Creamy Blueberry Pie

CATHRYN DANIELS

3 cups fresh blueberries

1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie crust

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter

Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and salt. Add eggs and sour cream, stirring until blended. Place blueberries in pastry shell, and spoon sour cream mixture over berries. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Cut in butter or margarine with pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal. Sprinkle this mixture over sour cream mixture and berries in the pie shell. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 50 to 55 minutes, or until lightly browned. If desired, garnish with additional blueberries and mint leaves.

French Silk Pie

SARA JENSEN

3/4 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs, room temperature

1 to 2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa

frozen pie crust

toasted slivered almonds

whipped cream (heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla)

Prick pie crust and cook for 10 minutes at 400°. Let cool. Beat first three ingredients for 5 minutes (using a Bosch.) Add one egg and beat for 5 minutes. Wipe down sides and add the second egg. Repeat, adding the third egg. Refrigerate 3 to 6 hours. Serve with toasted slivered almonds and whipped cream.

Apple Pie

COURTNEY FJELSTED

PIE CRUST

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons milk

FILLING

10 tart apples (I use granny smith) ~20 ounces

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon flour

Mix crust ingredients together in a 9-inch pie dish using a fork. Stir until dough forms a ball. Pat dough with hands to form crust in pie dish.

Cut and peel apples. Slice less than 1/4-inch thick. Mix with other filling ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into uncooked pie crust (including all juices from apples.) It's important to pack the apples in tight and stack them high because they will cook down.

CRUMB TOPPING

1/2 cup butter, a little colder than room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

Cut together with a pastry blender. Sprinkle over apples.

Cover a cookie sheet with foil and place pie dish on top. Bake at 400° for 20 to 30 minutes or until crumb is golden brown. Then turn down heat to 350° and bake for 50 to 60 minutes more or until apples are soft.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

COURTNEY FJELSTED

PIE CRUST

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons milk

GLAZE

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 tablespoons corn starch

Mix crust ingredients together in a 9-inch pie dish using a fork. Stir until dough forms a ball. Pat dough with hands to form crust in pie dish. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes. Let cool.

Combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan and cook until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons dry strawberry Jell-O gelatin. Cool and pour over 2 to 3 pints of strawberries that have been cleaned, cut, and placed in the baked piecrust. Chill well and serve with whipped cream.

REMEMBER THAT THE PIE LOOKS MUCH PRETTIER IF YOU PUT THE CUT SIDE DOWN FOR THE TOP LAYER OF THE PIE.