What's for Dinner?

The days are getting shorter. Sweaters in jewel tones and my beloved brown leather jacket are front and center in my closet. Years after school is out there's the back to school rush and heady anticipation of a new start, magnified because I'm Jewish and it's the New Year.

On erev Rosh Hashanah - the eve of the Jewish New Year - the smell of cinnamon and apples fills my home. Apples and honey are traditional on this holiday - a symbol of the sweet start to the New Year. Over the years I've refined the pie recipe below. We eat it and discuss our plans and goals for the year and talk about things we want to change.
Rosh Hashanah starts the 10-day period called the Days of Awe, a time for serious introspection, a time to repent, a time to plan anew. This period ends after Yom Kippur, the fast day that is the day of repentance.

Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged or neglected during the year. So whether you're Jewish or not, invite someone over for dinner - and serve this pie for dessert.

Your favorite pie shells/pastry dough (enough for 2 8" inch pies)

For the pie:
6-8 apples (about 4 pounds) cored peeled and sliced
12oz bag of cranberries
1/2c brown sugar
¼ white sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
Pinch cloves

Mix all the ingredients in bowl. Fill two pie crusts. Bake at 350 for 45 min in a pre-heated oven.

While the pie is baking make streusel topping.

Topping:

4 tbsp. butter or margarine (softened)
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup flour
¾ c walnuts

Mix ingredients together and chill. When pie has baked for 45 minutes remove it and crumble the topping over each pie. Return the pies to the oven for 20 minutes, again at 350.

This recipe makes two pies. I serve one on Rosh Hashanah and freeze the second to serve when we break the fast after Yom Kippur and start the New Year in earnest.

Photo source