There are so many different kinds to choose from, but these are some of my favorites!
DOUGH: Buy Pillsbury pie dough and let it come to room temperature on the counter. Roll the dough out, increasing the diameter by about 20%. Place the dough in your pie plate and gently push the dough down the sides of the pie plate. Trim the excess along the rim and turn the crust edge under and crimp. Put the crust into the fridge to keep it from shrinking when you cook it.
After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put some foil inside the pie plate and up the sides. Fill the shell with pie weights (or beans) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes (you want it to be a pale golden). Let it cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Bacon and Cheddar: Cook 6 slices of bacon until crisp. Drain them on a paper towel. Crumble the bacon into the pie shell and add 4 oz of shredded cheddar cheese.
Artichoke and Onion: Thinly slice 1 medium onion and saute it with 2 Tbsp of butter and a pinch of salt until lightly browned. Open 1 can of artichoke hearts packed in water, rinse them and squeeze out remaining liquid. Chop the artichokes into small pieces. Spread the onions and artichokes on the bottom of a pie shell.
These are great to serve at a brunch because they can be eaten warm or cold!