Nichole Neves, 25, is a part-time teacher at Spanish Fork’sMaple Mountain High School. The Mapleton native teaches a foodclass and two ProStart classes. ProStart was created by theNational Restaurant Association to train students to work in thefood service industry. “I love teaching and learning along with my students,” saysNikki. “This is my first year teaching ProStart, and I feel likeI’m a student right along with my students.” Recently, Executive Chef Peter Hodgson of University ParkMarriott Hotel, Salt Lake City, demonstrated knife skills, a roux,chicken stock and chicken fabrication (cutting up a chicken) to theProStart class. Nikki’s students looked on in awe as Chef Peter’s knife flew!“He made it look so easy,” said Austin Worwood, 18, and a seniorwho just might go to culinary arts school. “I wish I could cut fruits and vegetables as fast as him,” addedTanner Martin, 17, also a senior who hopes to go into restaurantmanagement. Senior Bria Felt, 17, says: “He made me want to become a chef.”She plans to attend a culinary arts school. Sophomore Alisa Twede, 15, was impressed that Hodgson could cutthin slices of an onion in a couple seconds without looking! “Chef Peter’s knife skills are amazing and show us what we canaspire to become,” says senior Heather Hewett, 17. Senior Ben Phelps, 18, was impressed with the chef’s “classyold-school cooking talent.” Ben plans to be a professionalbowler. “He knew so much — it was fun to sit and watch him work.” saysEmily Eldredge, 17 and a senior. Emily plans to major in family andconsumer science education. A graduate of Utah State University, Nikki lives with herhusband and son in Payson. She shares an apple pie recipe that works well for Thanksgivingif you aren’t partial to pumpkin pie. Nikki learned how to make therecipe when she was in ninth grade. “The original recipe came from my dad’s great aunt Delores whowas famous for the pies she made, especially the crust,” saysNikki. “I learned to make it from my foods teacher, KathrynCrandall, who is Delores’s daughter-in-law. I work with her now atMaple Mountain High!” Nikki says the pie crust always works for her. “I’ve taught manystudents how to make it and have had good luck with them making itas well.” The pie crust works well for fruit, meat and cream pies —any recipe that calls for a pie crust, she says. “It definitely beats the pre-made stuff from the store!” Nikkiadds. Top off your holiday meal with her traditional recipe.   Apple Pie Filling 6 tart apples¾ cup sugar4½ teaspoons flour1½ teaspoons cinnamon1½ tablespoons butter  Peel and slice apples. In mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour andcinnamon. Add apples and mix. Pour into prepared crust and dot withbutter. Cover with top crust. Apple Pie Crust 3 cups flour1½ cups shortening To measure flour, spoon flour into cup and level with straightedge. Cut shortening into flour using pastry blender or two knivesuntil shortening is pea sized.  In a separate bowl, mix following ingredients into a paste: ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water1 teaspoon salt½ cup flour Fold paste mixture into shortening mixture. When mixture beginsto form a ball, knead 5-10 times with your hands. Do not handle thedough too much, it will create a tough pie shell.  This step is optional, but makes rolling out the dough mucheasier: Put dough in plastic bag and refrigerate 10-20 minutes. Divide dough into two sections. Roll out on floured cloth orcounter top. Make sure you use enough flour so the dough doesn’tstick to the cloth, counter or rolling pin. Roll dough so it is 2inches bigger than pie plate.  Always begin rolling from the center to the outer edge, liftingup at the edges. The dough should be about 3/8-inch thick.  Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling it around rolling pin, orfolding it in half, then fourths, then carefully slide it intoit. Don’t stretch dough or it will shrink.  Try not to roll the dough out more than once. If it rips, waterworks like glue and will hold it together. Fill crust with apple pie filling. Dot with butter. Roll out second half of dough and cut into strips with pizzacutter. Create a lattice top on pie by weaving the strips of dough.Seal edges with water and flute with two fingers.  Note: At this point, you can freeze the pie for up to threemonths. Cover edges of pie with 1-2 inch strips of aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil, bake 15 moreminutes. The edges of the pie and top should just start to turnbrown.