A dozen mini pies for the 4th of July...

Pies are one of my favorite things to make...

I used to work at little bakery...

I was the "Pie Lady" ^_^

My secret for old fashioned pie goodness is LARD CRUST!

My Grandma Linda gave me her recipe for lard pie dough...

it's the BEST!

One of the greatest things about it is it makes 5-6 crusts.

It only took one batch of dough for all 12 mini pies.

Grandma Linda's Lard Pie Crust

5c flour

4t sugar

1/2t baking soda

1/2t salt

1 1/2c lard (I use Field)

2 egg yolks

Ice water

Combine dry ingredients and cut in lard. Put egg yolks in a 1c measuring cup.

Beat with a fork until smooth. Blend in enough cold water to make 1 cupful.

Sprinkle gradually over flour mixture. Toss with a fork to make a soft dough.

Roll out as usual. Be careful to handle as little as possible, or the dough will be tough.

Make 5-6 single pie crusts or about 12 mini pie crusts.

Hickrory Hill FarmGirl's Apple Pie

6c peeled, cored, & thinly sliced granny smith apples

1/2c sugar

1/4c brown sugar

2 T flour, heaping

1T lemon juice

1/2t cinnamon

1/4t nutmeg

Mix it all together in a large bowl and let it set

for a few minutes while you prepare a single crust,

and crumb topping:

*1/2c flour

*1/2c brown sugar

Mix together in small bowl,

cut in

*1/4c butter.

Give the apple filling another stir and plop it into the unbaked crust,

and cover with the crumb mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees F

for 40 minutes covered with foil

then

20 mintutes uncovered.

(Or til it's bubbling in the middle)

Tip: Put the pie dish on a baking sheet so it will catch the drips.

Enjoy!

~The Hickory Hill FarmGirl

^_~