WFMW - piecrust tips

When making a pie, I usually make my crusts from scratch using my momma's 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening recipe that makes a deliciously sweet, sugar cookie-ish crust...

But sometimes you're in a hurry. That's when I turn to the pre-made, refrigerated pie crusts. They're not too bad, considering the tons of time that they save. They're not sweet at all, though, so be warned... (which makes them good for pot pies, too.)

One way to get around that - brush the top of your crust with a little egg or milk, and then liberally sprinkle sugar all over it. The more sugar, the better! To give your pie a little homemade flair, play with your steam vents. Instead of just cutting a slit or two, take an extra 30 seconds and try this tip:

Roll the crust out onto your counter before placing on the pie. Using a cookie cutter, cut out a shape from the center of the crust. Place the main part of the crust on the pie, and then crimp the edges. Add some details to the cut-out, if desired, then place in the hole on the crust. This one will shrink away from the edges a little bit, leaving you with a elaborate (and simple) steam vent... Here's a "Easter bunny" I put on a recent apple pie: