Happy Thanksgiving~ and a Pie Crust Recipe too!

I bet most of you have already made your pies, except for a few procrastinators....like me that just pulled two pies out of the oven at 11:00 p.m.  So here's a recipe to file away for another day.

Our mom is pretty much an expert in pie making..at least we think so!  She once made 21 pies to feed a group of missionaries.  Mom was recently roped into teaching a pie making class for the ladies at church.  She had all the information gathered so nicely that we thought we would pass it along to you!

Mom's 9-Inch Double Pie Crust

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening

¼ to ½ cups ice-water

Directions

• Mix together flour and salt in a large glass mixing bowl. 
• Add the shortening and cut it into the flour with a knife and fork. 
• Continue cutting in the shortening with the fork
• until pea size crumbs form or it looks like coarse meal. 
• Gently sprinkle in ice water, half at first, then just enough to bring dough together.
• Divide dough into two equal parts.
• Wrap each half amply in plastic wrap.
• Press the dough together to form two flat round disks.
• Place the dough disk in the center of a flat sheet of plastic wrap on the counter.
• Sprinkle top lightly with flour and the rolling pin as well.
• Roll out the disk of dough 2-3” larger than pie plate.
• Roll the dough evenly from the center to the outer edge.
• Lift and turn over the dough and the plastic wrap and lay it across the pie plate.
• Ease the dough down and press it into the insides of the plate to prevent stretching.
• Gently peel off the plastic wrap.
• Cut away overhang with a knife to ½” larger than plate.
• Roll out upper crust on top plastic wrap.
• Lift and turn over the dough on the wrap and gently lay it over filled shell.
• Arrange the position of the dough and gently peal off plastic wrap.
• Cut away the overhang to 1”, tuck it under lower edge and crimp or flute the edge.
• Cut decorative slits on top to form steam vents.
• Brush the top with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar. 
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 1 hour to set filling. 

For

blind baked pie shells,

 prick or dock the bottom shell with a fork and bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

 Prick any bubbles that form while baking.

To prevent crust bubbling you may line the crust with tinfoil and fill with 2-3 cups of dry bean (or pie weights) for the first 12 minutes of baking then lift out the foil and beans by the four corners and finish baking.

Thanks Mom!

Here's a little trick Mom showed us when rolling out the pie dough.
 Sorry about the pictures, it's late and dark...and these are pies I made.
  One day I'll make pies like my mom! :)

Mom rolls her pie dough out on Saran Wrap. 

Roll it all out.... 

Pick up the Saran Wrap and dough, then flip into the pie pan. 

Then peel the Saran Wrap away.  Neat and easy trick for beginning pie makers, eh-hem...like me.

We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday with your family and friends...and be sure to eat lots of pie! :)