Sourdough Pie Crust (with Turkey Pot Pie)

So I've been using this sourdough starter that my friend Kathy gave me for over a year now.  I've been able to keep it alive too. ☺ As always, I'm willing to try new things with the dough.  Kathy sent this to me and said "What do you think?"  Well, I've gotta tell ya, pie will never be the same again once you try it with sourdough pie crust.  It is so easy and easy to work with too.  

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

4 oz. butter, cut into cubes

4 oz. Crisco (or other lard)

1 cup sourdough starter (I was just a little bit short so added a little more water)

2 tbsp. ice water

Cut the butter and Crisco into the flour, sugar, and salt mixture until it resemble small peas.  Add sourdough and mix to combine.  Add water if necessary.  

Kathy's recipe said to wrap in plastic and refrigerate several hours until chilled.  I just used mine at the time I made it and it was fine.  It can be kept in fridge for several days or freeze for future use.  

Yield:  2 crusts (with enough leftover for amazing pinwheels).

©Crackerberries Kitchen 2023

 

Quiche Marine

QUICHE MARINE

1 9-inch pie crust dough

1 tbsp. butter

3 medium onions, chopped

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

1 tbsp. minced garlic

5 eggs

¾ cup garden vegetable cream cheese

4 slices deli ham, chopped

2-3 tbsp. canned mushrooms

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Cook onions in butter 5-6 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently.  Add broccoli and reduce heat; cook 5 minutes longer until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook and stir one minute. Remove from heat; cool. Beat eggs in medium bowl until blended; add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Bake 350º 45-50 minutes or until puffed on edges and knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and dill.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Quiche Marine was hubby’s idea.  It came about from improvising.  I was out of ingredients for a basic quiche so Tall Cool ☺ne took what was available in the refrigerator and said “here, use this”.  I threw it together and turns out to be one of the best quiches I’ve ever made.

Welcome to the 2018 A-Z Blogging challenge.  This will be my fourth year. Every year I take on the challenge with hopes of disciplining myself to keep writing throughout the year as much, if not more than just through the monthly challenge. (It certainly is a challenge.)  Some years are better than others.  Some I just lose track of time.  This year I have decided to put my favorite hobbies together. A recipe that is tried and true as well as some thoughtful insight.  Please note some of these recipes have been shared before, however they have gone through years of testing and this is the perfected recipe.  I really hope one of my recipes or “Food for Thought” inspires you to do something great.  Enjoy the read and the photos, try the recipe, share your thoughts or comments, and most of all, have FUN with the challenge this month!

Cheers,

Quiche

Crackerberries Quiche

Single crust pastry

          1 cup all-purpose flour

          2/3 cup Crisco

          ½ tsp. salt

          4-5 Tbsp. ice water

Cut Crisco into flour and salt until small pea size crumbs are formed. Add enough ice water to moisten dough and roll out on floured surface into flat round disk.  Place into pie plate and flute the edges.

Preheat oven to 350º

Quiche ingredients

          ½ lb. bulk sausage, cooked and grease drained off

          ½ cup chopped onion, sautéed

          3 Chile peppers, finely sliced

          1 cup Kale, sautéed until wilted

          4 eggs, beaten

          1 cup milk

          1½ cup shredded cheddar

          1 Tbsp. herbs de Provence

Cook sausage, sauté onions, kale and Chile peppers.  Combine all ingredients in large bowl and stir well.  Pour into prepared crust and cook in preheated 350º oven for 45-50 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before cutting.

© Crackerberries 2016

Wal-Mart Pie

Wal-Mart Pie

Okay so I couldn’t think of a good name for it, if you have any swell ideas shoot me a message or comment. I used all Great Value brand ingredients so hence the name of the pie.

¼ cup butter

32 reduced fat butter crackers (1 sleeves, minus one --- yeah, I ate it)

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. cardamom

1 5.1 oz. box vanilla instant pudding

1¾ cup skim milk

¼ cup fat free sour cream

Preheat oven 375º.

Place mixing bowl (preferably metal) in freezer.

Crush the crackers in food processor or other crushing gadget. Combine with sugar and cardamom and mix well. Melt the butter and pour over mixture. Press into pie plate up the sides making a crust. Bake in 375º oven for 10-15 minutes, (until golden).

In frozen bowl, combine milk, sour cream and pudding mix and blend well.  Pour into cooled cracker crust. Let set up for about 2 hours. Serve with chocolate syrup, or if you’re trying to be healthy, fresh strawberries and blueberries. YUM.

© Crackerberries 2014

Tomato Pie

Tomato Pie with Sage Pie Crust

Pie Crust:

4 fresh sage leaves, snipped very fine

1½ cup all purpose flour

¼ tsp kosher salt

5 tbsp butter flavored Crisco

5-6 tbsp ice water

Stir sage leaves and salt into flour.  Add Crisco and cut in until it resembles small pea size crumbs.  Add water, one tablespoon at a time and stir until small ball forms in bowl.  Roll out and line a pie dish with dough, crimping the edges.  Prick the dough all over the bottom and the sides with a fork.  Cover bottom with a piece of aluminum foil and place dry beans over to prevent crust from bubbling.  Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.  Remove beans and foil and bake another 5-7 minutes until crust is golden brown.  Cool completely on wire rack.

