I've made blind crusts for the Lemon pies for years without as much fuss as presented here. I do freeze a stack of raw pie shells all rolled out and crimped edges. Usually 4 to 6 at a time and lucky I have that many full XL size glass and pottery pie plates. I wrap each rolled out pie shell in it's pie plate and crimped edge into a white large food safe plastic bag. (No scented garbage bags like they sell at grocery stores these days.Those bags contain odor masking chemicals you do not want to introduce to your food.) I stack them all together and in the top pie shell I add a 3/4" pie plate that fits perfectly inside to protect the edges and keep it flat while living in the freezer. Pulling one at a time out as needed I let partially thaw and poke the whole bottom and half way up the sides with a dinner fork. A lot of holes not just a few all over. Place in 375 F. oven and cook until golden brown. Rarely do they bubble up or edges droop or fall inwards. Let cool and add the fillings. I do this also but do not cook till done for custard style pie like pumpkin that will go back into the oven to bake until the filling is done. It prevents soggy and undone crusts by cooking and starting to brown on bottom this way. I have never used pie weights though have thought about them. You can do a Martha Stewart however and keep a canister filled with used and dried beans that is dedicated to be pie weights to be used many times over.

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