No Fail Pie Crust

1 c. flour
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold water

Combine flour & shortening. Add salt, then water. This recipe is for one double crust pie. If baking empty shell, bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes.

This pie crust bakes up nice & flaky every time.

Mock Apple Pie

4-5 c. zucchini
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
3 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
9 inch pie crust

Use a large zucchini (at least 12 inches long). Peel, cut in quarters lenghtwise, remove seeds with a spoon and slice crosswise. (So that they look like little apple slices). Cover with water and cook until tender crisp. Drain well and toss together with lemon juice and salt. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients, then add zucchini mixture and mix well. Pour into prepared 9-inch pie crust. Dot with butter and add top crust. Seal edges, cut slits for steam, brush with milk & sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake at 400* for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

*If you've never had this, I can guarantee you will not know that it is zucchini! It tastes and looks exactly like apple pie. I like to trick people by making it for them and not telling them what it is until after they have eaten it.

**Instead of nutmeg, I always use pumpkin pie spice (because I always forget to buy nutmeg), but I like the extra spices that are in the pumpkin pie spice anyway.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. grated zucchini
1 c. vegetable oil
3 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. raisins, nuts or chocolate chips

If using raisins, cover them with water in a sauce pan and boil for about 15 minutes, until they are plump. (Raisins are my favorite thing to add, I don't use nuts or chocolate chips, but that is personal preferance).

Mix all ingredients together. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350* for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Or use cupcake liners to make muffins and bake at 350* for about 20-25 minutes.