Filling:

2 pounds of Roma tomatoes (more or less…I chose more because I ate a lot of them while I was slicing)

1 medium onion, diced

4 fresh basil leaves, snipped

1 cup Duke’s light mayonnaise

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp bacon bits

Wash, core, and slice the tomatoes about ¼ inch thick and place in a single layer on paper towels and sprinkle with 1 tsp. kosher salt.  Let stand ten minutes.  Do not skip this step.  It rids the tomatoes from excess juices and the pie will be nice and firm and not a soggy mess.

Sauté onion in olive oil and a little salt and pepper just until onion is tender, 3-5 minutes. 

Combine mayonnaise and cheddar cheese in small bowl, reserving a little of the cheddar to sprinkle on the top.  Pat tomatoes dry with a paper towel and creating two layers place tomatoes, onions, basil in pie crust.  Spread mayo/cheese mixture over top and place mozzarella slices sporadically over top.  Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese and bacon bits. 

Shield pie crust edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning.  Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes, until lightly browned.  Let stand at least 15 minutes before slicing; this may be served hot, room temperature or cold. I’m serving mine with oven fried chicken.   A store bought crust can also be used.

© Crackerberries 2013

Hot Dog Pie

1- 9 inch pie crust

4 hot dogs cut into ½ inch pieces

4 small red potatoes, boiled and diced

6 eggs

1 tsp hot sauce

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp ketchup

Salt & pepper to taste

Beat eggs well and add hot sauce and parmesan cheese.  Layer with potatoes, hot dogs; squirt one tablespoon or so over top of mixture and cheese; pour egg mixture over top.  Bake 375º for 45-50 minutes.  Let cool slightly before serving.  Cherry tomato chow-chow is a wonderful compliment to this pie.

© Crackerberries 2012

Pear Pie

{Tastes like pear crisp)

We have a friend that brought us a few pears for processing.  A few in this neck of the woods equals about 50 pounds.  I’ve processed sour pear chutney, pear butter and pear preserves… pears coming out the ears.  Here is a pear pie I kind of just whipped up out of the blue.  If anyone is interested in any of the other pear recipes, let me know, I’ll share.

Graham cracker crust:

1¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

5½ tbsp melted butter

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Press into 10” pie plate.  Bake 350º for ten minutes.  Let cool.

Filling:

7 cups peeled, cored and sliced pears

1 tbsp grated orange rind

4 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice (from the orange)

½ cup sugar

Combine all ingredients; mix well and spoon into prepared crust.

Topping:

¾ cup flour

6 tbsp butter

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground mace

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp cardamom

Combine all ingredients except butter and mix well.  Cut butter into mixture until crumbly.  Sprinkle over pears and bake 400º for 45 minutes, reduce heat to 350º and bake 15-20 minutes longer until pears are tender.  Serve with whip cream or my favorite, vanilla ice cream; I love it for breakfast.

© Crackerberries 2011

Pork Pie

Meat Pie

Ingredients

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells I make my own but you can use the store bought ones.

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound lean ground pork

1 pound lean ground beef

2½ cups coarsely mashed potatoes

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

1½ tablespoon basil

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 egg beaten

Directions

Brown ground meats over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Drain off grease.

Mix together cooked meat, potatoes, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and allspice.

Line a 9 inch pie dish with pastry. Spoon meat mixture into pie crust, and top with second pie crust.

Brush top crust with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Shield crust edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove foil for final 15 minutes of baking to brown edges.

© Crackerberries 2011

Mickey Leavitt's Peanut Butter Pie

My very good friends Berta and Rach from Fryeburg, Maine sent me their church cookbook, “A Taste of Heaven” a collection of favorite recipes of the Center Conway United Methodist Church in New Hampshire.   This recipe came from that cookbook and after corresponding with Rach I found out that Mickey Leavitt is an 80 year old woman that brings this pie to every church supper.  I can see why there is never any left.  It is heavenly and wickedly good.

1/3 cup peanut butter

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups cool whip

1 graham cracker crust

Mix the first four ingredients together with an electric mixer.  Fold in the cool whip.  Pour into crust and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.

My variation to the recipe is I used a cooked pastry crust (prick the pastry and cook in 350º for 12-15 minutes).  I used chunky peanut butter and I made my own whip cream with barley any sugar.  Either way you slice it, it is an unbelievably tasty dessert!  Enjoy.

