Never Fail Pie Crust

Sift 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt into a 9-inch pie plate.  Boil 1/4 C water and 1/2 C cooking oil together, pour over flour and salt.  (I do this in the microwave.  But be careful.  If it gets too hot the mixture will "explode" all over the microwave. I keep it just under a boil.) Mix with fork until flour is all wet.  Then pat out and flute edges with fingers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Until it is slightly browned.

*I often double this recipe for a larger pie or if I need to "criss-cross" the top of a fruit pie. OR if I just want extra crust to eat with cinnamon and sugar on it.  Here are the proportions for that:
2 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 C water
3/4 C oil 

I also prefer to mix this in a bowl and then roll out the pie crust.  The crust is more even this way than when you press it out directly in the pan.  Remember you want to handle this as little as possible so it won't be tough.  If this dough gets cold before you get it rolled out, heat it slightly in the microwave again and it will be pliable.  We love to roll out the left over crust, sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar, bake it and eat it!  Quite a treat!!

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX

Southern Strawberry Pie

3/4 C sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 C water
3 Tbsp strawberry Jello (1/2 sm pkg)
1 qt. fresh strawberries
1 9" baked pie shell

Combine sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup and water in sauce pan.  Bring to boil.  Cook, stirring constantly until clear and thickened.  Add gelatin and stir until dissolved.  Cool

Place strawberries in pie shell, pour Jello mixture over them.  chill until firm.. about 6 hours.

Linda Metcalf
from a recipe exchange

Hershey Bar Pie
My family thinks I have to make this almost every time we get together!

1 (12 oz) container of Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 oz) Hershey bar with Almonds
1 small pkg whole almonds
1 9" baked pie crust

Take lid off thawed Cool Whip container and sit in freezer while you melt the chocolate.  Break chocolate bar into small chunks and melt in microwave.  Do not overheat.  Stir in extra almonds and sit in the refrigerator just long enough for it to cool a little, but still be soft.

Dump Cool Whip into a large bowl, then add chocolate on top of Cool Whip.  Quickly stir the two together. Chocolate will make tiny "clumps" throughout the Cool Whip.  If the Cool Whip is not VERY cold, you just end up with chocolate Cool Whip!  Put this mixture into the pie crust.  Refrigerate.

Brenda Brazell
Dumas, TX