Freezer Pie Crust Dough
There are a lot of ways to use up leftovers, but one of the best ways I know is making a Pot Pie. Why? Because the leftovers are almost unrecognizable in a golden brown, flaky pie crust!
It seems that no matter what ingredients I have on hand, when I remember I have pie crust dough in the freezer, I immediately know what to make. And no one has complained yet. Yes, I think we can credit the golden flaky crusts.
Of course, having the pie crusts ready and waiting in the freezer is also inspiration for dessert. If you freeze fruit or berries, too, you can reach into the freezer in the morning and have a delicious pie cooling in the kitchen to enjoy after dinner.
Give this simple recipe a try, stock your freezer, and let me know if having pie crust dough ready when you want it helps you plan and prepare meals and desserts.
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup shortening
- 4 to 5 Tbsp ice water
- plastic food wrap
- 2 freezer bags
- Place the sifted flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl, add the shortening and cut in with a pastry cutter until mixture become crumbly.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water at a time to the dough mixture and toss with a fork, add 1 tablespoon more, toss with a fork, until a dough forms that sticks together when pressed between your fingers.
- Form a dough ball, then divide it in half, reform the ball, and flatten slightly.
- Wrap each dough ball with plastic wrap, then place each in freezer bag, zip to seal.
- You can keep the dough in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- When ready to use, remove from freezer and allow to come to room temperature, then remove from plastic bag and wrap and roll out as desired.
If for any reason plans change and you don’t use the thawed pie crust dough right away, go ahead and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week more. Just wrap tightly again in the plastic wrap and freezer bag.
Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
It wouldn’t be fall without some delicious pumpkin pie. This recipe is as easy as it is scrumptious. If you’ve never made pie from scratch, give it a try. You can use a prepared crust or make your own using this pie crust recipe.
The following recipe is from the “Pie Recipes from Scratch” book. I hope you and your family will enjoy it this Holiday Season.
- 1 cup plain pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 3 eggs, beaten with a fork
- 1 cup cream
- Prepare a single pie crust, unbaked.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees (will reduce heat to 325 degrees.)
- In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, until well combined.
- Whisk in the eggs and the cream into the mixture until smooth.
- Pour mixture into pie crust.
- Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes or until pie filling sets up and knife comes out relatively clean when inserted in center.
- You can lay foil strips over the crust after they brown to prevent them from burning.
- Remove pie from oven and let cool at room temperature before slicing.
Tomato Pie Recipe
Here’s a recipe from my latest Kindle book “The Tomato Cookbook: Tomato Recipes From Soup To Grilled“. It’s a great little tomato pie that’s perfect for a light lunch or an appetizer when you have guests over. What better way to show off your homegrown tomatoes?
- 1 pie crust (unbaked)
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1 tsp of salt
- dash of pepper
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 minced garlic clove
- Preheat your oven to 450 F.
- Bake your pie crust for 5 minutes. This will keep your pie from getting too soggy later.
- While the crust is baking, slice your tomatoes.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven and lower the temperature to 350F.
- Layer your tomato slices in the pie shell and sprinkle the salt and pepper on top.
- Mix your mayonnaise with the cheese and minced garlic and spread it over the tomatoes.
- Return the pie to the oven and cook for 40 minutes or until your pie crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are fully cooked.
Here’s another great tomato recipe. It’s cold tomato basil soup. Perfect for a light summer lunch. And yes, if you are drowning in homegrown tomatoes, you could definitely serve the soup and pie together.
Chocolate Raspberry Wraps On The Grill
Put your grill or campfire to work for you for more than the main meal. Add this fabulous, fun, and tasty dessert to the menu when you fire up the grill. Use other berries or fruits when they are in season, too. This is a very versatile dessert that the whole family will enjoy. Be sure to give it a try at your next cookout or camping trip and let me know how you liked them.
- 4 (8 inch size) flour tortillas
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- aluminum foil
Tear off a big sheet of foil. Remove tortillas from plastic wrapping. Stack the tortillas on top of the foil and fold closed, then place the foil packet on a grate on the campfire or on grill. Flip the packet over once or twice, heating for about 5 minutes or until the tortillas are warm. Slide packet over to coolest area of campfire just to keep warm.
Open the foil and remove one tortilla, setting it on a plate, closing foil to keep the rest warm.
On the tortilla, sprinkle 1/4 of the chips and 1/4 of the berries in the center.
Fold in the sides and roll up tight burrito style; set aside on plate.
Repeat with each tortilla.
Brush each tortilla roll with melted butter, then place directly on grate on campfire over slow coals or on the grill – not too hot.
Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes or until chocolate melts and you get grill marks on the burritos.
Remove to a serving plate. You can brush with more melted butter if you wish.
Stir together in a separate small bowl the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the burritos.
Serve warm. You can top with a little whipped topping and fresh berries if you like.
You can also use other fruit, like blueberries, for instance.
Makes 4 dessert servings.
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In this ebook you’ll get lots of fresh and fabulous meals that will get you out of the kitchen fast, but also be flavorful and filling. Click on and buy this great little ebook and start enjoying deliciously simple Summer meals today! www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/summercooking.htm
Old Fashion Egg Custard Pie
This is the recipe my Mother taught me–and I’ll be 75 yrs this year. It comes from her book of recipes–printed in 1942. It never failed her, and hasn’t failed me.
CUSTARD PIE
Make a plain pastry for 1 crust
3 eggs
6-8 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk, scalded
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Nutmeg, for top
Roll pastry a little less than 1/8th inch and fit carefully into an 8-inch pie pan. Trim and flute the edges; do NOT prick.
Beat eggs slightly;add the sugar and salt. Stir in milk. then add favoring. Pour immediately into the prepared pie pan. Sprinkle nutmeg on top, if desired.
Bake in a Mod-Hot oven (425F) 12-15 minutes, or until crust browns; then reduce oven heat to Slow (300F) and bake 25-30 minutes longer, or until pie is coagulated to within 1/2 inch of the center. Test by gently shaking the pan. You can see how much of the center is still liquid.
