Temperatures are dropping and days are getting shorter. It can only mean one thing . . . the fall

                  Carmel Apple Pie

2 T butter or margarine

½ C flour, divided

½ C brown sugar, divided

¼ C apple juice

½ C caramel apple dip

5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced

½ t cinnamon

¼ C granulated sugar

9 or 10-inch unbaked pie shell

Crumb Topping

1/3 C butter or margarine

½ C sugar

¾ C flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients for crumb topping in a food processor and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the flour and ¼ cup of the brown sugar. Add apple juice and caramel apple dip and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Mix apples, cinnamon, granulated sugar, remaining brown sugar and flour in a large bowl. Add warm caramel mixture and toss well to coat apples. Turn mixture into pie shell.

Top pie with crumb topping and cover loosely with foil. Bake 45 minutes, then uncover and bake 30 minutes more or until done and the top is nicely browned. Serve warm.

*When I make the pie in advance and freeze, I bake the pie for the first 45 minutes.Defrost and bake for additional 30 minutes.