Half-Moon Snitz Pies

                                      Favorite Childhood Food Memory

Every Fall for as far back as I remember my Mom would spend a day making these fantastic little treats! We all loved them and they were best eaten the day they were made or the day after. They can also be frozen for later. She didn't use real dried apples like you might think, it was more of a thick, spicy apple butter filling.

So when I made some Crock Pot Apple Butter a few weeks ago I decided that I would make these with it. Yesterday was the day.

I can't think of the name of the gadget that I used to make these, I only know it made it so much easier than any other time I have made these, so here we go.

Roll out a small dough round and make small holes in the one side.

Place on the little pie gadget (calzone thingy?)

Fill with ¼ cup of filling. ( this of course depends on the size of the gadget that you are using) Someone should help me out with the name of my handy little helper, I simply can't think of it!

Wet the edges with water so it seals better. Press together.

Trim the excess dough.

Admire the perfect shape of your pie.

Place on a parchment lined baking pan. I sprayed the parchment paper with non stick spray as well.

That first one there? It has a 1/3 cup of filling, too much. And the one right beside it? Didn't wet the edges to help it seal. Neither one of them looked real pretty after they were baked. I may or may not have eaten both of them. Yikes!

I brushed them with an egg/milk wash and sprinkled course sugar on them.

I baked them at 375° for 20 minutes or so and then finished them at 400° to get them a nice brown color. I tried them at 350° because that is what my Mom said she uses but her oven is almost as old as I am and the temp must not be right, it took too long and the filling got too hot and bubbled out too much. I didn't like that at all! It's not like the filling has to cook in there, it's just the crust that needs to be baked so...

                                  This is what the finished product looked like with my temps.


I'm teaching a few classes at school this quarter that are about cooking/baking and since last week was the week for Pie Crusts and I didn't really have time to show them the finished product because time was a factor, I thought I would make these and take some along for a treat today when I go back. Also kind of to show them that I can indeed follow my own recipe and have it turn out right! ☺ Why do some things always go in the opposite direction of well laid plans when you especially want them to go in the same direction as what you are going?! As you may guess from that last sentence in my hurry I must have done something wrong because the dough did not perform like usual. Grr! The girls, however, did learn that it is wonderful to have a sense of humor even if you must laugh at your own mistakes! And by the looks and sounds of things they were enjoying themselves. In my opinion that is more important than any old pie crust anyway! Moving on...I won't tell you how many times I made sure they are good enough to serve to friends, but I can tell you they are quite tasty!☺ Today shall be a much better day as far as the diet is concerned!!

After moving to Lancaster County I learned that the folks around here eat these with their
Ham and Bean Soup. That was sort if a new twist for me, but each to his own. It's these kinds of differences that make places interesting and keep the variety in life.

Okay I'll quit rambling now and go lay some more plans, plans that include the different shapes of dinner rolls, for the girls today. I hope you are enjoying the Fall season, wherever you may be!

Be Blessed!