Ingredients

makes enough for 6 mini pies

　　

Step 1

Prepare the dough according to the recipe (page 192). On a floured surface, roll it out into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Use the ring of a jar to cut out perfectly sized pie tops. Cut at least one hole in each top to keep the pies from bursting when cooking. Use the rest of the dough to line the jars—no need to grease!—by taking little pieces and pressing them on the bottom and up the sides of the jars. Fill each with a 1/2 cup of your favorite pie filling and add a pie crust top, sealing the edges tightly. Place the lids on the jars and store the mini pies in your freezer.

　　

Step 2

If presenting the pies as a gift, remove the outer band of the lid, place a square of decorative fabric over the inner lid of the jar, then screw the outer band back on tightly. Add personalized labels with these instructions for cooking: No need to thaw. Simply remove lids and place jars on a sheet pan in a cold oven. Cook at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until the pie crust is golden brown.

　　From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers.Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.