How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew Read Online Free PDF Page A

crust in the same way. Then moisten the edges of your bottom crust with water or milk, and lay the top crust over your pie.
    Step 8:
With a pair of scissors or a knife, trim the excess dough from both crusts, leaving about 1 inch on all sides.
    Step 9:
Curl both edges under together and tuck them into the pie plate. Then crimp them, by pinching the dough between the knuckle of your right index finger and the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. Once you make it all the way around the pie and it looks great, say ta-da again, this time with feeling!
    Step 10:
With a sharp knife, cut four tiny holes in the center of the upper crust, so the steam can escape. If you make the chimneysteardrop shaped, everyone will be impressed. Then paint the crust with milk, so it’ll bake up golden brown.
    Step 11:
Carefully place your pie in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. (Strawberry-rhubarb pie takes 55 minutes.) Once it’s golden brown, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for as long as your self-restraint allows. Then present it with a big “Ta!” and then a “Da!”

More Nifty Tips
If you’re worried about your crust sticking to your work surface, roll it out between two sheets of waxed paper.
Heal any tears by affixing some spare dough with a few drops of water or milk.
Wrap aluminum foil around the edges of the crust before baking (or use a pie shield) to prevent them from burning. Remove it 10 minutes before baking is finished.
To prevent the bottom crust from getting soggy, paint it with a beaten egg white before filling.
No Crisco? Use butter in the crust. It’ll still be oh so flavorful, just a little less flakey.
Don’t toss your leftover dough. Gather it into a ball, roll it out, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, slice into pinwheels (or whatever your heart’s delight), and bake. Mmm, pie appetizers!

Drink to Your Health

    “We prided ourselves on our economy. You never threw anything away.”
    —R UTH R OWEN
H OW TO M AKE A S MOOTHIE WITH F RUIT OR V EGGIES
    Step 1:
Peek in your fridge, and grab any fruits or veggies that look like they need to be eaten immediately or will go to waste. Check your garden, too, in case you’ve got any produce that has just barely overripened on the vine.
    Step 2:
Choose your flavor. Apples and pears can sweeten up carrots, spinach, celery, and parsley. Tomatoes and cucumbers pair off well. Generally all fruits go nicely with each other. And, mmm! Mint complements melon smoothies like nobody’s business.
    Step 3:
Peel and finely chop up whatever you’ve got. Toss your finds into a blender.
    Step 4:
Add some apple or orange juice, and puree. Repeat, until you reach the desired consistency.
    Step 5:
Add 2 to 4 ice cubes, and blend to crush.
    Step 6:
Take a sip to check the flavor, and season if you’d like. To sweeten fruity smoothies, add honey. To spice up savory juices, addhot pepper, Worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of lemon, and salt and pepper.

More Nifty Tips
For fruity drinks, substitute frozen berries for ice cubes.
For creamier smoothies, add a scoop of yogurt.
Even if your drink turns out green and reminds you of pond scum, close your eyes and bottoms up! It’ll be chock-full of vities and make you feel strong.

Save Your Bacon

    “We cooked breakfast at 6 A.M. on the farm. We had ten hired men during harvest, so we’d have eggs and bacon and all that good heavy stuff. Had to fill up all those men!”
    —J EAN D INSMORE
H OW TO U SE G REASE AS F LAVORING
    Step 1:
Fry up some bacon, and have it for breakfast. It is arguably the most indulgent way to start your day—even more so if you can get someone else to fry it for you! (To accomplish that, open this book and leave it in a conspicuous spot for your honey to find.)
    Step 2:
After you eat but before the grease sets, pour the warm (not sizzling-hot) bacon drippings through a mesh strainer into a glass jelly jar or well-washed coffee can, and store in the fridge or freezer.
    Step 3:
Reach for