Cut shortening into flour, baking powder & salt with a pastry cutter. Continue until pieces are the size of large rice. Whisk egg in a clear measuring cup. Fill to 3/4 cup mark with cold water. Whisk again. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Mix with a fork and then with your hands. Don't overwork (work until it all sticks together). Makes enough crust for 3 - 4 double crust pies. Divide dough into 6 or 8 balls. Freezes well wrapped in plastic wrap.

For a filled shell:

Flour countertop. Roll rolling pin in flour. Flatten ball of pie crust dough and then roll with rolling pin. Start in the center & roll outwards. Make a circle large enough to fit in your pie plate. Fold in 1/2 and lift into plate. Fit into plate. With a knife cut around pie plate lip to trim off excess pie crust. You can add this to the dough you roll for another crust. Fill shell with filling & if you need a top crust roll it out. Lay top crust on top. Trim around edges with a knife. Use a fork & press edges together all the way around. Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust, starting about 1/2" from the center of the pie.

For a sugary top sprinkle white granulated sugar on top before baking.

For a shiny top use a pastry brush and brush milk or watered down beaten egg on top before baking.

Baked Pie Shell:

Line tin loosely with crust. Trim edges. With a fork poke many holes in the crust. Bake @ 400F for 10 - 12 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool before filling.

Apple Pie

• 6 - 7 cups peeled, sliced apples (use tart, tasty apples)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
• 1 1/2 tbs.. butter or margarine

Put a crust in your pie plate. Heap with sliced apples. Sprinkle brown sugar & cinnamon evenly over top. Dot with butter/margarine. Put on top crust. Bake @ 425F for 50 - 60 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and apples are soft.

Pecan Pie

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter/margarine
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 cup pecan halves

Beat together with rotary beater. Add pecans. Pour into pastry lined pie plate. Bake @ 375F for 40 - 50 minutes or until filling is set and pastry is nicely browned.

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 3/4 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. white sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cloves

Mix with electric beater and pour into pastry lined pie plate. Bake @ 425F for 45 - 55 minutes or until a silver knife can be poked in 1" from edge and come out clean. Cool. Serve with whipped cream.

To cook pumpkin: Cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out seeds and discard or save to season & bake. Place pumpkin cut side down in a baking dish with 1/4" water in it. Bake at 375F until pumpkin is soft. Scoop pumpkin out of skin. Cooked pumpkin can be frozen in plastic freezer bags.

Wendy owns and operates http://www.CanadianCountryGifts.com