Wild Blackberry Pie

Now that we're getting into fall, baking pies is one of my favorite things to make. I always freeze a bunch of wild blackberries, so I can make pies all year round. I made the pie dough the night before and had it wrapped into two separate balls. I let the dough rest at room temp for at least 10 minutes before rolling out.

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh or thawed frozen blackberries
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Egg Wash:
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cold water

All-Butter Crust

1. Mix the blackberries and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, tapioca, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

3. Pour the cornstarch mixture over the berries and gently toss till the berries are well coated.

4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Carefully place the rolled out dough onto a 9-inch pie dish. Gently push the dough into the pie pan.

5. Pour the pie filling into the prepare pie pan. Take a fork and press along the edge of the pie dough. To make the egg wash, mix together the egg white and cold water. Brush the wash along the edge of the pie dough. Roll out the other pie dough and place on top of the pie. Take a fork and seal the edge of the pie crust.

6. Cut a small hole in the middle of the pie dough and place a pie chute in the middle, if you have one. If you don't. Cut four slits in the top of the pie dough.

7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a rack in the center of the oven.

8. Place the pie in the freezer for 30 minutes. This step chills the butter in the crust and creates a flaker crust. After 30 minutes, take the pie out of the freezer and take some aluminum foil and place along the edges of the pie crust. Place the pie on a baking sheet.

9. Bake the pie for about 55-60 minutes. About 10 minutes before the pie is finished, remove the aluminum foil. Bake till the crust is golden brown. Let rest for at least 45 minutes till you cut into it.

Add the lemon juice to the berries

Mix up the pie filling.

Add the pie filling to the berries.

Gently mix everything together.

Let the chilled dough rest at room temp for at least 10 minutes.

Roll our the dough.

Gently press the dough into the pie pan.

Add the pie filling. Press the edges with a fork and brush the egg wash along the edge.

Cover the top with the other rolled pie dough. Press the edges with a fork.

Add the pie flute and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the pie from the freezer and place on a baking sheet. Add aluminum along the edges so they don't burn.

After baking for 55-60 minutes and golden brown, remove from the oven and let rest for about 45 minutes.

Lavender Sugar Scrub

I came across a wonderful book recently, "The Bust DIY Guide to Life," and found this recipe for your own homemade sugar scrub. This summer heat has done a number on my skin, but I frown on using scrubs that have a bunch of junk in it or cost a million dollars. This sugar scrub is easy on the wallet and even easier to make.





Ingredients:

1 cup raw sugar
About one ounce avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon vitamin E oil
6 drops essential lavender oil
12-ounce jar with tight fitting lid

1. Put the sugar in a bowl and add the avocado oil. (Add more oil for dry skin or less for oily)

2. Mix in the vitamin E oil (it'll act like a preservative)

3. Add the lavender oil and don't be tempted to add more, 6 drops is more than enough. Mix throughly and place in the jar. Add a pretty label if you're feeling fancy.

All-Butter Pie Crust

Some people maybe intimidated by making pie crusts or just pie baking in general. Pie crusts are super easy to make and you don't need any fancy stand mixers or anything.

I prefer the all-butter crust over the butter-crisco kind.  You can make this crust the day before and have it ready for when you start making your pies. It will also freeze for up to 2 weeks.





Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup ice water

1. In a large bowl mix all of the dry ingredients together.

2. Add the butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter (or your hands) to incorporate the butter. Mix until the batter looks like pea-sized butter chunks. The dough should be coarse; don't over work it.

3. Add the ice water a little at a time until until the dough comes together. Form into two equal sized balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and let chill for at least an hour before using. This will help keep the butter solid, so your dough will be nice and flaky. When you're ready to make your pie, let the dough rest at room temp for about 10 minutes and then roll out on a lightly floured surface.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. 

Add the butter to the dry mixture.

Use a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter.

Mix till its in pea sized form.

Add the water a little at a time.

Mix till the dough is coarse.

Form the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Pickled Jalapenos

I planted one, just one jalapeno plant in my garden and it has been exploding with peppers. I never really had a plan, on what to do with so many peppers, but pickling them versus freezing them, was the best option for me. I can't wait to use these on sandwiches, nachos, eggs, etc. 

This recipe is from "Canning for a New Generation."

Makes about 4 pint jars

Ingredients:

2 1/2 jalapeno chilies

4 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)

2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

4 cloves peeled garlic

1. Clean jars and keep hot in boiling water till ready to use. Place lids and rings in a small sauce pan and bring to a light simmer.

2. Cut jalapenos into 1/8 inch rings and rinse to get rid of loose seeds. Place vinegar, 1 cup water, honey and salt in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt and honey.

3. Place one garlic in the bottom of each jar. Pack in the jalapeno slices and leave 1 inch headspace. Next pour in the vinegar mixture into the jars and leave 1/2 inch headspace. Tap jar on a lined towel to remove air bubbles. Wipe rims clean and add lids and rings.

