2020 December Newsletter

The Honda Accord has once again been named a Car and Driver 10Best pick, marking the 35th time Accord has made the prestigious list. This winning history is unmatched by any other vehicle, and this year marks the 23rd consecutive year that Accord has earned the coveted honor. "This is the car we find ourselves recommending over and over to friends and family members who want a practical, fun-to-drive car," said Sharon Silke Carty, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver. "It’s refined, dynamic and affordable. What more can you ask for? Congrats to Honda for its impressive winning streak."

2020 Civic LX CVT Sedan – MSRP: $21,480 – FC2F6LEW. 36 month closed end lease. $3499 trade or cash down. First payment, $595 acquisition fee, taxes and DMV fees due at signing. 10,000 miles/year. $0.15 overage. To qualified buyers through AHFC. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excess wear/tear and up to $0.20/mi. over 10,000 miles/year. Dealer may affect actual payment. Offers valid through 1/4/21.

Here are six key car-maintenance tips during COVID-19: 1. Take a Sunday drive. Consumer Reports recommends driving your vehicle at least once a week for 20 minutes or more to keep the battery charged. 2. Clean the inside of your car. Don’t be surprised if your car starts to smell after months of sitting there all alone. That’s because food, snacks, drinks or used wipes that were forgotten could start to stink. Vacuuming the carpet is a good idea. 3. Check your tires. When your tires are cold for extended periods of time, they can become deflated. Check their inflation to make sure they’re adequately pressurized. 4. Don’t use the parking brake. Certainly use the parking brake if you need to store the vehicle on an angled surface. But don’t use it for long periods of time on a flat surface. 5. Look out for pests. Vermin have a way of spotting vehicles that have been sitting around for a long time. 6. Visit a repair shop. Repair shops are generally considered essential businesses, so they’re not subject to government-imposed shutdowns.

INGREDIENTS For the dough 3 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for garnish 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces 2 tbsp. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1/2 c. ice water (or more, if needed) For the cinnamon roll crust 1 pie dough recipe (above), or 1 (15-oz.) box refrigerated pie dough 4 tbsp. butter, softened 1 c. granulated sugar 2 tsp. ground cinnamon For the filling + assembly Cooking spray 5 assorted apples (Granny smith, Honeycrisp, Gala) cored, peeled, and thinly sliced 2/3 c. granulated sugar Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. kosher salt For the icing 1/4 powdered sugar 1 tbsp. milk MAKE IT Make dough 1. Place flour and butter into freezer for 30 minutes before starting crust process. 2. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add butter and pulse until pea-sized and some slightly larger pieces form. With the machine running, add vinegar, then ice water into feed tube, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough starts to come together and is moist but not sticky (test by squeezing some with your fingers). Mixture will be crumbly! 3. On a lightly floured surface, form dough into 2 balls, and flatten into a discs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is cold but pliable, about 30 minutes. Make crust 1. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a very large rectangle, about 17”-x-10”. Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter on dough then sprinkle about half the cinnamon sugar on top. 2. Starting with one long side, roll dough into a log and pinch ends to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough. 3. Slice each log into ½”-thick rounds. On a lightly floured large piece of parchment paper, arrange rounds in a tight circle, making sure they’re all touching. Lightly dust with flour and cover with parchment paper, then roll into a 12” circle. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Repeat process with second log. Assemble pie 1. Preheat oven to 375° and grease a pie dish with cooking spray. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in oven. In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. 2. Invert one crust into the bottom of the pie dish. Add apple mixture, then cover top with remaining cinnamon roll crust. Crimp edges to seal bottom and top. Bake until cinnamon rolls are golden and apple mixture is bubbling, about 50 minutes. 3. While the pie is baking, make icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over baked pie.