4/3/15

Baking on Friday: Blueberry Pies for Two

In case you missed it, I have a sponsored giveaway going on over the weekend from Canvaspop. Click right here to read all about it.

This morning I walked with my friend Sue. The weather was a little iffy. We were in the sunshine on our hill, but when I looked down into the valley, it appeared socked in with heavy clouds. The weather report listed a 90% chance of rain. Even the hour by hour had it starting around 11:00 a.m., and so I put on my rain gear. When I got down to the Fanno Creek Trail to meet Sue, it was lovely. I stripped off my rainpaints and we walked without the insurance they provide. The weather was perfect for our walk, and true to form, the universe was smiling on us. As I was driving home just after 11:00 a.m., the rain started to fall.

We lucked out once again, and we saw some great stuff along the way. Sue has very sharp eyes when it comes to wildlife, and she spotted this red wing blackbird just a few feet off the trail. He sang his best song for us, and even permitted me to take a picture of his handsome self.


Also, we saw this little shrub blooming away when we had walked the full distance and turned around. Pretty, huh? No idea what it is.


This next image isn't great, but Sue (again) spotted a pair of Great Blue Herons in flight. They landed in a big fir tree high overhead. It's something we don't often see. Usually, you will find the blue herons standing ankle deep in water somewhere. 


I stopped at the grocery store on the way home because we are in danger of running out of ice cream. And goodness knows, I was in dire need of replenishing the calories I'd burned while we walked this morning. When I got home I wanted to ice my knee, but I took the time to make the pie crust for my planned baking extravaganza: Blueberry Pies for Two, baked in widemouth mason jar lids.


I'm using a recipe from Christina Lane's book


She has a video on her blog where you can find the recipe for this. In her video, she encourages you to use your fingers to blend the butter into the flour. I tried it her way, and it worked really well for this small amount of pie dough. That needed to rest for a half hour, and so I iced my knee while I waited for that.

When time was up, I was ready to continue on. In her video, she's using peaches. I used one half cup of frozen blueberries in accordance with the recipe in the book.


Once I had the filling made, I rolled out my dough. For the bottom crust, I cut a circle about one-half inch larger than my lids.


Then I put half the filling in each:


And then made a top crust circle the same size as the lids and pressed the top and bottom crust together at the edges.


I cut vents in the top, brushed them with egg yolk, as she recommended, and then dusted them with sanding sugar. I agree with Christina, the sanding sugar makes a pretty pie. Also, I like the little crunch it gives. And besides...sugar. Need I say more?

Then I baked them in my toaster oven. I watched mine pretty carefully. Sometimes things cook a lot faster in a toaster oven. 


Mine took about 30 minutes, and then I called it quits. They were starting to get pretty brown, and I was taking no chances on burning my beautiful little pies. Are these the cutest things you've ever seen?


Hey! I thought I was the cutest thing you'd ever seen.


Okay, second to my little cat, they are the cutest things I've ever seen. 

So there they are. We'll eat them for dessert tonight, and I'll report back on how they turned out. And now you know for sure why I needed to stop for ice cream.


So I still need to take a shower after my walk this morning, and then I'm going to try to finish up the machine stitching on the latest block for Lisa's retirement quilt. I left it here the other day, and I haven't taken it any farther. I'd like to have it all finished before the weekend is over.


Gracie is still at the vet. They gave her dinner last night, then removed her food so that she fasted overnight in preparation for her sedation this morning. They were going to lance and clean the abscess on her back, and we expect to be able to pick her up later on this afternoon. I've told Smitty he's going to have to start looking for a job so that he can pay Gracie's vet bill. I've suggested pole dancing at the Kitty Kat Lounge.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

HI, PIES look so yummy !
Blessed Easter!
msstitcher1214@gmail.com

P.S. Meow (Hi) Smitty !

Dana Gaffney said...

I'm obviously reading my posts backwards since I kept thinking what is she talking about, what giveaway and what happened to Gracie!!. I'll catch up as I go down the list. I jumped around just to figure it all out. The little pies are so cute, I'm planning on making some in cupcake tins just to use up some blueberries I have, there's nothing better than eating a whole pie yourself.

Lyndsey said...

Yummy looking pies that definitely need ice cream. Poor Smitty he'll have to do a lot work if your vet bills are as expensive as they are here. Picasso and Scamp have health insurance but the excess is quite high.

Sher S. said...

Those blueberry pies look fantastic, I just my have to buy that book. I would love to have dessert for just 2 of us instead of a whole cake or pie or whatever. Smitty better shape-up or Gracie might knock his socks off when she gets home.

Marlene said...

That red winged blackbird is gorgeous-we don't have them in New Zealand. Yummy looking pies and what a great looking book-have to check it out. Hope Gracie is ok and comes back home today for lots of pampering.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Lovely photos on your walk. The little pies are cute and something even I might think of tackling - the word being 'think'. Yes, Mr Smitts needs a job to help out with this matter.

Pamela said...

Those little pies are a fabulous idea! We love pie, but being just two of us, a whole one is a bit too much most of the time. Hope Gracie feels better!

Pamela said...

Those little pies are a fabulous idea! We love pie, but being just two of us, a whole one is a bit too much most of the time. Hope Gracie feels better!

quiltzyx said...

Glad your walk was nice & dry and you saw some cool critters too. Good job Sue!
I'm going to amazon as soon as I finish writing this so I can put that cookbook on my list...
Poor Gracie! More puurrrrRRRRrrrrRRRrrrrRRRrrrs for her.

Beth said...

I'm always a little bit behind. I hope that by now Gracie is home, telling you all about the indignities she has suffered, and is receiving the special attention from Mike that will make everything okay again.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Oh yum! Those pies look fabulous! I've ordered my copy which should be arriving today! Hmmmm, maybe I need to make a run to the store for some ice cream. ;-)

Debbie said...

The pies look yummy!
I would have a family photo enlarged if I win.

Thanks for your entertaining posts. I love them.

Carole in Nebraska said...

Note to Smitty from Rudy: Hey guy, my mom and dad told me to get a job too to pay the utility bill. (All I would hear was, "Rudy, close the door. You're heating/cooling all of west Omaha!") But trust me, you don't want to do pole dancing at the Kitty Kat Lounge. I tried it - I'm a really handsome dude - but it's rough on the little boy parts. Just hang around the catnip bar and flirt with the ladies. I finally got another job holding up a sandwich board by the roadside for a local pizzeria. Yum - the smell of pepperoni is an extra bennnie. Hope your sister is all better; take it easy on her, Smit, she's an oldie but a goodie.

Anonymous said...

Well aren't I something send a "Meow" to Smitty earlier and omit poor lil Gracie!
I'm sorry Gracie and hope you are all better!
msstitcher1214@gmail.com

Kate said...

The pies look yummy. You've been so busy, congrats on all the finishes last month.

DessertForTwo said...

Awwww! They look so good! I'm glad you enjoyed them :)

Brown Family said...

Smitty s very cute with that turned back ear, but the pies look lovely!

Ranch Wife said...

I think that's a must have book!