Pie oh My! (and a kitchen giveaway!)
Published August 20, 2010
(NOTE: Be sure to read all the way to the end for the giveaway!) When I first married Todd and we lived in a tiny apartment in Three Rivers, Michigan, I loved to putt around in our minuscule kitchen. The shiny new kitchen gadgets we’d received at our showers and for our wedding were a delight to me.
If you have read my book on hospitality, A Life That Says Welcome, you know I had about zero culinary skills when I began. To make matters worse, I married into a family full of people adept at interior decorating, sewing, baking, cooking and one who even ended up crafting a wildly successful bed and breakfast that was featured in Southern Living Magazine!
Well, I wanted to learn to be wildly successful in the kitchen too!
I started with pies.
Yes ma’am! I wanted to learn to whip me up a from-scratch crust, picked-the-fruit-up-at-a-southwestern-Michigan-roadside-stand, gen-u-ine perfect pie!
So I started with peach, since the fuzzy fruit was in peak season.
And folks, I took it waaaaay too seriously!
I stressed and obsessed.
I peeled and sliced, making sure all the slices were the same size.
I measured and sifted and rolled out the dough.
The result?
It was edible, but ugly.
Well, 24 years of practice has found me still making pies. (And it is true–practice does make perfect. Got myself three blue-ribbon rosettes from the Clinton County Fair to prove it!!!! Yes that is total bragging! But it was also to encourage you. If this Betty Crocker drop-out can learn to do it, anyone can!)
Seriously, pies are so versatile! They can break the ice with a new neighbor, say “I am praying for you” to a troubled family, “Thank you so much!” to the man who fixed your kitchen sink or “We are thrilled for you!” to the couple welcoming their first baby.
It has been a pie week around here. In our circle of friends pies were needed for two families who lost loved ones, one who welcomed baby number six, a dear grandpa of my son’s friend who ran him to baseball games at times we could not and we wanted to say thank you, a new friend who stayed home from work with a serious case of vertigo and couldn’t cook for her family, and yes, the friend who worked on the plumbing under my kitchen sink (uh…even thought that was many weeks ago and I’m just now getting him his promised peach pie. Sorry Doug!)
So, the total so far this week?
Seven and counting.
Now, while there are times I can make my blue-ribbon, flaky, from-scratch crust, let me just say, those roll-out refrigerated kinds work wonders too!!! And I did me some shortcut rolling this week to save time and my sanity.
Yes, I still love making pies. And I love the look on the faces of friends and strangers when I deliver one.
How about you? Will you set aside time this weekend to ask God who might be encouraged or cheered by a pie made from your sweet hands? Here are a few EASY recipes to get you started. (I’ll post the from scratch crust recipe here too for the brave.)
Easy Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie
One box roll-out refrigerated pie crust
2 1/2 C. chopped, cooked chicken
1 C. sharp cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag Freshlike frozen vegetables for soup (don’t just use mixed vegetables, find one that has potatoes in it too)
Salt and pepper
Mix all but crust in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I use about 4 shakes of salt and 6-8 of pepper.) Roll out one crust in a pie pan, leaving the edges hanging over.
Place ingredients from bowl into crust. Roll out second crust on top. Use your fingers to crimp edges of both crusts tightly together to seal. (I like NOT to have them hang over the edge of pan, but instead push them in close to the pie so the edge of the pan still shows. This prevents the edges of the crust from burning.)
Seal well with Saran wrap. Add a note that says: “Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.” Note: if they’d like to freeze the pie for later, it will be all wrapped and ready. Just make sure they know to fully thaw it before baking or it won’t be done in an hour.
Fresh Peach Pie
(This recipe is taken from the 1963 Martha Dixon Cookbook. She was a local Lansing, Michigan TV personality whom my mother loved. Her cookbook was re-released in 1984 and my mom bought me a new copy for a bridal shower gift. It is now vintage with splashes and stains, the way a cookbook should be!!!)
5-6 cups sliced fresh peaches
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 C. sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
One box roll-out refrigerator dough (or from-scratch recipe below)
Mix all but butter in a bowl. Turn into a crust-lined pie shell. Dot the top with butter. Cover with remaining edges. Crimp tightly, pushing toward pie and not leaving crust on the edge of the pan. (This prevents burning). Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.
