Crisco Pie Crust

SINGLE CRUST PIE

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Crisco shortening, chilled in freezer
4 - 8 tablespoons of ice cold water or milk

DOUBLE CRUST PIE

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup Crisco shortening, chilled in freezer
5 - 10 tablespoons ice cold milk or water

Combine flour and salt in large bowl.  Cut in shortening (I use party cutter and my fingers) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water/milk over mixture.  Toss with fork.  Repeat adding ONLY as much liquid as needed to form dough into a ball.  The dough should hold together when picked up and pressed (it should not crumble).

For one-crust pie, flatten ball of dough into a disk.  For two-crust pie, divide dough in half and press into two disks.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight.

Remove one disk at a time from the frig.  Place on a large piece of parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap.  Dust surface (and rolling pin) with flour.  Place another sheet of paper/wrap over disk (optional).  Roll dough gently from the inside out toward the edges, forming a thin circle of dough (TIP: turn dough 45 degrees between each roll to keep it round).

Peel top layer of paper/wrap off.  Flip pie dough into 9 inch pie plate, and peel off remaining layer of paper/wrap.

Smooth the dough into the pie plate (remove air bubbles) Trim edge of pastry to 1/2 inch.  Use small pieces of trimmings to repair any holes, cracks or tears in pie shell.  Roll edges and crimp with a fork to secure.

For baked crust, prick the entire shell, bottom and side with a fork to prevent bubbles.  Bake at 425 for 10 - 12 minutes.  I use a pie shield to protect the edges from becoming too dark.

Traffic Jam (Mixed Berry)

BEEP, BEEP!  I love this jam!

Its not always easy harvesting enough red or black raspberries for a single berry jam of either species, and while I've made blueberry jam in the past, I'm just not a big fan.

So, last year I started collecting berries (red, black, and blue) and freezing them.  When I felt I had enough, I thawed the mixed berries and began making my jam.  I had some leftover strawberries, so added those as well.  I have a friend that does the same thing and borrowed the silly title from her.  Its just SO appropriate!

For a truly successful berry jam, you must use a food mill to remove the blueberry skins.  I measure my berries, boil them just until soft, cool slightly and then puree them.  The screen in a standard food mill will catch most of the annoying little berry seeds, as well as the blueberry skins.

12 cups mixed berries (red raspberries, black raspberries, blue berries, strawberries)
6 cups sugar
splash lemon juice (no more than 1/4 cup)
1 pouch liquid pectin
2 tablespoons lemon thyme (optional)
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Follow the directions as posted above.  When fruit has been pureed, return it to the dutch oven and add sugar and lemon juice.  Cook at a controlled boil for about 15 minutes (1 teaspoon of jam should mound on chilled plate).  Skim foam, add thyme and pectin and boil one more minute.  Remove from heat and process for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!  BEEP, BEEP!

Herbed Strawberry Jam

12 cups hulled strawberries, halved
6 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
2 tablespoons fresh mint, or lemon thyme
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Combine all ingredients (except herbs) in very large dutch oven.  Cook over medium heat.  When fruit begins to soften, use potato masher to break down fruit.  Continue cooking until translucent and a teaspoon mounds on a chilled plate.  Skim foam, add herbs and liquid fruit pectin.  Boil one minute and remove from heat.  Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

6 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces (1 1/2 pounds)
3 cups hulled and halved strawberries
juice of 2 oranges (or a fair amount of zest)
1/2 cups lemon juice
4 - 6 cups sugar (taste)
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Combine all together in a large non-reactive pot (big dutch oven).  Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes translucent and 1 tsp jam mounds on a chilled plate (10 - 15 minutes).  Skim foam, and add liquid pectin.  Boil one minute and remove from heat.

Process for 10 minutes.

Jam Basics

I'm not sure I'll ever stop experimenting with my jam recipes (that's what makes canning/cooking fun), but thought I'd save myself a little of the annual aggravation by jotting down some of the constants.


TIPS:
Better to use a large shallow pot (I use my big enameled dutch oven) to cook jams.  The fruit will cook more evenly and thus, twice as fast.

Cook at a controlled boil and stir constantly so the fruit mixture doesn't scorch.  I love my silicone spoon (with the metal handle).  I bought one at Williams-Sonoma that has straight side so it swipes the curve at the bottom of my pot.

Don't be afraid to add a pouch of liquid fruit pectin once your jam has reached the desired consistency.  Boil jam for one minute (no longer) after adding pectin.

Its best to skim foam off of jam before adding the liquid pectin.

Add fresh herbs at the very end of cook time (or along with your pectin).  If you add them too soon, they become a bit chewy.

1 1/2 lbs of raw chopped raw fruit, equals roughly 6 cups; 2 lbs equals about 8 cups.  These are approximate measures.  Check Williams-Sonoma's Art of Preserving for more equivalents.  They include conversions in their recipes.

The pamphlet that comes in the liquid pectin boxes is a good cross reference for sugar and fruit amounts.

You only need to leave a 1/4 inch headspace for jams, and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

  

Lemon-Peach Jam

Fresh lemon thyme gives a simple peach jam a tangy boost.  Don't worry about overpowering the peach jam.  The lemon thyme is really quite mild.

7 cups sugar

4 cups finely chopped, peeled peaches

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 T fresh lemon thyme

1/2 of a 6 ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Combine sugar, peaches, lemon juice and fresh lemon thyme in kettle.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened (the length of time you'll cook this, will depend upon how juicy your peaches are).

When liquid is reduced to desired consistency, add the fresh lemon thyme and liquid pectin.  Immediately bring back to a boil and boil hard for ONLY one minute.  Ladle hot jam into seven half-pint jars to 1/4 inch headspace.  Process. 

Bourbon Peach Jam

This is one of my families favorite jam recipes.  Is it any wonder?  They all love Bourbon?

7 cups sugar
4 cups finely chopped, peeled peaches
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 of a 6 ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).


Combine sugar, peaches, lemon juice and bourbon in kettle.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened (the length of time you'll cook this, will depend upon how juicy your peaches are).

When the unwanted juice is reduced, stir in the liquid pectin.  Immediately bring back to a full boil.  Boil hard for one minute.  Remove from heat, and immediately ladle into prepared jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Makes 7 half-pints.