The. Best. Apple. Pie. EVER.

I remember the first time I made pie.

It sucked.

It was middle school. You know how nearly all middle school students are impatient and crazy? Well, I was no different. In fact, I'm fairly certain that God gave me the heart to teach to punish me for my youthful nuttiness.

Well, maybe not. But I certainly feel bad for my former teachers.

All I know was that I tried my best to chill and craft the perfect crust, fill it with the perfect pie filling...and...it sucked. The pie crust may as well been bricks. I don't even remember the filling. And this is with the undiscriminating tastes of a 13 year old. So, I can only imagine what I would think of it now.

Anyhow, since that first attempt, I have been scared of pies. Convinced I was somehow genetically incapable, I avoided them. I purchased store-bought ones and thought I would never be brave enough to try again. But then, last Thanksgiving, I was. I got it in my head I was going to make home-made apple pie. I scoured the Internet for "just" the recipe - and searched for a "simple" yet tasty pie crust. I put a lot of time and effort into this pie - and for the creation, you know what I got?

"WOW, this pie is REALLY GOOD!"

Honest, but surprised, acclaim. I'm not sure if it was good or bad. But, whatever, it worked.

So, over the last year I have perfected the recipe, and it now owns a place in my recipe hall of fame. Not sure who Grandma Ople is - but she rocks my Thanksgiving table EVERY YEAR.

Here's how to make it...

"Grandma Ople's Apple Pie" (from based from recipe found at allrecipes.com)

Double pie crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
sprinkling of cinnamon
3 heaping tablespoons of flour
5-8 peeled, cored, and sliced granny smith apples.

Make the pie crust, chill four 4 hours or longer (as directed).

Once crust is done chilling, leave it in the fridge, and start by preparing the apples. You want the slices to be fairly thin (1/4 inch). If you like chunkier pies (with firm pieces) - then you might want to leave them a bit thicker. I like apples just shy off applesauce. They still hold their shape, but they mush easily in the mouth. I detest crunch apples in a pie.

In a large bowl, toss the apples with some cinnamon. Set aside while you prepare the pie pan with the bottom crust. Fill the top with apples so it is slightly mounded. Pack it down to get lots of apples in. Lattice the crust - a must for the next step!

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter (sometimes, I put the stove top on REAL LOW so this happens while I'm doing everything else. Then I crank it up to do the next steps). Mix in the flour to make a paste. Three level tablespoons leaves the pie too runny, you need the extra flour from the rounded tablespoons. After the flour and butter is well incorporated (use a whisk), mix in water and sugars. Whisk well, wait for boil, and then reduce temp and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture over the pie, slowly, so that all the good stuff gets into the pie lattice holes. Place on a jelly roll sheet (or something else with a lip) covered with aluminum foil (the pie will likely boil over). Bake in a preheated, 425 degree, oven for 15 minutes. Then bake for 45 at 350 degrees (reduce the temp, but don't remove the pie). When the top crust gets all golden and pretty, and the apples don't give at all to a butter knife, you're good.

Let the pie sit for a while, to let the flour really work with the liquid. Pie is sort of like meat in the sense that if you cut it too soon, the good juices will run all over the place. Better to let the liquid turn to a thick jelly-like consistency to allow for pretty cutting.

Serve however you like apple pie: with ice cream, whipped cream, caramel, or all by itself. My favorite is a secret day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast treat.