Get some good baking type apples. Peel and slice. I like the little cranking machine that cores and peels, as well as slices all in a few turns of the crank. To can, you must use acorbic acid to prevent oxidation. Adding citric acid or lemon juice is also necessary. The apples are cooked a bit using sugar to your taste. If you wnat more apple taste, add a can of frozen concentrated apple juice. Clear Jel is the modified starch used as a thickener. Only thicken slightly, so its density isnt too heavy. If more thickness needs to be done, that can be at the pie making stage. Its up to you as to spices, most commonly cinnamon. Also, Alton Browns favorite is 'Grains of Paradise' which as a peppery flavor.

I ALWAYS freeze them unbaked. I have found baking them first, the crusts always get soggy or limp. I just make the pie and then put it in a 2 gallon freezer bag and freeze. When it is time to bake it, remove from freezer and do not thaw. Place directly in oven. It may take an additional 5-10 minutes to bake it than normal. I do, however, cover the crust edges, as they seem to brown more quickly when cooked from frozen (I have no idea why) I use one of those thingies that you set on the pie that covers the crust only. I used to, however, just cover the edges in foil. I usually always have 2-4 pies in my freezer, and am very pleased with this method. Good luck! Sherry

Your pie will get soggy. Better to make the crusts, roll out and stack between sheets of waxed paper and wrap well and freeze and cut up the apples and toss with your sugar and spices and freeze....then put it all together and bake...but you will ahve to bake it for more than an hour. I would make something else, that will freeze well.... How about this....serve it with your vanilla sauce... Apple Cake 4 cups chopped apples 1 ½ cups sugar ½ cup raisins ( I use chopped other fruit like dried peaches or apricots) Mix and let sit for about an hour ( less is OK) 2 cups flour 1 ½ tsps baking soda ( I like ¾ tsps soda and ¾ tsps BP) ¾ tsps salt 1T cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg Mix dry ingredients 2 eggs ¾ cups veggie oil 1 tsp vanilla beat together 1 cup chopped pecans if desired. Add the oil and eggs to the apples and sugar and dried fruit. Stir in the dry mixture and add nuts if desires. Pour into greased 9 by 13 pan and bake 350 until doneÂ..40 to 50 minutes. Serve with cake gravy! Cake Gravy Mix 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter ½ cup evap milk 1 tsp vanillaÂ. Mix all and cook all in a sauce pan for about 3 minutes. Serve warm over the cake.

375 until done...browned and bubbling...about 40 to 50 minutes....the bottom crust will likely be soggy....but that's OK. Linda C