Sour Cream Apple Squares

A few weeks ago we went apple picking.

We've been going to the same orchard for the past 15 years.

It's a small family run place that is part of the rituals of our life.

There are lots of other orchards we could go to, but "our" orchard is the only place we venture to year after year and we kinda like it that way.

We picked 3 different varieties of apples...Cortland, Macoun, and Empire. I find this mix is the perfect blend for pies, applesauce and apple butter.

Speaking of apple butter. I canned quite a few batches last week, along with many more pounds of apples that I made into applesauce. I peeled so many apples (about 20 pounds give or take), that I actually had a sore shoulder from peeling and chopping for so many hours.

Before all the peeling and chopping began I made these Sour Cream Apple Squares. You have to come home from the orchard and make an apple dessert right?

I found this recipe in an old Pillsbury cookbook called Eclectic Tastes of the 70's.

This was the grand prize winner of the bake-off from 1975. Groovy huh?

Sour Cream Apple Squares
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 (8oz) container of sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples

Oven to 350.

Lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup to level off. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the flour, brown sugar, and butter. Beat on low until crumbly. Stir in the nuts. Press 2 ¾ of the crumbs into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

To the remaining mixture add the cinnamon, baking soda, salt, sour cream, vanilla and egg. Mix well. Stir in the apples. Spoon evenly over crumb mixture.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes then cut into squares. Serve warm or cool. Store leftovers in fridge.