Pie Crust

I grew up with my mom making pies.

She did the whole thing from scratch:  crust and all.

I'm not sure that she ever really taught me how to make a crust;

I just learned by watching her.

I remember when I was younger, she and my Aunt would tag team pies:

my mom would make the crust and my Aunt would make the filling.

They made a good team!

Making pie crust isn't hard.

It does take a little practice . . .

but who doesn't mind that!

Homemade pie crust is also cheaper than the pre-packaged kind and it tastes so much better.

Plus!  If you have left over pie crust, then you make pie crust cookies!
That's what my mom did when she baked!

The left-over crust scrapes where placed on a pan and dusted with cinnamon and sugar and baked.

That makes "pie crust cookies!"

Pie Crust
(This makes a double crust)

2 cups flour
3/4 cup solid Crisco (shortening)
dash of salt
1/4 cup ICE COLD water

Place the flour and salt in a bowl and add the Crisco.  Cut the Crisco into the flour until it resembles little peas.

Sprinkle the ice cold water around the edge of the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture forms a ball.

Divide the dough in half.  Using one half, place on a floured surface, roll out into a circle about 1 inch larger than your pie pan.  Fold the dough lightly in half and pick up and place in pie pan, unfolding it to fit.

Do not over work the crust or it will shrink when baking. 

Crimp edges.

For Baked Crust:  pierce the crust with a fork once fitted into the pan.  Bake at 425 degrees about 10 minutes.  Fill with cooked filling (cream pies or refrigerated pies).

For Unbaked Crust:  fit crust into the pie pan and fill shell and bake according to recipe.  (Pecan, buttermilk, pumpkin, etc).

This makes a double crust.  You can bake both pies at the same time or you can fit the crusts into the pans and freeze for a later use.

For a Single Crust

1 cup flour
6 TBSP Crisco
dash of salt
2-3 TBSP ice water

Follow directions above.