Yummy Recipes

I've been asked to post the blueberry pie recipe that I made last week, so here it is! It is so delicious, and quite easy to make, as well. This is from the August/September issue of Taste of Home magazine.
Cream Cheese Blueberry Pie
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. lemon juice
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread into pastry shell.
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water and lemon juice until smooth; stir in blueberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 6-8 servings

You could use a frozen or refrigerated pie crust for this recipe, but personally I prefer homemade. I'm sure everyone has their own favorite crust recipe, but I'll share mine here for what it's worth. :) It's an oil crust--I know most pie connoisseurs would probably say that you can't have a good piecrust without butter, but we like it. :)
Mom's Piecrust
1 1/3 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/3 c. oil
3-5 T. milk (I usually use 4)

Mix together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Measure oil into liquid measuring cup, add milk to oil. Pour oil/milk mixture into flour mixture. Mix together with a fork till it forms a nice ball. Take a wet dishcloth and wipe your counter, then lay a large piece of wax paper on the counter (the water is just so it will stick and not scoot around). Lay the dough ball on the wax paper and then lay another piece of wax paper on top. Flatten all and roll out the dough to the needed size inside the wax paper. This works really well and keeps the counter clean! Transfer to a pie plate and crimp edges as desired. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

(For a 2-crust pie, I just double the recipe, except I only add 1/2 t. more of salt, rather than doubling it. Then bake according to the directions for whatever pie you're making (usually for my apple pie, this would be at 400 for about 40-45 minutes), but you will probably want to cover the edges with foil halfway through the cooking time so they don't burn.

We had another quart of blueberries to use this weekend, so last night I made 2 blueberry pudding cakes. One for us, and one for my grandparents (who gave us the berries). I'll share the recipe for this, too; it's one I got from my Grammie.
Blueberry Pudding Cake

2 c. blueberries
1 T. lemon juice (or orange)
1 1/4 c. sugar, divided
1/2 c. milk
1 c. flour
Dash salt
1 t. baking powder
Sprinkle of cinnamon
3 T. oil
1 T. cornstarch
1 c. boiling water

Put blueberries in well greased 8 x 8" pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Combine oil and milk. Sift together flour, 1/2 c. sugar, baking powder, and a dash of salt, and combine with oil and milk. Spread over blueberries. Combine 3/4 c. sugar with cornstarch. Sprinkle over batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour boiling water over all. Bake one hour at 350. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or cool whip. We especially like ours with vanilla bean ice cream!! Yum, yum! :)

And finally, one more . . . this is what we had for lunch today. It's from the January/February 2000 issue of Quick Cooking.
Slow Cooker Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (29 oz.) tomato sauce (I use Hunt's spaghetti sauce, usually Garlic & Herb or some other flavor we enjoy)
1 c. water
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 t. salt
1 t. dried oregano
1 package (8 oz.) no-cook lasagna noodles (the ones I have found to work the best are Pasta DeFino No Boil Lasagna Noodles--I've tried the no-boil store brand and the noodles didn't come out too well)
4 c. (or a little less) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 c. (12 oz.) small-curd cottage cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt and oregano; mix well. Spread a fourth of the meat sauce in an ungreased 5 qt. slow cooker. (I have a 3.5 qt. and it does all fit in there.) Arrange a third of the noodles over sauce (break the noodles if necessary.) Combine the cheeses; spoon a third of the mixture over noodles. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender. Yield: 6-8 servings.

This is Jim's favorite kind of lasagna, and it's so nice to come home from church and have it all ready to eat! I just slice some Italian bread to go with it and it makes a simple and delicious lunch!

I hope you will try these and enjoy them as much as we do! I'll try to continue to share some of our other favorites as I have time. :)