Thin Blueberry Pie with Butermilk Crust

 

This pie has become a favorite of mine. I love that it is made in a pizza pan and allows for a thin slice. I found that 4 teaspoons of lemon juice was a little too tart for our family. I have an apple pie version in the oven as I type this. YUMMY!! Thanks to The Changeable Table for this great recipe.

Thin Blueberry Pie with Buttermilk Crust 

(Printable Version)

Ingredients:

Crust:

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter (chilled)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 Tbs oil

Blueberry Filling:

8 cups blueberries (frozen work as well as fresh)

1/2 cup cornstarch

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 tsp lemon juice ( Used only used 2 teaspoons because my berry’s were tart )

3 Tbs chilled butter - cut in small slivers

Directions:

For Crust:

Mix together flour and salt, then cut in shortening and butter with a pastry blender until fat is the size of small peas. 

Stir together the buttermilk and oil, then pour into dry ingredients - reserving a few tablespoons in case the mixture is too moist. 

Stir with a fork until it comes together in a ball and starts to clean sides of mixing bowl.  (If it appears to be too dry - add remaining buttermilk/oil mixture as needed)

Don’t over-mix - as this will toughen the crust.

Form a large ball, then cut in half - with one half being slightly larger (this will be for your bottom crust)

Wet down your countertop with a damp cloth.

Cover area with plastic wrap, then place the larger half of your pastry on top.

Flatten slightly with your hand, then cover with another sheet of plastic wrap.

Roll evenly with a rolling pin - rolling “into” the cracks that form occasionally to keep it in a circular shape.

Turn pizza pan upside down on top of dough to check for size.  The dough should extend at least 2-3” beyond outer rim for adequate coverage.

Peel top layer of wrap off - then tip it (dough-side down) on top of pizza pan.

Use your fingers to press into the corners and sides, removing air bubbles.

Remove the second layer of wrap carefully.

Reserve second crust - and roll it the same way once the pie is filled.

Pie Filling:

Combine in large bowl cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon.

Stir until combined and no lumps remain.

Add frozen blueberries and stir until well coated.

Pour this mixture into prepared pizza pan lined with bottom crust.  You will have additional sugar mixture that won’t adhere to the berries.  Distribute this evenly on top of berries.

Sprinkle with lemon juice, and dot with small slivers of butter.

Continue rolling the top crust as directed above - positioning it on top. 

Seal and flute edge.  Cut vents for steam.

This pie may overflow in your oven - as it’s very juicy.  (About half the time I have an overflow...)

To keep your oven clean - you may want to make a foil tray from heavy duty foil.  (Better safe than sorry, as my mother always told me...)Bake at 375° for about 1 hour - or until crust is golden brown and blueberry juice is bubbling from vents.Allow to cool slightly and then drizzle with powdered sugar/milk/vanilla glaze if desired.

Spicy Honey Chicken

 

Remember the Naan Bread I posted last? This Chicken is a perfect filling . It goes well with avocado and mango. I found this recipe at Our Best Bites ......Enjoy.

Spicy Honey Chicken

 Recipe by Our Best Bites

(Printable Version)

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’
you right now it’s better with thighs.

  2 t vegetable oil

Rub:

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze:
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

 

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.Watch so it doesn’t  burn but is cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

Drizzle the reserved  2 tablespoons of glaze on the chicken after it is removed from the grill.

Homemade Naan Bread

 

I was wanting to try something different for dinner today and settled on this great Naan Flatbread recipe. Like so many great recipes I have tried this came from Melanie at Mels Kitchen Cafe. This recipe you need to plan ahead for because of the 2 hour rise time ....but trust me it is well worth it. I made it into sandwiches that reminded me of Quizno's Sammies (only better). The best part is I used a grill and didn't turn my oven on ;)

Naan (Indian Flatbread)

(printable version)

*Makes about 12 pieces of naan

3-4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon sugar

3-4 tablespoons, melted butter

Pour the milk into a liquid measure and heat in the microwave until warm to the touch (about 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). If using active dry yeast, mix the sugar and yeast into the milk and let it sit for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is foamy and the yeast has activated. Once the yeast/milk mixture is foamy, pour the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour (proceed with the second paragraph of the recipe). If using instant yeast, pour the warm milk into a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the sugar, instant yeast, salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Proceed as directed below.

Mix well to combine. Continue adding flour gradually in small amounts, until a soft dough is formed that cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough by mixer or hand until it is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rest at room temperature, covered lightly with greased plastic wrap, for about 2 hours.

After the dough has rested, turn it onto a lightly floured surface ) and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Cover the pieces with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes. While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven. (If you don't have a pizza stone, try grilling the dough on a lightly oiled outdoor grill or use a hot griddle to bake the naan - you'll have to experiment with cooking times I cooked mine at 375* on a griddle and it took about 2 minutes.)

Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, one by one, roll each piece into a circle about 6-8 inches wide, depending on how thin or thick you want your naan. Lay the circle of dough on the hot pizza stone and spritz lightly with water. Close the oven and bake the naan for 2-4 minutes, until it is lightly puffed (some pieces will puff more than others) and brown spots begin to appear on the top. Remove the naan from the baking stone and place on a cooling rack. Brush lightly with melted butter. Stack the hot naan on top of each other as it comes out of the oven. Cover with a towel and let the naan cool completely or serve warm.

My new favorite White Bread recipe

This has become my favorite go to recipe for white bread. It makes delicious scones as well. Tonight we had Navajo Taco's so a made a batch of this tasty bread dough divided it onto thirds and made 2 loaves and a dozen scones. It was a perfect addition to our dinner.

White Bread

(printable Version)

Source: The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner Cookbook

Ingredients:

4 cups warm (105-115^o F) water

2 Tbls active dry yeast

1 Tbls salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup honey or 2/3 cup sugar

10-12 cups all-purpose or bread flour

1.       Pour the water into a very large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Add the yeast, salt, oil, honey, and 5 cups flour, and mix to combine. Gradually mix in an additional 5 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough is smooth. (Add still more flour, ¼ cup at a time, if necessary.)

2.       Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface, or with the dough hook on low for 12 minutes. Cover with a dish towel and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, 30 to 45 minutes. Generously grease three 9 x 5-inch loaf pans and set aside. Note: My favorite loaf pans for bread baking are glass. Your bread will brown beautifully and look even better than what you can buy in a bakery!

3.       Punch down the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly to remove any air bubbles. Divide the dough in thirds, knead each section a few times, and shape into a loaf. Place the dough into the prepared pans. Cover with a dish towel and let rise 30 to 45 minutes. The dough is ready to bake when you press down slightly with your finger and the indentation remains.

4.       Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degree3s. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes. Immediately remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack. To freeze loaves, place in resealable plastic freezer bags and store up to two months in the freezer.

Variation: To make cinnamon bread, roll out each section and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar as desired. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of water over the dough and roll lengthwise. Place in a greased bread pan. Let rise and bake as above.