Easy as Pie

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to bake and eat pie; I love pie (I would choose it over cake any day of the week), and my favorite is pecan. If you have never baked a pie, don't be afraid to give it a go, homemade pies are way better than store bought, you can really taste the difference. Thankfully, the traditional pumpkin and pecan pies served at Thanksgiving are easy to make.

Start with a good recipe for the crust. You can buy ready prepared crusts, that's ok, but my preference is to make it yourself, it doesn't take that much time, and for Thanksgiving I definitely recommend making your pies the day before.
Here is an easy recipe for pie crust which works well for fruit pies. It is enough for one double crust ,or two single crust pies.

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup butter flavored shortening
ice water (approx 1/2 cup)

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Gradually mix in ice water 1 Tbsp at a time until a soft dough forms.
Divide into two equal portions and roll out onto a well-floured pastry mat.

Tips for successful pastry:

• Keep the ingredients cool, ice water is best. Shortening can be chilled if you like although I don't personally do that.
• White sugar or confectioners sugar can be used. Dough will be slightly more sticky with white sugar, however.
• Don't overwork the dough; mix quickly and handle as little as possible to avoid the pastry becoming tough.
• Use a lightly-floured pastry mat and rolling pin. Make sure your rolling pin is long enough and of sufficient weight to roll the pastry evenly.
• Roll the dough from the center, turning a quarter turn after each roll to ensure even rolling in the shape of a circle.
• Roll pastry to form a circle 1" larger than the size of your pie plate.
• Transfer the pastry to the pie plate by gently rolling it over your rolling pin and unrolling over the plate. Gently press pasty into the pie plate. 

Specific baking instructions will vary depending on the type of pie you are baking. I will share my favorite pie recipes with you in the coming days.

Good tools are helpful in the kitchen, I was a consultant for The Pampered Chef for a number of years, so I have a well-stocked kitchen. I highly recommend their products, I get great results with their pastry blender and stoneware deep dish pie plate. If you need a consultant to purchase from I would be happy to recommend one for you.

Happy baking!
Smart Mom





Please remember to shop at Smart Mom's Store I appreciate your support