BLUEBERRY PIE

1 pkg. refrigerated rolled-out piecrusts (15 oz. pkg.)
2 pkgs. (1 pint ea.) blueberries
2/3 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Vanilla ice cream, optional

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll crusts out slightly.  Fit one crust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.  Set aside second crust.

2.  In a large bowl, toss blueberries, 2/3 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, lemon zest and juice.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, with a pastry cutter or pizza cutter, cut remaining crust into ½-inch wide strips.

4. Transfer blueberry mixture to crust-lined pie plate.  Weave a lattice top, alternating strips of crust.  Crimp edges to seal.  Brush crust with egg white; sprinkle with remaining teaspoon sugar.

5.  Bake pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes or until center is bubbly and crust is golden (tent with foil if browning too quickly).  Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.

APPLE CRUMB PIE

CRUST (Makes about 5 crusts)
 

6 cups flour

3 tsp. salt
3 cups shortening (butter flavored tastes best)
1 egg
3 Tbsp. vinegar

Combine flour, salt, and shortening.  Set aside. Beat egg. Add vinegar. Add enough water to make 1½ cups. Mix together.

FILLING

6-8 Granny Smith or “Pippin” apples

2/3-3/4 cup sugar (depends on tartness of apples)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
2½ Tbsp. flour

Peel and thinly slice apples and layer into prepared pie crust.  Combine sugar, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and flour.  Sprinkle spices and sugar on top of the apples and alternate layers with the apples until gone-ending with spices.

CRUMB TOPPING

1/3 cup soft butter

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar

Combine. Top pie with crumb topping.  Bake pie in HOT 450º oven for 15 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 350º and bake for 50-55 minutes.  Cool on rack.

KEY LIME PIE

2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 Tbsp. grated lime zest
Whipped Topping, optional
Graham cracker crust

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind.  Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust. 

Bake 5-10 minutes or until pinhole bubbles burst on surface.  Don’t brown. 

Chill pie before serving. 

Serve with whipped topping if desired.

NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (cut into small pieces)

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2-2 pkgs. or 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/2-1/3 cup melted margarine

1 can cherry pie filling (or any fruit flavor pie filling or fresh fruit)

Crust: Crush graham crackers and stir in melted margarine until evenly coated. Spray or grease pie pan then place the graham cracker mix into the bowl; shape it to form a crust. Refrigerate crust.

Filling: In a blender mix the sweetened condensed milk with cream cheese. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Blend until thoroughly mixed. Pour filling into the pie pan. Refrigerate until filling has set up. Spread cherry pie filling on top of pie, and serve.           

STRAWBERRY PIE

Mix together:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

Add:

1/2 cup oil

2 Tbsp. milk

Mix all together and pat into 9” pie pan.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 375º.  Cool.

Place about 2 quarts (or less) strawberries in cooled crust.  Pour glaze over.

Glaze:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Cook till clear.  Add 1 package strawberry jell-o.  Cool slightly before pouring over berries.  Refrigerate overnight or till set.

APPLE CRISP

Dice 5 cups of apples.  Place in a 9 x 13 inch pan with 1/2 cup sugar.

In bowl, mix:

2/3 cup margarine

1 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Sprinkle above mixture over apple mixture.  Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.

***I like to double the topping mixture.

LADONNA'S PUMPKIN YUMMY

3 eggs                                

1 large can pumpkin (30 oz)  

2 tsp. cinnamon                                 

1/2 tsp. ginger                          

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup brown sugar

13 oz. can evaporated milk

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix eggs, pumpkin, spices, salt, sugar, and milk together; Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over mixture. Do not mix.

Melt margarine and pour over top of cake mix. Bake at 350º for 50 minutes. Before the last 20 minutes of baking time, sprinkle nuts on top of cake.

Serve warm or cold with whipped topping.

CREAM PIES (BANANA OR COCONUT)

3 Tbsp. corn starch               

1/4 tsp. salt

1 to 3 egg yolks                     

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup water                             

1 to 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

sugar (1/2 cup for coconut; 2/3 cup for banana)

1 cup coconut for coconut pie

Approximately 2 sliced bananas for banana pie

Mix all together except for coconut or bananas, and stir constantly until thickens (about 10 minutes on the stove) or cook in microwave on high, stirring every three minutes.  Makes filling for one pie.

APPLE PIE FILLING

6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples (about 2 1/4 pounds)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts (optional)

If desired, sprinkle apples with lemon juice. In a large mixing bowl stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, & nutmeg. Add apples and if desired, raisins or walnuts. Gently toss till coated.

Transfer apple mixture to the pastry lined pie plate. Trim pastry to edge of pie plate. Cut slits in remaining pastry; place on filling and seal. Crimp edges as desire.

To prevent over-browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375º oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes more or till top is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

PERFECT PIE CRUST

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled, plus more for pie plate.

2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for rolling out dough

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1/4-1/2 cup ice water

           

1. Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and mix to combine.

2. Add the chilled butter, using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with small pieces of butter, the size of small peas, remaining visible.

3. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. ice water over the flour-butter mixture, and blend. Repeat with an additional 2 Tbsp. of water. At this point, you may wish to add more water; When a handful of dough squeezed together just holds its shape, you’ve added enough; if the dough crumbles continue incorporating water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, checking the consistency after each additional tablespoon.

4. Turn dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide into two equal pieces, and place on two separate sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten, and form two disks. Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

5. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Place the chilled dough in the center of the work surface, and dust the dough as well as the rolling pin with flour. Continue rolling and turning until you have an even ⅛-inch thickness. Turning the dough as you roll will prevent it from sticking to the work surface.

6. Lightly butter the pie plate. To minimize stretching when moving the dough, roll it around the pin, lift up, and unroll over the buttered pie plate. Using your fingers, gently pat the dough into place. Trim any excess dough, leaving a one inch overhang; then fold dough under to reinforce the edge.

Makes two 8-10 inch crusts