Pies are fortunately less used for desserts than formerly. Although it is possible to make a comparatively harmless crust by avoiding much animal fat and taking care in mixing, etc., pies as a rule are rather to be avoided.

Use, if possible, cream or a good vegetable oil for shortening. Make the filling for pies as simple as possible. Apple, or other fruit pies are best. Mince pie, containing as it often does meat, fruit, raisins, suet, etc., is rather a whole meal than an appropriate finish to a hearty dinner. The recipe for a simple mince pie is given, but is not recommended as a very wholesome dessert.

1. Cream Crust (No. 1)

A simple and digestible crust is made as follows:

Mix and sift one and a half teacupfuls of white flour with one and a half teacupfuls of Graham or whole-wheat flour. Moisten with one scant teacupful sweet cream, making a stiff dough. Roll not quite so thin as for white crust. For a fruit pie, brush over the bottom crust with white of egg to keep the juice from soaking in.

2. Pie Crust (2). - Dr. Holbrook

For two pies use one quart sifted flour; mix in one-quarter pound butter, one teaspoonful baking powder, a pinch salt, and moisten with ice water, using as little as possible. Roll very-thin.

3. Cream And Potato Crust (3)

Six potatoes boiled and mashed, one cup sweet cream, one-half teaspoonful salt, flour enough to stiffen ; mix quickly, roll. Work and handle as little as possible.

4. Pie Crust (4)

One cup shortening, cot-tolene and butter mixed; three cups flour; a little salt. Sift the flour, add the salt, and rub in the shortening. Use enough ice water to hold all together, handling as little as possible. Roll from you. Enough for three pies.

5. Pie Crust (5)

Mix one and one-half cups flour with one saltspoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful baking powder; add one table-spoonfuJ butter and two of cottonseed oil or nut oil; moisten with ice water.

6. Puff Paste

One pound of butter, one pound of flour; wash the salt out of the butter; mix the flour with a little ice water, and salt; roll on the board and fold in the butter; roll very thin and keep cool, cutting with a knife.

7. Apple Pie (No. 1)

Make a cream or potato crust and line a pie dish. Brush over with white of egg and fill with sliced tart apples. Add three tablespoonfuls water; sprinkle with two tablespoonfuls sugar, and cover with top crust, pressing the edges well together and cutting a slit in the top. Bake forty-five minutes or until brown. (Add cinnamon if desired.)

8. Apple Pie (No. 2) (Delicious)

Line a dish with cream crust or crust No. 4 or 5, and slice in greening apples to fill. Add top crust without sweetening, and bake one hour. Remove the crust carefully, and stir into the filling sugar to sweeten, and one teaspoonful butter. Replace crust and serve warm.

9. Apple Tart

Line a pie dish with any good crust, and fill with apple sauce (see page 111). Cover with strps of pie crust and bake one-half hour, or until brown.