From-Scratch Crust:
2 cups unbleached flour
scant cup butter-flavored Crisco (about a teaspoon or two less than a cup)
1 teaspoon salt
6-8 tablespoons of water from melting ice (seriously–cold tap water will not work, so get out a bowl, fill it with ice and let it begin melting a while before you begin).
Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender (or two forks if you don’t have one) Stir water in lightly to form a ball. DO NOT HANDLE TOO MUCH! It will make the dough tough, not flaky. Divide in half and roll out on a well floured counter to make a circle just a bit bigger in diameter than your pie pan. Repeat with top crust. Follow recipe for your favorite pie.
Okay–now for the giveaway. Leave a comment from now til midnight PST Sunday on pie. What kind of pie you like. What pies you make. Why you have never, ever made a pie. A funny flop-of-a-pie story. What kind of pie your hubby likes. Anything! One random winner will be chosen to receive a copy of my book A Life That Says Welcome along with a Paula Deen Apple pie-scented candle and a gen-u-ine kitchen pastry blender.
Happy Baking!
83 Responses to Pie oh My! (and a kitchen giveaway!)
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Hi Karen,
First of all, I loved your authenticity at She Speaks. Thank you, girl, for keeping it real!
Now, about pies. I adore apple pies. I’m from Michigan, so that makes sense. But now I live in Florida, and by the time we receive the apples way down here they just aren’t quite as good.
Back in the day (in Michigan) I’d go around the corner to Ashton’s Cider Mill and buy bushels of Ida Reds and prepare dozens of pies, then put them in my big freezer down in the basement so we could enjoy home made apple pies all year long. I really miss that! But I DO try to get home (to Michigan) every October. And I ALWAYS bring home fresh apples and bake a pie.
I loooovvee me some pie! Much netter than cake. But first on my list is chocolate. Chocolate pie with a nice fluffy meringue. I also make a chocolate chess pie. (Yes, I am a chocoholic!) I am no Betty Crocker or Paula Deen. And my pies always consist of the store bought crusts. From the pan or the ones you roll out. I will admit that I never even searched a recipe on how to make one from scratch….but you have provided! Now to be brave and try it!
And thanks for the chicken pie recipe. Needed something else to add to my menu for next week! Off to the grocery store!!
I love Paula!! My favorite pie to make is apple pie!
My favorite pie is Peanut Butter Pie, but not just any peanut butter pie. I found a recipe and decided to use a graham cracker crust instead of regular. The recipe then has you put chocolate in the bottom of the crust. Then you have your peanut butter layer topped off with more chocolate. I LOVE it, but only make it once a year or so. It’s too much temptation!
I love to make pie but ALWAYS use the roll out crust. People always comment on the crust so I figured never a reason to learn a “from scratch” version
My husband’s favorite pie is apple and I felt quite esteemed when he declared my pie even better than his Mom’s!! Recently I made a cherry pie for the very first time and fell in love! It’s my favorite pie and I was surprised how easy it was to make. Pie truly is a wonderful gift! Thanks for the recipes Karen!!
I am new to pie-baking- the first (and only!) pie I have made was for my husband’s birthday. I actually did an everything made from scratch apple pie. I even attempted to lattice the crust. It wasn’t too bad for a first attempt I guess, but I look forward to trying again and making it better! For me though, nothing is better than a chocolate pie!
I love peach and strawberry pies! My favorite meal to take people is a chicken pot pie. A big hit everytime.
It is so timely for you to post a peach pie recipe! I have been making peach cobblers. (easier than pie to me) I had been thinking of trying a pie instead for the rest of the peaches that I have. I am not good at the whole crust thing, but am willing to try and learn! I can practice between now and November and surprise the family at Thanksgiving with a beautiful pie! Probably visions of grandeur but I will give it a go anyway. Thanks for sharing and for a fun contest!
We have a 75 year old neighbor who calls every once in a while and says, “I have a lonely pumpkin pie over here. Would you mind if I brought it over?” Her pies are delicious! When I asked for her recipe she laughed and told me it was on the pumpkin can. It makes two pies so she always has one to share. That has become my favorite pumpkin pie recipe! Thank you for the post today, Karen!
