How to: Perfect Pie Crust

Pie is the one thing I look forward to almost more than anything else on Thanksgiving Day. When I was a little girl, I remember my mom making the most delicious pies every year. She would always save the trimmings of pie crust, bake them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and give them to me and my brothers. I loved that pie crust.

But, one year, my mom told me that she was tired of making pies from scratch and decided she would just buy a few pre-made crusts from the grocery store. I was shocked. Not only did I love eating those homemade pies (and trimmings) but it was a tradition to make the pies. Tradition is a big deal in my family and I just couldn't believe my mom was considering buying a crust (I may have been a little over dramatic). I pleaded with her, but she said it was just too much work and Marie Calendar's crust is just as good. "If you want homemade pie, you will have to make it," she told me. I'm not sure if she really thought I would do it or not, but determined to save tradition and my crust, I took on the pie making that year, and have done so ever since.

I use this pie crust recipe every single time I make pies and it is still just the very best crust I have ever had.

Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients:
4 c. flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 3/4 c. shortening
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 large egg
1/2 c. plus 1 Tbsp cold water

Directions:

Combine flour, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl and mix well. Cut shortening into flour mixture until ingredients are crumbly. Combine vinegar, egg and cold water in small bowl and add all at once to flour and shortening mixture. Combine with fork until dough pulls together (dough will still be crumbly). Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead slightly until crumbs are all combined. Makes 4 or 5 pie crusts.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

How To: Butternut Squash Soup

I volunteered to make a soup for a church activity recently only to realize that I didn't really have many soup recipes that would suit the event. My husband suggested trying a butternut squash recipe, which sounded perfect for November. But after trying this recipe (don't try it, the proportions are all wrong and it isn't any good), and it was a complete fail, I was wondering what I would do. I bought another squash and started googling recipes. After reading over several and getting the basic idea of how I wanted my soup to be, I decided to try my hand at creating my own and to my delight, it actually turned out quite yummy. So, I am sharing the recipe with you too.

Ingredients:

1 2-3 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 gala apples, peeled and diced
1 cup diced onion
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 quarts (8 cups) chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Melt butter over medium heat in large dutch oven. Sauté onions in butter until tender, about 10 minutes. 
2. Add nutmeg and cinnamon to onions, sauté one minute more. 
3. Add squash, apples, brown sugar and broth. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer until squash and apples are tender, about 30 minutes. 
4. Strain soup, reserving 3-4 cups of broth. 
5. Pour strained ingredients into blender, add one cup milk and puree. 
6. Pour puree back into dutch oven, add reserved broth, a little at a time, until soup reaches desired consistency. 
7. Heat through and season to taste with salt and black pepper. 
8. Serve with cinnamon sugar toast. Enjoy.