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Piecrust

2-1/4 c flour
¾ t salt
½ c shortening, well chilled
2 T butter, well chilled
5-6 T cold water

Sift flour and salt into bowl; add shortening and butter cut into 4-5 pieces and cut together on stir speed using paddle until particles are pea-sized; about 30 seconds. Add water 1 T at a time, until all particles are moistened. Use only enough water to make pastry from a ball. Watch closely; overmixing will result in a tough crust.

Chill in refrigerator 15 minutes.

Roll to 1/8 inch thickness using piemaker bag or do so between sheets of waxed paper and fold into quarters.  Ease into plate and unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim and crimp edges; fill and bake as desired. 

Makes 2 8-or 9-inch crusts or one 8 or 9-inch double crust. 

For baked pastry shell: Prick sides and bottom with fork; bake at 450 for 9-10 minutes until light brown. Cool completely before filling.  

Country Style Chicken Pie

15 small white onions
2 cans chicken broth
4 medium carrots
8 oz fresh mushrooms
6 T butter
1/3 c flour
1 t tarragon
¼ c sherry
½ c cream
Dash salt and pepper
2 c cooked cubed chicken
1 egg white
1 T water

Pastry for 9-inch single crust

Place onions and broth in large pot. Bring to slow boil on medium heat and cook 10 minutes. Add carrots and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, remove from heat and let stand.

In saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minutes. Do not brown. Add other can of broth, tarragon, and sherry. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, 7-10 minutes. Add cream, salt, and pepper. Blend well, set aside.

Drain cooked vegetables and place in greased 1.5-quart casserole. Add chicken and sauce; mix thoroughly.

Roll out pastry to fit top of casserole. Place pastry over chicken mixture and crimp edges. Decorate with leftover pastry. Beat egg white and water together with fork, brush mixture over pastry.

Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

Fudge Walnut Brownie Pie

2 eggs
1 c sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 t vanilla
2/3 c flour
1/3 c cocoa
1/4 t salt
1 c chocolate chips
1/2 c walnuts

Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9-inch pie plate or 8-inch baking pan.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Beat eggs. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and butter. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chips and walnuts. Pour into pie plate. Bake 30-35 min. Cool. Serve at room temp or warmed with ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Fudge Pie

2/3 c evaporated milk
6 oz chocolate chips
2 T butter
1 c sugar
2 T flour
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
3/4 salt
1 pie crust

Preheat oven to 375. Microwave first 3 ingredients in a large bowl at high for 1 to 1.5 minutes or until melted and smooth, whisking every 30 seconds. 

Whisk sugar and flour into chocolate. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Pour mixture into pie crust. 

Bake for 34-40 minuts or until set.  Cool 10 minutes before serving with ice cream. 

Buttermilk Pie

1-1/2 c sugar
3 T flour
3 eggs
1 c buttermilk
1/2 c melted butter
1 T loosely packed lemon zest
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 t vanilla
1 piecrust

Preaheat oven to 350. 

Whisk together first 2 ingredients.  Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients into flour mixture, pour into crust, bake for 35-45 min, until almost set. (Shield crust with foil after first 15 minutes.) Cool on rack 1 hour. 

Chess Pie

1/2 c sugar
1 T flour
1 T cornmeal
1/2 c butter
4 eggs
3/4 c milk
1 t vanilla

**Substitute brown sugar for a taste more like pecan pie.**

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix first 3 ingredients and cream in butter, add eggs and beat. Add milk and vanilla, beat again. Bake 45-60 minutes, shake occasionally.

Never-Fail Pie Crust

3 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T sugar
1-3/4 c shortening
2 t salt
1 egg
1 T vinegar
1/2 c water

Mix these together dry ingredients and shortening.  Add wets, refrigerate 15 minutes, then prepare.

My Favorite Chocolate Pie

1 pie crust (baked, done.)
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
1/8 t salt
6 egg yolks
2-1/2 c milk
4 oz semisweet
4 oz bittersweet chcolate
12 oz whipped cream

Prepare piecrust and bake.
Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan.
Whisk yolks and milk and add to sugar mixture, whisking until smooth. Boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
Pour into crust. Cover and chill 4 hours.
Top with whipped cream before serving and garnish with cocoa powder, chocolate curls, etc.

Pie Crust Tips

Buy and use a pie crust bag.
Never add hot fillings to unbaked crusts.
Bake pies on low oven racks, with a cookie sheet underneath to catch drips.
Brush unbaked crust with egg white before filling.

Captain's Chocolate Pie

Unbaked pie crust
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c butter
1/2 c flour
1 c chocolate chips

Combine sugars and eggs, add melted butter. Add flour. Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into crust and bake 35-40 minutes, until center is set.
Let cool 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel topping.