I Heart Faces... Recipe in Photos

Okay, technically this isn't a dinner recipe, but you could make a chicken pot pie with a homemade crust! I think ANYONE can make a pie crust from scratch, and I'm going to show you how... a step at a time!First, put on your apron. It's gonna get a little bit messy. ;)

Get your ingredients together... I use Crisco shortening most of the time, because it seems to work a little better. You can use the cheaper brands, if you need to. (Sometimes I use butter, or a combination... shortening is easiest.) You also need flour, salt, and ice water.

Put about 2 1/2 cups of flour in a big bowl (I don't measure exactly, and it doesn't really matter for pie crust, as long as you're close). Add some salt.

Add about 3/4 cup of shortening, and cut it into the flour. If you don't have a pastry cutter, use two knives, or a fork. I did it that way for YEARS, which still baffles me... a pastry cutter doesn't cost that much! ;) Just keep cutting up and down until...

It looks like this. It should have little chunks of shortening, but be pretty evenly mixed.

Mix ice cubes with your water for really cold water, which makes the dough easier to work with. (Don't put the ice cubes into your flour though! ;)

Add water to the flour/shortening mixture. I usually add about 1/4 cup right away, then about half of a 1/4 of a cup until it's the right consistency. (Maybe about 1/2-3/4 cup total.)

Each time you add water, toss it around with a fork. Don't mix too much, though!

When you can grab a handful and press it together, like this, you've added enough water. It should be on the dry side.

Flour your surface and rolling pin well, and form half of the dough into a flattened round ball. I LOVE this dough rolling thingy from Pampered Chef, so if you're going to make a lot of pies, look for one! You can also roll it onto waxed paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap, or right on the counter. It's just a little harder to pick it up that way.

Roll from the center to the edges, in circles, until you have a bigger-than-your-pie-pan circle. If you have a spot that seems to have a big hole, and another that has excess dough, just rip off the excess and press it into place on the hole.

Fold the dough into 1/4ths for easy transfer to the pie pan.

Carefully unfold it, but don't worry if it tears a little. These things can be fixed! :)

See? It happens. Just patch with excess dough, and it'll turn out just fine. Roll out the top crust just like you did the bottom crust. Set aside.

Put your filling inside the crust. You can make your own filling, or use canned filling if you're feeling lazy. It'll still taste good, because you have a homemade crust! I usually add more filling than this, but I didn't want to open another bottle, so we're skimping today.

Put the top crust over the whole thing, then fold the top crust under, catching the bottom crust with it. You can trim the crusts before folding if you want, but my family likes extra crust, so I just let it be.

Pinch the crusts together between your thumb and forefinger. This is my favorite edge to do, but you can do whatever you like. Just make sure the top and bottom are sealed together.

You need some vents in the top... I like to cut designs with a knife, like an apple, or leaves, or loopy things, but you can just cut slits if you want. (You don't have to be an artist... nobody cares if it looks perfect, as long as you made them a pie! ;)

Pour a little bit of milk on the top.

Then spread it out with your fingers. I know, it's weird... I used to try to brush it on with a pastry brush, but it's just a pain. This is much easier, and I promise my hands are clean.

Sprinkle sugar on generously. This makes a pretty, sparkly, yummy crust.

Bake. Admire. Admire some more. Then eat!

Check out more recipes in photos at I Heart Faces!