Tasty, GF olive oil pie crust & pumpkin pie

Now we have pie crust. This is a big deal, since I love to grow squash. there's something about all the bright colors and shapes, plus they keep forever. I don't eat the seeds, but only because I prefer mine hulled. I saw a thing on the net about crushing the shells with a rolling pin and boiling the seeds. The shells are supposed to float to the top, so I may try that, or I could pulse them in a food processor and then boil.

I'm epi-pen allergic to milk, so butter is out. Shortening often has soy, another allergy, and I'm allergic to sunflower (God has a sense of humor), which is in otherwise useful butter substitutes (and almost all potato chips use sunflower oil). I can use Spectrum shortening (based on date palm) but it's not cheap and has no flavor.

Pie crust should taste as good as the pie.

Pie Crust

1 c GF flour mix*

1/2 c sweet rice flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c olive oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp chocolate extract (essential to replicate buttery goodness)

1/4  to 1/3 c nut milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Mix dry stuff. Add wet stuff and stir. It should look like clumps. Let rest in the fridge at least 90 min to hydrate so the flour can hydrate and the crust will be tender. Press into an oiled pie pan and fill with pie filling. Bake as usual.

*GF flour mix:

1 c rice

1/2 c brown rice

1/2 c sweet rice

1/2 c toasted bean flour

1 tbsp potato flakes

1/4 tsp pectin

Makes 2 3/4 c mix.

Mock Pumpkin Pie

Carrot or winter squash puree makes a great pie that is indistinguishable from pumpkin.

2 c thinly sliced cooked carrots (6 medium) or pureed winter squash or pumpkin

¼ tsp salt

½ c brown sugar

1 tbsp GF flour

2 eggs

1 c canned coconut milk

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ginger

9 inch unbaked pie shell

1. Boil or microwave the carrots until tender. Puree carrots, adding rest of ingredients until well mixed. Pour into pie shell and bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes or until pie is set and barely jiggles in the center when you wiggle the pie plate. Let pie cool, slice and enjoy.