Keep Calm And Bake On! The Crisco® Pie Hotline Is Back With Extended Holiday Hours

ORRVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For those hoping to leave burnt and soggy pie crusts a thing of the past – keep calm and bake on – the pie experts from Crisco® are here to help! Just as fall baking gets underway, the Crisco® Pie Hotline (1-877-FOR-PIE-TIPS) returns for its eighth year to help home bakers succeed with the perfect pie crust.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131010/NY94921)

From how to avoid shrinking crusts to creating the perfect filling, the Crisco Pie Hotline provides information and tips around the clock to assist bakers with some of the most common pie-baking challenges. Live pie experts can be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET by calling 1-877-FOR-PIE-TIPS (877-367-7438). During the harried holiday season when pie baking is at its peak, live pie experts are on-call during extended hours, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET from November 18 – 27, and 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET from December 16 – 23.  Additionally, recorded tips and tricks can be accessed 24 hours a day.

"For more than 100 years, Crisco has been a staple in helping to achieve that tender, flaky pie crust that people will talk about throughout the holidays," said Maribeth Burns, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. "Even though pie baking may seem challenging at first, with the right tools, techniques, and occasional help along the way, anyone can create a truly perfect pie. We are proud to bring back the Crisco Pie Hotline to ease the stress of seasonal baking and offer advice on how to wow guests with pie baking perfection."

In addition to classic sweet pie recipes, the experts at the Crisco test kitchen have been working away to bring some delicious new savory pie recipes to your family table (available at www.Crisco.com):  

• Caramel Apple Walnut Pie – Leftover apples from the annual trip to the orchard? Update the traditional apple pie recipe with a new twist that incorporates the delicious flavors of fall.
• Classic Chicken Pot Pie – Nothing says comfort like chicken pot pie, and the addition of the Classic Crisco Pie Crust to this recipe truly makes it a supper superstar.
• Mini Bacon and Leek Quiche – Warm and savory, these tiny tarts are perfect appetizers for fall gatherings and holiday guests.
• Savory Pumpkin Parmesan Empanadas – Flavors of thyme, pumpkin and ricotta cheese blend together in this holiday twist on savory hand pies. 

The Crisco Pie Hotline will also feature tips and trends from award-winning pie expert and author, Michele Stuart, the owner of Michele's Pies (located in Westport and Norwalk, CT) and the author of the best-selling cookbooks Perfect Pies (Random House, 2011) and the new Perfect Pies & More (Random House, October 22, 2013). In November, fans can also log on to visit the Crisco Facebook and Pinterest pages to find step-by-step tutorials, recipes and inspiration from Michele Stuart.

For more information about the Crisco Pie Hotline or for additional tips, recipes and how-to videos, visit Crisco.com.  Join the Crisco community on Facebook at Facebook.com/Crisco or on Pinterest at Pinterest.com/criscorecipes.

About The J. M. Smucker Company

For more than 115 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been committed to offering consumers quality products that bring families together to share memorable meals and moments.  Today, Smucker is a leading marketer and manufacturer of fruit spreads, retail packaged coffee, peanut butter, shortening and oils, ice cream toppings, sweetened condensed milk, and health and natural foods beverages in North America. Its family of brands includes Smucker's^®, Folgers^®, Dunkin' Donuts^®, Jif^®, Crisco^®, Pillsbury^®, Eagle Brand^®, R.W. Knudsen Family^®, Hungry Jack^®, Cafe Bustelo^®, Cafe Pilon^®, White Lily^® and Martha White^® in the United States, along with Robin Hood^®, Five Roses^®, Carnation^® and Bick's^® in Canada. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. For more information about the Company, visit www.smuckers.com.

The J. M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks, except for the following which are used under license:  Pillsbury^®, the Barrelhead logo and the Doughboy character are trademarks of The Pillsbury Company, LLC; Carnation^® is a trademark of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.; Dunkin' Donuts^® is a registered trademark of DD IP Holder, LLC; and Douwe Egberts^® and Pickwick^® are registered trademarks of Sara Lee/DE B.V.  Borden^® and Elsie are also trademarks used under license.

Dunkin' Donuts brand is licensed to the Company for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, dollar stores and drug stores. Information in this document does not pertain to Dunkin' Donuts coffee or other products for sale in Dunkin' Donuts restaurants.K-Cup® and K-Cups® are trademarks of Keurig, Incorporated.

SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Company