Mini apple pies

I have a confession to make. Its one that's saved us a lot of money on produce, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I buy produce from the crash and dent. From the discount cart. The rejected fruits and veggies with bruises and flaws. The thing I think people don't realize is, sometimes the discount produce is NOT that bad. It sometimes just depends on the store. I've certainly seen some things that should never be labeled for sale- well on their way out and past their prime. But certain veggies are okay, including things like apples, zucchini, or peppers, because you can tell just by looking at them if they are still salvageable. These gala apples were delicious (I ate four last week during my lunches) and they hardly had any dents or bruises. I've bought less-pretty ones before and baked them into a pie or applesauce, but these were good enough to eat fresh. They were packed up for less tan 50 cents a pound. A small side tangent- we discovered on Sundays, a local grocery store marks down organic boxed lettuce mixes like spring mix for example, for half price, because its a day or two before its sell by date. It stays fresh a few days after, so if you eat a lot of greens (we can plow through a huge box in a matter of days) than you'll eat it up before you have to worry about it being "bad." Also, believe it or not, sometimes discount produce isn't really discount, so be careful. I will weigh the package if it doesn't have the weight on it. $1.50 a pound for green peppers is not discount, for example. You should expect to pay half price or LESS for discount produce. I decided to use up the remaining apples in a baked dish- if you don't feel comfortable eating discount produce, try cooking it right away into something. I also had a can of refrigerated biscuits that was soon to expire. This simple recipe is easy and looks really cute. It would work well for a brunch, or even as a snack to take to work. Here's how to make them:

Ingredients:
5 apples, peeled and finely chopped
1 can of refrigerated biscuits (I used pillsbury)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp corn starch
3 tbsp butter plus 1 tsp canola oil



Directions: On low heat, melt butter and canola oil in a sauce pan. Add apples, cinnamon, and cornstarch, allowing to cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and begin placing the biscuits into a muffin tin, pressing up the sides to create a little pie crust. I used flaky layers and actually split each biscuit in half to get a thinner crust. I had a couple of extra pieces leftover at the end and just used those to create a top crust. I ultimately liked the open pies better, though. Make you stir the apple mixture a few times as it cooks. The cornstarch will thicken it. Once they are soft, use a spoon to heap them inside of the biscuits and then place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the crusts are golden and cooked. If I make these again, I might try adding a crumble topping. If you have a big sweet tooth, be aware that 1/4 cup sugar for all those apples is actually not much, and they don't turn out that sweet. If you like really sweet pie, you could probably double the sugar and it would still turn out fine. I'm trying to reduce my sugar intake, and felt like it was just enough sweetness. Another thing I might try is making a savory version of these, using a mixture of apple, potato, onion, and Morningstar sausage, and swiss cheese (its really yummy, I've made it as a pot pie before). If you feel its too much sweet stuff for your family, or don't think you can eat them fast (they are good for a day or two but if you can't eat them up by then they won't stay fresh long) than freeze them. You can thaw them out, microwave or re-toast, and enjoy a warm, fresh, mini apple pie any time.