This is another family favorite.  The kids love it as much as we do.  Super simple.  I typically serve with a salad or green beans and corn.  The original recipe calls for poppy seeds but I never include them because I don’t have those on hand. 

Ritz Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 package of chicken, cooked and chopped

• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (1 sleeve)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam or butter. In a medium bowl, stir together the soup and sour cream. Add chicken and stir. Pour into baking dish.
3. Place the Ritz crackers in a large plastic bag.  Crush the crackers using a rolling pin.  In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken mixture.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

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Josh made the best ever apple pie this evening.  It is so delicious.  I have to share this recipe.  It is the perfect way to welcome Fall into your home.  This is a three day weekend.  Go to the store.  Bake this pie.   You will not regret it.  This is a task worth pursuing.

Best Ever Apple Pie

(recipe adapted from Southern Living)

2 1/2 lb. Granny Smith apples

2 1/4 lb Braeburn apples

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon apple jelly

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

Cornmeal Crust (see recipe below)

3 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

Prepare cornmeal crust and chill 1 hour.

Cornmeal Crust

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup plain yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup chilled shortening, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

8 to 10 teaspoons of ice cold water

Stir together the first four ingredients in a large bowl.  Cut butter and shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles small peas.  Mound mixture on 1 side of bowl.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon water along the edge of mixture in bowl.  Using a fork, gently toss a small amount of the flour mixture into the water just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Move mixture to other side of the bowl.  Repeat process with remaining water and flour mixture.

Gently gather dough into two flat disks.  Wrap in plastic warp and chill 1 hour (no more than 24 hours).

Now on to the pie …

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Peel and core apples.  Cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges.  If you have an apple slicer, it makes the job go much faster.  Place apples in large bowl.  Stir flour, jelly, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, salt and 1/3 cup sugar into the apples.  Let stand 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally. 

Place 1 cornmeal crust dough disk on lightly floured piece of wax paper.  Top with another sheet of wax paper.  Roll dough into 1/8 inch thickness (about 11 inches wide).

Remove top sheet of wax paper and gently wrap dough around rolling pin peeling the dough from the bottom wax paper.  Place rolling pin over 9 inch pie plate and gently unroll.  Gently press dough into pie plate.

Stir apple mixture.  Reserve and set aside 1 tablespoon of juice.  Spoon apple mixture into pie plate.  Pack tightly and mound in the center.  Pour remaining juices in bowl over apples. Sprinkle apples with 3 tablespoons of sugar.  Dot with butter.

Roll remaining pie dough as directed above.  Gently move dough to pie plate and cover apples.  Fold edges under sealing dough layers and crimp crust.  Brush pie crust with remaining 1 tablespoon of juices (except for edges).  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.  Place pie on jelly roll pan.    Cut 4 to 5 slits in top of pie.

Bake at 425 degrees on lower rack for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temp to 35o degrees and move pie to center rack. Bake 35 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil and bake 30 minutes until golden brown crust. 

Now for the hard part, place on wire rack and cool 1 1/2 to 2 hours before serving.  This will ensure your pie sets.  Enjoy.

I know this is a labor intensive recipe but I know you will love it.