My favorite pie to make is apple, but my husband’s favorite to eat is blackberry! I love to take my kids to pick the blackberries… somehow it makes the pie sweeter
I come from a long line of great cooks and learned alongside my mom in her kitchen. I made my first pie 9 years ago as a new bride. It was a saskatoon/rhubarb pie and the crust was made from scratch. It turned out good for the very first try. To this day, that is still my very favourite pie and I get rave reviews about it from friends & family (okay, I am bragging just a little!). Thank you for sharing:)
I love cherry! But, apple is my specialty.
Okay, you are making me feel bad. My husband’s absolute favorite dessert in the whole world is a homemade apple pie. But I lean more toward chocolate cake, brownies, cookies, cheesecake…so that is what I make. Tonight we had already planned on making homemade pizza “pies” I guess I’ll add and apple pie to the mix! You’ll be my hubbies favorite person!
I have an “Andy Rooney” comment on pie. Have you ever noticed that a slice of pie has a major architectural flaw? Whenever you eat one from the point end, as everyone does, it falls over by the time you’re halfway through. Why do we put up with this? It works better to eat it from the crust side toward the point. But nobody does that, so it makes you look like a dork when you’re really just being sensible!
That said, I love pie. I agree 110 % with all the other chocolate lovers who have already commented. French Silk- mmmmmmm!
Favorite pie is peach! My grandma used to make a grated apple pie with a crumb topping–yumm. I agree a pie is so much better than cake–actually there is no comparison!
I’m not a pie person, so I hardly ever make them, but I have made 3 blueberry pies in the last 10 days. Even with homemade crust!
My favorite pie in the whole world is my mom’s apple pie. It is perfect! I have only baked pies with her. I am intimidated and very insecure about doing it on my own and it seems like it takes a really long time. Thanks for the recipes.
In the spring & summer, I like Lemon Meringue! But come fall, I can’t wait for some creamy Pumpkin Pie!
I’m not sure I’ve ever met a pie I didn’t like
My Grandma used to bake me a rhubarb (NO strawberries!) pie for my birthday every year… lately my favorite has been coconut cream pie.
I LOVE pie. I’d rather have my birthday candles in a pie than a cake. And Michigan roadside stands – blueberries, peaches, cherries…mmmmm. But I have never mastered the crust. And I even have a hard time with the refrigerated kind. But I’m going to try your recipe. My husband like peach pie, so I’m goin’ for the whole shootin’ match! Thanks!
I had to giggle when I came over here…first comment from Julie Gillies
I miss those up north apples too! My parents are bringing some from WV next week! Hope to make one pie out of them!!!!
Apple Pies are our favorite here….Would like to find a good amish recipe for Peanut Butter Pie..hubby loves those!
And would love to win your contest! God Bless!
I once took a shoo-fly pie to a get-together. My husband took the first piece, then quietly took me aside and told me there was something wrong with it. So I tasted it and discovered it was horribly strong and bitter. Instantly I knew what was wrong. I had used blackstrap molasses in it rather than the mild and sweet baking molasses. We surreptitiously removed the pie from the table and put it back in the carrier to be taken home and discarded. Will I never get too old for blunders???
I love a delish apple pie. I was very young (about 10 or 11) when my grandmother taught me how to make her homemade country apple pie. Everytime I went to her house she always had one in the oven or just out of the oven. In other words, perfect for adding a scoop of ice cream. On occasion she would make a blackberry cobbler using the fresh berries we had just picked. Apple pie and chocolate cake were her specialties. She passed away right at 2 years ago. Thank you for reviving such wonderful memories.
I have only made one real pie once in my life. It didn’t turn out so great. My mom was great at making pies. Unfortunately, we lost her when I was 18 and for the time I had her in my life I was far from interested in learning from her. I do regret that. But I’m going to make up for it now. I have been so ready to overcome my fear and jump in the kitchen and just do it. I want to make crust from scratch. Homemaking seems to be a lost art that is making a come back with all my peers. So many ladies my age are growing gardens, sewing, cooking homemade meals. I’m so excited to be a part of this movement! I’m ready to get in the kitchen and bake a pie!
I think the best pie I ever made was a two time prize winner – Raspberry Pie. It took first place two years in a row at our hometown festival. I inherited my ability to make good pie crust from my Grandmother (my mom couldn’t seem to get it right so she did the boughten thing). Every time I roll out my pie crust, I think of my Grandma Bailey.
