Red, White and Blue (Blueberry-Raspberry Crisp)

Happy Independence Day!!  Today we had a little barbecue with the in-laws today.  Knowing that they would supply enough meat to feed the troops, I stopped at the farmer's market on my way home today for some produce.  Red tomatoes, blueberries and raspberries beckoned to me patriotically from the stands.  I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try out a new recipe I found on one of my favorite blogs, Erza Pound Cake - for Southern Tomato Pie.  I'm not going to recreate the recipe here, because she's done it perfectly on her blog already, so head over and check it out.  Even my somewhat veggie-phobic husband told me it should be one of those things I "definitely make again".  Score!!

For dessert, I wanted something quick and easy, something light and simple.  I wanted a crisp.  Remembering the success we had with Apple Cranberry Crisp from my Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook, I opened it up again and on the opposite page found a recipe for Blueberry Crisp.  I subbed out 1/3 of the blueberries for raspberries and - voila - perfection! 

I got the blues... (Blueberry Tarts)

I should start calling the blog "things to do with millions of blueberries". Today is blueberry tart day. I found this recipe in Real Simple last year and adapted it to hand pastries that I could take to picnics and Mandatory Mojito and Margarita Movie Monday (which is exactly what it sounds like) with the gang. They were a big hit, and I decided to make them again to commemorate a second summer of MMMMM.


Blueberry Tarts
(adapted from Real Simple)

2 pie crust sheets (I use the Pillsbury ones)
1 tbsp turbinado sugar (for dusting)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp confectioner's sugar + extra for dusting
2 cups blueberries

Cut the pie sheets into 4 inch circles and place them into muffin pans. I can usually get 18, if I roll out the leftovers again. Using a knife, gently score the bottoms so they don't puff up. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the dough. Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes, until golden brown. Allow them to cool, then remove from the muffin pans.



Meanwhile, beat cream cheese until smooth, then add cream, confectioner's sugar, and lemon zest. Beat until smooth. Using a teaspoon or a pastry bag, top the pastry shells with 1 to 1-1/2 tsp cream cheese mixture. Top with blueberries. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Keep refrigerated for 2-3 days (if they last that long). Enjoy outside, with friends!

(I think they would make Martha proud :-)

In a jam... (Blueberry Jam)

Interesting factoid of the day: The self-proclaimed "Blueberry Capital of the World" is in Hammonton, NJ, about 25 minutes or so from here. One of the members at hubby's golf course owns a blueberry farm in Hammonton, and every year sends home a ginormous box with 12 pints of blueberries. This is generally a highlight of the summer- I love blueberries. I eat them with yogurt, on toast, frozen, fresh, in smoothies, muffins, pancakes, you name it.

However, there are only so many things you can do with 12 pints of blueberries before they go bad. I usually freeze about half of them, so that we can enjoy muffins, smoothies, pancakes, etc in November and February and other non-blueberry friendly times of the year. This year, I decided to expand my blueberry repertoire to include jam. What a good decision on my part. :-)


Blueberry Jam
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

2 pints blueberries
3 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water

Freeze a plate to use later for testing.

Warm sugar in 200 degree oven for 5 minutes (spread out on a baking sheet).

(mash mash mash mash)

Mash 1 cup blueberries in the bottom of a deep medium sized saucepan. Over medium heat, add remaining berries and water. Simmer, 5-7 minutes, until berries are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sugar and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to come to a slow boil and cook until thickened, about 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. To test, drop a fingerful onto the frozen plate and press down. When the jam wrinkles around your finger, it's ready.

Pour into glass jars (makes about 3 cups) and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy on anything you want.

(Are my pictures getting better?)

Toast & Chairs (Bob's Blueberry Toast)

Our house is now completely painted! I would have taken pictures of my hard work, but the color is so light that it doesn't show up very well. It looks very finished in person, though!


I said that I would post a picture of the blueberry toast that B eats every morning on the homemade bread. I broke out the good china for these pictures, haha.

Bob's Blueberry Toast
2 pieces of bread, lightly toasted
cream cheese
blueberries
cinnamon and sugar

Assemble as listed above. Yum!

Also, I spent the day recovering our ugly antique chairs. They were handed down to my husband from Great Uncle So-and-so, and could be nice chairs, if it weren't for the hideous upholstery job. I recovered them with some fabric from Joann Fabrics and some trim. OK, that's a lie. I recovered one. It was such a pain, especially around the corners, that I gave up for one day and will cover the second tomorrow. The transformation is striking, though.

Ugly chairs.

Not quite as ugly chair. I'll tackle the next one tomorrow. :-)