Apple Crumble Pie

Tommy came home from Scout camp with 2 bags of Granny Smith apples so Richard dusted off our hand crank apple peeler. I had every intention of making an apple pie but was having family over and needed something bigger.  A crisp goes a long way so I combined the two and decided to try this Apple Crumble Pie and it was amazing! I originally made this in a 9x13 glass pan with dough for 2 pie shells on the bottom and increased the apple filling recipe by half. This is the reduced recipe for one Apple Crumble Pie.

You'll need 1 pie shell. I stand by my Never Fail Pie Crust recipe or you can use a store bought crust.

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1-1/4 cup shortening

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup cold water

1 TBSP vinegar

Autumn Apple Pie

This beautiful Autumn Apple Pie was featured in the Parade Magazine article, Pies Across America  yesterday.  Ironically, my Mom called today and asked me to stop by her house to pick up the rest of an apple pie she made yesterday. It's been a long time since I've had my Mom's pie and it was delicious! She said she diced the apples instead of slicing them this time. It made an interesting texture. I'm going to get her recipe and add the leafs.
 It will definitely be on our Thanksgiving table next week!

Sweet Potato Pie

Melissa Maggs, Thanksgiving 2010

makes 2 pies

 2    frozen pie crusts

1/4  cup butter, melted

 1    cup sugar

1/4  tsp. salt

 3    large eggs

 3    cups lightly packed, cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (bout 2 1/2 lb.)

 1    cup half and half

 3    Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4  tsp. ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 350. Stir together melted butter, 1 cup sugar, and next 2 ingredients in large bowl until mixture is well blended. Add sweet potatoes and next 4 ingredients, stirring well. Pour mixture into crusts. Shield crust edges with foil to prevent burning (can be removed a few min. early for desired browning). Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer pies to wire rack to cool completely (about 1 hour).

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Bill & Becky clean strawberries, 2006

June is National Strawberry Month and you just have to try this recipe from Aunt Becky!

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp Karo Syrup

1-1/4 cup water

3 oz pkg strawberry jello

1 ½ - 2 quarts fresh strawberries

1 – 9 inch baked pie crust 

Wash and slice strawberries.  Place on paper towel to absorb water. Don’t put into pie crust until sauce is cooled.

Bake 1 pie crust and cool completely. Note: I tried the refrigerated Pillsbury brand this time and liked it much better than a frozen pie shell. I used my own 9 inch glass pie pan, fluted the edge, pierced the dough with a fork and baked according to directions until golden brown. It was very flaky and had great flavor. Out of curiosity we measured a 9 inch frozen pie shell and the very outer edges were barely 9 inches! No wonder I always had left over filling when using the frozen shell. But the best, of course, is to make my Never Fail Pie Crust from scratch.

In a saucepan bring water and cornstarch to a boil, stirring until clear. Remove from heat, add sugar, Karo syrup and Jello, stir until dissolved. Cool until warm, stirring frequently.

Place strawberries in the baked, cooled pie shell, pour sauce over strawberries.  Keep refrigerated. Serve with whipped cream.

Roger & Becky making strawberry jam, 2006

Try with fresh peaches and peach jello or any other fruit with matching jello.

Ice Cream Peanut Butter Pie

 1 graham cracker crust

½ gallon vanilla ice cream

½ cup light karo syrup

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup dry roasted peanuts.

Soften ice cream. Pile pie crust ½ full – flatten top and freeze.  Mix peanut butter and karo syrup together. Pour ½ mixture over ice cream. Sprinkle with ½ cup nuts.

Repeat these layers again, topping with nuts. Freeze.

Blueberry Pie

Tommy cutting dough for his Cherry Pie

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

4-5 cups frozen blueberries

Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Add berries and mix until coated.  Put in pie shell.  Dot with margarine.  Add top crust.

Bake at 425° for 40 to 50 minutes.

Submitted by Christie Hickman

Learning to lattice, 1997

Peach Pie Filling

2 large cans sliced peaches in syrup

2 TBSP corn starch

1/2 cup sugar

yellow food coloring

cinnamon

margarine

Drain peach juice into sauce pan.  Add sugar. Mix corn starch in bowl with cold water until dissolved. Add it to peach juice and heat, stirring until thickened. Add yellow food coloring for desired shade.

Layer drained peaches in  Never Fail Pie Crust.  Pour sauce over peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon, dot with margarine.  Cover with pie dough. Add decorator sugar

Bake at 400° for 40 to 50 minutes or until top is tan.

Submitted by Christie Hickman

Never Fail Pie Crust

Katie helps mom pat the dough, 2000

This is the recipe I used in my home ec classes because it really never did fail...except for the time a student  used 1/3 cup vinegar... 


3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1-1/4 cup shortening

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup cold water

1 TBSP vinegar

Mix flour and salt.  Cut in shortening with fork.

Combine remaining ingredients and stir into shortening mixture.  Let stand a few minutes.

Katie concentrating on fluting the edge, 2003

Divide into 4 parts.  Roll out on floured surface or between waxed paper.

Tip:  Don’t cut off crust that hangs over edge of pan. Just tuck it under and roll then flute the edges.   This locks in filling and makes a thick edge.