All-American Pie - Week 25

Celebrating Freedom!

I cannot adequately express how I feel about the privileges that I have received from being an American. Every summer, our country celebrates our independence by setting aside a day during the summer where we gather with friends and family and have some fun. Picnic favorites are generally the menu of choice where we are spending the day outside with plenty of noise from laughter, and the pops & booms of fireworks. 

I took this picture of these girls releasing their toads for the race. I can only imagine these little guys relief when they were finally released from the clutches of the girls gloved hands. Every morning we wake up in America, we experience the same relief of freedom. Yes, we may bear burdens, but we are blessed to have a great nation.

Pinterest Inspiration...not mine.

This pie first called out to me on Pinterest before I had decided to challenge myself by making pie this year. When the time came to find the recipe, I clicked on the pin, and it took me to an old link with no pie. Thankfully, it appears to be simply cherries and blueberries; so I could improvise. And, like many over the top pins, my attempt fell a little short. It could be the fact that my sweet cherries were not bright red like the ones in the picture...or the fact that I had to transform my stars from the "Star of David" Christmas cookie cutter into the 5 point star. It was fun, and I think your attempt may be more successful. I recommend finding tart cherries to make your fresh pie, and possibly keeping the tin foil divider between the blueberries, and strawberries/cherries. 

Also, plan on a few extra minutes if you need to pit your cherries; it can be a little consuming for your patience and timewise.

Ingredients:

1 Double-Crust Pastry

4 cups fresh, rinsed and pitted cherries

3/4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed

3/4 + 1/2 cups sugar

3 T .+ 2 T. flour

2 T. + 1 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. + 1/2 t. salt

Directions:

In large mixing bowl,mix cherries, strawberries, ¾ cup sugar, 3 T. flour, 2 T. lemon juice, and ½ t. salt.

In medium mixing bowl, mix blueberries, ½ cup sugar, 2 T. flour, 1 T. lemon juice and ½ t. salt.

Spoon cherries in ¾ of the pie leaving one quadrant open, use tin foil barrier as needed. Spoon blueberries in remaining quadrant of the pie.

For top crust, cut small stars and stripes out of crust. Place stars over blueberries and stripes over cherries to resemble the flag of the United States of America.

Place pie shields around crust to prevent burning.

Bake on bottom rack for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Reduce heat and move to middle rack and bake for additional 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

I am hoping that next Independence Day,

 I will find that some of my friends try this one out for themselves.

What is your favorite thing to do during Independence festivities? 

Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake Pie - Week 9

All the world's a cheesecake
And all the men and women are merely players.
from The Shakespeare Quote Generator

I am not a cheesecake expert, but I do know that this recipe is easy and will be a tasty and an impressive dessert for almost anyone. This version is light and fluffy, and could be versatile if you want to switch out ingredients. The original recipe called for raspberries, which would have been tasty too if it weren't for those pesky seeds.  After making this, I believe many other fruits would be a great alternative too. 

Yes, I know cheesecakes are typically made in a springform pan. And many are heavy and rich that stick to the roof of your mouth and can be sliced in slivers, but this is a nice alternative to be served as a pie.



Ingredients:
1 sleeve (5 oz) chocolate graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup sugar
5 T. Butter, melted
1 pkg (8 0z) cream cheese
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
1 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 T. milk

Directions:
Combine crushed chocolate graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter. Press into pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Beat in egg, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well. Place blueberries in graham cracker crust. 





 Carefully pour cream cheese mixture on top of blueberries.  Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees until set.  Cool completely. 










Melt chocolate and milk together over low heat and stirring often. Pour over cheesecake. Chill several hours before serving.

Our family loved this, and it didn't take long for it to start disappear from the pie plate.  I am planning on making two more of these for this next week to take to a potluck and to our annual LWML Smorgasbord. I can imagine the different possibilities for fruit variations. I would love for you to share what you try in your cheesecake pie.