Pie # 15: Chicken Pot Pie

As I write this post, the pie is actually baking in the oven. Please be impressed - usually I don't blog about a pie until 2 weeks after I actually ate it! A lack of procrastination is new for me :)

Yesterday, I asked my roommate/soulmate what kind of pie she wanted me to make and she requested Chicken Pot Pie. I'll be honest: this pie barely made my list because I love dessert. If it were up to me, I'd eat fruit pie for every meal of the day. However, I've had several people ask me about Chicken Pot Pie so it made the cut. I found this recipe on Our Best Bites (seriously, check them out! Everything I've made from this website is awesome). (Printable Version)

Crust:
All-Shortening Crust (Also from Our Best Bites!)

Filling:
5 medium potatoes (I used 8 small spuds)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 onion
1 lb leftover rotisserie chicken
1 tbsp butter
1 12 oz (frozen) bag peas and carrots (always makes me think of Forrest Gump)
salt and pepper to taste

Bring large pot of water to boil on stove. Dunk potatoes in there until they are soft when pierced with a fork. (This took longer than anticipated.) Chop up potatoes once they're done.

Heat butter in skillet. When bubbling, add diced onion until it's transparent and smells awesome. (If you're a weirdo about onions - like I am - feel free to zap them in the food processor a few times so they don't have that terrible texture. That's why my photo looks like I'm sauteing white mush.)

In large bowl, mix together soup, cut-up chicken, peas, carrots, onion and potatoes. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

It's important to enjoy yourself while you bake/cook :)

Top with pie crust, crimp edges together and cut vents in top. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Enjoy some warm comfort food.

Pie # 14: Classic Apple Pie

Everyone loves apple pie. In fact, I believe that if we were to survey all people capable of eating, the vast majority would agree that apple pie is their favorite. A classic recipe is a must in any household. I received this recipe from my new friends Luke and Cassie; they gave me this adorable pie plate with the recipe engraved in the bottom. (Note to self: make sure you know the ingredients prior to placing the bottom crust in the plate. I found that out the hard way.) Thanks, Luke and Cassie for the great recipe! This pie was demolished during the Halloween party I hosted last weekend. (Printable version)

Crust:
All-Shortening Crust

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar (I used slightly more)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tea nutmeg
1/2 tea cinnamon
pinch of salt
8 medium apples (peeled and sliced evenly)
2 tablespoons butter

Combine apples with sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

Pour into bottom crust. Dot with butter before placing top crust over filling. Seal edges.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and bake for 45-60 minutes.

The pumpkin and apple pies are ready for Halloween!

Better Homes and Gardens Pie Crust

Reason #128,974,957 I'm a terrible blogger: This is the only photo I took of the entire process.

Before I begin, I'd like to reiterate that there is a reason why I make the same pie crust each time. It's easy. It works for me. I know how it's supposed to look and feel. When it comes to pie crust, I'm a big believer in finding what works for you and sticking with it. Now that I'm blogging about pie, however, I'm forced to try new recipes - even when I don't want to. So here it is: a new crust recipe. (Don't get your hopes up.) Although I had mediocre results, maybe this will be "your" crust recipe.

Every Day Pie Crust

from Better Homes and Gardens

(Makes enough for 2 single-crust pies)
(Printable version)

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold butter (1 stick)

1/4 shortening

3 tablespoons ice water

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar

(I know: that's a lot of ingredients. Should have been my first clue.)

Combine dry flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter and shortening using a pastry blender.

Combine eggs, water, and vinegar in a separate, small bowl. Add to flour mixture.

EPIC fail: I had to keep adding water to get anything to stick together and by then, it was too late. I had "manhandled" the dough waaaaaaaay too much; the result was a tough crust. Not light and flaky like it's supposed to be.

To pre-bake: (I did this, because I used this crust for my pumpkin pie.)

Preheat oven to 425. Place rolled out pie crust into pie plate; using a fork, prick the bottom of the crust 3-5 times. Line with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 6-8 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Pie # 12: Caramel Apple Pie

Everyone will love this pie. I promise. I found this recipe about a year ago online and it became an instant hit. Ladies: if you ever want to impress a guy, this pie guarantees success. I know from experience.

(Printable Version)

Crust:
All-Shortening Crust

Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup flour
5 cups sliced apples (I used Granny Smith)
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Caramel-Apple Dip (found at any grocery store)

Make Taffy:
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter and 1/3 cup flour. (I heated mine on the stove for a few minutes) Mix and set aside.

Make Apple Filling:

Combine sliced apples, white sugar, 3 tbsp corn starch, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Mix well.

My helper insisted that I take a photo.

Spoon half of apple filling into pie crust. Top with several spoonfuls of store-bought caramel as well with 1/2 taffy. Repeat with one more layer.

Place top of pie crust over filling and seal edges before brushing with melted butter and sprinkling with raw sugar. Don't forget to cut vents and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

As you can see, the pie was a success. This photo was taken less than 24 hours after pulling it out of the oven.

Share this with any cute boy you want to ask you out. (Trust me.)

Pie # 10: Peach Pie

A basic peach pie: one of the best. For my dad's birthday, I baked this pie upon my mother's request.
(Printable version)

Crust:

All-Shortening Crust

Filling:

6 cups fresh, sliced peaches

1 cup sugar

6 Tbsp tapioca (Looking back, I should have used corn starch as a thickener. The tapioca didn't mix in well enough for an open face/lattice top pie.)

1 Tbsp butter

Raw sugar

Combine peaches, 1 cup sugar, and tapioca. Place into unbaked pie shell.

Roll out pie top. Use awesome cookie cutter to press adorable leaf shapes. Arrange artistically on pie.

Melt butter and brush over pie. Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 45-60 minutes. Share with family and friends :) DE-lish.

Pie # 8 Blackberry Pie

I made this a week ago and am just getting around to posting it now... My mom spontaneously bought a miniature pie plate for me so I was able to eat this pie within 24 hours. By myself. (Printable version)

Crust:
Make a half recipe of the all shortening crust.

Filling:
2 cups blackberries
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons tapioca
3 tablespoons water (A little confused about this addition, but I went with it.)
1 tablespoon butter

Make crust. Combine berries, sugar, tapioca and water. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for 20-25 more minutes.

And yes, this awesome new pie plate came with a press to make adorable pie tops. 

Break up butter into small pieces and dot along the top of filling before finishing the pie. Don't forget to sprinkle with raw sugar before you place pie in oven. 

Favorite All-Shortening Crust

I'm a big believer in making your own crust. This is also something I struggle with when making pie because it never seems to turn out the way my mom makes it. I found this recipe on Our Best Bites and learned how incredibly easy pie crust can be! After I got the hang of it, I searched through my own recipe book to start an attempt at my mother's recipe... Turns out it's exactly the same :)

(Printable version)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup and 2 Tbsp butter-flavor shortening
About 1/2 cup ice water
(This makes enough for a top and bottom crust. If you only need a bottom crust, cut the recipe in half.)

Mix together flour and salt.

Add shortening in small chunks. Use a pastry cutter to blend the shortening until pea-size shapes form.

Add water 1 Tbsp at a time. This part is important: do not stir. Using your hands, gently shift the dry mixture into the water so everything eventually becomes damp and sticks together. You are not mixing; you are just making sure water touches everything.

Eventually, you have dough. Separate into two discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Dough can last one day in fridge and longer in the freezer.