Pie Crust
(This is my mom's recipe, not sure where she originally got it, but it's definitely my go to recipe. If you want to have homemade pie crusts in your freezer handy for when you don't have a lot of time, just make a couple batches at once. Instead of rolling the dough out after you divide it into balls, just wrap each ball individually in wax paper and then foil and stick in the freezer. When you want to use some, just take them out, thaw, and then roll out! Easy-Peasy!)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1/2 to 2/3 cup cold water (THIS IS KEY!! I use ICE WATER so it's REALLY cold - your crust will be much flakier if you have cold cold cold water)
Mix flour and salt together; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle water one tablespoon at a time in the middle of pastry until all is moistened. Form the dough into a ball. Divide ball into two equal parts. Roll out from center to edge until 1/8 inch thick.
Peach Hand Pies
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 lbs ripe peaches (about 4 large peaches - I also discovered that it was right at 6 cups of cut up peaches)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (trick: put the lemon in the microwave for 5 seconds and you'll get more juice out of each lemon)
4 unbaked pie crusts (you can use the refrigerated kind from the store or make your own)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
In large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. In cup, mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup sugar. Stir peaches, sugar mixture and salt into butter in skillet. Cook 25 minutes or until peaches are very soft and mixture thickens and boils - stir frequently. Boil 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat ; stir in lemon juice (I forgot to do this in one of the batches and it turned out fine). Cool completely (or until you can't wait any longer!). The mixture can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerated until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Lay pie crusts out flat and cut into quarters. Spoon ~2 tablespoons of filling in strip down the center of each quarter, leaving 3/4 inches of dough uncovered at each end. Fold dough over filling. Press edges together with a fork to seal. Transfer pies to ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Make sure there is a little space between each pie on the cookie sheet. Brush tops of pies with egg; sprinkle with remaining sugar. With knife, cut 1-inch slit on top of each pie to allow steam to escape during baking.
Place cookie sheets on 2 oven racks. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating cooking sheets between uppper and lower oven racks halfway through baking. Transfer pies to wire racks to cool.
(NOTE: Do not eat as soon as they get out - you will burn your tongue. Take my word for it!)
ENJOY!!!
