Pie Bakers (men and women)

Start looking for your favorite pie recipes. The Montana Seed Show in Harlem on MARCH 8th is again sponsoring a pie contest. Double crust fruit pies have both adult and youth categories. Dessert pies will be a separate category with no age limit. Dessert pies must include one of the following: whipped cream, cream cheese on meringue and be a 1 crust variety. Fruit pies must be double crust made from any type of fruit or berry. All pies must be made in disposable tins and be accompanied with its recipe.

For more information contact Sandra Miller at 406-357-4121 or consult the Montana Seed Show book available at various businesses in Harlem, Chinook, Malta, and Havre.

Two recipes from last year’s competition:

LEMON SUPREME PIE

Lemon filling:

1½cups sugar, divided, 6TBLS. cornstarch, 1/2tsp salt, 11/4 cups 2TBLS butter, 2tsp grated lemon zest, ½ cup lemon juice.

Cream cheese filling:

11oz cream cheese softened, 3/4 cup pd sugar, 1½ cups whipped topping, 1TBLS lemon juice.

Crust;

1½ cup flour, ½ cup Crisco/lard, ½ tsp salt, ¼ cup water

Crust:

Prepare single crust-cut in Crisco/ lard into flour until crumbly. Add water and work till smooth. Place in pie pan and bake at 400 degrees or until lightly brown. Cool

Lemon filling:

Combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat. Add remaining sugar and cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in Butter, lemon zest and food color if desired. Gently stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

Cream cheese filling:

Beat cream cheese and pd sugar until smooth, fold in whipped topping and lemon juice, spread over pie shell. Cover cream cheese filling with lemon filling, Refrigerate overnight. Cover with whipped cream.

DOUBLE CRUST RASPBERRY CHERRY PIE

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour, 1tsp salt, 2/3 cup shortening, 6 to 7 TBLS cold water.

Filling:

2 cups raspberries, 1 cup cherries, 1½ cup sugar, 3TBLS quick cooking tapioca, 1tsp lemon juice, 1TBLS butter.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Prepare crust by combining flour and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening using pastry blender until all flour is just blended in or form pea-size chunks. Sprinkle with water, one tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with fork until dough forms a ball. Divide into 2 equal parts. Roll out one ball for bottom crust. Combine filling ingredients except for lemon juice and butter; spoon into crust. Drizzle with lemon juice and dot with butter. Roll remaining pastry to fit pie; place over filling. Seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 30 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack

Dessert pies- 1st - $100, 2nd - $75, 3rd - $50

Double crust Adult -1st - $400, 2nd - $300, 3rd - $200, 4th - $100

Youth-1st - $75, 2nd - $50, 3rd - $25