#MEwx Hot, myggy, heat index this afternoon and a Skillet apple ppie recipe

Good morning Augusta

This morning we have areas of dense fog still around. Partly sunny with visibility one quarter mile or less at times. It's going to be hot and muggy with highs in the upper 80s. Light and variable winds, with heat index values in the mid 90s this afternoon.

Tonight we'll have partly cloudy skies during evening hours, becoming mostly cloudy. More patchy fog after midnight and humid with lows in the mid 60s. Winds will be Light and variable.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Our outdoor temperature is 67.1°F, the humidity is 99% and the dew point is 66.9°F.

The wind direction is North Northwest between 0.0 MPH and 0.3 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 29.94, the Absolute pressure is 29.74 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun and clouds.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with patchy fog and hazy sun..

The UV rating is  1 out of 16, The moon is 81.3% illuminated, the moon phase is waning Gibbous, Sunrise is 5:04 am↑ 57° Northeast, Sunset is 8:23 pm↑ 303° Northwest,

Moonrise is 11:25 pm↑ 104° East, Moonset is 9:30 am↑ 252° West and we'll have 15 hours 19 minutes of daylight today.  

We received a whopping 1.46 inches of rain  here over the past 24 hours.

SKILLET APPLE PIE

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4inch pieces

3–4 tablespoons ice water

1/2 cup apple cider (see note)

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 pounds sweet apples and tart apples (about 5 medium), peeled, cored, halved, and cut into ½ inch thick wedges (see note)

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons sugar

If your skillet is not heatproof, precook the apples and stir in the cider mixture as instructed, then transfer the apples to a 13by9inch baking dish. Roll out the dough to a 13by9inch rectangle and bake it as instructed. If you do not have apple cider, reduced apple juice may be used as a substitute—simmer 1 cup apple juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice

cream or whipped cream. Use a combination of sweet, crisp apples such as Golden Delicious and firm, tart apples such as Cortland or Empire.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. CRUST: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined. Add shortening and process until mixture has texture of coarse sand, about ten 1second

pulses. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1second

pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.

 

2. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough does not come together. Turn dough out onto sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 4inch disk. Wrap dough and refrigerate 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling out. (If dough is refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room

temperature until malleable.)

3. FILLING: Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk cider, syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon (if using) together in medium

bowl until smooth. Heat butter in 12inch heatproof skillet over medium high heat. When foaming subsides, add apples and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times until apples begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.)

Remove pan from heat, add cider mixture, and gently stir until apples are well coated. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface, or between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap, to 11inch circle. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll over apple filling. Brush dough with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. With sharp knife, gently cut dough into 6 pieces by making 1 vertical cut followed by 2 evenly spaced horizontal cuts (perpendicular to first cut). Bake until apples are tender and crust is a deep golden brown,

about 20 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes; serve.