Apple

I looked around for awhile to find the perfect apple pie. I found this recipe by Grandma Opal. I don't know her, but she made one hell of a pie.

8 Granny Smith Apples
1/2 cup butter
3 T. flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

One of the  best tools I have in my kitchen: the apple slicer!

I melted the butter and added the flour. Then I added the water and sugars. This recipe didn't call for cinnamon, but I added some because it just seemed right.

After peeling and slicing six of the apples, the pie was full. I probably could have done seven since they shrink down a little in the oven.

I added a lattice top and crimped the edges. Now the delicious part...

The caramely mixture was poured over the crust very slowly.

I made sure to get it all over the top crust.

After 15 minutes at 425°F and 40 more at 350°F I had a beautiful apple pie! The sugar mixture browned the top and made it crispy and delicious. A warm slice and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and I'm in heaven...

Shaker Lemon

There are only three ingredients in this pie:

3 lemons

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, beaten

All the lemons I could find for this recipe were HUGE! Unfortunately, this meant thick rinds. Since the entire lemon is used, the pie was slightly too bitter, but still delicious. 

 I stole this zester from my last job. I'm very glad I did. Last time I needed to zest, I used a cheese grater. Not so great.

I sliced 2 1/2 of the lemons and thinly as possible. The last half was juiced. Luckily, I found a juicer while looking through my grandmother's old baking supplies. Thanks Grandma Holt!

This was my first double pie crust that uses one solid piece to cover the top.

After letting the lemons sit in the sugar for a few hours, I mixed in the eggs and poured the mixture into the bottom crust.

I placed the top on and crimped the edges. Then I used a knife to make air vents.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F then 30-40 more at 375°F and it's done!

A perfect slice. 

*slice and photo by Patrick Boye

Fresh Strawberry

Tried out a different pie crust this time around. The "Basic All-American Pie Dough" from my wonderful pie book. This crust was a lot easier and quicker than my buttery flakey crust, but not as delicious. Still totally good though and I will definitely use it again for certain pies (or if I'm in a hurry).

Preheat oven to 425°F and hope that it's not a hot summer day like it was for me...

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 4 (or a few more for mine) T. cold water







Blend flour and salt with hands in large bowl. Drop in shortening, and then with your fingers, rub the flour into the shortening until it resembles coarse and fine bread crumbs. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until you can form a ball of dough. Roll dough out and fit into pie pan.

Fold and flute the rim and prick the dough all over to prevent puffing. Bake for 8 minutes covered with heavy foil and then an additional 6-10 (or until dry and lightly browned) uncovered.

Now the filling! 

2 pounds fresh strawberries (6-8 cups)

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

2 T. fresh lemon juice

Rinse and drain berries. Remove stems. Set a couple aside for garnish, then cut half of the remaining berries into thick slices. 

Put the remaining whole berries into a sauce pan and crush them with a potato masher. Add. cornstarch, sugar, and salt and stir until cornstarch has dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture boils and thickens. 

Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Stir in sliced berries and then pour into cooled pie shell. 

Now the hard part... refrigerate 2-3 hours! 

When it's finally time to eat, cover the pie in whipped cream and garnish with the left over strawberries. Delicious!