An inch of the center liquid will finish cooking after the pie is removed from the oven.
Remove to a cake rack to cool before serving. Serves 6
Note: A correctly baked Custard Pie is never “weepy” but has a perfectly coagulated, jelly-like consistency.
Banana Split Cheesecake
Makes 2 pies
2 extra serving sized graham cracker crusts
2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese at room temp.
4 c. powdered sugar
Mix the powdered sugar and cream cheese and
spread evenly on 2 crusts.
1 can crushed pinea
pple, drained
4 bananas sliced
1 largest size cool whip
chocolate syrup
cherries
pecans
Divide the pineapple and sliced bananas between the 2 pies and layer the next 4 ingredients in order.
Chill before serving.
Hillbilly Pie
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup margarine, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Preheat oven
to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, melted margarine and vanilla. Mix in the oatmeal. Pour filling into pie shell.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Apple Dumplings
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 1 can crescent rolls (8 count) (Store brand works!)
- cinnamon
Peel, core and slice apples into fourths. Wrap a crescent roll around each apple slice. Place into buttered dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bring to a boil:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 stick margarine, (or butter)
Remove from heat, add one teaspoon vanilla. Pour over apples, bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.
Great served with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
The Apple Cookbook: Recipes From Sweet To Savory
“An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away”
I’m sure you’ve heard that saying a time or two. Apples are a great fruit that’s not only healthy, but also very versatile and frugal.I can almost always find some great apples on sale at the store. Occasionally we’ll also buy a big box of apples from a local orchard and store them for use in the winter. Apples keep well in a dry, cool place, but with all the cooking and baking, the never last very long at our house.
Get your copy of the Apple Cookbook at:
Sweet And Sour Dessert Dumplings aka Vinegar Dumplings
Sauce:
- 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter or margerine
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 c. water
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dumplings:
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter or margarine
- 1/2 c. milk
Melt butter and mix all ingredients in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Stir regularly. Bring to a simmer.
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk to make a ball of soft dough.
Drop teaspoons on the dumpling dough into the simmering vinegar sauce. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Serve hot and enjoy this true hillbilly dessert!
Non-Dairy Pumpkin Pie
This is a recipe I came up with because our son loves pumpkin pie and has a total milk allergy. Everyone in the family eats it and really likes it. It taste like regular pumpkin pie.
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 heaping tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp.cloves
- 2 eggs + 1 egg white
- 1 can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 11 oz. of soy milk
- 1 unbaked pie crust
MIX sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl.
Beat eggs and egg white in large bowl with whip or fork. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually add soy milk and stir until mixed in.
BAKE in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees;bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate left overs.
Cover edge of crust with foil half way through baking to keep crust edge from getting to brown
Apple Crisp Homemade
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 c. water
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 6 peeled and sliced large apples
- 3/4 c. flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 tbsp. butter
Mix together ½ cup of the sugar with lemon juice, cinnamon and water. Pour into the bottom of your casserole dish or baking pan. Slice the apples and place them into the dish. Place the remaining ½ cup sugar, flour, salt, and butter into a food processor and process until it is crumbly. Spread over apples.
Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
Tip: If you like your apple crisp on the tart side then you should use Granny Smith apples. They also hold up better. If you like sweeter apples you should use Washington apples.
Super Easy Pie Crust
Ingredients
1/2c. veg. oil
5 tbsp. cold skim milk (very cold)
1c. flour
1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Combine oil and milk, beat with a fork until thickened. Add to flour and salt. Mix with fork and press into smooth ball. Cut in half and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper.
Make sure you measure carefully and don’t skip the sifting. If wax paper is moving while rolling out take a damp paper towel and wipe counter under wax paper.
Half is great for single crust pies or double. I’ve made every pie imaginable from meringue to fruit. And the best part of this recipe is that it is also low in cholesterol,
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Homemade Peach Cobbler Recipes
Homemade Peach Cobbler:
- 1 lg. can slice peaches (in heavy syrup)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 stick butter
Mix flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add milk and stir well to get all the lumps out.
Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick spray. Pour the peaches (in their juice) into the casserole dish.
Place the milk, flour and sugar mix on top of the peaches. Cut small cubes of butter and place on top. Cook at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Homemade Peach Cobbler With Equal
If you are trying to eat healthy or are diabetic this may be a better selection for you. It has 33 % less calories and less sugar than a traditional peach cobbler. Not to mention, it tastes really great!
- 3 cans (15 ounces each) canned sliced peaches in light syrup, drained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Equal
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pastry for single crust 9-inch pie
1 tablespoon Equal
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Drain peaches well and put them in a saucepan. Coat the peaches with cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice. Let the peaches cook on medium heat until it starts to thicken. Turn off the heat and mix in Equal and vanilla and stir until it dissolves. Then pour into a baking pan.
Roll out a pie pastry onto a floured surface. Lay the pastry on top of the peaches and trim the edges. Cut a few slits in the pastry to let hot air to escape.
Combine 1 tbsp. Equal with 1/4 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cool or serve slightly warm.
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Homemade Sweet Potato Pie
- 2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cream
- 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
- 1 unbaked pie crust
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Take a fork and prick small holes in the pie crust and bake empty pie shell for 10 minutes.
Place mashed sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add melted butter, vanilla, eggs, and cream. Mix together and then add sugar, salt and brandy (optional). Mix well to get rid of any lumps.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into the cooked pie shell. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
You can serve this pie warm with whipped cream or ice cream. It is also great to have it cold from the fridge the next day.
Recommended – Crockpot Cooking Made Simple
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Are you a sweet potato or pumpkin pie person? We tend to have more sweet potato pies around here, but if you like the more traditional pumpkin one, then this homemade pumpkin pie recipe is perfect for you. Serve it around the holidays with a little ice cream or whipped cream on top for a perfect dessert.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- 1 (16oz.) can pumpkin
- 1 (12oz.) can evaporated milk
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 pie crust (half of this homemade pie crust recipe) or use a frozen shell
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients (except the pie crust) together. Pour into the frozen or homemade pie shell. Bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat of your oven to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes.
