Song of Souls

New Author Uses Painful Experience as CatalystFor First Book in Song of Souls Trilogy 

By Karilea Rilling Jungel

One deals with grief in various ways. There are the seven stages of grief; shock and denial, pain and guilt, anger and bargaining, depression/reflection, the upward turn, reconstruction and working through, and finally, acceptance and hope. And somewhere in these stages, after only 18 months of marriage to Dustin, then widowed at a young age, Christen Stovall found a way to give voice to her loss, and her book, Soulbound, was conceived.

“I decided on a trilogy in order for the characters to play out.” Christen explains that even though she picks up side jobs, her primary job is dedicated to taking her characters on a fictional journey. “When I talked to my mom about this effort, she was very supportive of me. My mother lived out in the country, so I invited her and my brother to move into town with me; it would be easier on her to get to her job, and made it financially advantageous to all of us.

courtesy christen stovall

“I started writing as a hobby in my late teens, early 20’s. I wanted to write a book, but felt I didn’t have any new idea (for a novel) back then.  About two years after my husband died, the idea for this story started building in my head, and the characters began evolving. On our vacation to the east coast in 2014, the whole outline of my story came into view, and when we returned home, it took about nine months to get the story written, and a full year before it was finally done.

“To a degree, the beginning story is based on my life. I had been home schooled, while Dustin attended Central High. Dustin and I met each other while we were still in school when we applied for auditions at our community theater. I thought then, and shared with some of the other actors, that ‘I think I really like him.’ This was well after he had been in a car accident in the winter of 2000, and Dustin had worked hard to rehabilitate his mind, body, and spirit. Not long after being in a play with him (The Odd Couple at Salina Community Theater, 2005) we started dating, because I realized the ‘crush’ was as strong as ever. I had noted that although Dustin had always been a deep person; his car accident just added another layer of depth to his persona. We were together for two years before he proposed in 2007, and we married a year later, on October 26, 2008.

“However, because he was not able to become 100% rehabilitated following his car accident, Justin’s depression from continuous physical pain had become too much for him to handle, and he died on May 1, 2012.”

In Christen’s first book Soulbound, her main character, Aislynn, draws upon Christen’s personal experience as a young widow for a character who marries her “soulmate,” only to also become a widow not long into the marriage. In this fantasy world, some soulmates are able to stay connected, which gives them certain abilities. Aislynn learns she will require training to use her powers correctly, in order that she stay sane, and not go ‘crazy’. Aislynn makes the choice to stay a soulmate and becomes soul bound. That’s when her adventures really begin.

Christen acknowledged that other facets of her own personality come through in Aislynn. “In terms of how Aislynn approaches situations, such as when bad things happen, which you can’t control, you can learn to control how it will affect you, and how you will approach your own healing. Whether you are going to be a victim, or a survivor, and grow stronger are characteristics that Aislynn takes on, and I have done the same. Close friendships are important to Aislynn. She uses the same term of endearment as I did. But she is not exactly like me. Some of my other characters are based loosely on my own friends. Family is important to her, and Aislynn feels a sense of responsibility toward other characters, as do I.”

Christen confesses that this first novel was more revealing about what she went through than she thought it would be. “I was nervous at my first reading, because (the story) was intimate to me, and shows what I went through. I’m an introvert, and it is difficult to be that open to others. But the more Aislynn grew, the more I felt I was coming back to myself, as well.” Christen imagines that her second book will show some darker sides of various situations she personally went through while dealing with her grief, which will be portrayed by her protagonist. Her third book will show a softer, accepting side of what Aislynn, as well as Christen, went through.

After Christen finishes the trilogy, she would then like to continue on with a prequel, and other writing projects.

Christen Stovall’s book can be found on Amazon.com (paper and e-book), and can be ordered directly through CreateSpace, as well as Barnes & Noble.

A Traditoinal Farm Life - Banana Streusel Muffins

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

Photo by William Snyder

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!   You might find this a little hard to believe, but our boys can turn vegetables into draft horses!

That’s right. A summer of selling vegetables at local farmer’s markets, coupled with lawn mowing and odd jobs around town, have helped our boys secure the chance at buying a team of draft horses.

On Monday our boys, chauffeured by Gary Crump and accompanied by their father, made the long trek to the Amish community near Parsons, Kansas to buy a team of Hofflinger draft horses.  They returned home with “Tom” and “Jerry,” 17 and 13 years of age, respectively. 

At 14 hands high and about a thousand pounds each, these dark sorrel draft horses with flaxen manes have captivated our hearts and fueled our dreams for the future.

