make a pie from scratch

Now I have rolled out and shaped the bottom crust- silly me, I used a crust recipe from a larger recipe for a one crusted pie, but didn’t even think about that as I was making it. I do have a bit of scrap dough left over, so it looks like I’ll be making a crumbly topping, and then what I’ll do with the left over crust is something my Grandma C. used to do: she’d roll it out and spread jam on it, and roll it up and bake it (usually for my Dad, or one of her other sons in law, but almost always my Dad was the son in law that received this yummy gift!) So, this will also remind me of Grammy. I sure do miss her. Things like this make me feel connected to her and all the wonderful memories she left with us. More to report later. I think hubby will be home soon with fresher granny smiths than we have. He had to go to the store anyway, so I figured it would be a good idea to have some fresher apples in my pie.

I just made the crust dough and put it in the fridge for at least a 1/2 hour. Though my magic bullet wasn’t the best tool for the job after all (I don’t own a food processor or a pastry blender), I ended up pulsing it a bit in there, then shaking up the contents every so often, pulsing again, etc. Finally, dumped it into a mixing bowl, and used the tines of a fork, which worked like a charm. That’s why I think a pastry blender might be the way to go: low-tech, inexpensive and like our grandmothers probably all used. Why do we (as a society in general) so often feel the need to complicate things? Anyhoo, I am rambling now. I will be so excited to try my first pie from scratch that I’ve done all by myself. I fondly remember my Mom and I making dinner of beef stew, with homemade apple pie for dessert for the whole family so I could earn my cooking badge for Brownies. I remember feeling very proud that I had a big part in making dinner for the family.

found a good crust recipe, talked to my Mom for advice, and have all the ingredients I need- now I just need to NOT be lazy! Ha!

Maybe I’ll get the crust dough put together and get it chilling, and then tomorrow I can do the rest!

decided on type: good old American favorite-> Apple! And I am hoping to make one that tastes like my Grandma Carlson’s. She made fantastic apple pies! Must call my Mom for some tips. And, the next challenge is to look through my TONS of recipes for a good crust recipe that doesn’t use shortening.

Stay tuned!

I’m talking crust made from scratch and everything. It’ll probably be one of my three favorites:

Apple, peach, or chocolate-pecan.

I’d prefer to do a lattice top, too. The challenge might be finding a GOOD crust recipe that does not include shortening. More to come.

I’ve asked my grandmother to help me make a pie from scratch with her “no fail pie crust” recipe. This isn’t a huge goal, but it is part of my larger goal to eat foods that I make, not just something that fell out of a box, with the directions “just add water”.

and so many more. I think I like pie more than any dessert. One of my favorite scenes in a movie comes in “Michael” when they are eating and singing about pie. There’s nothing like the smell of juices bubbling over and sugared crusts caramelizing.

...lots of pies! It’s actually kinda fun, and really simple. And besides, who doesn’t like pies?

=)

I bake and cook all the time..and I must say it was quite delicious if i do say so myself haha.

Blackberry was my favorite with berries fresh off the bushes. But , apricot is hard to compete with, and pumkin pie is awesome anytime and apple is easy as, well, um—yeah. Really though I’ve made lots more cookies & cakes than pies.