Kerri's Award Winning Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

OK, so I didn't actually win an award for this recipe.  The woman who created the recipe won an award on Good Morning America AND a person I shared the recipe with won a pie baking contest.  So, enjoy!

Ingredients:


· 1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie 9-inch (homemade or store-bought)

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

· 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

· 1/8 tsp salt

· 6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (I used a mix of fuji, macintosh and golden delicious)

· 1 recipe crumb topping (see below)

· 1/2 cup chopped pecans

· 1/4 cup caramel topping

Ingredients for Crumb Topping:

· 1 cup packed brown sugar

· 1/2cup all-purpose flour

· 1/2cup quick cooking rolled oats

· 1/2 cup butter

Directions for Crumb Topping:

1. Stir together brown sugar,flour, rolled oats.

2. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until topping is like course crumbs. Set aside.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.

2. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.

3. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell.

4. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture.


5. Place pie on a cookie sheet so the drippings don't drop into your oven.

6. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil.

7. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes. Then remove foil and put back in for another 25 to 30 minutes without foil.

8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans then drizzle with caramel on top.

9. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature.