Streusel-Topped Peach Blueberry Pie

Upper right: Toll House Cookie Pie & lower right: Coconut Pie

Things that really matter are the things that gold can't buy. 

So let's have another cup o' coffee and let's have another piece o' pie. 

Irving Berlin

I was in charge of organizing the pie portion of a fundraiser for my Stafford PEO group. I had ordered plastic containers for individual pieces of pie, but I felt like I needed to make a pie and experiment with how best to cut it to fit in the containers.

Randy was a big fan of the experimentation. The pies I made later in the week were carted out the kitchen door to our PEO Potatoes and Pie fundraiser at the First Friday event at the Nora Larabee Memorial Library in Stafford. PEO was raising money for our local scholarship, given each year to a senior girl at Stafford High School. It was also a way for our PEO members to get involved in a fun community event. Community service is always a good thing!

The containers worked well, though we also used a piece of tape to make sure the lids stayed close. I used under-the-bed plastic storage containers to display the pies and make them easier to transport from the church kitchen (where we cut each pie into eight pieces) and the library, where we served. This was the only photo I took all evening (not very impressive, but I guess I was busy).  The photo just shows a portion of the pies. I stacked them two high in two long containers, and I labeled each pie piece so customers could easily identify them.

Though I made a Coconut Pie and a Toll House Cookie Pie for the actual event, this Streusel-Topped Peach Blueberry Pie was a hit at our house, and it will go in the recipe files for another time. For my experiment, I wanted a crumb-topped pie since my pie crust recipe makes three crusts, and I needed two for later in the week. And it used two fruits that are abundant this time of year. Bonus!

I love a streusel-topped pie with ice cream anyway! Unfortunately, 100-degree temperatures meant that we didn't top our pies with ice cream at the First Friday event. But it sure didn't stop us at home.

If you give it a try, let me know what you think!

Streusel-Topped Peach Blueberry Pie

Recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com

 

1 unbaked pie shell **

 

Filling

3 cups peeled, sliced fresh peaches

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

 

Streusel Topping

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup cold butter

 

** I always use my sister, Lisa's, Never Fail Pie Crust. Click HERE for that recipe. It makes 3 crusts total. (You can use for 3 single crusts or use for 1 double-crusted pie and a single pie.)

Place pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, mix all filling ingredients. Spoon into crust-lined pie plate.

In medium bowl, mix topping ingredients with fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

Place pie shields over the crust. (I use silicone pie shields.) Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool on cooling rack for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

 

Note: You may use frozen fruit. However, make sure the fruit is thawed and well-drained.

Serves 8. 

***

NOTE: I am sure I will write about the farm sale at some point, but we are still in the midst of the business of finishing up things. We have another day of running around for business today. We'll see how the rest of the week goes and how I feel. (Right now, I'm tired!) It was a good day. We had a great sale with a big crowd, our family was here and the kids hosted a reception after the sale. For the record, I didn't make a single cookie ... or anything else. We are blessed!

 

Are You Blue(berry)? These Cookies Are!

You'll be "blue" if you don't try this recipe before summer disappears.

There's certainly nothing wrong with a chocolate chip cookie. My dad was convinced that was all we could make back when we were baking at home. So if you're looking for an alternative to chocolate chip, the summertime produce case can provide some inspiration.

Summertime brings sales on fresh berries. Of course, eating blueberries right out of the carton or stirred into fruit salads is the usual way to devour the bounty of summertime flavor. And who can argue with that? But blueberries also provide an alternative to the same old-same old that ends up being our usual go-to cookie recipes. Since Randy loves blueberries, I thought I'd give it a try!

The cookies have a more cake-like texture. Someone on the recipe site compared it to a scone, but I disagree. I usually find scones too dry. With a cream cheese cookie base, this recipe yielded a moister baked texture. And with added sweetness from white chocolate chips and the lemony glaze, they're like summertime in a tasty morsel.

Even if you've tried to be careful stirring in the blueberries, by the time you get to the bottom of the mixing bowl, the dough will likely have a greenish-blue color. It doesn't affect the taste - just the appearance.

It would be possible to use frozen berries, but they would need to be well-drained. And I'm sure there would be more chances of having the blue-green tinge in the finished cookie.

Use a decorator's tube or bag for spreading the glaze, and they'd be perfect for a bridal or baby shower - if we ever get to have such events in person again!

If you try the recipe, let me know what you think!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies

Adapted from Delish

For the Cookies:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 large egg

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp. lemon zest

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup blueberries

1 cup white chocolate chips

For the Lemon Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. cream (or milk)

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. melted butter

For the cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream together sugar, butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape down sides. Add egg, lemon juice and zest. Beat until combined.

Combine dry ingredients. Beat into the wet mixture just until combined. Add in white chocolate chips until incorporated. Gently stir in blueberries by hand.

Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set and edges turn lightly golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool.

For Glaze: Whisk together all ingredients. If it's too thin, add a little powdered sugar. If it's too thick to drizzle, add a little additional cream or milk. Drizzle glaze onto cooled cookies. Let glaze set up before storing. If stacking cookies, put waxed paper between layers.

Notes:

• The original recipe called for the lemon zest from one lemon in the glaze. Since I wanted to use a decorator's tip to speed up drizzling the glaze, I opted to leave the zest out. I'm sure it would be tasty and provide a little more lemony "bite." You could also use a knife to spread, but you'd use more glaze (not necessarily a bad thing)!
• I doubled the recipe so I could have cookies in the freezer. And if you're making a mess, you might as well make it worthwhile, right?! However, once the cookies sit for a little while, the blueberries may leech a bit. This doesn't affect the taste - just the appearance. (Just a heads up - in case you're serving them for an event.)
  
• Even if you've tried to be careful stirring in the blueberries, by the time you get to the bottom of the mixing bowl, the dough will likely be a little greenish-blue in color. It doesn't affect the taste - just the appearance. 
• If you prefer, you can serve them unfrosted, like those in the photo below. The glaze just adds a little extra lemon flavor and makes them look pretty if you're serving for an event.
  

Operation Zucchini Bread

 

Our zucchini plants must have taken lessons from movie serial killers. You know those movies when the serial killer is lurking underneath the blanket in the backseat? As the music swells, the bad guy comes out of nowhere and attacks the poor, unsuspecting victim.

Thankfully, our garden zucchini don't have much in common with bad guys except for that propensity for hiding in plain sight. One day, you don't see a zucchini big enough to harvest. Seemingly overnight, it becomes this behemoth that's only suitable for grating and adding to zucchini bread.

The girls helped harvest zucchini, potatoes and onions when they visited. While our gardening efforts pale in comparison to their paternal grandparents, they still had fun picking vegetables and then eating them in the meals we fixed during their visit. 

I grated one of those mammoth squashes last week and got 14 cups of grated zucchini for my troubles. (Well, actually, the food processor did most of the work.)

I thumbed through cookbooks and found a couple of zucchini bread recipes to try. The guys got some for treats in their harvest suppers.

One was combined with blueberries, which I knew would make my farmer happy.

The other used crushed pineapple.

Honestly, they were pretty similar in makeup. The main difference came in the spices added. Both were tasty. I just wished they used a little more zucchini per recipe. Remember? I have 14 cups! Some of it is in my freezer for another baking project.

Now ... if only those green tomatoes would turn red. That seems to be taking forever. Until then, here are the zucchini bread recipes to try. Let me know what you think if you try them!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

From Stafford County Hospital Cookbook: 

Working Hands, Caring Hearts

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cup grated zucchini
3 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (opt.)
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add oil, sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Mix in zucchini, mixing lightly. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Fold in blueberries and nuts (if desired). Grease and flour two 9- by 5-loaf pans (or use 4 smaller loaf pans). Pour mixture into pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 60-70 minutes for large loaves. Test with toothpick and remove after toothpick comes out clean.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

From Kansas Country Kitchens

Recipes from the Rural Electric Cooperatives of Kansas

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts)
2 cups zucchini, grated
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla together until thick and foamy. Add dry ingredients and mix until batter is smooth. Fold in nuts, zucchini and pineapple. Divide batter evenly and put into two greased 9- by 5-inch loaf pan (or 4 smaller pans). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. Turn out of pans and cool completely.

***

Baked Chicken and Zucchini

Looking for savory recipes for zucchini? Here are a couple from past blog posts on The County Line. Just click on the link.

Squash Casserole

Red, White and Blueberry Crisp

Hooray for the red, white and blue!

Can  you believe we turn the calendar to July today? I can't. The countdown to the 4th of July has people thinking fireworks and potlucks. And while nothing is more American than apple pie (so they say), this Red, White and Blueberry Crisp will put people in a patriotic mood, too.

The red comes from fresh raspberries and strawberries. The blue comes from succulent blueberries. And the white comes from coconut, a little twist on the traditional crisp topping. South Dakota blogger Brenda put together this salute to summer fruits on her blog, "A farmgirl's dabbles."

I just got my small-town grocery store flyer for the week, and the sale on these fresh berries continues here, as well as at the bigger stores. I love this time of year, when I don't have to feel guilty about adding fresh berries to my grocery cart and bill.

I made this crisp for a harvest dessert yesterday, and it got good reviews from the guys. I like the convenience of a making a crisp instead of a pie, though Randy did get his blueberry pie for Father's Day.

After I made an unexpected parts run to Hutchinson yesterday evening, we are back up and running in the wheat harvest field. If everything holds together - machinery AND people - we should be done sometime today. That's reason to celebrate, too! Fingers crossed everyone!

Red, White and Blue Crisp

Adapted from A Farmgirl's Dabbles blog

Filling
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh chopped strawberries (about 1/2-inch pieces)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp. Minute Tapioca

Topping
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For filling:  Put berries in large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice and fold gently. In a smaller bowl, combine sugar, lemon zest, cornstarch and tapioca, mixing well. Sprinkle half of the dry mix over the berries and fold gentl. Sprinkle remaining dry mix over berries and fold again. Set aside.

For topping: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and baking powder. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture is combined and about the size of large peas. Add coconut, using the pastry cutter to cut it in.

To assemble:  Stir the berry mixture again. Pour it into a 12- by 8- by 2-inch pan and spread evenly. Top with the topping mixture, evenly distributing it over the berries. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until berries are bubbling and the coconut crisp is nicely browned. Remove to wire rack to cool.

The crisp is best when eaten after it has cooled 30-60 minutes so the berry filling is still warm, but the topping is still crisp. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired. Serves 8 to 10.

Notes:

•  Brenda from a farmgirl's dabbles put her crisp in a 9-inch square pan. I decided to spread mine out a little in a 12- by 8-inch pan. I thought that gave a good mix of berries to crisp.
• To have the berries peeking out of the crisp, nestle a few extra berries in the coconut topping before baking. (Unless you're trying to get a photo, it's not necessary!) 
• Leftovers are tasty, but just like all fresh fruit crisps, the topping isn't as crisp once it has set and absorbed the moisture from the fresh berries. 

Blueberry Almond Crumble Bread

Everyone needs a little red, white and BLUEberry for their Memorial Day weekend, don't you think? This recipe would be great for a breakfast treat, but, with its crumb topping and almond-flavored glaze, it could also double as a dessert offering for friends and family as they gather for the holiday weekend.

Randy is hoping I don't wait for a special occasion to make this quick bread again. Blueberries are his favorite fruit, and he is always happy when they appear in baked goods, too. Blueberries have been on sale at my local grocery store the past two weeks, but you could also use frozen berries with a slight adjustment to the recipe.

The crumb topping and glaze add additional flavor and pizazz to an already-tasty quick bread recipe. The original recipe said to use three mini loaf pans for this recipe. However, that filled them really full, especially by the time I added the crumb topping. I ended up with crumb topping on the bottom of the oven, so the next time I make this, I'll fill the loaf pans less full. If I don't think I have enough batter for a 4th mini loaf, I'll bake the extra in muffin tins or greased custard cups. That's just a word to the wise:  I wouldn't want you to have to clean your oven, like I did!

Blueberry Almond Crumble Bread

Adapted from Inside BruCrew Life

2/3 cup oil
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup finely-chopped almonds
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

For Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1 tbsp. melted butter

For Glaze:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Beat together the oil, sugar, egg and extract until well blended. Stir together the flour, salt, baking soda and almonds. Slowly add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk to the sugar mixture until everything is combined. Stir blueberries gently into the batter. Spoon batter into 3 or 4 greased 5 3/4- by 3-inch loaf pans.

Topping: Stir together topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter in the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes before turning bread out onto wire racks to continue cooling. Turn the bread back upright so the topping doesn't fall off. Cool completely before glazing.

Glaze: Stir together all the glaze ingredients, adding additional powdered sugar or liquid to make it the right consistency. Use a decorator tube to drizzle the frosting over the cooled bread. Let the glaze set up before putting in sealed containers for storage. Bread freezes well.

 

Recipe notes: 

•  If you don't have buttermilk (and I usually don't!), put 1 tablespoon of vinegar in the bottom of a 1-cup measure. Fill with milk to the 1 cup line.
• If fresh blueberries aren't available, you may use frozen blueberries. Combine frozen blueberries with an additional 2 teaspoons of flour before folding into the bread mixture. If you are using fresh berries, you don't need the additional flour.
• This batter can also be baked as 16 regular-sized muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes.
• I used 3 mini loaf pans for this recipe, as the original recipe called for. However, that filled them really full, especially with the crumb topping. I ended up with crumb topping on the bottom of the oven, so the next time I make this, I'll fill the loaf pans less full. If I don't think I have enough batter for a 4th mini loaf, I'll bake the extra in muffin tins or greased custard cups.
• I doubled the recipe, which I often do when I'm already making a mess in the kitchen. This freezes well. I know that because I've already pulled some from the freezer to serve.

Blueberry Orange Muffins

It was Mother's Day weekend, but it was Randy's favorite fruit that ended up on the breakfast table. I don't think Jill and I were disappointed though.

I had seen the recipe on one of the food blogs I follow, Inside Bru Crew.  Since we were having guests for the weekend, I decided to give them a try. I had planned to make two different recipes, but I settled for doubling this one. (Grandma time wins out over baking time - hands down - but I also like sticking extras in the freezer for a quick thaw out when needed.)

The orange juice and zest give just the right citrus flavor to the muffins. And how can you go wrong with a glaze? Everything is better with frosting, right?

I used frozen blueberries since I didn't have fresh available. Don't thaw the berries before using or you'll likely end up with blue muffins. I like blue, but blue food probably isn't the most appealing. What's your preference when it comes to muffins?

Blueberry Orange Muffins

Adapted from the Inside Bru Crew blog

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup orange juice
1 1/4 cups blueberries
1 tbsp. orange zest
Glaze:
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. orange juice
3/4 cup - 1 cup powdered sugar

Note:  You may use fresh or frozen blueberries. Because fresh weren't available to me, I used frozen blueberries. I didn't defrost before using since that invariably turns the batter blue.

Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs; beat again.

Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add alternately with the milk and orange juice until just combined. Don't overmix.

Stir in blueberries and orange zest by hand. Spoon into 15 muffin liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and the muffins test done by inserting a toothpick in the muffin center. Remove and let cool.

Glaze: Whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to make a moderately thin glaze. Dip the tops of the cooled muffins into the glaze or just put a thin layer on top with a spoon. Let set.

Store loosely covered. If you store in an airtight container, the glaze soaks into the muffins. You may also add the glaze the day of serving so they don't get sticky.

***

Today, I'm linked to Wake Up Wednesdays. Click on the link to see what's cooking across the nation.

Singing the Blues

At my house, you just might have to talk until you're blue in the face to actually get pie. But, Randy seems to think it's worth the wait to get a pie once every blue moon.

I made him a pie for our wedding anniversary. Nothing says "love" to him like blueberry pie. I made him a two-crust blueberry pie for Valentine's Day. My Never Fail Pie Crust recipe makes three crusts, so I stuck the other one in the freezer.

I've never made an "open-faced" blueberry pie before. But there was a perfectly good pie crust in the freezer leftover from the February pie-baking adventure, so I decided if I could a crumb topping for apple pie, surely it would taste just as good with blueberries.

In our 32 years of marriage, Randy has been on the receiving end of kitchen experiments a time or two. This experiment turned out better than some he's experienced in three decades of recipes.

Crumb-Topped Blueberry Pie

For 8-inch pie:
1 prepared pie crust (Click here for Never Fail Pie Crust Recipe)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups fresh blueberries (or substitute frozen - partially thawed)
1 tsp. lemon juice
Crumb Topping (see below)

For 9-inch pie:
1 prepared pie crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Crumb Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare one pie crust, fitting it into the pan and fluting it around the edges.

Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir in blueberries. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Mix together topping ingredients using a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly and butter is evenly distributed among the dry ingredients. Put crumb topping evenly over the blueberries, spreading to the crust.

Cover the pie crust with pie shields. Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. The foil is needed so that the crumb topping doesn't get overly browned. Bake until the filling begins to bubble up through the crumb crust and the crumbs are nicely golden brown (though not over brown).

Remove from oven to a wire rack. Remove the pie shields from the crust. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

***

I'm linked today to What's in Your Kitchen Wednesday on Wichita blogger Ashley's Kitchen Meets Girl: Successes from the Kitchen of a Reluctant Cook. Join me in checking out what's cooking in kitchens elsewhere!

Pancakes for a Snow Day

What? The average person didn't have ricotta cheese, blueberries and lemons on their must-have-for-the-blizzard shopping list? Those ingredients were undoubtedly easier to find than bread and milk last weekend as shoppers raced to the grocery store after Round 1 and before Round 2 of the Blizzard of Oz. 

Actually, I had all those ingredients (plus the milk and the bread) before it snowed the first time. I grew up on a farm 15 minutes from a grocery store. I still live 15 minutes from town, so my pantry sometimes spills over into my laundry room. I have an extra large refrigerator, which is usually packed full, with extra storage in an old fridge in the basement.

I was raised by a Mom who was a champion when it came to planning ahead. I learned my lesson well. It's rare that I run out of staples, though it has happened on occasion.

It was a pancake-kind-of-day with the snow coming down. And it was the perfect opportunity to try a recipe that I'd had on the back burner for awhile now. I grew up eating pancakes or waffles more often for supper than for breakfast. And today, I am still much more likely to make pancakes for lunch or supper. 

Blueberries are Randy's favorite fruit. When they were on sale last week at my local grocery store, I bought several pints. Some of them got incorporated into the pancake batter and some were used in the blueberry sauce. And I still had some leftover for fruit salad.

Yum! If you don't have those ingredients and are snowbound (like we are right now), be sure and save the recipe. (And, if you're now in a pancake mood, I have a few other options from other posts.) 

Lemon Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes

with Blueberry Sauce

Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup part-skim ricotta
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Syrup:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. cornstarch

For pancakes: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, milk, lemon zest and vanilla until frothy. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture just until combined. Lightly stir in blueberries. (If using frozen blueberries, toss them in a little flour before adding to the batter.)

Lightly grease a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/3 cup batter onto griddle and spread to make about a 4-inch pancake. Cook 3 minutes or until edges are dry, top is bubbly and the bottom is golden. Flip pancake and cook 2-3 minutes longer or until lightly golden brown on both sides. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.

Place pancakes on heat-proof platter and keep warm in a 200-degree oven (or use a tortilla warmer to keep them warm). Repeat with remaining batter.

For syrup: In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch; mix well. In a saucepan, combine blueberries, water and lemon juice. Heat until boiling. Stir in sugar mixture. Reduce heat. Cook until slightly thickened. Serve over pancakes or waffles (or, right now, over snow ice cream)!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Vanilla Pancakes

with Cinnamon Brown Butter

Cinnamon Cream Syrup

Pumpkin Pancakes

***

I'm sharing this recipe over at Ashley's What In Your Kitchen Wednesday. Be sure and visit her blog, Kitchen Meets Girl, and find other yummy recipes!

Don't Be Blue: Eat Bread!

You won't be blue if you make this bread. Even with all those blueberries.

Well, you might be blue if you eat the whole loaf, which you will be sorely tempted to do. The combination of blueberries and white chocolate is tasty enough. Then add a brown sugar streusel topping, and it is somewhat irresistible.

Jill later made the bread using half white whole wheat flour, which does help bump up the fiber. And I will tell myself that it has fruit in it. It does. It just also has plenty of sugar. And did I mention white chocolate?

I took this bread to Jill's and Eric's for Labor Day weekend. Enjoy it for your weekend, too!

e

White Chocolate Blueberry Crunch Bread

From Kitchen Meets Girl blog

1/4 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. oats
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream 1/4 cup butter and cream cheese on medium speed. Add sugar, beating about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Gently fold in blueberries and white chocolate chips.

Put batter into a greased loaf pan. Stir together brown sugar and remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over batter and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes or a wire rack before removing from pan.

Notes:

•  If substituting frozen blueberries for fresh, pat dry with paper towel and toss with 2 tablespoons flour before stirring into batter.
• When I am making quick breads like this, I usually make smaller loaves and put some in the freezer. If making small loaves, bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• I usually double the recipe. I figure I might as well get more product while I'm dirtying my kitchen. The bread does freeze well.

Sweet As Pie

I probably learned as much as a 4-H parent as I did as a 4-Her. Until Jill started experimenting with pies for fair baking, I was more likely to use a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust than make my own.

It's not as if I didn't have some pie baking in my background. Both my grandmothers were good pie bakers. My Grandma Neelly's green apple pie was my favorite summer time pie. My Grandma Leonard's pumpkin pie was my fall pastry of choice.

When Jill started baking pies for the county fair, I learned right along with her. First step was finding a good pie crust recipe. After several false starts, I called my sister, Lisa, who was already proficient at pie baking.

Her Never Fail Pie Crust recipe lives up to the name.

Purchasing a pastry cloth was another step in making pie baking easier. I don't usually use the "stockinet" that came with it on my rolling pin. But rolling out the pie dough on a lightly-floured pastry cloth instead of on a counter or between sheets of waxed paper has definitely streamlined the process for me. It was worth the investment of a few dollars for a pastry cloth.

Still, I don't make pie as often as my husband would like. With the lower price of blueberries in the grocery store, it was time to fulfill my promise to my husband that he would get his favorite pie.

A blueberry pie is super easy, compared to making an apple pie and having to peel, core and slice all the fruit. It's also easier than a peach pie, when you have to blanch the fruit to remove the peels and then slice.

So, here's my version of Blueberry Pie:

Blueberry Pie

Pastry for 9-inch two-crust pie (See Never Fail Pie Crust below)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. margarine or butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Combine blueberries and lemon juice. Add dry mixture to blueberries and toss lightly. Pour blueberry mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with margarine or butter. Cover with top crust that has slits cut into it (or use a small cookie cutter to make a design.) Seal and flute the crust.

Cover edge with foil shields. Bake until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 35 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven.

Since fresh blueberries are not always available, you may substitute unsweetened frozen blueberries, partially thawed, for the fresh blueberries. (One 12-ounce package yields 2 1/2 cups.)

Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups shortening
5 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 egg, beaten

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until well blended. Stir together water, vinegar and beaten egg. Add to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until a dough starts to form and pulls away from the side of the bowl. You may need to use your hands to help form it into a ball. Divide into thirds, as this recipe makes 3 crusts (enough for a 2-crusted pie and one single crust. I usually just put the extra crust in the freezer to use later for a one-crust pie.)

STEP BY STEP - A Photo Essay for Homemade Pie

Combine the dry ingredients for the pie dough (flour and salt). Note: I use Hudson Cream flour in all my baking. It has been milled at the Stafford County Flour Mills in Hudson for the past 106 years.

Combine the wet ingredients for the pie dough (beaten egg, water and vinegar).

Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender ...


... until shortening is well distributed.


Add the wet ingredients and stir with a fork. As the two combine, the dough will start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.


Use your hands to form dough into a ball. Cut into thirds. Form each part into a ball.

Put a one-third ball of the dough on a flour-dusted pastry cloth and press down to form a circle.


Using a floured rolling pin, keep rolling in different directions to retain the round shape.

Roll out the pie crust dough until it is about 2 inches larger than the inverted pie pan.


Fold the pie crust into quarters.


Put the dough into the pie plate and unfold to cover the pie tin.


Put the blueberry mixture into the bottom crust.


Dot with butter.


Roll out the top crust, using the same procedure as before. Put on top of blueberries.


Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inches from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal. The judge at the Hudson Cream Flour Bakeoff suggested putting ice cold water on the bottom crust to make a seal between the top and bottom crust - kind of like glue.

Flute the edges. I place my index finger on the inside of the pastry rim, thumb and index finger on the outside, and pinch the pastry into a v-shape. (I missed that step in the photos - sorry!)


Using a mini cookie cutter, remove a portion of the top crust so the pie is vented. (Some people just cut slits in the top crust. That is fine, too. I've seen people make slits that look like a wheat stalk. I'm just not that artistic!)

Use foil pie shields to cover your pie crust. This prevents overbrowning.


I have tried a circular, metal pie shield, but they never seem to fit the pan correctly.

Bake as directed, until crust is golden brown and filling starts to bubble, about 35 to 45 minutes, depending upon your oven. Remove from oven and put on wire rack to cool.

Once the pie is fairly cool, it's ready to serve. (You can serve it hot, but the filling won't hold together as well). Top with ice cream, if desired. Enjoy!

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Because you've trimmed the extra pie dough from the edges of your pan, you can use the excess for a cinnamon-sugar topped treat.


Just roll out the leftover dough and put on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

This is one of my favorite memories of baking with my Grandma Neelly. We even had a miniature rolling pin that we could use to roll out the extra dough.

Just bake until the crust is golden brown.

Break into pieces and enjoy (if you can do it without thinking about the calories)!