If you notice that the crust of the pie is getting to dark, put some aluminum foil over it to prevent it from browning more.
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Homemade Apple Pie Recipes
There’s a reason they call it “As American As Apple Pie”. We have certainly perfected this simple little treat over the years. Below you will find two of my favorite homemade apple pie recipes. The first is a little more involved (but certainly well worth the little extra effort), while the second recipe is easy enough even for a weekday treat.
Homemade Apple Pie
- 6 granny smith apples
- 1 nine inch pie crust
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Topping:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 6 tbsp very cold butter
Peel and core all of the granny smith apples. Slice apples thin and place them into the pie shell and set aside.
Combine sugar and flour. Cut butter into small pieces and add to dry mix until crumbley. Place on top of the pie and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
Super Easy Apple Pie:
- 6 tart apples (granny smiths work well)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ready made pie crust
Peel and core apples. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Place apples into pie crust and sprinkle with sugar mixture and butter. Add top crust and cut a slit to ventilate. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes.
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Homemade Chocolate Pie
Yum, is there anything better than a nice slice of homemade chocolate pie for dessert when you have a hankering for something chocolate? If you ask me there isn’t so it’s about time I shared one of my favorite pie recipes. Enjoy!
Homemade Chocolate Pie Recipe
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 5 eggs (separate yolks and whites)
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 12oz can of evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 cups water
- 2 baked pie crusts (recipe makes 2 pies)
I usually start this pie by making a recipe of my double pie crust and baking them. It helps to weigh the pie crusts down with another pie pan filled with beans. If baking pie shells is not your thing, you can of course use a prebaked one, or even a graham cracker crust.
While the pie shells cool, let’s make the filling. You will need a large pot and a metal bowl that fits into the pot. If you happen to have a double boiler, you can of course also use it. Put some water in the pot and bring it to a boil over medium to medium high heat. Add the metal bowl and while the water simmers away, add the sugar, egg yolks, flour, cocoa, milk and vanilla. Stir everything together really well and keep whisking away until the mixture begins to thicken. You are basically making a chocolate custard here. Pour the mixture into the pie crusts.
Now it’s time for the topping. Beat egg whites with 1/2 cup of sugar until light and frothy. Spread on top of pies and bake at 350 degrees until pies are light brown.
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Zucchini Pie
Start by making a pie crust or buying a store bought one that’s ready to be baked.
Filling:
- 3 cups zucchini (peeled and sliced)
- 1tsp. cinnamon
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
Topping:
- 1cup flour
- 1cup sugar
- 1tsp. cinnamon
- 1tsp.nutmeg
- 1 stick of butter
Combine zucchini,lemon juice and cinnamon. Pour into the pie crust.
Mix all topping ingredients and place on pie. Cook on 350 degrees for 1 hour. Allow it to cool before serving. This is great with a little whipped topping or even a scoop of ice cream on top.
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Fresh Tomato Pie Recipe
Tomatoes are starting to ripen in the garden and this tomato pie recipe is one of the best ways to use them up (at least in my opinion). It makes for the perfect summer lunch, or serve it for dinner with a big salad.
- 1 pie crust
- 7 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 1 yellow onion
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dry oregano
Start by baking your pie crust for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 F. oven until it is golden brown. You may want to cover the edges with a little aluminum foil to keep them from burning.
While the crust bakes up, wash and slice your tomatoes. Peel and slice your onion.
When the crust comes out of the oven, layer the sliced onion in the bottom of the crust. Next, arrange the tomato slices over it. Sprinkle salt, pepper and oregano over the tomatoes.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the two cheeses. Spoon this mixture over the tomatoes and spread it out with the back of your spoon. If you like, you can sprinkle a little more oregano over the top.
Bake the tomato pie for 20 minutes at 350F. It will be golden brown and delicious.
Crockpot Spicy Apple Betty
- 3 pounds of crisp cooking apples
- 10 slices of hearty bread, crusts cut off and then bread cubed1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Wash the apples really well. You don’t need to peel them – I don’t. Cut each apple into eight wedges, and cut the core out. Of course, if you have one of those nice combination apple corer and cutter, that’s even better.
Put the apple slices into your crockpot. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the bread with all the other ingredients, tossing together so the spices and butter combine really well.
Spoon the mixture over the apples in the crockpot. Put the cover on. Turn crockpot to the LOW setting and let cook for 2 to 3 hours. The apples should be cooked but not turn into mush. This crockpot dessert is sort of like a combination Apple Brown Betty and Bread Pudding.
This dessert will serve about 6 people, more if you’re a little careful. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make this dessert go a little further, and for the extra sweetness! Very tasty!
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Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
This is a “must-have” on our Thanksgiving table. Fortunately for me, my husband has this recipe down and he makes two of these pies for us every year. It’s so nice to have something I don’t have to worry about fixing on Thanksgiving myself.
- 2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and drained
- 4 tablespoons margarine, melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 9″ pie shell, baked (use the easy pie crust recipe)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Mash together your cooked sweet potatoes with melted butter or margarine. Whip in eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. When well mixed add in the milk and vanilla. Pour it all into your baked pie shell and heat in the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. It’s done when the center is somewhat firmed up. Scatter chopped pecans over the top of the pie before serving (optional).
Tryphena’s Pumpkin Pie
Here is the Pumpkin Pie recipe that I use all year long. My family would NEVER stand for it if I only made it during the holidays!!! I have some friends that will come to our house anytime if they know I am baking these pies!
PIE CRUST
1 c. Shortening- like lard or Crisco
3 c. Flour
1 t. Salt
Cut shortening into flour and salt until well-blended.
Mix together:
1/4 c. Oil
1/4 c. Milk
1/4 c. Water
Add to the flour mixture. The more you mix, the better!
Makes about 4 crusts.
