½ cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon margarine, divided
½ plus ⅔ cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) package light cream cheese softened
1 large egg
4 cups thinly sliced McIntosh or Empire apples
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl combine ½ cup of the margarine, ¼ cup of the sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the vanilla, beating well. Add the flour gradually, beating constantly until a soft dough is formed. Press the dough into the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie plate.
In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, ¼ cup of the sugar, egg, and remaining vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread the mixture over the prepared pie shell.
In a medium bowl combine the apples, cinnamon, and the remaining sugar. Layer the apple mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Dot with the remaining margarine. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the pecans on top of the pie. Bake 30 minutes, watching carefully so as not to burn the pecans. (Tent with aluminum foil, if necessary.) Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: To make a lighter version, replace the sugar with Splenda.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Mary Petruniak, Traveling Mary
Red Bonnet Sisters,
Lakeland, Florida