I use my big electric roaster pan for cooking up my apples. I just wash and quarter them, and cut out the bad parts and dump them in the pan with a just bit of water. Put in the cover and check on it once in a while until they are ready - then I run them through the food mill. If I want to make juice for drinking or jelly, I add a lot more water. I'd also like to add that if your pan on your cermaic stove takes forever to boil water, you don't have the propery size/type pan. I had a few big stock pots that took forever, and this fall I spent the money and got a good heavy, flat bottem 12 qt stock pot that is just the right size. I am amazed at how quickly I can heat thing up now. Once it is boiling, I turn the burner down to about 2.5 to maintian the boil for water bath. I started paying attention, and with a slightly warped pan, or one the wrong size, the burner well keep cycling on and off. No wonder it took for ever to heat up. I was seriously thinking about getting a different stove, but with getting some proper pans, I really like my stove again. I've been using the Presto 16 qt canner on it with great results. Just have to make sure the heat plate is centered on the burner correctly. I'm down to my last 20 lbs of apples - I am so glad to be getting done! Cathy

I've also made applesauce with the peels and cores on, just quarter them, cook them and run them through the Squeezo. That makes a lovely light pink and very smooth apple sauce, which can then be used to cook down for apple butter if you prefer. I prefer to use my old style peeler and just toss apple slices into water with a couple of vitamin c capsules broken and stirred in, that prevents oxidation. Dip out the slices and put them into my big Nesco roaster. It'll hold at least a quarter of a bushel. Add some liquid, I use apple cider, put on the lid, and stir a couple of times when you think about it. When the apples are tender, mash them up with a potato masher for nice, chunky applesauce. Sweeten and season to taste, of course. That same roaster is used to make apple butter, turn it on about 250F and just let it cook all day while you're doing other things. When it's as thick as you like, can the apple butter. I've also done apple butter in the oven in a big roasting pan, much easier than doing it stove top as you don't have the constant watching and stirring and little volcanoes of applesauce popping up on your arms. I've also used the peels and cores to make juice, which I then strained for apple jelly, but my old style apple peeler just doesn't leave me a lot of peel and we prefer the Apple Maple Jam, so I don't do that often. The peeler/slicer also makes thin and even slices for the dehydrator, those slices also get put into the Vitamin C treated water. No lemon taste (my mother is allergic to lemons anyway), and far cheaper than Fruit Fresh. Annie

If DH is here, medium russetts, scrubbed and placed on middle rack of oven at 400 for 40 minutes. He likes the crunchy skins. If it's just me (I like softer skins), same potatoes, same length of time, but wrapped in foil. Never had an explosion when cooking them in the oven, so never poked holes in them. Cook them hot enough and they are not "mushy". THen I do with the foil-wrapped ones what we used to do at one of the restaurants, pick it up and slam it on the counter, cut a slit in it and sort of press the ends toward each other to make a "mouth" for the butter and lots of black pepper. I used to microwave them because I felt bad heating an oven for just a couple potatoes. They're ok. But when I got my toaster oven I went back to baking them. Man, I didn't realize there was such a big difference! I always bake them now. But if I miscalculate the timing, I don't mind putting them in the nuker for a minute or two to finish them off.

You'd be better off to bake it and then reheat it when you want to serve it. Or if not, then do as Ann recommends for the bottom crust, but you can also get the filling completely ready (be sure there is some lemon juice in it to keep the apples fresh looking) and put it in the refer until you assemble your pie. You can also roll out the top crust and keep it between plastic wrap, then place on the top of the pie before baking. It may be a little stiff to pinch the edges, so if you can let it (just the top crust) sit at room temp for a few minutes, that would be best. If the filling is chilled, it might take a bit longer for the pie to bake. Or you could do a crumb crust on top...mix it all up and keep in refer until you are ready to assemble the pie for baking.