In our family I make the crust and my loving husband who says his favorite pie is “pie with one crust and pie with 2 crusts”…he does love pie that much and our 6 yr old is following in that family tradition.
We love strawberry rhrbarb pie as after a long winter (we live in northern MN) when the rhubarb is in season we know winter is done for another year! Just have to remember to freeze some strawberries over the winter.
Tonight I’m making your fresh peach pie for the first time and some chicken pot pie (since I’ll have the pie crust made already)..yumm.
I am new to rolling cust but we continue on and keep at it as homemade dough is the best.
Cannot wait for Heart in MN. Happy pie baking.
I like to make pies. I usually make them with the store bought crust. My favorite pie is the French Silk pie from Baker’s Square restaurant, but my husband likes all kinds of fruit pies, so that is what I make.
i LOVE good, homemade lemon meringue pie!
My mom and I get together for pie and coffee at least once a week..heck any pastry in a pinch! We have done this for quite some time…years, and we enjoy it alot. Mom was diagnosed w/ a life threatening illness earlier this year so those “sweet get togethers” mean the world to me. We talk about everything and anything and get a tasty treat all at the same time…what can be better than that? We love coconut and banana cream and pumpkin. But if we go to the store or out to eat, if a pie catches our eye (and our taste buds!) we’ll buy it to share over some coffee and chat.
Yummy! You have inspired me to make a peach pie this weekend. Can’t wait. I’m drooling already!
Hugs,
LeAnn
We are a pie loving family! My pie story … My husband taught me how to make pies when we were first married. I had never made one and only thought “Marie Callender’s” made them.
JEFF showed me how to make from scratch crust and make great pies. It birthed our yearly “pie bake off,” when Jeff and I both make a pie and compete. 
Our friends and family judge the pies, and we give one the title of “prettiest” pie and one the title of “best tasting.” It’s a great family tradition. And … I love your book “A Life That Says Welcome” ~
I love to bake, cook, and create. Time is my only enemy in this department; however, since taking the plunge of faith to come back home, I hope to have more time for these special memories. I do intend on baking a pie this very weekend. We are going to either have pumpkin or buttermilk/sugar creme pie.
I remember many years ago when my oldest was four years old and we just gave birth to our youngest son, I decided to create our own lil family Thanksgiving tradition rather than get with the whole family. I took my hands to making a pumpkin pie garnished with maple (pie crust) leaves and vines. I was so nervous I would burn the maple leaves/vines but was pleased it turned out very pretty along with our Baked Tuxedo Turkey and other goodies. It was a very memorable Thanksgiving! I am so thankful that I stuck with it-all those hours-for my oldest still talks about that special day. Great Memories!
Hi Karen,
Last summer my family and I picked a lot of marionberries, dark berries that resemble blackberries and grow in the NW. When we got home I not only decided to make a berry pie, but I decided to make the crust myself for the first time since my Grandma showed me how 25+ years ago. It was a stressful but successful process: the pie was beautiful! We decided to freeze it to eat in the fall or winter. After I placed it gently into the freezer I realized that I had forgotten to wash the berries before adding the sugar and baking the pie. I spent months worrying, fretting, dreading the day I’d finally have to serve the pie. I told my pie-woe story to anyone who would listen. This spring my husband had had enough of my pie-phobia so he bravely defrosted and ate the pie. He didn’t choke on sticks or gag on leaves! It was almost anticlimactic after all that worry. This summer I made and froze a raspberry pie. I washed the berries twice…..
I love to cook, but baking is another story. Oh sure, I can handle the basic brownies, cookies and cakes. But pies, bread, anything more elaborate…forget it. Fortunately, I married a man who likes to experiment in the kitchen. He’ll bake bread, pie, and my new favorite, cheesecakes. It’s great to have a partner that fills in the gaps for my timidity in the kitchen!
Karen,
I am 54 and have never made a homemade pie. I have always thought that the crust would be to hard to handle. Your recipes sound great. May have to try my hand at my first pie.
I have made a cobbler – plenty of times. Peach is my favorite.
Thanks for your pie recipes — I can’t wait to try them. I am always looking for new recipes.