Yesterday the boys hitched them up to the people hauler for their “maiden voyage.”   They were headed to the restaurant where Michael was, so their first trip off the farm was to be done completely on their own. 

It turned out they did just fine.  While it didn’t exactly “go off without a hitch,” I was very proud of them for working through the few minor setbacks they had without any adult help.  (They must have been paying attention at the draft horse workshops they’ve attended in recent months.)

Personally, I barely know a bit from a bridle, so it was pretty amazing to watch these young men harness and hitch up their new team.  They left the yard with a flourish, trace chains jangling and the steady clip-clop of horses’ hooves on pavement ringing clearly through the still morning air. 

I stood near the road, silently watching them climb the hill and finally turn the corner, a few mother’s tears slipping from wet eyes . . . My once little boys are quickly becoming men.

With manhood comes responsibility, and it is our prayer as parents that our boys’ taking of responsibility will grow in correspondence with their age. It has always been our philosophy to seek to raise them as future men, even though we like to call them our “boys.”

We had a very pleasant surprise yesterday in the form of two cases of overripe bananas from Zey’s Market in Abilene.  They were quite literally delivered to our doorstep.  We were tickled they thought of us.

Two cases of bananas mean A LOT of banana bread.  They were delivered shortly before we opened for the Wednesday evening meal, so we offered banana-bread-ready bananas to all our customers free for the taking.  Thankfully, we were able to share the blessing and still put most of a case into the deep freeze for future use.

The future ended up being today.  We whipped up a batch of Banana Streusel Muffins by simply putting our favorite banana bread recipe in muffin liners topped with streusel and baking for a shorter period of time. 

So when life gives you overripe bananas, go ahead and make banana bread!

Photo by William Snyder

Banana Streusel Muffins

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 very ripe bananas, crushed

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

3.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well.  Stir in crushed bananas and vanilla extract.

4.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to banana mixture and stir only until combined.

5.  Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full (1/3 cup batter per muffin). 

6.  For streusel, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over muffins.

7.  Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.  Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield:  12 muffins.

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com. 

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Apple Crisp - A Traditional Farm Life

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!   It was a year ago today that we rolled up the back door of the U-haul and began moving in to our ramshackle farmhouse on eleven wooded acres near the outskirts of Enterprise. 

“This old house” may now have a new sewer line, plumbing and heating, but I assure you its “rustic” character remains largely unchanged.  Our weekly routine is so set that there never seems to be a large enough window of time to get out the paint and get a room painted.

The grass-is-greener-dreamer in me can see the possibilities for remodeling, but the busy mother of six never finds the time to turn those dreams into reality.

Thankfully, the boys are making great progress with projects outside this old house.  After finishing some projects for folks in town, the boys have been able to turn their attention to things here on the farm.

Antique farm machinery no longer serve as lawn ornaments for the front yard, they’ve all been moved to “equipment row” out back.  Some shuffling in the shed has allowed the horse tack to move from temporary quarters on our front porch to permanent abode in the shed.

Today the boys removed the tin from the front of the lean-to on the shed in order to provide draft horse access from the front.  They have put in a hitching rail close by, and are making preparations to make that space more usable.

All in all, it sure feels good to do some “fall cleaning” around the place. Soon we’ll clean up the garden—it looks like the tomatoes and cucumbers are probably done for the season. 

A high garden note for me has been the success of the asparagus crowns we planted this spring.  They’re my kind of plant—they have prospered without any attention from me save a couple weedings throughout the season.  Maybe we should plant the whole garden to asparagus!

Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, we are gearing up for something new and different.  We will now be offering a From-Scratch Brunch every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

We will serve our own Buttermilk Pancakes, make French Toast with Buggy Stop Bread, and offer Gluten Free Buttermilk Waffles for those who refrain from gluten.  Potato Cakes and Sausage Patties made on site with our own special blend of herbs and spices will round out the meal. 

We plan to make this a Saturday fixture at The Buggy Stop, so give the morning cook at your house a break next Saturday, sleep in, and come on over for a real treat!

We recently received a treat ourselves—a 5 gallon bucket full of Granny Smith apples.  They’re tart, but the kids enjoy snacking on them anyway. 

Thinking back to my own childhood, one of the first desserts I learned to make was apple crisp.  Years ago, my mother put the recipe we used at home in the church cookbook under my name.  So when I get a hankering for apple crisp, I get out my old cookbook and smile, remembering that little girl in the kitchen slicing apples and preparing a comforting dessert for the family.

Apple Crisp - Double Batch

Apple Crisp

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

4 cups tart apples, unpeeled and thinly sliced

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Lightly butter an 8-inch pan. 