4. Place the jars in the boiling water and make sure there is at least 1-2 inches of water covering the jars. Boil for 10 minutes and remove from the canning pot. Place on a towel and let rest for 12 hours. After an hour make sure the lids are sealed. If they didn't, place in refrigerator. 

Wash and cut jalapenos.

Peel the garlic.

In the back pot I have the lids and rings simmering. In the front large pot, I bring the vinegar, water, honey and salt to a boil.

Place garlic in each jar.

Pack in those jalapenos.

Next add the vinegar mixture and tap to remove bubbles.

Boil for 10 minutes and let rest on a towel for 12 hours.

Label and store!

Salted Brown Sugar Peach Jam

Millions of peaches, peaches for me....

I love me some peaches! They are in season right now and I can't get enough of them! I love them in oatmeal, on ice cream, on yogurt; Peaches literally taste like summer.

This recipe is another favorite from "Preserving by the Pint," by Marisa McClellan.


Makes 3-4 half pint jars

Ingredients:

2 pounds ripe peaches
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon finely milled sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Bring a canning pit to a boil and sterilize jars for 15 minutes. Place the lids and rings in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, fill with ice water. Once water is boiling, place peaches in the boiling water and blanch the peaches for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to the ice water. Once peaches are cool to the touch, remove the skins and cut in half and remove the pits.

3. Place peaches in a large bowl and smash with a potato masher until its a chunky pulp. Stir in the sugar and let the fruit sit for a few minutes, until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

4. Place the peaches and sugar in a pot and add the lemon juice, salt and nutmeg and cook medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, bring the fruit to a boil and cook until it looks thick, about 10-12 minutes. It's done when you pull a spatula through and the jam doesn't immediately rush in to fill the space.

5. Lade the hot jam into the hot sterilized jars and leave 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Fill a large boil with ice water.

Blanch the peaches for 1-2 minutes.

Place the peaches in the ice bath. Once cool, remove the skins, cut in half and remove pits. 

Place the peaches in a large bowl.

Mash the peaches with a potato masher.

Get one cup of packed brown sugar.

Add sugar to peaches and stir til disolved.

Add peaches and sugar to a large pot. Add lemon juice, salt and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Cook till the jam is thick and ladle into canning jars and wipe rims and add lids and rings.

Process jam for 10 minutes and let cool on a folded towel for 18-24 hours.

Dilly Beans

My awesome coworker gave me a few pounds of green beans from her garden and I pulled out my canning pot right away. I've been wanting to make some dilly beans all summer long.

Dilly Beans are pickled green beans and are a super easy way to can green beans with out having to use a pressure canner.

Dilly beans are great in bloody mary's, salads, snacking or whatever your heart feels like.

I got this recipe from "Food in Jars," by Marisa McClellan. 








Makes about 4 Pint Jars

Ingredients:

2 pounds of green beans
2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup pickling salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons dill seed
4 garlic cloves, peeled

1. Prepare the jars in a large pot. Sterilize the jars, in boiling water for 15 minutes. Place the lids and rings in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over low heat.

2. Wash and trim the beans so they fit in the jars. Combine the vinegar, 2 1/2 cups water, and salt in a pot and bring the brine to a boil.

3. Pack the beans in the sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon dill seed, and 1 garlic clove in each jar. Slowly pour the hot brine over the beans and leave 1/2 inch headspace. Gently tap the jars on a towel lined counter-top to remove air bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.

4. Wipe the rims with a clean towel and apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

5. Remove from the boiling water and let cool on a folded towel for 12-18 hours. Let cure for at least 2 weeks before opening.

Wash and trim the beans.

Bring brine to a boil.

Place the cayenne pepper, dill seed and garlic in each jar.

Pack in those beans, pour in the brine and process for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Trials and Errors

This has been a great summer! Lots of fun canning and cooking adventures and there are still many more weeks to come!

Most of my jams and preserves have turned out great and I've done some pickling, but I recently tried making sauerkraut and fermenting radishes.

OMG, the sauerkraut was an epic fail. I apologize to my husband and roommates for keeping jars of cabbage, that pretty much just rotted in the pantry. It smelled awful.


I recently made some dilly beans and pickled jalapenos. I planted one jalapeno plant in my garden and I harvested over a pound and a half of peppers! I pickled 4 pint jars of jalapenos and I can't to use them in sandwiches this fall. I'll post the recipe soon. It was super easy and fun.

My sister and I have been picking lots of blackberries, and we've made tons of jam and I've been freezing them to use in pies and cobblers later. Its been super hot here in Washington and even though I love baking, its too hot to bake right now.

My tomato plants are also booming and I hope to can some stewed tomatoes, salsa and pasta sauce. I need to acquire a food mill, which will help with canning tomatoes.

Picture of the sauerkraut that was an epic fail.

Fermented radishes.