I started making pies for my husband after we got married (14 years ago). His favorite is apple. My son is nine — he requests a pie for his birthday every year instead of birthday cake. My first pies were not very pretty, but I’ve had lots of practice and yes, totally bragging, I won first first prize in a pie bakeoff. It’s a fun way to serve my family and other loved ones . . . 
I love to bake … cakes & brownies and a nice strawberry pie which is so simple..the on thing you bake is the pie crust…which oh yeah is in the package. I have never learned to make my onw crust but will try your reciepes they look great. We love chicken pot pie but I could never make it myself before … I will try now thank you so much! Oh and my husband loves apple pie and the only time he gets it is when we go out to dinner…so I am going to try and surprise him with a homemade apple pie of his own…can’t wait to see his face. The girls love chocolate so after I conqure the homemade crust my girls will be more than happy to help me with the fillings…can’t wait….thanks again!!!!
Karen,
My favorite pie is lemon meringue! Yummy!
I love love loved your message from She Speaks, thank you! I am trying to fast from certain things and to instead feast on God’s Word. I’ve already memorized the verse I took from the cross that day and am working on the book of James too!
Blessings to you,
Andrea Fortenberry
I love several pies, but really make just one. I love fresh strawberry pie from Marie Calendars; French Silk pie from Bakers Square. I make pumpkin pie from scratch at Thanksgiving. My hubby is a big apple pie and banana cream pie fan.
I love a good Key Lime Pie and my husband will do most anything for a Banana Cream Pie!!
Pies oh my! I love blueberry pie but have never made one. An easy pie that I do make and the family enjoys, especially in the hot summer is Lemonade Pie.
I loved your article on pies! I’ve been cooking since I was nine (I’m now approaching 55!). A few years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, thus no wheat or other gluten!!!!! I’ve tried to make several types of pies–pumpkin, pecan, apple–but I haven’t found a great gluten-free homemade crust yet. Peach sounds sooooooooo good right now; maybe I should go try making a GF crust right now and make peach!!!
Bless and Highly Favored from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (:
Karen- just want to say I love your simple ways from cleaning to cooking. Enjoyed seeing you in Normal, IL last March. I do not make pies, however I love crisps. Not much of a pie crust person. I like the crumb-like crust in the crisp better.
All pies are tasty,well most pies! ha!!! I have made a few pies in my time but my first pie really sticks out because I worked so hard on that pie and I was a teenager so I was a little ignorant but I did a good job and I gave this pie to my grandfather as a fathers day present.He cut the pie open and started laughing so hard! I was getting really upset and I grabbed the pie to see why he was making fun of me and do you know that I dropped the peeler that I peeled the apple with in the pie before I put the dough on top!My grandfather said “did you think I was gonna get arrested? It was supposed to be a file anyway not a peeler.” He just made me so mad.I laugh now!
My very first attempt at making a pie was for a home ec assignment my sophomore year of high school. I was so proud of myself as I rolled and patted my crust out. I honestly don’t even remember what I filled the crust with but do remember the first bite into the crust. It was disgusting or as my 7 year old would say it…D-scusting! It took us a little bit of sleuthing to figure out what had gone wrong…I had forgotten to add the salt. Salt might not seem like an important ingredient but let me tell you it was. I honestly don’t think I have attempted to make a pie crust from scratch since then. Pillsbury does a fine job and I am happy to let them!
I love most all pies, except pecan. Can’t stand pecan pie! That peach pie recipe looks awesome.
The first time I tried to make pie crust from scratch I used my grandmother’s recipe which called for a “touch” of vinegar. Well, I ended up adding more like a splash of vinegar. The whole kitchen smelled like vinegar while this pie baked. Luckily, no one seemed to notice – well, they all ate the pie anyways!
Why does pie making sound oh so wonderful, I love to cook and am called “Chef Mamma” by my kids and I a so afraid to tackle pies!!!!! 3 of my kids and I went blueberry picking this summer and eneded up with 12lbs. of fresh blueberries, fat and juicy and they begged to be put in a pie shell and I froze
3 gallon size bags and we ate the rest. I am a chicken! I believe it is the crust issue, I have never tried one and can’t find prepared ones that don’t have red dye 40 or high fructose corn syrup so i don’t use them. What to do,peaches are great right now so do I dig in and go for it? We’ll see! Thanks for the great recipes!
