Did you know that January 23 was National Pie Day? I didn't, until a friend of mine mentioned it on Facebook. I accused her of making it up so she would have an excuse to bake a pie. (She is a wonderful baker!) She straightened me out — not only on the fact of National Pie Day but on the fact that she doesn't need an excuse to bake a pie!!

National Pie Day was created by the American Pie Council® so we can all celebrate this delicious dessert called PIE! I'm certainly not going to argue with that.

Just about the only dessert I ever make is pie. I don't get much baking done anymore, but when I make a pie, it is usually coconut cream or chocolate cream.  Years ago an older friend of mine shared her cream pie filling with me. It is so quick and easy to make. As a kid I absolutely hated standing at the stove stirring puddings while they slowly cooked. Anyway, I didn't realize when she gave me the recipe that she cooked it over a double boiler (which she just assumed I would know). I put the pan directly on the burner and it worked great. Haven't changed my technique for it since! But, I digress …

In honor of National Pie Day (and because I had some lemons to use), I decided to try a new recipe. I think this one is a winner!

Sour Cream-Lemon Pie

Ingredients:

1    c. sugar

3½ Tbs. cornstarch

1    Tbs. grated lemon rind

½   c. fresh lemon juice

3    egg yolks, slightly beaten

1    c. milk

¼   c. butter

1    c. sour cream

1    9-inch pie shell, baked

1    c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

      lemon twists for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon rind, juice, egg yolks, and milk in heavy saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat until thick. (The lemon pudding takes time to cook, and you must stir it almost constantly to keep it from scorching. Pay attention to this! Mine started scorching because I got sidetracked and didn't stir it for a bit! A bad habit of mine.)
3. Stir in butter and cool mixture to room temperature.
4. Stir in sour cream and pour filling into pie shell.
5. Cover with whipped cream and garnish with lemon twists.
6. Store in refrigerator.

Thanksgiving is wonderful day to pause and reflect on the many blessings that we have and realize we have.  It is also a day to reflect and give thanks on the many blessings that we take for granted, which include the many freedoms we take for granted each day, and the many gifts we have that come to us in a variety of packages.

The difficult challenge is to stretch our comfort zone to return our thanks and share our blessings with others in our all too busy lifestyle.  Thanksgiving is a great time to take time and analyze how we can spend time giving to others in our daily lives and to those in our local communities and global communities.

Keisha made a pecan pie for our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was great. Following are the recipes she used. This pie crust is now our favorite!

Best Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1  c. all-purpose flour

7  Tbs. cold salted butter

¼ c. ice water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift flour into mixing bowl.
3. Using large holes of a hand grater, grate butter into bowl with flour.
4. Lightly blend butter and flour with your fingertips until texture is like coarse cornmeal; be careful not to overwork dough.
5. Add ice water and blend until thoroughly incorporated.
6. For dough into ball, and place on floured surface; roll out dough to ⅛-inch thick, adding flour as necessary.
7. Place 8½-inch pie pan face down on dough, and cut dough to fit, leaving a border of about 1 inch.
8. Line pie pan with dough, trim edges, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Yields: One 8½-inch pastry shell.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

3    eggs

1    c. white sugar

1    c. dark corn syrup

2    Tbs. melted butter

1½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

⅛   tsp. salt

½   c. darkly roasted pecans, ground

1    c. med. pecan pieces

¾   c. pecan halves

1    unbaked 8½-in. pie shell

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare pie shell; set aside.
3. In electric mixer, add eggs and beat on high speed until frothy, about 1 minute.
4. Add sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, salt, and ground roasted pecans; beat on medium speed until well blended.
5. Stir in pecan pieces; pour filling into prepared pie shell.
6. Spread pecan halves on top filling, and press lightly.
7. Bake for 40 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees F., and bake until filling is brown on top and crust is light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Yields: One 8½-inch pie.

Dear Readers,

Each year I plan to get ahead for Thanksgiving so that I can spend more relaxation time to actually be with my family instead of racing around like a chicken with its head cut off. Each year I do not quite reach my goal.

This Sunday we decided to plan recipes to make and pull out of the freezer on Thanksgiving. My mother always made homemade pie crust and squash pie for Thanksgiving. It is delicious and freezes well, so please be sure to check out the recipes below. I'm sure your family will love it, and it is also more colorful and festive than the traditional pumpkin pie. The pie crust recipe below is also excellent—extremely quick and easy, and it makes the most wonderful flaky crust.

Wishing you all the best in the upcoming holiday season,

Karen

Easy Flaky Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1-1/2  c. all-purpose flour, not self-rising.

2        Tbs. sugar

1/2     tsp. salt (optional)

1/6     c. cold vegetable shortening (1/6 c. = 2 Tbs. + 2 tsp.)

1/3     c. cold butter

1/4     c. cold water

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, sugar, and shortening; do not make it too smooth or uniform—little pea-sized granules makes a flaky crust.
2. Sprinkle in just enough water to make it hold together; a good dough consistency. Just mix it enough to make it into pieces that hold together about the size of a pea.  DO NOT over mix it!
3. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
4. Use pie crust bag or two sheets of waxed paper to roll out dough.
5. Shake some flour into bag or on waxed sheets to prevent dough from sticking.
6. Roll out to an even thickness, about 1/8 inch thick and an inch or two wider than your pie pan.
7. Place dough into pie pan, and press down to conform to shape of pan.
8. Seal any broken areas, and shape top edge in any pattern you like; just for appearance's sake.
9. The crust is now ready for pie filling!

Yields: 1 single pie crust.

Best Squash Pie

Ingredients:

1        med. butternut squash

2        c. whole milk

1        c. evaporated milk

1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

6        eggs

1/2     tsp. nutmeg

1        Tbs. ground cinnamon

1        tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut squash into 4 pieces; remove seeds.
3. Boil until meat is soft; cool, then remove skin and discard.
4. In blender, combine the cooked squash gradually with the milk.
5. Pour into large mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients, and mix well.
6. Pour creamy mixture into 3 unbaked pie shells.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F., and continue baking for about 45 minutes or until knife inserted into middle comes out clean.
8. Let cool before cutting.

Yields: 3 pies.