3.  Mix oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Add melted butter and mix with a fork until well blended. Mixture will be crumbly.

4.  Place thinly sliced apples in pan.  Spread oatmeal mixture on top of apples and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until topping is browned and apples are tender. 

5.  Excellent served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Yield:  6-9 servings 

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com. 

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A Traditional Farm Life - Indian Squaw Bread

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

 

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!   Twenty years ago a dashing young man with rugged good looks swept me off my feet.  We were students at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. 

He was a senior, and I a lowly freshman, but in God’s timing we noticed each other and were drawn together by our mutual interests.  We were both double majors--Bible and Religion as well as History—and our love for “the old paths” continues to strengthen our marriage bond today.

Precept upon precept, line upon line, early on in our marriage we started making small changes in our lifestyle fueled by our understanding of the Bible.

Change has not always been easy, but with conviction comes courage, and we can’t imagine raising our children any other way.

Even so, on our wedding day almost 18 years ago, we certainly did not imagine ourselves joyfully going through life in suspenders and straw hats, flowing dresses, black aprons and head coverings. 

A simpler lifestyle without television, radio and internet access in the home creates a fertile environment for family interaction in the evenings after the chores are done.  Reading is a favorite evening activity of ours.

In years past, on long winter evenings my husband has read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series to us as a family.  Historical novels such as these have been both inspirational and tutorial to us, as we seek to find ways to live a simpler lifestyle.

Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to give our six children traditional farm chores Laura and Almanzo were very familiar with.  Our little ones have gathered eggs, older ones have tended large gardens, milked cows and fed horses.  I’ve made butter, cheese, and yogurt by the gallon and spent the summer canning pickles, tomatoes, jams and jellies.

There is great satisfaction in eating vegetables from your own garden, spreading fresh-churned butter on warm homemade bread, and admiring rows of sparkling jars full of canned produce put by against the winter winds.

If I led an academic life today, I would probably specialize in the history of food and how it relates to one’s culture.  I love old cookbooks and comparing and researching “the way it used to be.”  The yellowed pages of old cookbooks have opened up another world of “cookery” to me.   The years in which we had farm fresh milk were enriched by those farmwives of old who wrote down how they made butter, used the buttermilk, and baked with truly soured cream.

Adding fuel to the fire recently was our friend Kelly Taylor of Chapman lending us two cookbooks featuring Native American recipes.  “American Indian Cooking and Herb Lore,” and  “Corn Recipes From the Indians” are invaluable windows into that culture’s cuisine. 

Indirectly, these slim volumes shed light on the similarities of that culture with pioneer cooking.  We all know the story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving, so it’s no wonder that a good portion of early American pioneer cooking also centered on beans, corn, and squash as well.

With two cookbooks in front of me, it shouldn’t have been hard to choose a recipe for you to try this week.  My fun-loving family very much wanted me to share the recipe for “Dakota Weshungle,” a taste-tempting stew of Indian sweet corn, fresh short ribs, dried pumpkin, black pepper, wild prairie turnips, dried cow hoofs, and salt.   (If you find yourself planning to tend a slow fire for 6-1/2 hours with 4 dried cow hooves on hand, give us a call at The Buggy Stop and we’ll get you the recipe.)

Instead, I decided to share with you the recipe for “Indian Squaw Bread,” a biscuit-like dough rolled thin and fried in oil.  Today it is often referred to as “Fry Bread.”  Interestingly, the recipe is very similar to “Crullers,” thicker strips of biscuit dough twisted and fried as an accompaniment to watermelon—a favorite of my pioneer ancestors, the Russian Mennonites.  It’s a small world after all!

Indian Squaw Bread

2 cups (8.5 oz.) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 to 3/4 cups milk

oil for frying

  (lard would be the traditional choice)

1.  In a 12” a skillet, pour oil to a depth of 1/4” and begin heating over medium-high heat.

2.  Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl; mix with a fork.  Add 2/3 cup milk, and stir with the fork until all flour is moistened, adding more milk if necessary.  Divide into 4 pieces, kneading gently 2 or 3 times to form a ball. 

3.  Dust each piece in flour and roll out on a well-floured board until 1/8” thick and approximately a 7” circle.  Cut two slits in the center.

5.  VERY CAREFULLY slip into hot oil. Fry until bottom is golden brown, turn with tongs and fry other side until golden brown as well.

6.  Remove to paper-towel lined plate.  Repeat with other three fry breads.  Cut into wedges to serve.  Sources indicate these treats were served with maple syrup or fruit jam, and often with bacon.

Yield:  4 fry breads (7”).

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com.

