Apple Pie

This is an easy, no-frills apple pie recipe, but you can feed me apple pie until the cows come home and I'll never find one I like better. This was my dad's favorite so I always made it for him when he came to visit. I'd give anything to make it for him again. (Great, now I'm bawling...)

1 pie crust (not deep dish unless you want to use a lot more apples)
4+ large granny smith apples
½ c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
        Peel, core, and slice apples. Place them in pie shell and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar after each layer or so. Continue until apples are heaping in pie shell.

Topping:
½ c. sugar
¾ c. flour
1/3 c. butter or margarine
        Combine with a pastry blender until crumbly. Spoon over apples and pat down with hands to form the top “crust.” Bake on a foil lined cookie sheet at 400° for 40-50 minutes.
        Check the outer crust edge every so often and cover only that part with foil, if needed, to keep from burning. Or do what I sometimes do and cut off that rim of crust before baking. It's unconventional, but it won't burn if it's not there! ;)

Blueberry Banana Pie

The best thing about this delicious recipe is that it makes two pies. That way, you can take one to a friend and still have one for your family because it's their favorite. :) Thanks to my friend, Dawn, for sharing her pie - and the recipe - with us over 20 years ago. We've been sharing and loving it ever since. :)

Makes 2 pies

8 ounces cream cheese, softened (Neuchatel works, too) 
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
8 ounces cool whip
2 graham cracker crusts
3 bananas
1 can blueberry pie filling
        For filling, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer. Add cool whip and mix well. Slice bananas into graham cracker crusts, 1 ½ bananas per crust. Pour filling over bananas. Top each pie with ½ can blueberry pie filling. Chill until ready to serve.

The Best Rhubarb Pie

Hands down, this is the best rhubarb pie ever. I didn't even know I liked rhubarb pie until I tried this. The recipe is from Jeff's Grandma Wavra and I hope it stays in the family for generations to come. Oh yum!

1 ½ c. sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
2 well beaten eggs
3 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. nutmeg
3 c. rhubarb, cut in small pieces
        This pie is best with a lattice crust, but a double crust works just as well. Can also be made without top crust. (I'm a lazy cook so I often opt for no top crust, but the lattice crust is prettiest if you're willing to take the time.) 
        In an unbaked pie crust (8-inch pie pan), arrange rhubarb. Blend sugar, flour, nutmeg and butter. Add eggs. Beat until smooth. Pour over rhubarb. Place lattice or full crust over top, if desired. Bake at 400° for 50-60 minutes.

Pie Crust

I got this recipe from my SIL, Tanya. She's a great cook! I will admit that I rarely make my own pie crust, generally opting to purchase it pre-made from the store. But if I wanted to make my own, I'd use this recipe. 

Makes enough for 2 double crust pies

3 c. flour
1 ¼ c. lard
1 tsp. salt
        Combine flour and salt. Cut in lard.

In a separate bowl, combine:
1 egg
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
5 Tbsp. water
        Put both mixtures together. Combine and proceed to roll out for pies.

Carolina Peach Pie

My friend, Helen Elliott, gave me this recipe many years ago and it's the only recipe I'll use for peach pie. At the time of this posting, Helen is still going strong at 107 years old. She's the most refined lady I know. ...And she has great taste in pie. ;)

Pastry for 9-inch double-crust pie
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
pinch salt
6-8 large peaches, peeled and sliced thin (about 5 cups)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, cut up
        Prepare your favorite pastry recipe. Preheat oven to 425°. Shape pastry into balls, one slightly larger than the other; flatten into disks. On a lightly floured surface, roll larger disk into 11-inch circle. Fit loosely into 9-inch pie plate.
        Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in bowl. Add peaches and lemon juice to bowl; toss to coat. Spoon filling into pastry crust. Dot with butter. Roll remaining pastry into 9½-inch circle and cut into ½-inch wide strips. Arrange in lattice pattern over pie. Fold edge of bottom crust over strip ends; flute edge.
        Place pie on cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake 40 minutes more, until fruit is tender when pierced with fork and center is bubbly. Makes 8 servings.