Homemade Cookware

I feel like making a pie, but I don't have a pie pan. Have you ever been in that situation? You feel like making something but you can't because you don't have the proper cookware on hand to make it? I've had the proper cookware in my kitchen. I've also had children that enjoy sharing my creations with others and forget to get my pie dishes and casserole dishes back.

There's only a few things more disconcerting than going to the pantry to make a pie and you notice your pie pan is missing, ugh! And it seems like there is no compromising when it comes to cookware. Have you tried using a 9 x 13 casserole dish for brownies? Doesn't come out quite right, does it. Or cupcakes without a cupcake pan, ugh, more sloppy delights to go with the 9 x 13 brownies.

I had finally heard enough of my moaning about not having a pie dish when I needed one. So, I decided to make one for myself! Guess what? It worked!! It worked so well, I've made my own pie dish, casserole dish and cupcake pans especially when I know the item will be going to one of my kids friends house or to a luncheon.

I'm not baking cakes and pies everyday, but I do bake a few over the course of a year. Now when I'm in a pinch for the proper pan, voila, I can now create one! It's really easy, come on I'll show you how...

You'll need foil for this project. Every step is detailed in the photo's.

1. Determine the size of the pan you need to create and find a pan lid, bowl or any other object that is that diameter.
2. Pull a piece of foil out that is two inches longer than the length of the circumference of your object. IE: For a pan 7 inches in diameter, pull out approximately 25 inches of foil; for a pan 8 inches in diameter, pull out 27 inches of foil.
3. Lay the foil out flat. Now fold it in half length wise (refer to photos).
4. Fold that in half again, and again, and again, until you have a strip of foil folded down to approximately 1 1/2 inches by the length determined in step #2.
5. Now lay out two pieces of foil on top of each other, 4 inches longer and wider than the size you determined in step #2. These will be the base of your pan.
6. Place the lid, bowl or object from step #1 in the center of the base foil and pull the excess foil up and over the object (remember to see the photo's for clarity)
7. Next wrap the strip from steps #3, and #4 around the base. Fold the ends over each other so they are secure, yet flat.
8. Last, fold the foil down over the side you just applied and tuck it under the bottom.
9. Remove the lid, bowl or object and you have your pan!

You can place a pie shell in the pan and bake it or fill it and bake it. The pie dish is durable enough to back a few shell's in it.

I've baked quiche, pie shells, apple pie and several other dishes with these pie shells. If your a really creative person you could come up with all kinds of ideas for these nifty pie pans!