"During the hard winter of 1880 and 1881, the supply trains could not get through to De Smet until May. Then Pa bought white flour, sugar, dried apples and other badly needed supplies. The Ingalls family decided to invite Mr. and Mrs. Boast to have Christmas dinner in May. While Ma stewed the dried apples, Laura and Mary picked the stems from some dried raisins to put in the pie. Try adding some raisins to this old recipe for dried apple pie."