Pie Contest in a Box (and my First Giveaway!)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. While you peel and thinly slice the apples, cook the bacon slowly until it’s soft and chewy, not hard. Dice the butter by taking a pat and cutting into fourths. Set sliced apples, bacon, and butter aside, while you prepare the crust.
3. Mix the shortening and flour together gradually with a fork and add water until the dough reaches the appropriate consistency. Cut the dough in half and roll out onto a floured surface with a rolling pin, placing one round section into a 9-inch pie pan, cutting the edges where appropriate. Roll out and shape the top and set aside.
4. Squeeze the lemon over the apples and pour the honey over them, tossing them lightly. Combine flour, brown sugar, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and ground cloves in a small bowl, stir, then sprinkle over the apples and toss lightly.
5. Take 3 slices of bacon, cut them into ½-inch pieces, and cover the bottom of the pie crust. Place one layer of apples over this, along with 4 small cubes of butter. Continue layering the pie with one slice of bacon cut into ½-inch pieces, apple, and butter cubes until the pie is a mound, topped with apple and the last of the butter. Cover it with the rest of the dough. Be sure to make slits in the dough.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Let it rest for an hour before serving. Enjoy!
7. Source: “Pie Contest in a Box,” by Gina Hyams/Andrews McMeel Publishing