Autumn Is Upon Us, and we are here for it!

Hey there, pumpkin spice lovers! Can you believe October is already here? I mean, I woke up this morning to a chilly 45 degrees and a cold tile floor in my home office. But hey, that just means it's officially fall, right? And speaking of fall, this past couple of weekends was jam-packed with all the best autumn activities. I'm talking Crabapple Fest this past Saturday, and (drumroll please) the first ever Great American Pie Contest last weekend!

Now, let me tell you, this pie contest was no joke. We had some serious competition and some seriously delicious entries. But in the end, there could only be one winner. And that winner was none other than Stephanie Overton, a Realtor from Agency North Atlanta in Milton and a baking mastermind. Married to her "sweet hubby" Jason, together they have a son, Braylen and a Great Dane, Lola. Stephanie wowed the judges with her Sea Salt Dulce de Leche Apple Cheesecake Pie and took home the grand prize. Congrats, Stephanie! Can we get a round of applause for this wonder woman?

But wait, there's more! We also had three other winners in the categories of taste and presentation. Lauren Swilley took home the taste title with her delectable creation, while Nancy Britton's pie won over the judges with its stunning presentation, and the most creative went to Samantha Scalabrino! Can we just take a moment to appreciate these talented bakers? Bravo, ladies!

I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to Judy and the amazing team at the Milton Farmers Market. They were kind enough to allow us to host our Great American Pie Contest at their market, and it was the perfect setting with all the delicious fresh produce, homemade goodies, and even dog treats available. Plus, they have a great selection of wellness products and so much more on offer every Saturday at their location at City Hall. And of course, a big thank you to our fantastic panel of judges, including Mayor Peyton Jamison, Dawn Cooper from Today's a Cheat Day, Malikah from Shea Be Naturals, and Elijah Hummel. Find out more about Milton Farmers Market https://www.miltonga.gov/residents/milton-farmers-market

Now, I know all of you are dying to know the recipe for Stephanie's winning pie. And lucky for you, we have it right here. This pie with its buttery graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and sweet and salty apple topping is the ultimate fall dessert. So get your aprons on and let's get baking!

But before we dive into the recipe, I want to take a moment to talk about something that is very near and dear to my heart - giving back to the community. With the colder weather approaching, there are many people out there who don't have access to warm clothing, especially coats. And that's why we here at the STORE furniture and goods are holding a winter coat drive to benefit the women and children of The Drake House. We're looking to collect at least 100 pieces of outerwear, so if you have any gently used coats, jackets, and sweaters laying around, bring them by our location or give us a call for pick up. Let's spread some warmth this winter!

Okay, now back to the pie. Oh, and did I mention we also have an Ugly Sofa Contest going on right now? That's right, we want to see the ugliest couches out there and we'll be giving away a $1,500 prize to the lucky winner to put towards a new one. Just post a photo of your couch on Instagram or Facebook with the designated tags and we will announce the winner on our 2nd year anniversary, November 15th. So come on, show us your ugliest!

Alright, now for the moment you've all been waiting for. Here's the recipe for

Stephanie's Sea Salt Dulce de Leche Apple Cheesecake Pie:

Sea Salt Dulce de Leche Apple Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

Graham Crackers

Sugar

Butter

Rolled Oats

All Purpose Flour

Brown Sugar

Cinnamon

All Spice

Nutmeg

Honeycrisp and Granny Smith Apples

Dulce de Leche

Sea Salt

Cream Cheese

Sour Cream

Egg

Vanilla Extract

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 and 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12-14 full sheets)

• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar

• 6-7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (6 tablespoons if you use 12

full sheets of graham crackers. 7 tablespoons if you use 14 full

sheets of graham crackers.)

Crumble Topping

• 1/3 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats

• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 3 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar (can use light as well)

• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon extract

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Apple Layer

• 2 Granny Smith Apples and 4 Honeycrisp Apples peeled, thinly sliced,

and/or chopped (can use any apples of choice)

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter

• 1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon extract

• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Filling

• 12 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

• 1⁄2 cup packed dark brown sugar (can use light as well)

• 3 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

Sea Salt Dulce de Leche

• 1 8 oz can of dulce de leche

• 1⁄2 teaspoon of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Have your ingredients ready and

salted dulce de leche prepared.

2. Crust: If you’re starting out with full graham crackers, use a food

processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. Add sugar and

continue to blend. Once graham crackers and sugar are combined

well, pour into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. The mixture will

be thick, coarse, and sandy. Try to smash/break up any large

chunks. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased/buttered 9-inch pie

dish. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down

into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact crust. Try to

avoid using too much force, as it will cause the crust to be too hard.

Make sure the mixture is no longer crumbly.

3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Continue with the next steps as the

crust bakes.

4. Crumble Topping: Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour

together in a medium bowl. Add the chilled butter with a pastry

cutter or 2 forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture

resembles coarse crumbs. Once combined, place the crumble topping

in the fridge to chill while you work on the next steps.

5. Apples: In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high

heat. When butter is foaming, stir in the brown sugar, granulated

sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Add apples and gently mix.

Cover and cook until the apples begin to soften and the liquid begins

to boil.

6. When the liquid begins to boil, stir in the flour. Continue cooking

until the apples are almost tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Do not let the

apples turn soggy or break apart. Remove from heat and let cool to

room temperature. Once cooled, place in the fridge until ready to

add to cheesecake layer.

7. Cheesecake filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the cream

cheese and brown sugar together on medium-high speed in a large

bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add

the sour cream and vanilla extract, and then beat until fully

combined and very smooth. Add the egg and beat on medium speed

just until combined. Make sure there aren’t any large lumps.

8. Dulce de Leche: Using a microwave safe bowl, heat the dulce de

leche until a little runny, 30-45 seconds. If still solid, heat in 10

second increments until its more of a liquid. Do not heat until

bubbling. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon of sea salt and mix well.

9. Assemble the layers: Spread the cheesecake filling into the crust.

Add in 3 tablespoons of salted dulce de leche and swirl in

cheesecake filling. (Save the rest for an extra topping if desired)

Add apples in an even layer on top of the cheesecake filling. (I used

about 3⁄4 of the prepared apples. Saved the rest for something else.)

Sprinkle cold streusel evenly on top.

10. Bake (45 Minutes Total): Lower the oven temperature to 325°F

and bake the pie for 30 minutes. It will still be a bit wobbly in the

center. Take out of oven and add an aluminum foil tent to help

prevent burning. Put pie back in the oven and bake for another 15

minutes.

11. Remove pie from oven and set on a wire rack to cool to room

temperature for 1 hour. Once pie is cooled, place it in the fridge and

chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days before serving. The keep

the topping from softening, if chilling longer than 2 hours, add a

cover. S

12. This pie is great by itself. Or you can serve with extra salted dulce

de leche if desired and even some whipped cream.

13. Cover and store leftover pie in the refrigerator or freezer for up to

5 days.

And voila, you have the perfect fall dessert. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you. And if you're lucky enough to be the winner of our Ugly Sofa Contest, you could have the perfect spot to enjoy this delicious pie. So don't forget to post those pics and spread the word to your friends and family.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading and happy fall, y'all!

P.S. and here is the perfect pie plate :) https://shopthestore.design/products/hey-sunshine-plate-celadon?variant=45347809886516