Don’t be deceived that the ingredients and directions are too simple for it to work. This crust gets me raves every time!
PUMPKIN PIE
2 c. Brown sugar
2 T. Flour
2 t. Pumpkin pie spice
2 c. Pumpkin
2 c. Evaporated milk
4 eggs
2 c. Milk
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into 2 pie crusts and bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then turn oven back to 350 for about 30 minutes.
Do not overbake!!! The center should be “jiggly” when you get the pies out of the oven. This will make a custard type pie, which is wonderful. I mix everything with a wire whip, and it works beautifully.
(This pie is the only reason I buy pumpkin pie spice, which some may look at as an extra expense. One bottle will last a LONG time.)
I hope this recipe can bring joy to others also this holiday season, like it does to us!
Submitted by HBHW reader Tryphena
Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe
- 1 baked pie crust
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons of flour
- 6-7 Tablespoons powdered cocoa
- 3 egg yolks ( save the whites for the topping)
Mix all ingredients (except pie crust) together in a medium saucepan & heat over medium heat until thick ..stirring constantly.
Pour thickened mixture into baked pie shell & cool completely.
Beat the egg whites with a little cream of tartar & a little sugar until mixture makes a stiff peak. Spread generously over the top of the cooled pie making peaks with the mixture. Turn on the broiler & brown the pie top…watch it so it won’t burn…
Submitted by HBHW reader Jalynn
Speedy Pat-in Pastry
For those busy days when you want pie, but not all the mess.
Put directly into a 9″ pie plate & mix with a fork:
1 1/2c. flour, 1 1/2 tsp white sugar, 1/4 tsp salt.
Combine slightly less than 1/2 c. veg. oil & 3 Tbsp cold milk in a cup. Beat with a fork until creamy. Pour all at once over dry ingredients & mix with fork until it is dough. Push dough with your fingers to line bottom & side of pie plate evenly. Continue with your favorite pie filling recipe or bake @ 425 for 10 minutes for a baked shell.
Chocolate Cobbler
This gives us our “chocolate fix” without breaking the bank.
1 stick of butter or marg.
1 cup milk
1 cup s.r. flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In 8 x 8 inch pan or casserole dish place marg., put pan in oven for marg. to melt while mixing next ingredients.
Mix together milk, sugar, and s.r. flour in a bowl until most of the lumps are gone. This will form the crust of the cobbler.
Mix in separate bowl the hot water, cocoa and sugar until smooth. This forms the filling of the cobbler.
After the marg. is melted in the baking dish, pour the crust mixture evenly around the pan into the butter. DO NOT STIR. Then pour the filling mixture over the crust. Again, DO NOT STIR. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until crust that has risen to top is well browned.
Fruit Crunchy (Cobbler topping)
This recipe came from my grandmother and mother. It makes a very crunchy cobbler topping, I love it on any fruit, my mom put it on blackberries most of the time.
Fruit Crunchy
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1 egg
Mix together dry ingredients. Beat egg and combine with dry ingredients and work like pie crust.
Sprinkle over any sweetened HOT fruit in a shallow dish.
Bake until browned (approx. 20 minutes) in 375 degree oven.
6 servings (this is an estimate)
Fruit Turn Overs
- 2 Tubes Crescent Rolls
- 1 Can Pie Filling
- cinnamon sugar
Unroll cresent rolls so 2 will make a square. Drop a spoonfull of pie filling in center and fold to close. Use fork to seal seams. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake according to the directions for the rolls. Yummy and frugal.
Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pie
With Halloween coming up, no doubt many of you will have lots of pumpkins available to you soon! this is a recipe that is easy and you can also use fresh pie pumpkins or canned pumpkin. Even folks who are not crazy about pumpkin pie, LOVE this pie..
preheat oven to 350 degrees
Get 2 ready to bake pie shells
Add 2 large cans of pumpkin pie mix or 3 seeded mashed pumpkins (for this option add 1 1/2 cans of evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of sugar to seeded pie pumpkins,) mix togther in large bowl, gradually fold in either chocolate chips or carob chips 1 lb bag for 2 pies(can be obtained from bulk food store to lower the cost) Pour in pie shell, bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. If desired garnish pie with light brown sugar as topping or put your leftover chocolate chips on the warm pie..serve with ice cream..YUMMY!
Summer Squash Cobbler
8 Cups peeled chopped squash
1 Cup lemon juice
1 Cup packed brown sugar
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
Heaping ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins
4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup white sugar
1 Cup brown sugar
1 ½ Cups butter, chilled (3 sticks)
¾ Cups Oatmeal
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 10 x 15” baking dish.
Cut the squash into halves and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove seeds, scoop out flesh and chop into small pieces. In a large pan, cook squash in lemon juice until tender. Add 1 cup brown sugar, 2 heaping t. cinnamon, nutmeg & cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Add raisins.
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown and white sugars, oatmeal and cinnamon. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir half of dry mixture into squash. Press half of remaining dry mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Spread squash over bottom crust, and sprinkle balance over the top. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until top is golden. Serve warm with ice cream.
My husband and friends love this! I just tell them it’s cobbler. When they have finished, I tell them it’s squash, not apples. They always ask for more.
Amazing Coconut Pie
This is my favorite recipe. I took two of these pies to our church fellowship and every single person wanted the recipe. Its the easiest thing you’ll ever make.
Amazing Coconut Pie
2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup bisquick
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut
Combine everything but coconut in blender on low for 3 minutes. Pour
into pie plate, let sit for 5 min. Top with coconut. Bake at 350 for
40 minutes.
Yield: 8 servings
Super Easy Old-fashioned Peach Cobbler
Submitted by HBHW reader SK
Ingredients:
*1 cup flour (self rising)
*1 cup sugar
*1 cup milk
(I have used whole milk, powdered milk, 2% and they all taste equallly good.)
