Mendolonium

Source: Gina’s mom (with modifications)

Ingredients:

• 2 c flour
• 2/3 c vegetable shortening
• 1/3 c cold water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place flour and vegetable shortening in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles small crumbs.
3. Add in the water and pulse until the mixture resembles larger crumbs. You may need to add a bit more water depending on temp and humidity.
4. Form mixture into two evenly sized balls.
5. Roll out each ball into a circle approx 10 inches around. Tip: it is much easier and cleaner to roll out the dough between two pieces of wax or parchment paper or two silpat mats.
6. Place one piecrust in the pan.
7. Fill with the filling of your choice.
8. Place the other pie crust over the filling and press around the edge to seal the two crusts together.
9. Trim off the excess edges with a sharp knife.
10. Pierce the top crust so that the pie doesn’t explode. You may also brush the top crust with milk or egg white at this point which will result in a more “golden” color crust. You may also sprinkle some cinnamon, sugar, or something else on the top crust at this point.
11. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. Variation: You may also use this recipe for pies in which the filling is not baked (e.g., banana cream pies). To do this: make the bottom crust as instructed, then place some wax or parchment paper over the crust, fill with pie weights or with dried beans or rice (to weigh down the crust so it doesn’t bubble up), and bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool and then fill with banana cream, chocolate cream, etc.

*Don’t throw away the excess dough! Roll out the excess to about 1/8 in thick. Cut into shapes (or let the kids make them into shapes), sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and you have “pie cookies”. Thomas loves these.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c unsalted butter, melted
• 1 c oats, uncooked
• 1 c all purpose flour
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1 t cinnamon
• 3 c apples, peeled and sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
3. Combine all ingredients except apples in a bowl.
4. Press half of the flour and sugar mixture into the bottom of the pan to form a “crust”.
5. Pour apples over the crust.
6. Sprinkle the remaining and sugar mixture over the apples.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.