The only pie I ever make is Mr.s Smith’s Dutch apple pie. The house smells great when i’ts baking and my husband loves it a la mode. Thanks for your encouraging website!
I love baking. Pies are not my #1 thing to make but I do make them. My husband likes any and all pies that i make. My grandmother made the best apple pie and occassionally my husband says mine is right up there with hers. Thats enough said to keep me baking pies! A funny on myself about pie baking. I served my made-from-scratch banana cream pie to visiting friends one night. Something happend that kept the pie from getting thick. One of the guests, asked for a straw!! That was years ago and I’m still teased about it. Thank goodness, my cream pies are no longer runny!
Thanks Karen for the chance to win your book. Blessings
Hard to pick just one favorite! Blueberry is wonderful, but Cherry is the all time favorite! Pumpkin is delightful in the Fall……I too, like to use Pillsbury Pie Crust. It’s always good and it’s stress-free! My kind of baking!
I have never made an actual from scratch pie. I’ve always been a little scared to try! My favorite pie is one my grandma used to make…chocolate pecan. I have gotten a little braver in the kitchen this year – so maybe I’ll try a pie.
I’m making 2 peach pies today, sometimes I make my own crust, other times the store kind is my choice.
all pies are my faves. hard to decide. Apple, cherry, peach, mixed berry, and pecan. you name it I love pie
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
My husband’s favorite is pecan and I enjoy making them for him. I have never tried from scratch crust because Pillsbury pie crust is so nice and easy
I like to make pecan and coconut pies for church lunches.
My grandmother was a pie-baker-extraordinaire. You could not visit her home without a fresh pie available to eat. She made all kinds, and all from scratch. Sadly, her recipes were in her head and went to the grave with her 18 years ago. None of her children or grandchildren seemed to have the mental wherewithall to try to watch her and put the recipes on paper when we could have.
My husband and his family love pie – and prefer it to all other desserts. Since they are all pie bakers, I am never asked to bring a pie to a family gathering – they just do it themselves. I make them at home occasionally, but lack the time to do it often; and we don’t need the calories! lol
As for my husband’s favorite pie, they are all his favorites, except for anything with coconut. He hates the texture of coconut, so that is the one thing we never make.
My favorite pie to make is peanut butter because it is easy and everyone in my family likes it. Everyone loves my apple pie, but I only make it a few times a year because it is labor intense. I made blueberry last week with freshly picked Michigan blueberries from the local orchard – YUM!
Ok, I have to confess, cooking is not my gift. I wish it were my gift. Years ago when first married I tried making a pumpkin pie from scratch. I think I was tramatized when finished after so much effort and stress, and I was standing near the trash can and the pie just fell right into that can just way too easily. My husband thought it was very funny. I didn’t at the time because I had a migraine! I haven’t made a pie since. I do cakes, not pies. I’m too intimidated in the kitchen. Isn’t that pathetic. Are we talking this gal needs a cooking mentor. I think after all these years (and I’m not saying how many), I’m not gonna ask for one. I just have to keep some secrets to myself-ha. All good talents do take practice and cooking is one practice I haven’t taken up. Is it too late for me?? Don’t answer! It’s too overwhelming…All in kidding.I’m so glad there’s take out.
I would like to add the story of my first ever pie. Well, when I was in fifth grade, we were supposed to choose a project to go with reading a book. The main character in my book made a lemon meringue pie, so that is what I chose to do. I made the whole thing from scratch from the Betty Crocker cookbook, with no help from my mom who could not bake. It actually wasn’t too awful until I got to the meringue. I don’t know what I did wrong, but it would not beat up high. It ended up very flat! I brought the pie to school and the teacher and I each ate a piece at lunchtime, and she gave me an A. For taste – not appearance. It really did taste pretty good, especially for a fifth grader who had no help from a parent. I’ve never made a lemon meringue pie since, but I do collect recipes for them. As if someday I will overcome the trauma and try again! Too funny.
According to the season, I have several favorites. In the fall, it is a caramel apple pie, at Christmas, it is a chocolate fudge pie. Spring time brings around the old fashioned lemon icebox pie, and during the summer, we love blueberry pie fresh from our bushes.