*1 stick margarine
*1 “large” can of sliced peaches, you need the sliced ones, not peach halves. If you have peach halves you’ll need to cut the halves in half. (i think it’s 24 ounces, not sure…. there’s 2 sizes you can get)
I use a 9×9 square baking pan for this, you can adjust for more ingrediants if your pan is larger, or for a larger cobbler. Just remember it’s equal parts flour, sugar, and milk.
Instructions:
*preheat oven to 350F
*mix the flour, sugar, and milk then set aside.
* melt the butter, then pour into the pan
* tilt the pan till it’s evenly coated with the margarine
* pour in peaches at the center of pan, and try to distribute the peaches evenly. yes you need all the juice in the can. don’t drain it.
* now, pour the batter in at the center. the batter will even out when you cook this, and yes, it’ll be enough, though it may not look like it.
Now place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. the top should be golden brown when the cobbler is done.
It’s important to keep the pan level as you add ingrediants, and when you put it in the oven.
I love this cobbler, it is almost fool proof. I’m not sure how anyone could mess it up. stick to the recipe, don’t alter anything, If you do it exactly like this, you will be rewarded with a great desert. My grand mother was the best cook, and yet she loved my cobbler, and asked me to make it for her more than once.
SK
No Bake Strawberry Pie
- 1 Small Carton of Fresh Strawberries
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup of milk (or enough for pie filling directions on pudding mix)
- whipped topping
- 1 graham cracker crust
- Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder (optional)
Pick out 6 pretty strawberries and set them aside. We’ll use them later to decorate the pie. Wash the remaining strawberries. Remove the stems and cut them into chunks. Put them in a small bowl, add the sugar and stir. If the berries aren’t very sweet at all, you may want to add a little more sugar. Set aside.
Prepare the pudding mix according to the instant pie filling directions. Fold 1 cup of whipped topping into the prepared pie mix. Take a big spoon full of the pie mixture and spread it in the bottom of the pie crust. Make sure the whole bottom is covered. Add a little more as needed.
Pour the sugar and strawberry mixture in the pie crust. If there is a lot of liquid, use a slotted spoon to get just the berry pieces. Top the berries with the remaining pie filling.
Spread enough whipped topping on top to completely cover the pie. Cut the strawberries you set aside in half and put them on top of the pie. I like to work in a clock like pattern, adding one berry half at 12 and one at 6. Then I add them in the 9 and 3 position and so forth.
When you’re all done, you can sprinkle some shaved chocolate or a little cocoa powder in the middle.
Homemade Graham Cracker Crust
- 6 tbsp Butter
- 24 Graham Crackers
- 1/4 Cup of Sugar
Put the graham crackers in a large ziploc bag and crush them with a skillet or a rolling pin.
Put the butter in a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Look at the butter and continue microwaving in 10 second intervals until it is melted.
Add the crushed graham crackers and the sugar to the bowl and stir to combine. Press the mixture into two pie plates and allow to cool.
These crusts can be used as is, or you can bake them at 350F for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely before using it for no bake pies.
Peach Cobbler
This peach cobbler recipe comes from HBHW reader Neilly P. and has been in her family for a long time. Her Grandmother has made as a quick, easy and satisfying dessert. It is especially good in the winter!
- 1 lg. can sliced peaches in heavy syrup
- 1 stick of margarine
- 1 cup self rising flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
In a 9×13 casserole dish, melt margarine in hot oven (350 degrees). Be sure to let margarine melt completely until nice and bubbly in dish. While margarine melts, place the flour and sugar into a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly until there are no large lumps left. Add the milk and mix until no longer lumpy. This can be done by hand with a spoon or fork but a hand mixer works much faster.
After the margarine is completely melted, remove dish from oven and pour peaches and syrup into hot margarine and gently mix peaches, syrup and margarine together so that all well mixed. On top of the peaches mixture, pour the milk mixture over the peaches.
Place the dish back into the oven and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Check after 15 minutes to see if the crust has started to brown. Keep a close eye on it, if it has started to brown check it every 5 minutes afterward to make sure it does not get too brown. When ready, the top crust will appear a golden brown.
A quick note about the peaches in heavy syrup…I have tried the lower sugar types but the heavy syrup provides a much better flavor.
This dessert has been a favorite of my entire family for many, many years. I hope that others like it as well. I cook this dessert when I am crunched for time and need something nice to take to a church function or just as a quick dessert when we are all feel a need for something sweet and yummy!
Caramel Dumplings
Syrup:
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Dash salt
Dumplings:
- 1-1/4 cups flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons shortening
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
You will need a 3 quart saucepan with a good lid in which to cook this dessert. Begin by combining all of the items listed for the syrup inside the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. While it is heating, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening, until the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the sugar over the flour mixture and blend briefly. Stir in the milk, making a soft dough. Pinch off marble sized pieces of the dough and drop them into the gently boiling brown sugar syrup. Fill the entire pan with these small dough balls. When you have used up all of the dough, place the lid on the pot. Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, without peaking. The dumplings will steam while they cook, and if you peak they will fall and you will wind up with soggy dumplings instead of fluffy ones. After cooking, serve the dumplings with a large dollop of their cooking syrup and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. These are very inexpensive and absolutely delicious to eat. I recommend serving them with a light supper in the summertime. Because they cook on the stove top instead of in the oven, the kitchen doesn’t heat up quite as badly as with baked desserts. This recipe serves 6.
Apple Pie
- Easy Pie Crust
- 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon margarine
First prepare the crust as directed in the recipe for Easy Pie Crust. Roll out both the top and bottom crusts. Carefully fit the bottom crust into a 9″ pie plate. Next prepare the apples. This is tedious work. I have peeled and cored and sliced a lot of apples in my time. I used to try to hurry up and make the work go faster. Forget it. Hurrying up the preparation of pie adds resentment to the finished product. Pies are made from love and compassion and generosity. Now I just accept that it will take a full 45 minutes to make an apple pie, from preparing the crust, to peeling and slicing the apples, and finally getting it into the oven. Apple pie is one of those great times available in our fast paced society that allows us to slow down and enjoy the process. But, I’ll get off my soap box and back to the recipe.
