50 weeks, 50 states, 50 desserts

Let's start this with a confession: I'm not a baker, at least not in an experienced way.  This will be a learning process, but I have a couple taste testers on board who are willing to eat anything, so we'll see how it goes.  Hopefully, by the end I'll be able to make something presentable enough for the next holidays.

In the weeks leading up to the holidays, I saw a couple lists that were interesting.  The first list showed a dessert from every state.  The list was trying to say, "If you were to make or buy someone a dessert representing a particular state, then this dessert is what you should make or buy."  The other list showed good food gifts from every state, whether dessert or not.

Because I like our united states and how they differ, and because I like to challenge myself, and because I like to eat, and because I have dreams of grandeur, this is what I came up with:

50 weeks, 50 states, 50 desserts

A dessert a week highlighting one of our great states.

The lists that I found will be used for some states and not used for others.  Why am I not doing the lists as I found them?  For some of the states the lists would have things like "Seasonal Fruits With Ice Cream" and I think that is too broad and generic of an idea.  I will be narrowing it down and doing one particular thing.  Also, the lists sometimes didn't take into account if a state had a particular dessert already in place as the "state dessert."  So, I will be figuring that all out and presenting my final choice and baking results.  

The states will be highlighted in the same order as the states adopted the U.S. Constitution.  The date that each state adopted the U.S. Constitution is considered the day of statehood.   This is also the order that the 50 State Quarters were released.  

In preparation for my first state I need to make a pie crust.  I was warned that there is a "feel" to making a pie crust and that it might not go so well the first few times.  Ignoring this advice, I forged on.  

Here's the recipe (in blue) from the family cookbook.  It also says "from Betty Crocker" next to it, so I'm pretty sure this isn't a secret recipe.  There are a ton of pie crust recipes online, maybe I'll try a different on next time. 

For One Crust Pie

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 shortening

2 tblsp cold water

Preheat oven to 450F.  Mix flour and salt.  

Add shortening; mix with fork until it looks like mealy. 

I'm not sure if this is mealy, but this is what I ended up with.

Sprinkle with water; mix with fork.  

Gather dough together.  Press into ball.  

See how the dough is "cracking" that should tell you that it is too dry.

Immediately roll crust out on floured board to 1/2" to 1" larger than pie pan.  

Floured board?  Didn't have one of those.  I saw a trick about using parchment paper because the dough won't stick to the paper.  That didn't work either because the paper kept slipping whenever I tried to roll the dough out.  Next, I did what my momma taught me, put the dough straight on the (clean) counter top.  That worked the best.  However, actually rolling the dough out was a struggle.  It would either stick to the pin or to the counter, or it would break apart in weird places.  I believe the problem was that the dough was too dry.  Remember this, water "glues" the dough together and flour makes it where it doesn't stick to the pin.  I ended up trying to make it all work by sticking loose pieces together to make a piece large enough for the pie pan.  I finally got the dough pressed out enough that large enough and to a somewhat consistent thickness.  

Fit pastry loosely into pan.  

Since I worked the dough so much it was pretty stuck to the counter, I had to loosen it up by sliding a knife between the dough and the counter top so that I could carefully place it in the pie pan.  

Trim, leaving 1/2" overhang.  

Trimming was no problem.

Fold under, flute, prick thoroughly.  

I did manage to fold under somewhat.  No chance I could flute without it all crumbling to pieces.  Pricking was pretty easy, but didn't know if I should prick all the way through the dough until the fork hit the pie pan or if I should just poke the crust but not go all the way through.   

Bake shell 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown.  
It seemed so dry that I was afraid the whole thing might go up in flames.  Or be as dry as a communion cracker by the time is was finished.  

Here's the finished product.  It's not pretty, but it didn't turn out too bad.  It looks edible at least.  And what's a pie crust for other than to hold the good parts of the pie.  Is that sacrilegious to say?  You can see all the places that I tried to glue pieces together to make it whole.  And where I failed at doing that.  And it might still be as dry as a communion cracker.

Note:  When I roll out the pie crust, I have a rolling pin that is filled with cold water.  Works like a charm!

If you made it down this far, I'm also going to be keeping track of costs and my weight.  Hoping both don't balloon out of control.

Costs:
Shortening: $3.64
9inch pie crust: $3.88
I had some freebies since I didn't need to purchase flour, salt, or water.
Project Total: $7.52

Weight: 151