Blueberry Apple Pie

Happy “pie” day. I actually made this one a few days ago, inspired by my trip to the Pagosa Springs  Bakery. The hubby loves blueberry and who doesn’t like apple? I also, for the first time used an old fashioned crust recipe that uses shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco). The hubby said it was the best crust he’s ever had. I’m posting the recipe I used from the internet for the basic ingredients but I made a few changes. I used one Granny Smith and one pink lady apple. I also used tapioca instead of cornstarch.

My mom was the true pie queen. Happy to bake such a delicious pie in one of her dishes. <3

Attached is my picture before we devoured it!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/simple-blueberry-apple-pie-recipe-2014863

Blueberry Cheesecake Crumb Cake

I’m grateful to have neighbors that are willing to try my adventures in baking. It’s not only my therapy but my way of letting them know I’m thinking about them. This one is probably one of my future favorites. The mascarpone cheese and fresh blueberries make it a very special treat. One caveat, due to the high elevation, I had to cook it for 90 minutes. I also might add a little lemon juice next time to balance the sweetness.

https://omgchocolatedesserts.com/blueberry-cheesecake-crumb-cake/

Blueberry Ginger Kombucha

It only took me 6 months to overcome my fear of making Kombucha. Initially, I got a scoby from a generous neighbor, but kept putting off creating the final product. I even made a few new batches before finally knuckling down and following through. The hubby's body has been wanting Kombucha for a while now and so I decided it was time to stop paying $4/bottle at the store. I'm so happy I found this as the first recipe on Pinterest. The hubby loves blueberry and ginger combined with the probiotic value of Kombucha is a winner! I loved the flavor. So excited to keep this ball rolling. Currently the recipe only makes 1 gallon, and in this elevation, it takes about 2 weeks to get the perfect flavor. I think the hubby will probably drink all of this in less than a week, so I'll probably make 2-3 gallons in the future. I used passion fruit black tea for that extra berry flavor and in the next batch, I used mango black tea. Really excited for another recipe to try. Kombucha really is the miracle cure for intestinal health.

The finished product is in the quart jars and the new batch is in the gallon jar.

Here's the recipe that I followed for: 

http://fithappyfree.com/blueberry-ginger-kombucha/

Pichuberry and Blueberry Flaugnarde

Tonight was a 2-for-1 special on learning cool new foods and desserts.

1. The hubby bought "Golden Berries" (at Sprouts), also known as "Cape Gooseberries", also known as "Pichuberries"--grown in Columbia. Of course I looked at Pinterest and found a new french dessert that I couldn't pronounce.  Again, google helped me with that one--Flaugnarde. Not only is it fun to say, it's EASY and delicious! There is a strawberry version that I would try if he bought them again. Note when buying them from the store, get 2 containers (=2 cups). I used a deep dish pie plate, but now have a good excuse to shop for a (1 piece) tart pan. :)

http://www.theeggfarm.com/blog/2014/02/11/pichuberry-and-blueberry-flaugnarde/

BLUEBERRY LEMON POKE CAKE

I have an addiction to poke cakes--I even have an entire Pinterest Board dedicated to them. They're so easy to make but do usually require a few hours planning for cooling and refrigeration. It's a great way to use up cake, pudding and jello mixes. This one was part of a list of 15 (of course now added to my Pinterest board). I had some fresh frozen blueberries that I thawed out. [Blueberries are one of the most resilient fruits when it comes to freezing and thawing.] I purchased the lemon curd, but next time I'll plan to make it from scratch. Although the cake was delicious and refreshing, it seemed liked it would be the perfect treat after a summer bbq.

http://www.thewholesomedish.com/blueberry-lemon-poke-cake/

Thanksgiving Menu 2016

Thanksgiving morning started with welcoming 2 rescue donkeys to our 4 legged family. Then our meal was planned and enjoyed by the members of Taste of Home; my selections were based on the requests of the boys. I really like their recipe box and shopping list feature. It makes it easy to get what you need from the grocery store and pull up all the recipes at once. The only exception were the 2 pies from my "Baking at High Altitude" cookbook, Noble Pig's Dill Pickle Dip and Rachael Ray's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. As have many in the past, this was a truly blessed year.

Gouda Melt with Baguette Slices

Dill Pickle Dip

Thyme Roasted Turkey

Grandma's Turkey Gravy

Wild Rice Stuffing

Rachael Ray's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Oven Roasted Carrots

Green Beans with Bacon

Peas-a-la-Francaise

Texas Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Calico Beans

Contest Winning Fresh Strawberry Pie

Honey Pecan Pie

Cranberry Pie (from Baking at High Altitude)

Blueberry Pie (from Baking at High Altitude)