From The Sartor Women...

So, this weekend Erika told me that I "...make baking look so easy," because we had two pies in the oven before the guys knew what happened. My Mom says that people used to say about my Great Gramma Sartor—"She can make a pie while other people are just talking about it." She made amazing pies, and took joy in baking although I'm betting that two of her greatest joys are the girls in these photos—her daughters: Alma and Doris (or Dode). They were both accomplished bakers as well.

Doris was the younger of the two and was my grammy. Just thinking about her makes me smile. She was an amazing woman who raised four boys and one girl (my mom)... and perhaps her biggest challenge—my Grampa (who was quite a handful in his earlier years...). I could go on for quite awhile about all the Sartor women, but this post is to introduce a couple of their recipes. Each week I'll post another (Alma's divinity, Grammy's red devil's food cake with 7-minute frosting, etc.)

This week, we'll begin at the beginning with "Mom" Sartor's pie...

Mom Sartor's Banana Cream Pie

1/3 c flour
2/3 c sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 c milk
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 T. butter
1/2 t. vanilla

Whisk in saucepan and cook until thickened.

Top custard with meringue. For meringue whip to stiff peaks:
3 egg whites
6 T. sugar

Bake your pie shell, slice 2 bananas into the bottom, top with cooked custard, then meringue and brown in oven.

And, the much coveted recipe for her pie crust...fairly straightforward, but she baked with love which always adds a little something.

Dehlia Sartor's Pie Dough

Again I do it from scratch. For 1 pie

1 cup flour
3/4 cup Crisco or shortening whatever you have I like Crisco best.
1 tsp salt and just enough cold water to make it stick together. Mix shortening & flour & salt together first then add water and roll out.