Recipes

[mserie]

You will understand this. As she would say "a little of this, a little of that". Nothing ever written down except for very few recipes but here is what I remember in regards to her apple pie:

Apples, Had to Be Granny Smith

Before making her pastry, she ALWAYS cut up her apples (much more than recipes call for), white sugar and cinnamon. She would stir and let this set in the bowl so juices and ingredients could incorporate for awhile.

After she added her filling to the crust, she dabbed pieces of butter on top of the filling before adding top crust.

Now the Crust: Do not have measurements. Always White Hard Type Crisco (never bottle of oil type), salt and Cold Milk. She never believed in in the ice cube water, cold water or vinegar idea!! And she would use more salt than a recipe called for.

Her crust was so rich, it looked like a patchwork quilt. She had said she would never win the Blue Ribbon because of the way it looked. But we all told her she would once the judges tasted. Honestly, if this would have been a national, state type contest (you know, big time contest), I don't think she would have won due to presentation.

As I have stated, I hate to bake but did enjoy cooking. But I tried a couple of times to replicate her pies and never did a good job. Wish I could be more specific.

P.S. TO NOTE: Many asked her about adding lemon (so apples would not darken), NEVER she would say. And no nutmeg as many recipes call for. Very simple recipe. AND before I was born her mother-in-law taught her to use lard which back then was the way to go for baking pies. In fact, it still is wonderful. But by the fifties, here came Crisco! DO NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR ANOTHER SHORTENING BRAND EITHER!!!