I love to make triple berry pie. Use the refrigerator crust. Maybe I’ll get brave one day and try the made from scratch crust! Thanks fo the chance to win.
Cherry definitely is my husbands favorite! I’ve always made from scratch, but am encouraged by your post to make more pies (to give away) and use refridgerator pie crust
) Thanks for your recipes and time you give to share!
Our family’s favorite are apricot fried pies. My husband’s Oklahoma grandmother made these, and I am carrying on the tradition. My husband says he likes two pies – hot and cold! Really, for many birthdays my kids chose pies over cakes.
I love love custard pie.
I am actually afraid to make pies.
I have tried but the crust always turns out bad.
I know I have to get over this fear and perhaps one of these days I will.
So for a few years in a row the PTA at my sons’ school sent the teachers home at Thanksgiving Break with homemade pies. I jumped right in my first year here and offered to make two apple pies. Well, pie is one of those things that you can not really taste test. You get what you get but you don’t really know what that is until you serve it up! Admittedly my pies looked great on the outside but I heard from my son’s teacher that it wasn’t so great on the inside. I love that we can be honest with each other and that she didn’t rave on about something that was not really able to be raved about. I know that in the furture I should stick to what I know or practice more on my family!
How funny, I just got off the phone with my friend who wants me to teach her daughter how to make pies. Mine are good but not pretty, you have to be patient to make the crust look lovely and I am not a patient baker…
My hubby loves pies and he and my three sons have conspired, I think, to always say, “You make the best pies and pie crust.” “Your crust is perfect.” That keeps me from getting to take those shortcuts I would like to but it is so sweet of them to continually encourage me. One of my best is Pecan Pie, we make it for my husband’s birthday and Father’s Day and my oldest has taken after his dad and asks for it for his birthday along with his favorite dinner, chicken pot pie…yikes so much crust to make and his birthday is Halloween! I have found I can make the crust and freeze it and it still turns out ok, hey, the store sells it frozen and I need some shortcut, especially on Halloween. This will be my first year where my son won’t be home on his birthday since he will be a freshmen in college….I have a funny feeling I will be making chicken pot pie and pecan pie that night anyway and thinking of him! (Or drive the 3 hour round trip ride and drop it off at his dorm!)
Thanks for the reminder and chance to reminisce. And to all you ladies out there afraid to try your own crust, find an older lady at your church who is a good pie maker, there must be one, and ask her to show you. She will be delighted and you will learn a new skill to pass on to the next generation!
I LOVE pie!! Well, actually any kind of baked good or pastry is good with me.
It is so hard to choose a favorite pie, I think my favorite varies with the seasons. Pecan in the fall, Peach in the summer, my favorite time for a blueberry pie is in the winter with the blueberries we picked in the summer and froze. Not necessarily a pie, but we all love quiche with a great flaky crust!
I love to make my own crust but there are times that the Pillsbury crust is necessary because of time restraints and it is always a good crust too.
I can’t say I’ve made a pie from scratch by myself, but I HAVE helped my grandma-who came from the generation w/o bread machines and so made just about everything from scratch. We made an apple pie and it turned out perfectly. I guess I’m hesitant for a couple reasons……1. Her pie was so perfect…to the criss-crossed homemade crust to the ooey gooey apple center. 2. She’s in Heaven now and unfortunately no one else in my family has made one before.
I know I should just “get over it” and try.
As for my fav pies……not too picky any will do!!
~Amy
I love peanut butter pie. It has always been a favorite of mine.
I recently moved and met a new neighbor who recently lost her husband. I am so excited because she is going to teach me how to make a pie crust from scratch. She learned in Home Ec. some 60 years ago. We plan to make a chocolate pie.
I am 35 years old and I have made one pie during my lifetime. This summer, I finally checked “make a pie” off my annoying list of annoying things I did not really want to do, but felt like I needed to do anyway. We have some land where wild black raspberries grow like crazy. So, I had the main ingredient. I just couldn’t muster the motivation to make the crust from scratch. I will admit that I used a pre-made crust. But, I still made a pie. People actually ate it. It was not a pretty pie. But, it was edible. That’s what counts, right?! Well, that is what I am telling myself. I checked “make a pie” off my list!