In a medium size bowl toss together the apples, sugar, flour, seasonings and lemon juice. Get everything evenly distributed and dump the apple filling into the crust lined pie plate. Mound the apples slightly in the center to make it pretty. Dot the surface with tiny bits of margarine. This keeps the filling from boiling over in the oven.
Gently ease the top crust over the filling. Trim the edges of the crust if necessary. Turn under and crimp or seal the edges of the pie. You can make a high fluted rim if you are so inclined. It isn’t that much work. Cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Bake the pie at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, or until quite done. If the edges brown too quickly, tear off three narrow strips of aluminum foil, and secure them to the edges in a large circle. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool quite a bit before serving. Serve with Whipped Topping if desired, or vanilla ice-cream. Sit back now, and taste the history.
“An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away”
I’m sure you’ve heard that saying a time or two. Apples are a great fruit that’s not only healthy, but also very versatile and frugal.I can almost always find some great apples on sale at the store. Occasionally we’ll also buy a big box of apples from a local orchard and store them for use in the winter. Apples keep well in a dry, cool place, but with all the cooking and baking, the never last very long at our house.
Get your copy of the Apple Cookbook at:
Berry Pie
- Easy Pie Crust
- 3 to 4 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries or blackberries (see note at bottom of recipe)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (the secret ingredient)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon margarine
First prepare the pie crust for a double crust pie by following the directions for Easy Pie Crust. Fit the bottom crust into a 9″ pie plate. In a medium sized bowl toss together the blueberries, sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice. I use my hands to mix it up, but if you’re squeamish, you can use a big spoon. Dump the blueberry filling into the prepared pie crust. Dot frugally with margarine. The margarine keeps the filling from boiling over too much while it bakes. Gently ease the top crust over the blueberries. Crimp or fold the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal them neatly. Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325° and continue baking for about 40 minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, take narrow strips of tin foil (it takes 3 of them) and fit them around the edges to keep them from burning.
This is just about my favorite pie in the whole wide world. Allow it to cool before serving. For a tasty treat that is out of this world, serve this pie with a small scoop of vanilla icecream or homemade Whipped Topping. Mmmmm, decadent.
NOTE: This recipe can also be prepared with raspberries or blackberries instead of blueberries. Omit the nutmeg and lemon juice, especially if you are using wild berries you’ve picked yourself. Wild berries have a pleasant tartness all their own, making the addition of lemon juice quite redundant. Depending on the sweetness of your fruit you may want to increase the sugar to 1-1/4 or even 1-1/3 cups. Let your taste buds guide you. The secret ingredient of wild berry pies is the super fresh flavor of their wildness. Compared to domestic berries, the wild ones are an adventure.
Banana Cream Pie
- 1 pre-baked Pie Crust
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2-1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 or 3 bananas, sliced and sprinkled with a spoonful of lemon juice
- 1 cup of real cream, whipped or about 3 cups Whipped Topping
First prepare the pie crust using half of the Pie Crust recipe, pre-baking it as directed. Next make the filling. Get out a 2 quart saucepan. Measure the sugar, cornstarch and salt into the pan. Use a fork to mix it all up nicely. Gradually whisk in the milk a little at a time, stirring all the while. Cook and stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Be careful not to scorch the bottom. Boil gently for a full minute and then remove from the heat. Quickly beat in the eggs. This is the tricky part. You have to work very fast or else the eggs will cook, making little strings in the pie filling. It still tastes good, but the strings are a little crude looking in the pie. Another way is to temper the eggs first. Do this by beating the eggs in a cereal bowl. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot pie filling to the eggs and stir them up quickly. Then dump the egg/pudding mixture back into the saucepan and whisk it up. Tempering the eggs means you raise their temperature gradually, easing their transition into the hot pudding. Bring the mixture to a boil again and remove it from the heat. Stir in the margarine and vanilla.
While all of this is happening, you need to slice up your bananas. Sprinkle them with a little lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Scatter the bananas in the bottom of the cooked pie crust. Pour the hot pie filling on top of the bananas in the cooked pie crust. Chill until quite cold.
When the pie is cold, top it with sweetened whipped cream or Whipped Topping. I prefer to use my recipe for whipped topping, because it is healthier and chemical free. Regular whipped topping may be used though, and for special days, nothing beats real whipped cream. Serve to a thankful family who will remember this pie when they are grandparents.
Peach Crisp from Canned Peaches
- 2 29-ounce cans peaches
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping:
- 1/3 cup margarine, softened or melted
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400°. Open up the peaches and drain the juice into a small saucepan. Arrange the peaches in a lightly oiled 2-quart baking dish. If they are in large pieces then cut them into slices or chunks. Set the peaches aside.
Add the sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch to the drained peach juice. Stir it well with a small whisk or fork. Continue stirring until the cornstarch is dissolved. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it boils. You will have to stir it a lot to keep it from sticking and to prevent lumps. The mixture will become very thick as it cooks. When the mixture boils, continue cooking and stirring for a full minute. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it over the peaches in the dish. Stir the mixture gently so the peaches will be evenly covered with the sauce.
Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash them together until they are crumbly. Scatter the topping thickly over the peaches. Bake the crisp at 400° for 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly. Allow the crisp to cool for 20 minutes before serving. This will keep it from burning anyone. Serve with half and half or whipped cream or ice cream.
Makes 8 good-sized servings.