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A Traditional Farm Life - Homemade Granola

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!   You can imagine my surprise this afternoon to peek around the corner and see two giggling girls “galloping” down the narrow hallway at The Buggy Stop.  Our four-year-old was “driving” her 10-year-old sister down the hall holding onto her apron strings as the “lines.” 

The brief blur of billowing skirts along with their unbridled joy for the fun of the moment was a snapshot of their childhood I hope I shall never forget.

Interestingly, the subject of childhood memories has come up here more than once lately.  We’ve had some interesting family discussions this week as our older children reminisce and compare their early years to that of the current crop of youngsters. 

They are of the opinion that their younger siblings have it much easier than they did.  While they are probably not the first older children in a large family to think this over the years, it is a thought that bears serious consideration. 

Certainly our parenting philosophy has not changed, but it is probably safe to allow that some of our application has evolved over the years as our family has grown and circumstances inevitably change.

One of these conversations about “old times” brought out the fact it had been a long time since we had homemade granola for breakfast.  Come to think of it, I was pretty sure I had not made granola in the eleven months we’ve lived here in Enterprise.  There were many years where homemade granola was the only cold cereal regularly on the Hamilton’s breakfast table.

We would buy quick oats in a 50 lb. bag from a bulk food store near Hutchinson.  Raw sunflower seeds were also very affordable there, and if finances allowed, we could afford to splurge on some raisins.

I would melt butter, add some brown sugar, homemade pancake syrup, salt, and vanilla, whisk it together and toss it with the quick oats and sunflower seeds until coated.  It was then toasted in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.  The trick was to take it out when just dry and golden brown but not overly brown and burned. 

We would make yogurt by the gallon with the milk from our first milk cow, “Clarabelle,” and mix it with our homemade granola for breakfast.  Yummy!

Alas, current circumstances have prevented our having a milk cow, and our cold breakfast cereal has been coming in cardboard boxes from the store.  The novelty of cardboard cereal from a box has worn off, and ironically the children have been longing for what was once so commonplace and boring for breakfast.

When I looked up the granola recipe in the breakfast section of my 3-ring binder of family recipes, I was surprised to discover the recipe I once had memorized years ago did not look right to me now.  Where did my old friend go?  I may never know, but after all, my memory is not what it used to be . . .

I turned to a recipe given to us by an Amish Mennonite friend back in the Hutchinson area.  She gave us some of her granola as a gift years ago, and everyone loved it.  I begged the recipe at the time and filed it away.  This morning I pulled it out and soon the kitchen was fragrant with the spicy smell of sweetened, toasting oats once again.

It’s a good thing granola recipes are forgiving.  If you don’t like sunflower seeds, substitute sliced almonds.  Can’t stand cinnamon or coconut?  Leave them out, if you please.  As long as you have oats tossed with syrup and toasted, you’ll have granola.

I didn’t happen to have coconut, flaxseed meal, or even sunflower seeds on hand this morning.  Fortunately, I did at least have a few dried out raisins tucked away in a corner of the pantry out of the kid’s reach! 

Homemade Granola

12 cups (42 oz. canister) oatmeal,

quick or old-fashioned, or any

combination of both

1-1/2 cups shredded coconut, optional

1 cup ground flaxseed meal, optional

3/4 cup raw or roasted, salted

sunflower seeds, optional

1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 cups raisins, as desired

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Place oatmeal, coconut, flaxseed meal, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl; mix well.

3.  Melt butter in a saucepan, add remaining ingredients, and whisk over low heat until peanut butter is melted and syrup is smooth.

5.  Pour syrup over oatmeal mixture in large bowl and stir until evenly coated.  Spread evenly 1/2” deep into 4 (9x12”) pans, 2 large cookie sheets, or whatever rimmed pans you have handy..

6.  Place pans in oven on both racks and bake 15-20 minutes.  Rotate pans from top to bottom rack.  Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake 15 minutes more.  Stir carefully to avoid completely breaking up clumps.  Continue baking, checking and stirring every 15 minutes until granola is dry and light golden brown. 

7.  Remove from oven and add raisins; stir in.  Allow to completely cool before transferring to an airtight container.  May store at room temperature.

Yield:  12 to 14 cups granola.

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com.

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Executives Sales Account Managers Needed!!

Executives Sales Account Managers needed for Information/Content Technology

Company.Location: Quad Cities and Cedar Rapids Area

HBT Productions is a new mobile phone app and digital media solution company. The focus is to build community pride and connect businesses to a larger consumer base.