My favorite pie to make is a buttermilk pie. Several years ago, when I was a young mother, I decided I wanted to make an “old lady pie” so I perused a cookbook and found the buttermilk pie! Perfect. And it is my son’s all time favorite!
BUT I have never even attempted to make a crust myself.
We like pecan; it is easy and delicious!
Our family favorite is Chocolate Pecan Pie. I am not an extraordinary chef, in fact i get a little anxious at 5pm when the dinner prep begins….burned, overcooked, unrecognnziable are my 3 specialites!
) However I do love to bake and I make a yummy Pecan Pie! I use a recipe from my sister in law for the Choc Pecan Pie and it is a Thanksgiving & Christmas fave!
I remember as a very young bride moving into a new town, far away from family and friends when a sweet family showed up on our side porch, friends from my hubby’s work came by to deliver a homemade pie and a box of veggies from their kids’ garden…i felt so very welcomed and loved. We were fast friends with that dear family!
Those recipes sound yummy!
I remember in our early years of married life I was to bring pumpkin pies over to Aunt Azile’s (in laws). I was so proud, they looked beautiful.
I was smiling as everyone took a piece, knowing for sure they were to be just a delicious, BUT… they weren’t enjoying their pie. Utterly confused I tasted a piece and discovered I omitted the sugar.
The following year I made more pumpkin pies for my side of the family, and guess what I forgot to put in? Right! The sugar.
Now pumpkin pie is my favorite to make, but even to this day I have to make sure I take a deliberate look at the sugar canister.
When I was growing up I was blessed to get to spend ALOT of time with my grandmother. She meant the world to me, and I still miss her to this day. Anyway, I would get to her house on Friday evening, and she ALWAYS had a homemade chocolate pie waiting for me! It was my favorite! We would sit and talk about the week, have a nice cold glass of milk and a BIG slice of that pie! Then we would stay up late playing UNO, and to be honest, there was a few times that the next morning there was NO pie left! rofl
I use the refrigerated pie crust everytime and love it! One of my favorites is the sour cherries with almond flavoring added – yummy. Made a peach pie a few weeks ago that was yummy. I was not confident in the kitchen as a young bride – hung up on not making mistakes and wanting everything to be perfect. I got over that pretty fast! Thanks for your encouragement to encourage others.
I am not a wonderful pie maker, but my all time favorite is using fresh apples (Sept & Oct are coming right up!) and making home made apple pie. My mom loves lemon meringue pie, but there is no way I can make it-I can never get the meringue to the right consistency… so I usually get it at the bakery…I know it’s cheating
Hubby eats any kind of pie except for toutiere pie, which is something my French Canadian family enjoys.
I had a crazy weekend and am now just getting a chance to see your post. Thank you for the great recipes! I am always looking for new ones. I can’t wait to try the chicken pot pie! I am not a baker but, will be going out this week to find some peaches. I might actually try to surprise my husband with a made from scratch peach pie
I too use to make many pies when my kids were young. They loved them. I love the easy cream cheese cherry with the graham caracker crust. Love your articles!
I used to make pies all the time. My favorite is apple. Since I’ve been married (20 years), I haven’t made hardly any. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because it is too time consuming. However, I am going to make a couple of peach pies this week and hand them out. I know a couple of people that could really use them. Thanks for reminding me that it is not about “me” but about doing things for others. Nanci
I am usually a cobbler kind of girl. I guess because I’m always in such a rush and with a cobbler you just dump it all in there. Pies definitely take time. That’s probably what makes them so good. I have fond memories of my mom’s pecan pies. She’s gone from this world now, but I just used her recipe to make that pecan pie just the other day and it transported me back to many good memories.
Wow! Lots of pie lovers out there! I have too many favorites so I will add to the Peach Pie Lovers total…just put on a scoop of homemade ice cream…drooling on my keyboard….lol! Do you think there will be pie in heaven?
I’m not a pie maker. Growing up my sister made the pies and I made the cakes and cookies. But my husband loves pecan pie. So I learned from the Karo bottle how to make a really good one. I changed it just a little bit putting extra vanilla in it. Everyone loves my pecan pie! As for crust, everytime I’ve tried I just end up with a mess. But that isn’t going to stop me, I’ll keep trying. Meanwhile, thank goodness for the store bought ones!
Blessings,
Vonnez