Celebrate National Pie Day today with these fun facts and recipes

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This is a day worth celebrating - National Pie Day!

Did you know that pie has been around since about 2000 B.C. during the time of the ancient Egyptians. Yep. And pies back then were all meat pies. Fruit pies were first made in the 1500s. English tradition credits making the first cherry pie to Queen Elizabeth I.

Here are some more fun pie facts from a 2008 survey by Crisco and the American Pie Council:

* Nearly one out of five (19%) of Americans prefer apple pie, followed by pumpkin (13%), pecan (12%), banana cream (10%) and cherry (9%)
* Pie just isn’t for after-dinner dessert. Thirty-five percent of Americans say they’ve had pies for breakfast. Pies as lunch (66%) and midnight snacks (59%) also have a popular following.
* When asked what dessert Americans would prefer a friend or family member bring to their house for a holiday dinner, pie was the winner with 29%. Cake (17%) and cookies (15%) rounded out the top-three spots.

So why not make a pie with the kiddos today?! Here's the recipe from the American Pie Council's 2008 national 1st prize winner of the cherry pie competition:

All American Sour Cherry Pie
By Jim Woodworth
Pueblo West, Colorado

Crust

Ingredients

* 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
* ¾ cups Butter Flavored Crisco® shortening
* ¾ tsp. salt
* ½ tsp. sugar
* 1 Tbsp. vinegar
* 1 egg
* 1 to 2 Tbsp. ice water

Directions

1. Combine all dry ingredients together, then cut in Butter Flavored Crisco and mix
with a pastry blender.
2. In a separate bowl, mix egg, vinegar and ice water
together and beat well.
3. Then add about ½ to ¾ of the liquid mixture to your dry
ingredients.
4. With a fork, toss the mixture well and let stand for a few minutes.
5. Add more liquid as needed until dough just comes together in a ball.
6. Roll out and press into pie plate. (Recipe also includes a top crust).
7. This makes enough for two pie shells.
8. Use shells as needed or refrigerate remaining dough for later use.

Filling

Ingredients

* 1 ½ cups sugar (divided)
* 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 1 cup cherry juice
* 1 ½ tsp. lemon juice
* ¼ tsp. almond extract
* ¼ tsp. red food coloring
* 2 Tbsp. butter
* 5 to 6 cups of frozen red sour pitted cherries, thawed and drained
* 10 maraschino cherries cut in half for decoration on top crust

Directions

1. In a large sauce pan, stir together ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add cherry
juice.
2. Cook this mixture over medium heat, bring to a boil, and continue stirring
until thick.
3. Then add the rest of the sugar, stirring and cooking for 2 to 3 minutes
more.
4. Remove from heat and add the butter, lemon juice, almond extract, red
food coloring and drained cherries.
5. Mix gently and let cool.
6. Pour cooled filling into prepared pie crust. Place and adjust top crust. Seal and
flute edges of the pie crust.
7. Cut slits to vent, or for a special look, cut in a design
and fill with maraschino cherries.
8. Cover the edge with a pie shield to prevent over browning.
9. Bake in a 450 degree pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

If you don't want to make a pie today but you want to enjoy some pie, try Sara Lee's frozen peach pie. It's a favorite of mine!

For more info: Check out more winning pie recipes HERE.