HBT Productions is seeking independent, motivated Executives Sales Manager to support our ongoing expansion in the its Kansas marketplace. Responsibilities include: Demonstrating products, Selling business memberships and advertising options, Maintaining client relationships with excellent customer service. Commission position.

Candidates should have customer service experience, Exceptional presentation and communication skills, A smart phone or tablet is required to be able to demonstrate products. Candidate's for the positions should enjoy helping others to succeed, being able to build rapport with people, and interested in problem solving.

If you are in sales and your job is treating you bad or plain, just taking advantage of you. Then Try Controlling Your Future!!!

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Be the first to get the big clients!!! www.myiowaapp.com

email your resume to michael@hbtproductions.com  New Apps Launching this Fall!!

A Traditional Farm Life - Never Fail Pie Crust

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!  There are three watermelon plants emerging from the newly worked soil at the foot of the steps off our back deck.  If I were writing in May this would not be unusual, but it is already the second week of September.

My oldest daughter recently pulled out the weeds and hoed up this small area in hopes of planting some fall flowers.  She scattered the seed, and we are patiently waiting to see what comes up.  With the rain showers we’ve had recently, we just might have a chance.

It just so happens that our back porch stoop was the place our children were recently eating watermelon and spitting the seeds into the weeds. The weeds are now gone, but the seeds found their way into the freshly turned earth and are doing what seeds do when conditions are right—germinate.

Carpe diem.  If I can remember back to my high school English class in the early 90’s, this Latin phrase means something like, “Seize the day.”

While their future is all too uncertain, our little watermelon friends are seizing what my husband and I have referred to over the years as “a carpe diem moment.”

Probably our favorite carpe diem moment happened about twelve years ago when my husband was pastor of a small church plant in Fredericksburg, Texas.  Our oldest son was just getting his sea legs and learning to walk from the couch, to the chair, to the coffee table, etc.  My sister-in-law sent a care package including one of those jumbo-sized boxes of Cheerios—every toddler’s favorite snack food.

The details are now foggy, but we must have opened the care package on the coffee table in the living room, opening up the box of Cheerios as well to give our little guy a treat.

I left the room, leaving the opened Cheerio box on the coffee table.  Upon returning I found the vast majority of the Cheerio box emptied upon the coffee table, and our toddler grabbing fist fulls of Cheerios and stuffing them into his mouth as fast as humanly possible.

Carpe diem!

This afternoon my husband took a trailer of scrap metal to the “back 40” to unload.  The appointed spot was a concrete slab upon which an outbuilding once stood many years ago.  Our two oldest boys recently finished scooping off the years of dirt that had settled on the concrete, and swept it clean to accommodate its new re-purposed future.

As it turns out, this re-claimed spot just happens to adjoin our youngest children’s play area.  We were amused to find the concrete pad had been taken over by a Tonka truck construction crew in the short time since the dirt and weeds had been cleared.  After what seemed like scores of plastic loaders and dump trucks were removed from the premises, the afternoon project was completed.

Our six-year-old son wouldn’t be able to translate the phrase, “carpe diem,” but he sure knows what it means!

It might be a stretch to try to roll carpe diem and pie crusts together in the same sentence, but if you’re ready to “seize the day” and make a pie (like last week’s All-American Apple), you can’t go wrong with this recipe from an old family friend and accomplished cook.

Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup lard or shortening

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon white vinegar

5-6 tablespoons cold water

1.  In large bowl, mix together flour and salt; cut in lard or shortening until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

2.  In measuring cup, beat together egg, vinegar, and water with a fork.

3.  Add liquid to flour mixture and toss with fork until flour mixture is moistened and makes a ball when squeezed together.  Add additional cold water if needed a tablespoon at a time.

4.  Divide into 4 equal pieces.  Shape into round balls and then into flattened disks.

5.  Place on disk between floured sheets of waxed paper and roll from center out until crust edges meet the edges of waxed paper.  (Turn over occasionally and remove and reposition waxed paper to remove wrinkles, sprinkling on flour if necessary to avoid sticking.)

6.  Remove top sheet of waxed paper.  Center pie pan over exposed crust and invert; remove second sheet of waxed paper.  Gently ease crust into pie pan. 

7.  For a single crust pie, trim off extra crust, leaving 1/2” hanging over the edge of the pan; fold under and crimp edge.  For a double crust pie, trim off bottom crust using edge of pie pan as a guide.  Fill as desired, roll out top crust and place over filling.  Trim edges leaving 1/2” hanging over edge of pie pan.  Tuck this extra under the bottom crust to seal contain juices; crimp to finish the seal.  Cut vents to allow steam to escape and proceed as your recipe directs.

Yield:  4 single or 2 double crusts.

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com.