My Favorite Apple Pie

For Pie:
pastry for single-crust pie
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
a little lemon zest and juice from half lemon (about 1 T.)
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples  (I prefer Gala with skins on)

Crumb Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup butter

Final Topping: (which I omit)
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Prepare pastry for single-crust pie, being careful not to stretch dough too much.
Place in pie plate and trim and crimp the edge.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
Add apple slices and gently toss until they are coated well.
Transfer mixture to pie.

FOR CRUMB TOPPING:
Stir together brown sugar, flour, and oats.
Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until topping resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle over apple mixture in pie.

To prevent over-browning while baking, cover edge of pie with foil.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until top is golden.
Remove from oven.

Drizzle top with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans.
Cool on wire rack and serve!

Cream Pie (NO PUDDING)

1 9-inch pie shell, baked

3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
banana or coconut extract - just a drop or two
3 bananas or 1 1/2 c. sweetened coconut

Directions

Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready.
In a large saucepan, scald the milk.
In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir in the scalded milk.
Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened.
Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.
In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture.
Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla and flavored extract or choice.


For Coconut:
Stir in majority of coconut to cream mixture.
Let sit until lukewarm.
When ready to pour, place some coconut in bottom of pie shell; pour warm mixture.
Toast a little coconut to put on top.

For Banana:
Mash about half of bananas and stir into mixture.
Let sit until lukewarm.
When ready to pour, place sliced bananas into bottom of shell; pour warm mixture.

If desired, make a meringue (you'll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving.

The Best Pie Crust

I've made a lot of pies in my life, and tried many pie crust recipes, until I used this one. I've never tried another pie crust recipe since. It has never let me down! I have an unusual way of making my pie crust though. I don't touch it with my hands at all! I put all the ingredients in a big Tupperware bowl, and shake it wildly, until it all comes together in a big ball. Really....it works. It's the key to a tender flaky crust.
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FLAKY PASTRY
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4 Cups Sifted Flour
1 3/4 Cups shortening
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 Cup Water
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Sift flour, sugar & salt together. Put dry mixture into a very large Tupperware bowl, with a firm fitting lid. Cut shortening into smaller pieces, with either a fork, or a pastry cutter. Make sure that the shortening has been tossed around a bit in the flour. Now put the lid on your tupperware bowl, and shake, shake, shake, until it has become the size of small peas. In another small bowl, combine the egg and the vinegar, and mix together with a fork. Now pour that on top of your flour mixture. Grab a fork, and simply toss some of the flour over the top of the liquid, covering as much liquid as you can. DON'T STIR OR TRY TO MOLD THE DOUGH! Put the lid on the bowl, and begin to shake, shake, shake! ....until it has started to adhere together. Peek at the dough.....if it is still quite sticky, toss a little more flour over the dough. (1 -2 tablespoons). Replace the lid, and shake again. You will know when the pastry is ready, because it will form a ball of dough......all on it's own. It's like magic...and will always give you perfect, flaky crust. I promise.
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*This recipe makes 2 double crust 9" pies.

Pecan Pie

1 c. butter
2 c. light brown sugar - packed
3 eggs
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped

In a saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar. Add eggs, salt and vanilla & mix well. Add pecans.

Pour into unbaked pie shell.
Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 min.

Chocolate Pie

4 oz. cream cheese
2 (4 serving) Jello Choc pudding
1 1/2 c. cold milk
1 (8 oz cool whip)

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add milk till well blended. Add pudding mixes. Beat 2 min - smooth. Immediately stir 1/2 of cool whip. Pour in graham crust. Refrigerate 3 hours - top w/ remaining cool whip.

Apple Pie

Crust - cut in:
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. shortening
add: 3-4 T. cold water

Roll and form in dish.

Filling:
5 sliced apples
1 T. cinnamon
1/3 c. flour
1 t. allspice
shake of ginger & nutmeg

Bake 375 for 20-30 min.

Laura King's Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs, slightly beaten but not whipped
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. cloves
1 3/4 c. pumpkin
1/4 t. salt (pinch)
1 t. nutmeg
1 2/3 c. milk

Put eggs, sugar & pumpkin in bowl. Whip and add rest.

425 degrees 15 min or 350 degrees for 45 min.

Strawberry Mousse Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 packet unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
2 c. strawberries - sliced
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. chilled heavy cream
3 T. powdered sugar

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in saucepan, let stand 1 min to soften. Stir over low heat until gelatin in dissolved (about 1 min.) Remove from heat. Place berries, sugar and gelatin mixture in food processor or blender, whirl to puree. Pour into bowl. Chill until mixture mounds when dropped from spoon (about 1 hour.) Beat cream and powdered sugar in chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Stir 1/4 of cream into strawberry puree to lighten mixture. Fold in remaining cream. Pour into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Frozen Pie

My cousin's wife introduced me to this my first year of college. It's heavenly on a hot summer night.

1 can any flavor concentrate juice (grape is wonderful and so is orange)
1 tub cool whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine all together and pour into graham crust - freeze and serve.

Water-whip Pie Crust

3/4 c. Crisco
1/4 c. boiling water
1 t. salt
1 T. milk
2 C. flour

Pour boiling water into DEEP bowl w/ salt, crisco & milk. (will be lumpy - it's ok). Whip with fork, wisk, or mixer until creamy smooth. Slowly stir in 2 c. of flour. Make a ball, cut in half. Wrap halves separately in wax paper & refrigerate until firm. Roll between two floured sheets of wax paper.

Makes 2 crusts.

Strawberry Bottom Cheesecake

1 graham cracker pie crust
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
4 oz. cool whip
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 c. strawberry glaze

Beat cream cheese till smooth. Slowly beat in sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Fold in cool whip.

Spread thin layer of glaze over bottom of crust. Place strawberry slices on glaze and cover w/ remaining glaze. Gently spoon cream cheese mixture over top.

Cover and chill until set - at least 4 hours.

Quiche

Mix:
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 t. salt
2 T. flour
1 c. shredded cheese

Add in any cooked meats and raw veggies

Pour into baked pie shell - bake 325 for 40 min or until knife comes out clean. Let rest for 10 min before serving.

Cold Peach Pie

1 1/2 c water
1 c sugar
2 egg yolks or 1 egg
2 T corn starch
1 3oz pkg lemon gelatin
4-5 peaches, peeled and sliced

In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar, egg yolks and corn starch. Cook until thick. Turn off stove and add lemon gelatin and mix. Stir in sliced peaches. Pour filling into a baked pie shell. Cool. Serve cold with whipped cream or ice cream.