Deep Dish Pie from Canned Peaches
Crust:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Filling:
- 2 – 29 ounce cans of peaches
- 2 cups juice from the canned peaches (add water to make 2 cups if necessary)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
First prepare the crust. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the shortening, and mash it into the flour until it is crumbly. Add 3 tablespoons water and stir to combine. Now use your hands to press everything together to try and form a ball of dough. If it is too crumbly, then add more water a little at a time. You may not need any water. You may need another tablespoon, maybe even more. Keep pressing and gently kneading the mixture together until you get a stiff pie dough. Rip off two sheets of waxed paper. Place the ball of dough between the sheets and flatten it some with your hands. Use a rolling pin, or sturdy bottle or jar to roll the dough out between sheets of waxed paper. Work slowly and diligently, trying to make a large rectangle, a little bigger than your baking pan (I use a 9 by 9-inch square pan, but a 2-1/2 quart casserole would also work very well). It doesn’t have to be perfect, so just do your best and don’t worry about it. When you are done, set the dough (still wrapped up in the waxed paper) aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Drain the juice from the canned peaches into a measuring cup. If you have more than 2 cups of liquid, you can drink or discard the extra (I put it in kool-aid usually). If you don’t have 2 cups of liquid, then add enough water to make 2 cups.
In a very large saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar and nutmeg. Gradually stir in the peach liquid, and the lemon juice. Stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Heat the mixture over a medium flame, stirring very frequently. You could even stir constantly, if you had a mind to. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for at least a minute, or until the mixture is very thick. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the canned peaches. The mixture will thin out some. Turn the thick peach filling into a well oiled 2-1/2 quart casserole dish, or an oiled 9 by 9-inch square pan.
Loosen the waxed paper on both sides of the rolled out crust. Arrange it carefully on top of the filling. Crimp the edges if you have enough dough, otherwise, just let them lay where they fall. Score the dough into 6 servings. Bake it at 425° for about an hour. The top will be golden brown, the filling will be bubbly, and it will be very hot. Allow it to cool for a little bit before serving. Great with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream. This is a delicious way to make a very elegant dish out of inexpensive canned peaches.
Pumpkin Pie
- 1 unbaked 9-inch Pie Crust (half the recipe; see note below)
- 16 ounce can pumpkin (or 2 cups of cooked, mashed pumpkin flesh)
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves, nutmeg and ginger
- 1 cup milk
First prepare the crust according to the recipe for Easy Pie Crust. You will only need half of the recipe. You can freeze the other half, or go ahead and make two pies (in which case, double this recipe). After you have lined the pie plate with the rolled out crust, you can start to prepare the filling. Open up the canned pumpkin and scrape the contents into a big bowl. Crack in the eggs. Measure in the sugar, salt, spices and milk. Beat very well. I use a whisk, but a fork could work if you were diligent. The batter may seem a little thin, that’s alright. Gently pour the filling into the unbaked crust. If you have too much filling, you can pour the rest into oiled muffin cups and make pumpkin custard. Fill the crust almost to the top of the crust. Place the pie in the oven. Bake at 450° for ten minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° and bake for 45 minutes. When the pie is done, it will be slightly puffed around the edges, and seem firm when you jiggle the pie on the oven rack. Poke a knife off center to be sure. If it comes out clean, the pie is done. Remove it from the oven and let it sit a while to cool down. My favorite way to serve this is when it is still warm from the oven, with a nice scoop of ice cream, or Whipped Topping. Heavenly. High in Vitamin A too because of the pumpkin. Serve with a skimpy main dish to make sure the family is full. Makes 8 slices.
Note: The pie crust is optional in this recipe. I often bake the filling in a pie plate, or a cake pan without using a pie shell at all. This is called Pumpkin Custard. It tastes the same as pumpkin pie, but is a bit healthier because you don’t have the added fat and calories of the traditional pie crust. Personally I believe I like it better with the crust, but let your time limit and waist line be your guide.
Easy Double Pie Crust
- 2-1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 6 or 7 tablespoons of water
- waxed paper or pastry cloths
I have a confession to make. Pie crust intimidated me for many years. I never actually witnessed my own mother make pie crust, and when my Granny made it, it seemed to just magically appear on her rolling pin. So many recipes were unavailable to me though, as long as I avoided pie crusts, that finally, I decided I would just learn how to make it. That is when I discovered the secret: The crust is easier to manage when it is rolled out between waxed paper or pastry cloths. Eureka! With this one discovery, I have taken the pie crust bull by the horns and made it my own. Pie crust is fun and easy for me now. And if I can tackle this small bit of culinary success, believe me, everyone can.
First get out your trusty big bowl. Measure the flour and salt into it. Stir it up, to evenly distribute the salt. Measure the shortening with a 1/4-cup measuring cup. Scoop up a full quarter cup of shortening and level off the top. Your fingers will get messy. It is just a fact of nature, once I accepted this, making pie crust got a lot easier. Now scoop the shortening out of the cup and plop it into the bowl of flour. Measure the shortening again, 2 more times, making 3/4 cup all together, be sure to level off the top of it each time.
Now, use a fork or your fingers to mix the fat into the flour. You don’t want it too well mixed, but it should be in small crumbly pieces. Then add your water. Mix the dough up with the fork, or your hands until it forms a ball of dough. Knead it a few times to make sure it holds together well. Add a little more water if you need to.
Divide the dough in half, forming it into two balls. Rip off two sheets of (roughly) square shaped waxed paper. Lay the first sheet down and pat out a pie crust ball into a thick circle on top of it. Lay the second sheet of waxed paper over the pie crust. Now you have a sandwich, the pie crust is the filling, and the waxed paper is the bread. Use a rolling pin or a sturdy jar or glass to roll out the dough between the sheets of waxed paper. The dough is quite manageable in this state. Roll it out as thin and big as you like, 12″ diameter is standard. Now, gently peel off the top sheet of waxed paper, being careful not to rip the crust. It should peel off quite easily, despite the wrinkles in the paper. Place the waxed paper back down on the crust, and flip it over. Peel the other side of waxed paper off too, again being careful. Do not replace the second sheet of waxed paper. Now get your pie pan and lay it upside down over the pie crust. Slip your hand under the waxed paper lined side of the pie crust,and place your other hand on the pie plate. Gently invert the two together. Remove the final sheet of waxed paper and you should have the pie crust nicely centered in the upright pie pan. Gently adjust the crust in the pan, being careful no to stretch it into shape, but only to coax it carefully. If you stretch pie crust, it will shrink back while it bakes. Sad but true. This means you have to get the pie crust plenty large enough to fit into the pie pan when you roll it out.
