"Easy as Pie"!

Sometimes the yummiest things to eat
are the simplest to make!

I really enjoy this time of the year because it means PIE time. We have been enjoying all of the plentiful fruits of the season by making up pies!

I think if I were to list what my favorite dessert is it would definitely be homemade PIE!
There is just something about the flaky crust and biting into berries that burst in your mouth or succulent apples, peaches, cherries, etc...
I love them all!
There is also something about the thrift of pie. I SO enjoy thinking about Pioneer times and how they would take what fruit they had, mix in a handful of staple ingredients, put it in a pie crust, bake it and they would have a yummy dessert that used what they had and was simple and easy to make!

And then there's my romantic heart that likes to think about Caroline Ingalls and how she might have responded to Charles when he walked in the door after a long day of working...telling him how she was able to collect enough berries to make him a pie for dinner!

Today I thought I'd share 3 yummy pie recipes we have enjoyed over the past month and I am here to tell you that it is
"Easy as Pie"
you can whip your family up a pie for dinner
and they will be loving you for it!

Enjoy!!

Fresh Peach Pie

1 baked 9” pie crust (recipe below)
1 small package peach jello
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 ¾ cups cold water
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-6 medium peaches sliced

Combine sugar, salt, cornstarch and water.
Cook and stir mixture until it thickens and becomes clear.
Remove from heat and stir in jello till dissolved.
Add vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
Spread a little glaze in bottom of shell, then begin layering glaze with peach slices. Fill pie full by stacking more slices in center. Pour glaze slowly over all.
Chill at least 2 hours before serving with REAL whipping cream.

Enjoy!

Berry Pie

5 cups Berries Frozen OR Fresh (any berry works GREAT!)
(I used 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup huckleberries and 3 cups Boysenberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
Pastry for double pie crust
sprinkling of sugar for the top

Combine 4-1/2 cups berries with the sugar and flour.
Spoon the berry mixture into an unbaked pie shell.
Spread the remaining berries on top of the sweetened berries and cover with top crust.
Seal and crimp edges and poke holes in the top of crust. (I use a fork)
Sprinkle with sugar.
Cover with foil and make in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for 30 more minutes or till crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Cherry Pie

(step one)
Bring 5 cups tart cherries and 2 cups water to boil. Boil for 5 minutes. After done boiling drain juice off cherries reserving 1 cup of liquid.

1-1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
dash salt
1 Tbsp. butter
3 or 4 drops almond extract
Pastry for double pie crust

(step two)
In a medium saucepan combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt and the 1 cup cherry liquid.
Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.
Cook and stir 1 minute more.
Remove from heat.
Stir in remaining 3/4 cup sugar, cherries, butter and almond extract.

Line pie plate with pie crust. Spoon in cherry mixture and put on top crust.
Seal and crimp edges and poke holes in the top of crust. (I use a fork)
Cover with foil and make in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for 30 more minutes or till crust is golden brown.

Enjoy!

*********************

Pie Crust
½ cup REAL butter
2/3 cup shortening
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon dry milk
3 cups flour
½ cup cold water
Mix butter and shortening together.
Add half the flour and all of the dry ingredients.
Mix.
Add the rest of flour and water. (Makes 2 double crusts)
Roll out very thin with plenty of flour.
Carefully put in pie plates and prick with fork all over.
Bake 400 degrees for 8 minutes, or until lightly browned.
*****(OR you can use ALL butter instead of butter and shortening)