Good Pie Crust

2/3 c Crisco oil
1/3 c milk
2 1/4 c flour
1t salt

Pour oil and milk into mixing bowl. Add flour and salt into liquids and stir with fork into dough that clings together and cleans the bowl. Pick up dough and work until smooth. Divide dough and shape into 2 flat rounds. Roll out between sheets of waxed paper for 2 9″ pie shells or one double pie crust. Bake as usual. 375 degrees for 15 min then
at 350 until browned.

My friend came over when I told her I was baking pies at my mom’s house.  She could not believe that I wasn’t just baking a frozen pie, but actually making my own crust and everything!  This is a super easy recipe.  It mixes up great, bakes great, and tastes great — it is a thin, flaky crust.

Mom always used this for all pies, but I especially liked the Lemon Meringue!  When you are creating a filled pie, bake according to filling instructions.

I doubled this recipe and it made one mince meat pie, one open-faced mince meat pie, and a pumpkin pie. I also cover my crust edges so they do not get too brown  — use aluminum foil – or there is a little gadget you can get to cover the whole pie edges — available in 8″ and 9″ sizes.

 If you have any leftover crust (I didn’t this time) you can make pie cookie — simply have the kids help you roll out the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Yum!

This is Mom’s Ham Loaf recipe with a little Improvisational Gourmet at the end.

1/2 lb ground smoked ham dash pepper
1/2 lb fresh ground pork small onion (minced)
1/3 c cracker crumbs 1 egg (beaten)
1/4 c milk 1/4 T salt
Mix above ingredients together and shape into loaf. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Boil together for 1 minute:
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 T vinegar
1/2 t dry mustard
Pour over loaf and bake 40 minutes more. Baste once or twice.

Improvisational Gourmet Makeover

1 lb premixed ham loaf (I get mine at Fareway)
handful of dried onion
1/2-1c oatmeal — depends on how many I want to feed
1 egg (beaten) or 1/4 c egg substitute
1/4 c skim milk
Mix above ingredients together and shape into loaf. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Boil together for 1 minute:
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 T vinegar
1/2 t dry mustard
Pour over loaf and bake 40 minutes more. Baste once or twice.

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This is a “must have” in your Improvisational Gourmet repertoire.  I learned this as “white sauce,” but later learned it is also called “béchamel.”.

This sauce can be drizzled over any dish, calm down something a bit spicy for a nice contrast, be used as a cream sauce, and more!

Here was my mother’s recipe:

1 can chunk light tuna packed in oil (9 1/4 oz)
1 can white tuna packed in water (7 oz)
Drain tuna, rinse with warm water and drain again. Flake tuna in a large bowl and add:
3 c soft bread crumbs (about 6 slices done in blender)
2 eggs
2 T minced onion or 2 t dry minced onion
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 c commercial sour cream
1 small jar diced pimentos (drained) about 2 oz

Drop large tablespoons full in fry pan with hot Crisco covering bottom of pan. Brown both sides. You can
make tuna loaf by placing mixture in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan and baking at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until
knife inserted in center comes out clean.

For creamed eggs which are poured over the loaf or patties:
4 eggs, boiled, peeled, sliced, set aside
Melt 4 T butter in 2 qt saucepan. Stir in 4 T flour, 1 t salt, 1/4 t pepper. Cook stirring constantly until thick
(about 2 min). Gradually stir in 2 c milk. Cook until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. When sauce is
done, gently stir in hard-cooked eggs and heat through.

Serves 8.

Here is the makeover:

2 large pouches white tuna, flake if necessary.
2 c oatmeal (can use as is or place in blender for a finer ground)
2 eggs (or 2/3 c egg substitute)
2 T minced onion or 2 t dry minced onion
1 T lemon juice
pinch t salt
pinch t pepper
1/2 c skim milk
1 small jar diced pimentos (drained) about 2 oz

Make into patties and bake place into a sprayed baking dish or loaf pan and baking at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until
knife inserted in center comes out clean.

For creamed eggs which are poured over the loaf or patties:
4 eggs, boiled, peeled, sliced, set aside
Prepare Basic White Sauce Recipe with 2 c skim milk.  Gently stir in hard-boiled eggs and heat for another 30-60sec in microwave.

Serves 8.

Every once-in-awhile you get a craving for a special dish.  Well, yesterday that was what my mom was craving.  My aunt had left some hard-boiled eggs in her refrigerator, so I decided I would make that for her.  Unfortunately, when I got there; there were no raw eggs there to make the tuna patties.  So, what to do — Improvise!  The dish ended up being Creamed Tuna and Eggs on Toast.  I made the creamed eggs with the Basic White Sauce recipe, and then just added a drained can/pouch of tuna.  I made some whole wheat toast, and served with some holiday red grapes and greens.  Although it was not quite the same taste sensation of the Tuna Patties and Creamed Eggs, it certainly made a tasty dish.