Pie Crust Recipe

This is the most amazing pie crust recipe I have ever found. I do not know the original source but my aunt Sylvia shared it with me


Pie Crust Recipe
5 C. Flour
2 C. shortening
1 Egg
2/3 C. cold water
1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon. Brown Sugar
pinch of salt

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl - I use my kitchenaid mixer 
2. Separate into 2 balls cover in plastic wrap and chill.
3. For the best pie making, let the crust warm up a little bit before you roll it out. It really helps when the crust is still a little bit cold, because it makes it easier to work with.
4. Follow baking instruction with what ever pie you make or to make a crust for a non-baked pie bake crust at 375 degrees for 15-22 minutes

Makes 4, 9 inch pie crusts.
Keeps in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Autumn Centerpiece

Create an autumn bouquet for your Thanksgiving dinner centerpiece:

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

There are sooooo many Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipes on the internet. All the ones I read, had comments complaining about the lack of a "pumpkin taste" or were too caky. Challenged by my friend, Cait, I came up with this recipe. The "pumpkin" was perfect, the cookie, very "snickerdoodle-y", and my three year old mastered the art of pushing a chair across the kitchen to reach WAY TOO many cookies.

 I had every intention of posting a half eaten cookie so you could see how orange they were inside but half-eaten cookies weren't sitting around waiting for a photo shoot. 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles:
1 cup butter (softened) 

3/4 c brown sugar 

3/4 c sugar 

1 egg 

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

3/4 cup + 2 TBS Roasted Pumpkin Puree (you could also use canned, unsweetened, pumpkin but the cookies will be less pumpkin flavorful)

3 1/4 c flour 

2 tsp cream of tartar 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 TBS cinnamon + 1/2 c sugar for rolling dough.

Cream butter and sugars, until fluffy. 

Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin. 

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. 

Slowly add dry into wet beating on low. 

Refrigerate dough 1-2 hours minimum or for best results- overnight. 

Roll in 1/2 balls, then roll in cinnamon and sugar. 

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Press them down with the bottom of a glass (dipped in cin/sugar to prevent sticking).
Bake 375 for 9 -10 min. - cookies DO NOT look done because of the "shine" from the pumpkin, gently lift a cookie to see if it lifts without falling apart and the bottom is slightly brown.

Made a second batch hoping to offer them to friends, but "the dough tastes like pumpkin pie" so there aren't as many cookies this time around - here are some more pictures, though.

 So photogenic-