Old Fashioned Blueberry Hand Pies

Summer has sprung and so has an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies, and berries!  A delicate and delicious blueberry is a great choice for a handheld pastry, individually portioned for on the go home made treats.
Blueberries are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Anthocyanins are the antioxidants that give blueberries their brilliant color.  These vital superpowers help to thwart damage done to DNA by free radicals.  Also, other beneficial  properties include but are not limited to a good source of calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, magnesium and more, supporting healthy bones, regulating blood pressure and lower LDLs.  LDLs are low density  lipoproteins and also the undesirable one, the favorable one being HDL  or high density lipoproteins.  Blueberries are good to and for you and in season.  Have some fun with it.
These hand pies were a real hit with the whole family.  My neighbor gifted me a huge 2 lb. bag of these tasty little morsels.  I also made a pie, smoothies, blueberry pancakes and more.  My girls snacked on blueberries by the bowlful.  The finished pies may be frozen too, so don't be afraid to make extras.


Recipes:

1 lb. fresh or frozen blueberries, (I used frozen Maine blueberries, small and sweet)
1/4 to 1/3 c. pure cane sugar or to taste
1 c. unsweetened apple juice
2 tbsp. cornstarch, mixed with a little water to make a slurry
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4-9 inch roll out pie crusts
zest of whole and juice of 1/2 lemon
parchment paper for baking
egg wash for brushing tops, if desired
Instructions:
Place blueberries in a medium sauce pan along with all other ingredients except  the butter,vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch.
Bring up to a boil over medium high heat and let cook for about 10 minutes, allowing to reduce as it cooks.
Once liquid has reduced by about 1/3, remove from heat and stir in cornstarch.
Allow berries to return to a boil, stirring often and thickening.
Stir in vanilla and lemon juice.
After about 2 minutes, remove from heat and stir in butter.
Allow to cool before making the individual hand pies.
Use a pastry cutout of desired shape.  You will need two cutouts per hand pie.  You will be baking them in a 350*F oven.

Place small portions in center of bottom crust, as too much will overflow excessively.
Press around edges of pies to seal in filling, using a fork or device, dipping the fork in flour to aid in sticking.
Vent top crust with knife or using cutout gadget..
Brush with egg wash if desired.
Space out evenly on baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake until golden  and filling is bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Yield depends on size of cutouts.

Heard it Through the Grapevine

I just wanted to take a moment to be proud. I am a Google Local Guide and I have reached over 1,000,000 views on my photos on Google Maps. I remember when I had only just begun.  I look forward to bringing more photos of places travelled and useful content.  I have much more to come, so stay tuned.
The above photo is of a bunch of grapes on my vines. I planted her 5 years ago. This is her biggest harvest yet! I have a red one too! I remember when she was just a pup lol. Just like this vine, I started off very tiny with my website and grainy photos, working with what I had. I look back over my articles past and can see my progression and growth, just like my vines.
I feel truly blessed to be able to share these moments with you and I hope to continue on for as long as life let's me. Thanks for sharing this moment with me. See you again soon. :) 

Grilling: Fire and Blood

Tackle pesky flare ups and flavor your food at the same time by using this simple and easy hack.
Tie a bunch of fresh herbs by the stems and place them in a vessel with water.  When grilling, place nearby to douse flare ups and flames without compromising integrity of grill heat, especially charcoal.
 While battling the flames, you can flavor the proteins and veggies, with an aromatic bouquet of fresh herbs, namely parsley, basil, oregano, cilantro and rosemary.  You can use just one or a combination, depending on your personal tastes and what you are grilling.  You can even throw a splash of Vermouth in there to really set it off, not too much of course, safety first!

Cheers!

I just wanted to take a moment to say Happy Holiday and please be safe if you are going to travel.  Be careful in these oceans, lakes and streams.  Be mindful of your guests if you are entertaining.  If you are drinking, don't drive and don't let your friends and family drink and drive.  On behalf of the Smith Family, we wish you the happiest and safest holiday, from our Family to yours. Happy Independence Day, be thankful for those liberties we have, still denied for some.  Eat, drink and be merry!
My daughter Bronwyn insisted on this drink when we were in Morrisville, NC, so I decided to live a little and get one too.  I normally stay away from sugary drinks and make them follow the same suit.  This particular day was our departure day from a fantastic BLACKGIRLSCODE workshop weekend, hosted by LENOVO, so I made me a kamikaze of flavors and it was alright.  "Frazil" it's called.  I think the name sold me.

The beautiful Lenovo campus where BLACKGIRLSCODE workshop was held.

Mexican Pasta Salad

Put the Fiesta in your festivities with this simple and delicious recipe, perfect for your upcoming cookouts and any time you want to go BOLD Southwestern with an Italian and Southern American Twist. Taco Tuesday or any day just got better!

Recipe:
1 lb. mezze penne
1 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small yellow squash, halved and sliced thinly, about 3/4 cup
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped red or yellow onion
3/4 to 1 c. mayonnaise
4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 banana pepper, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. pure cane sugar, optional
1/2  tsp. celery seeds
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
juice of one lime
SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit Taste)
Instructions:
Cook pasta according to instructions on package, in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes.
Shock pasta in cold water to retain texture and shape and drain.
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise with 1/2 of cheese and all remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Fold veggies into dressing, then fold in pasta.
SPST.
Transfer to serving dish and garnish with remaining cheese.
Refrigerate until time to serve for flavors to marry, at least an hour recommended.
May be made a day ahead.

Complementary Beverages: National Independent Beer Run Day

In moderation, a nice IPA can be just what you need to beat the heat.  This spectacular brew featured above, goes will with fun in the sun and food, especially grub on the grill.   A dear friend of mine picked this up for me to see if I would approve.  He was applauded for a job well done.  It complimented our seafood fare perfectly too.  It is filled with citrusy notes with great body, fragrant and potent, a couple will do nicely.  There are even hint of grapefruit, very bright and complex, yet smooth.  I got these before we went on vacation, I still have one left.  This is all I've caught since fishing season kicked off, a good catch though might I add. I'll keep trying. Remember, the 3rd of July is National Independent Beer Run Day, so keep the craft beer brewers and small batch businesses in mind and celebrate responsibly!

Fourth of July: Decadent Frozen Desserts

A great way to celebrate Independence Day is with thanks, fellowship,  good food, grilling, booze  fireworks and fantastic desserts. With summer in full swing, any attempt to stay cool is welcome.  Nothing like frozen pie on a stick to round out a magnificent evening.  What's better, this pie is a Roasted Pumpkin Cream Pie, recipe by yours truly.  If you can't get into pumpkin, freeze your favorite pie and cut into serving slices. I used corn on the cob sticks to hold my pie in place, placing the stick in the pie after about 1 hour into freezing process.  Dip the slice of pie into dipping chocolate and place in freezer again, until nice and set.  To add festive and wonderful flair, place in individual sleeve and add colorful and relevant ribbon to tie it all off.  You can give them out for dessert or as a parting gift from the fantastic blowout of a cookout you had.  Your friends will remember it for years to come.