UPSIDE-DOWN PECAN-APPLE PIE

6 peeled, sliced golden Delicious apples (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, at room temperature
2/3 cup pecan halves
1 cup packed light-brown sugar, divided use
1 box refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust for double-crust pie
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
vanilla or butter-pecan ice cream (for serving)

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss together apple slices and lemon juice in large bowl until slices are well coated; set aside.

Spread butter along sides and bottom of 9-inch glass pie plate. Arrange pecans in bottom of pie plate in a decorative design. Press pecans into butter to hold in place.

Sprinkle 2/3 cup brown sugar evenly over pecans. Cover the sugar and pecans with 1 of the pie crusts, gently pushing the crust over the sides and bottom of pie plate, being careful not to move pecans and not tear crust.

Mix remaining 1/3 brown sugar, the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Add to apples; toss to mix. Mound apple slices in pie crust. Top with second pie crust. Crimp edges together; flute. Prick crust in several places with fork to let steam escape. Place pie plate on large baking pan or jelly-roll pan.

Bake in 450 degrees F. oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with fork and crust is golden. Let pie rest 10 minutes or until sugar stops bubbling around edge. Invert serving plate over pie; carefully invert both pie plate and serving plate together; carefully remove pie plate.

Serve pie warm with vanilla or butter-pecan ice cream if desired.

Makes 8 servings
Source: The Family Circle magazine, January 2000