It's closing in on school time and thoughts of packing lunches are upon us yet again. Before you purchase store bought hand pies for your child's lunch, give these a try. Not only can you choose what type of apples you really like and how much cinnamon you prefer, you totally are in control of the sugar content. Every mom likes that!

Lunchbox Apple Pies

Hands-On Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 45 minutes
Serves: Makes 12 pies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter - softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ice water
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups peeled, cored and diced apples - about 2 medium
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar


Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and butter and mix together until crumbly. Add water and stir
until doiugh forms. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add apples and cook
until apples soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add brown sugar to apples and cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and any juices
from the apples begin to thicken, about 5 more minutes.
4. Remove apples from heat and stir in cinnamon.
5. Let dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 12 rounds with a 4-inch biscuit cutter.
6. Place dough rounds onto greased baking sheets. Top half of each round with a
tablespoon of apple mixture. Fold opposite end of dough over apples and seal with hands
or a fork.
7. Cut a small slit in the top of each pie to vent steam.
8. Combine egg, 1 tablespoon water and granulated sugar until well blended and sugar is
dissolved.
Brush on tops of each pie.
9. Bake pies in a 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool
completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.