A Milestone and Elderberry Pie

Last night - for the first time in almost 9 and a half years - there was no one officially sleeping in our nursery. :(  We moved Little One into Baby Girl's room (now officially called "The Girls' Room") and she slept in there.  We will move up to a big girl bed - right now it's a crib mattress on the floor (a smart move considering I went in last night to check on her and her head was hanging over the edge).  The idea is that she will stay in her OWN bed all night.  On paper, it seemed like a good idea.  In reality?  Notsomuch.  She seems to think that she can't get out on her own still, so when she wakes up, instead of coming into our room like her siblings (who STILL do it), she sat up and screamed for me.  Good thing her sister can sleep through a freight train!

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We have a bumper crop of elderberries growing in our yard this year.  I've been watching and waiting for them to get ripe for what seems like FOREVER and yesterday - when the birds were attacking the bushes - I knew it was time.  Perfect timing, too, because my parents come over on most Sundays and I knew if I made elderberry pie at least I would have someone to share it with.  It's really all about memories.  My Grams used to make pie with elderberries every year - I think it was one of her favorites.  I love pie.  Of ANY kind. 

Baby Girl and Grandma picked the berries off of the bushes (you cut the whole stem) and brought them to me. Youngest Boy, Baby Girl and I picked them off of the stems and into the bowl (4 cups?  That's a whole lotta berries, yinz guys!).  It took more than a hour for that whole process.  I had already made the crust so it didn't take long to get the pie in the oven and, even though we had to eat it when it was probably a tad too warm, it was worth the effort and stained fingers (and front porch).

For your baking pleasure:

Flaky Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening - CHILLED
1/2 cup butter - no substitutes (TRUST ME) - cold
up to 6 TBSP ice water

Using a food processor, combine flour, salt, shortening and butter.  Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Drizzle in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, JUST until dough comes together.  Divide in half and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) before rolling out between two pieces of waxed paper.  Makes 2 9" crusts.

I used this Elderberry Pie recipe (I ended up adding a bit more cornstarch). (I also forgot the lemon juice)