BLUEBERRY PIE

Pies were always my MIL's domain. She truly was the apple pie queen, her pies were tender, flaky,deep-dished brimming with fruit, not to mention that lovely heavenly, cinnamon smell that would scent up the entire house and just make your mouth water for a piece of pie.
I never even tried to bother baking pies, mainly because on the few occasions that I attempted a pie crust it turned out a nightmare experience and I ended with a pie that sat on the kitchen counter for a week and could literally kill someone. Even my own children at the time made it perfectly clear, that Baba Polly's pie were BEST and I shouldn't even try to bother making them. Well Baba Polly passed away 18 years ago, and for some crazy reason I got it into my head to give it one more try.. OK maybe this my my third try. I called Auntie Louise and asked her how she made her pie crust.. just follow the Crisco recipe it's idiot proof, well this idiot couldn't get a crust that was light and flaky. Then I tried a very good friend who swore that she followed the Tenderflake recipe, and even convinced me to make the 5 cup of flour version, because as she reminded me, " you can freeze the dough and it will be fabulous ." That dough just wouldn't roll out without me having to patch it all up. Hopeless, and here I had wasted 5 cups of flour, but I was determined!! I would master this dough. The solution came with a Food TV recipe from Anna Olson . OMG! Her pie dough was absolutely wonderful!! I did it in the Cuisinart Easy Peasy, and a charm to roll out and then to fold in half ,lift and place in the pie plate. Yahoo this old bird did it. Even the kids (Young men) said that this was just as good as Baba's. Can you believe it? So hear goes, for all you gals , who like me, are willing to give pies one more try.

Pie Crust (2 / 9 inch pie plate)
21/2 C. flour
1 tsp.salt
1/2c. butter
1/2c. vegetable shortening
1 T. lemon juice
6-10 T. ice-water
Cut butter and shortening into flour . I pulsed it in the Cuisinart, Add lemon juice, pulse and slowly add ice water until dough forms a ball ,while machine is running Split dough in half, cover with wrap and refridge for at least 30 min. Dust rolling pin and station with flour and roll out dough a little larger than pie pan. Fold dough in half and cover pie plate. I like to use a glass one, (it was my MIL's and she swore they are the best) Fill with fruit, brush rim edge with an egg and water mixture and cover with top layer of dough. Make a few slits for steam to release, brush top layer with egg mixture and dust with crystal sugar.

Blueberry Filling
8 C.of rinsed and picked over blueberries
2/3C. sugar
4T. cornstarch
1T.lemon juice
2T. water or rum
1/4tsp. cinnamon
Mix ingredients and fill pie plate, cover with dough, make a few slits in top layer, brush with egg wash and sprinkle layer with sugar. Bake 375 for 1 -1 1/4 hr.

Results: It could have been sweeter (husband's comment) You probably can add some Splenda or up the sugar to 3/4 cup. I would also probably add another tablespoon of cornstarch or maybe omit the water, as it was a tad liquidy,BUT, the dough was tender and light and all in all a very tasty Pie!