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Blueberry Crumble Pie

June 29, 2009 By Kate 14 Comments

Last week a friend gave us a 5 pound bag of frozen blueberries. I was tempted to let them sit until winter since we are so enjoying lots of fresh blueberries right now. But with only an above-the-fridge freezer that I like to keep full with meals, I realized that probably wasn’t the most prudent idea.

So I decided to make a blueberry pie today and to use some of those frozen blueberries. I just winged it as I went. I was also listening to my kids play with my father-in-law and a new toy he brought for them. So, I wasn’t fully focused. You’ll see what I mean.

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Blueberry Crumble Pie

  • 1 1/4 c. flour
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/3 c. cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 4-5 T. col water
  • 6 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 2 T. cornstarch
  • 1 T. water
  • 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
  • 1/3 c. brown sugar
  • 2 T. flour
  • 1/4 c. butter, cut into pieces

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in cold water just until dough starts to form a ball. Pat into a ball with hands and roll out. Press into a 9 inch pie plate.

2. Wipe out the bowl and add blueberries. Toss with sugar. In a small cup, dissolve cornstarch in water. Stir into the berries. Pile in pie crust.

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3. In a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar and flour. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over blueberries.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 60 minutes. Cover top and crust edge with foil if it gets to brown. Let cool at least one hour before cutting.

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And here is what happens when you forget to add the cornstarch. Oops! I stared at the pie as it cooled just hoping it would miraculously firm up. No such luck though.So we are enjoying some delicious blueberry soup pie instead.

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Bronto Burgers

June 28, 2009 By Kate 3 Comments

We love grilled food. Unfortunately, we don’t have a grill and my husband is not one of those guys that has the thrill to grill. So we make our “grilled” foods indoors. Sometimes we use a small George Foreman grill, but usually I just rely on the stove top or oven.

So today, in an effort to ease the process, make something a little different, and pay homage to the Flintstone’s for some unknown reason, I decided this would be a fun twist.

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Bronto Burgers

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 2 t. salt
  • 1 t. pepper
  • 1 t. Cajun seasoning
  • 1 t. garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese
  • Toppings of choice
  • 1 large, round loaf of bread (Sourdough, etc.)

1. Place ground beef in a large bowl. Add seasonings and mix well with hands. Form into one large patty, about 9 inches across. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour. Or cook on the stovetop of grill over high heat, for about 15-20 minutes per side.

2. Cover with cheese and cook an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is completely melted.

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3. Cut bread in half like a hamburger bun. Place burger on bottom bun. Pile toppings on top and cover. To serve, cut into wedges.

You may notice that my burger is bunless. I knew what I wanted and I can visualize it perfectly. Unfortunately, our grocery store did not have any round loaves of bread today and I didn’t have time to make a homemade loaf. We ended up cutting the burger in half and piling onto a wide loaf of Italian bread. It tasted fantastic, but I didn’t get the huge burger look I was shooting for.

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Taco Mac

June 26, 2009 By Kate 11 Comments

I really like one dish skillet meals. They’re easy, quick and yummy. And they remind me of those Hamburger Helper meals I used to love back in the day. (Yes, I’ve come a long way in the kitchen.)

I used to make dishes like this by boiling the noodles separately. Then I gleaned some wisdom from my friend Sonshine and realized I could boil the noodles in the skillet if I added more liquid, just like those Hamburger Helper meals. It works great!

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Taco Mac

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 1 T. cumin
  • 2 t. garlic powder
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
  • 1 1/2 c. beef stock or broth
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 c. frozen corn
  • 1 c. shredded cheese

1. Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Stir in seasonings.

2. Add noodles, stock, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, about 15 – 20 minutes.

3. Stir in corn until heated through. Top with cheese and serve.

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