Here is the recipe: Apple Kuchen Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Streusel Topping: In a food processor with knife blade combine: 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 3 Tblsp. Butter, chilled, cut in 3 pieces 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon or nutmeg (I use cinnamon) Process until crumbly, about 20 seconds. Put in a large mixing bowl. Slice 2 medium apples, cored, peeled and quartered. Add to topping and stir to coat apple slices. Cake: 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter, chilled, cut into 3 pieces 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ( I usually use 1/2 teaspoon) 1 teaspoon vanilla With knife blade in food processor, process flour, sugar and butter until butter is cut into flour and sugar, about 15 seconds. Add remaining cake ingredients, process 5 seconds. Turn off processor, scrape down sides of bowl and process another 5 seconds. Spoon batter into a greased 9 X 9 pan ( I use a glass 8 X 8 baking dish). Neatly arrange streusel mixture on top. Bake until came is set and apples are tender, 40-45 minutes. I don't wash the food processor after making the topping, I just mix the cake ingredients in the processor after making the topping. Let me know how it comes out if any of you make it. Enjoy!

A quick Pie Story: I may have told it before. But what the H3ll, I'm older than you all and allowed to do that. My MIL always tried to emphasize being carefull with the Gas Range, washing machines , etc. That was to my wife when she was growing up. Well when we were married about two weeks, I was coming home to my 2 nd floor apt. and my wife came running down the stairs, stopping me from going up to the apt. She said " don't go up there !!!" The oven is ready to explode. I went up to see what the problem was and heard a strange noise from the oven. Poof!!! poop!! Poof !!! Plop !!! I opened it, not knowing what to expect??? Here were two Apple pies Poofing away, she didn't make any slits in the top and the Whole Crust was lifting up and down and Poofing, Ploping away Her mother always warned her about the Oven exploding. At that time you had to light the oven with a match at a small hole in the oven bottom. If you turned on the gas and waited too long, there would be a BOOM!!! This was just one story of the many stories in Lou's " Life with my Wife "" I should have written a book. Like many other Recipe's , Most of the Pie Crust recipe's are about the same . I have had, and made, the one with Baking Powder added and it seemed to make a difference. How it is handled makes the biggest difference. LISA : Try rolling it up on your Grandmother's Macaroni stick not the Rolling Pin and then roll it out over the Pie dish. In the Army the pies were about 16 X 20. Think you can do one of those ? Keep practicing , when it don't work, roll it into a ball and throw it at your DH. Then he will give you the Wooden Spoon treatment. You will learn fast!!! PS : I don't believe you dipped bread in the gravy on Sunday morning. My Grandmother had about 25 notches on her spoon. They matched the Knots on my head. Lou

My favorite pie crust recipe doesn't call for lard but I see no reason why you couldn't replace lard for the shortening. I used to make lard pie crust most of the time but realized one day that while I liked it for savory pies I really like butter based crusts better for dessert pies. Foolproof Pie Dough Cook's Illustrated Vodka is essential to the texture of the crust and imparts no flavordo not substitute. This dough will be moister and more supple than most standard pie doughs and will require more flour to roll out (up to 1/4 cup). INGREDIENTS--For one 9-inch Single-Crust Pie 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces) 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1 tablespoon sugar 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening , cut into 2 pieces 2 tablespoons vodka , cold 2 tablespoons cold water 1. Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl. 2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days. 3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes. 4. Trim overhang to ½ inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough or press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes. 5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Note: I've doubled this recipe for two crust pies, just rolled, filled and put the top crust on, it's wonderful. Nancy

I use one based on Alton Brown's recipe/method, which is similar to the ones outlined by lindac (minus the vodka - I'd probably apply that to the cook) and rhome410 above. I think the consistent bit of advice is always to keep your fat as cold as possible, use cold water (and just barely enough of it), and - if you have the time/patience - give the dough a trip to the fridge before rolling it out to re-chill everything. 6 tablespoons butter, chilled 2 tablespoons shortening, chilled [You could use all butter; original recipe calls for lard] 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1/4 cup ice water Cut butter (and shortening, if using) into small pieces. Place in freezer for 15 minutes. Wisk together flour and salt. Cut in the butter and shortening, in 2-3 batches. (He uses a food processor; I use a fork and my fingers - a pastry cutter would be easier, LOL). Mixture should be "mealy". Dribble in water, a little at a time, mixing quickly after each addition. Only add enough to get the mixture to come together. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap (or a zip-top bag), refrigerate for 30 minutes or so. Alton Brown's full recipe/instructions; using a food processor, etc, etc.