N’Gai and I road-tripped to Brian Head, Utah. And while it was only the second time I’ve been to Utah, I enjoyed our time there and look forward to returning. It’s about an 8 hour drive from San Diego, and Sunny joined us for the ride.

Except for cook, go to the spa for a facial, and nap with Sunny, I did nothing. And I loved every moment of it. To recharge batteries, some people need to be around other people. I need quiet. No email, no t.v., no music, just a book and a place to rest.

Our friends Loren and Jennifer go to Brian Head every year and this time, we met them there. They stayed at Cedar Breaks Lodge, where I went for my facial (which was amazing) and we rented a private condo. I volunteered to cook us all dinner since we had a full kitchen.

I made Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta, a crunchy salad, and Dutch Apple Pie. Before I get into the incredible-ness of the apple pie, let me just say that the Pecorino Pasta is my go-to for pasta. I have adopted it as our family recipe. My mom and I joke that, as Italians, no one likes the way anyone else makes sauce (aka sugo aka gravy). And that’s the truth! And it’s no exception here because I’m telling you that this is the best pasta. Make it!

Now, on to the apple pie. I knew I wanted to make it Dutch style, but I had never made apple pie before and had a few questions. Like what’s the best apple to use? Pre-made or homemade dough? I found many answers on the Serious Eats Blog:

• The Food Lab’s Apple Pie, Part 1: What Are the Best Apples for Pie?
• The Food Lab: The Science of Pie Dough

I used the Jam Hands Dutch Apple Pie recipe for inspiration, and with a few adjustments, mine turned out fantastic!

My adjustments included:

• Homemade dough. I don’t recall the exact recipe I used, but it was just flour, sugar, and ice cold butter (cut into tablespoons and in the freezer right up until before I needed it).
• I precooked the dough just slightly, before it turned golden, to ensure that it didn’t get soggy.
• I also precooked the Golden Delicious Apples I used for the recipe, and added a little corn starch so that the apple mixture didn’t get too runny.

True pie connoisseurs might take issue with this pie, but me, my husband, and our guests thought it was fantastic. And I would definitely make it again!