Let the extra crust hang over the sides of the pan. Roll out the other half of the crust the same way you did the top half. You can reuse the same waxed paper. When the second crust is thin, set it aside.
Fill up your pie crust, using the filling of your choice. Mound the fruit slightly in the center if you like a pretty peaked top on your pie. Loosen both layers of waxed paper on the second crust. Remove the top layer of waxed paper, and carefully invert the crust on top of the pie filling. Remove the final sheet of waxed paper and toss them into the garbage. Trim the crust so it extends about 1/2 an inch beyond the rim of the pie pan. Cut and paste with any dough scraps if you have thin spots. Fold the edges of the crust under and crimp them with your fingers or a fork to seal the edges. I flute the edges by pinching them with my fingers into a pretty rim, but this is not necessary. It is pretty easy though, with a little practice. Like playing with play-dough almost. Cut slits in the top of the pie for steam to escape. Bake as directed.
For a single crust pie, just cut the recipe in half. Or make the whole recipe and refrigerate or freeze the other half for later. To pre-bake a crust, bake it at 425° until it is golden brown, about 10 or 15 minutes. Poke it all over with a fork before baking to prevent air bubbles from forming.
This is much harder to describe than to actually do. I was very clumsy about learning this skill. My pie crusts are not fancy, they are sturdy. I do not make the most tender flaky crust on the block, but if I can figure out how to do this, then anyone can. This recipe is exceptionally easy to handle, and the waxed paper method really lightens the task. I now consider pies an easy and quick dish. I didn’t always, but practice really makes all the difference. Lard and animal fats make flakier crusts than vegetable shortening. Vegetable shortening still makes a very good pie crust though, and no animals are harmed in the making of it.
I’ve made reusable pastry cloths from hemmed pieces of old pillow cases or sheets. Cut them about 18″ square and hem or zigzag all the edges on the sewing machine. Then use them just like the waxed paper and toss them into the washer when you are done. They actually work better than the waxed paper, and are much cheaper and more ecologically friendly.
All-purpose white flour and unbleached white flour both make very tender pie crusts. Whole wheat pastry flour, made from soft wheat also makes a very tender, flaky crust. Plain whole wheat flour, or whole wheat bread flour makes a sturdier crust. I like sturdy whole wheat crusts on pot pies and quiches, but it takes kids a while to get used to them.
Apple Cobbler
Biscuit topper:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup melted margarine
- 1 medium egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Prepare this while the apples are cooking. First get out a medium sized bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl. Add the margarine, egg and milk. Mix very well, forming a soft dough, or thick batter. Set aside.
Apples:
- 6 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger or cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups tap water
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons margarine
Get out a large saucepan. In it combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Gradually add the tap water, stirring to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the raisins. Cook and stir until the mixture is boiling. Add the apples, lemon juice and margarine. Continue cooking until the apples are very hot and begin to soften some. Don’t over cook though, or the apples will turn to mushy applesauce. A full five minutes of cooking the apples should be enough. While everything is cooking, you can prepare the biscuit topper recipe above. Turn the apple mixture into a well oiled 2 quart casserole dish, or an 8″ square pan. Drop the prepared biscuit dough onto the very hot apple mixture by large spoonfuls. The apple mixture has to be very hot so that the biscuit dough will start cooking right away. If the apple mixture is cold, it will make the cobbler dough pasty. Bake the cobbler at 425° for about 25 minutes. The biscuit topper will be golden brown and the apple filling will be bubbling. If you want to be fancy you can sprinkle a spoonful of sugar over top of the cobbler dough right before putting it into the oven. It makes the dish sort of pretty when it comes out of the oven. Serve it hot with whipped topping or ice cream for an extravagant dessert. Serves 6.
“An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away”
I’m sure you’ve heard that saying a time or two. Apples are a great fruit that’s not only healthy, but also very versatile and frugal.I can almost always find some great apples on sale at the store. Occasionally we’ll also buy a big box of apples from a local orchard and store them for use in the winter. Apples keep well in a dry, cool place, but with all the cooking and baking, the never last very long at our house.
Get your copy of the Apple Cookbook at:
www.hillbillyhousewife.com/applebook
Honey Oatmeal Pie
- 1 unbaked 9″ pie crust (half of the recipe for Easy Pie Crust)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup margarine, melted
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup dry oatmeal
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepare half the recipe for Easy Pie Crust, and fit it into a 9″ pie plate. Flute or crimp the edges, and set it aside.
In a medium sized bowl combine the honey, margarine, sugar, and eggs. Beat very well. Add the oatmeal and salt. Mix again. Turn the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. It should be sort of solid when you give it a good shake on the oven rack. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool some. Serve warm (or rewarmed in the microwave) with ice cream or Whipped Topping.
This is an old fashioned southern recipe that resembles pecan pie, although it is much (MUCH!) cheaper to make. Some cooks add coconut to the recipe along with the oatmeal. Half a cup is enough for this recipe. This amount of filling makes a somewhat shallow pie, so there is plenty of room for the coconut and maybe 1/2 cup of raisins too.
Apple Crisp
- 6 cups of sliced, peeled, & cored apples (or peaches or pears)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/3 cup soft margarine
Get out a two quart casserole dish and oil it well. Place the prepared apples or peaches into the dish and sprinkle the lemon juice over them. Set them aside. In a medium sized bowl, combine the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Add the margarine. If the margarine is soft, it will be an easy matter to mix it in with a fork. If the margarine is hard, you can melt it in the microwave or in a small pan on the stove. The topping will be a little less crumbly, but still very good. After the oatmeal mixture is well mixed and crumbly, scatter it over the apples in the casserole. It will cover them thickly. Now put the casserole in the oven and bake it at 350° for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot with whipped cream or Whipped Topping. Serves 6. This is really good made with peaches or pears too. Choose which ever fruit is most abundant. Peaches in the summertime, apples and pears in the fall and winter.