Arlene Dunning's Pie

  Ssheww! I don't know know about you, but I'm glad to finally be sitting down after a long afternoon in the  kitchen preparing for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast! This year's celebration will be bitter-sweet for my family, as we mourn the loss of my dear grandma who passed away this last week after a months-long battle with cancer. She will be very missed, but we are so thankful for the blessing of having known this courageous, hard-working woman. One of my earliest food memories (because my best memories involve food!) is of standing on a stool between my gramma and my mom learning to can peaches. Gramma let me use this itty bitty knife to take the skin off the peaches and I felt so grown up! Today while working in the kitchen, I was reminded of gramma while struggling with my pie crust (yet again!) My gramma was the best pie maker I've known. For twenty years I've been struggling to duplicate her delicate, flakey crusts, but for the life of me, I just can't get it right! Pie crust making is beginning to be a lost art, and with the plethora of ready-made crusts on the market it's tempting to quit trying, but something inside just won't let me (it's probably my ocd). The recipe I'm posting today (and made today) is a lot like gram's and very good, but I'm still workin' on that tender crust. So anyway, hug your loved ones really tight tomorrow and let them know how much you love them, and from my family to yours, have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful for you, friends!

Pastry for Double- Crust Pie

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup ice water (may need more)

Directions:
-In a food processor with blade attachment pulse flour and salt together.

-Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs

-With processor running, pour in water through feed tube. Stop motor and pinch dough. It should be moist enough to hold together. If not, add 1-2 Tblsp. more water.
-Shape dough into two round disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (If chilling overnight, let dough stand at room temp. at least 30 minutes before rolling out.)

-On a floured surface, roll out dough into 12 inch circle and ease into pie plate. Trim edge, leaving 1-inch overhang.

- Spoon filling into crust. Roll out remaining dough and place on top of filling. Fold overhang under; make decorative edge. Cut 1-2 slits in top to allow steam to escape. Bake as directed.

Peach Pie

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

pinch of salt
7 cups peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced (I used canned, unsweetened, well drained peaches)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. butter, cut up.

-Preheat oven to 425.

- Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add peaches and lemon juice. Toss gently to combine.
-Spoon filling into prepared pie crust. Dot with butter and place remaining dough on top. Finish edge and cut slits.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 375 and bake for 40-60 minutes more or until filling bubbles in center. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning during the last 20 minutes or so.
-Cool on wire rack 1 hour to serve warm or cool completely.