

Want to make it even more special?  Personalize your own little gift tags, put the pie in little box and tie it up with string...whatever sweet little touch that gives it your own personality and says "I made this!  Just for you!"

Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, and Etsy (I LOVE Etsy!)

Baylor Says...

I recently decided that it was TIME to get rid of some baby things to make way for all the new toys (cars) that 2 year olds start to accumulate.  It is hard for me to part with any of Baylor's baby books and sweet little toys, but I'm also lacking a bit in sentiment and chuck stuff quite easily.  On the flip side, my husband is a hoarder and will never throw anything away.  He had a STROKE when he found that this stuff was on its way out.  Can't remember where I read/heard this tip, but I took pictures of everything and will carefully save the pictures in his babybook that is still in the wrapper I'm working on.