I had a real block when it comes to making pie crust. In fact, I was so bad at it I couldn’t get the crust from “rolled out” to “into the pie plate”. Forget about it tasting good, I couldn’t even get it to the oven to find out! After many years of attempts, many hands on tutorials with friends, and at least eight different recipes and moments of shame where I ran out and bought the crappy, pre-made, preservative laden, frozen crusts at the very last minute to save face, I have figured it out.

I was wandering about the Pioneer Woman site, as I am wont to do, when I found this recipe for crust. It made a lot of sense and had step by step photographic instructuion along with some very key verbal instructions that I had never heard before. I gathered my hopes and my pie making tools (stoneware pie dish, roller, baker’s mat, pastry blender, pie crust shield- I had harbored big dreams many times before, so I had all of the good pie paraphernalia, just no skill) and began to follow the directions.

I made a cherry pie. And not only did I get the crust into the pan (which, to be honest, I would have been satisfied with- “aim low” was my pie crust motto), but I made wonderful, flaky, yummy, perfect crust that made people oooh and ahhh at my mind boggling pie crust skills!

While I was pretty thrilled with this, I did have to wonder if perhaps it was a fluke, a momentary, merciful experience that I might treasure always, remembering with fondness, “remember the time I made real pie crust. . .wow.” I set out to make a pumpkin pie yesterday, and I am pleased to report that the fluke success was repeated, and so, I can only conclude that I can now make pie crust! Bless the Pioneer Woman!

I’m so proud of me!