© Crackerberries 2011

YANKEE TOMATO PIE

2 - 9 inch pie crusts

1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise

¾ cup Miracle Whip

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups Swiss cheese

6 oz goat cheese

1 cup chives

10 medium tomatoes

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Fresh ground black pepper

½ cup parmesan cheese

Note: recipe is for 2 pies.  If you want one pie, divide everything in half.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Place pie crusts in pie plates and prick bottoms and sides all the way around.  Crimp the edges and place in oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly puffed.

In large bowl, combine mayo, miracle whip, 1 cup cheddar, 1 cup Swiss, Italian seasoning and goat cheese and mix well.

Sprinkle bottoms of pie crusts with ½ cup each Swiss and cheddar cheese.  Layer with sliced tomatoes, top with dollops of mayo/cheese mixture, sprinkle with chives and layer again.  Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Swiss cheese.  Top with parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper.

Bake in 350º oven for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden and juices are bubbling.  Let cool 15-20 minutes before slicing.  If you use a tin pie plate the leftovers make for a good warm up on the grill.

© Crackerberries 2011



Flipside Pie

20-25 garlic herb flipside pretzel crackers, crushed to crumbs

¼ cup butter, melted

1 cup mayonnaise/salad dressing

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp horseradish

1 large tomato, sliced

½ large Vidalia onion, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced

3 slices American cheese

Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine the crumbs and butter together and press into the bottom of a greased pie plate.  In a small bowl blend the mayonnaise and salad dressing (you can use all of one or the other, I used equal portions of Duke’s light mayonnaise and light Miracle Whip), parmesan cheese and horse radish and mix well.  Start with a layer of chopped onions, then tomatoes, then zucchini and spoon dollops of sauce over top.  Place one slice of cheese over that and then repeat the layers ending with a little sauce and the last slice of cheese. 

Place in bottom rack of oven and bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes.  Cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2011

Plain Ole Peach Pie

10 inch Crisco Double Pie Crust

6 cups fresh sliced peaches

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup (and then some) sugar

¼ cup corn starch

1 tsp cinnamon

6 tsp butter

1 egg

Preheat oven to 425º.  Add lemon juice to peaches.  Stir one cup sugar and cornstarch together with cinnamon.  Add to peaches and mix well.  Pour peaches into unbaked pie crust.  Dot with butter; cover with top crust and flute the edges.  Cut a few vent holes in top of crust for steam. 

Beat egg in small bowl; brush over top of crust and sprinkle with a little sugar.  Bake at 425º for ten minutes.  Reduce heat to 350º and continue baking for 45 minutes longer.  If edges of crust begin to brown too quickly, cover edges with aluminum foil.

Cool, serve with whipped cream or ice cream; store leftover pie  in fridge.

© Crackerberries 2011

Banana Butterscotch Pie

1 pastry crust
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup corn starch
12 oz evaporated milk
1½ cup skim milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp maple extract
5 bananas



For pastry crust, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, ½ tsp salt, 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp shortening; mix together until particles are the size of tiny peas. Sprinkle with water and mix only enough for dough to come away from sides of bowl. Form into ball. Roll out pastry and ease into pie plate. Prick with a fork and bake in 425º oven for 10-15 minutes.

Combine sugar and corn starch in large sauce pan with milk. Mix well; cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil—stirring constantly. Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolks and then add all back into the hot mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat, add butter and maple extract. Cool in sauce pan to lukewarm. Slice bananas and place in bottom of cooked pastry crust. Pour cooled pudding mixture over bananas. Chill for at least three hours. Garnish with whipped cream and more bananas if desired.

© Crackerberries 2011

Hamburger Pie & Tomato Pepper Sauce

2 cups flour tortilla mix
½ cup warm water
¾ lb ground burger
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
14½ oz. stewed tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp oregano
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Combine tortilla mix and warm water in medium sized bowl. Mix well and knead until mixture is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Cover with warm damp towel and let rest 10 minutes.

In large skillet cook the garlic, onion and burger in the vegetable oil until burger is brown. Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Add tomatoes and oregano to burger and cook just to heat.

Divide tortilla mix in half. Roll out first half to fit into pie plate. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake in 375º oven for 8 minutes. Pour mixture into cooked tortilla crust. Sprinkle with shredded cheeses. Roll out other half of crust and lay over top. Press to sides to seal. Make venting holes in top. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.

Combine reserved tomato juice and corn starch, mix well. Microwave for 2 minutes; add pepper and stir well.

Slice pie and serve with tomato pepper sauce.


© Crackerberries 2011

Spaghettie Pie Casserole

8 oz spaghetti
16 oz pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter
¾ cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Add 2 Tbsp butter, eggs and ½ cup parmesan cheese; set aside.

In large skillet, cook onion, celery, garlic and beef; drain if necessary. Add sauce until heated.

Place spaghetti mixture in greased baking dish, pushing spaghetti up around the sides and making a well in the center forming a crust. Pour sauce over spaghetti. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.

Bake in 350º oven for 25-30 minutes or until sides are lightly golden; remove from oven and let stand minutes prior to serving.


© Crackerberries 2009