Blueberry Pie

  I make blueberry pie when the blueberries are in season. I do freeze some to have later in the year, freeze loose and unsweetened so that they can be used for anything including pie.

  When I was first married, we lived in Northern Minnesota and the kids and I picked them in the woods, often with a bear or two. The bears would pick on one side and we would pick on the other. If the bears wanted our side, we would give it to them at once.
By the time we got home, I would have two blueberry stained kids and a lot fewer blueberries in the baskets. Now however, I have to settle for what I can buy in the store. The last two years they have been quite reasonable in price. 

  Over the years I have made converts of people who said “I don’t like blueberry pie”. Most of the time, they are referring to the canned pie filling you can buy at the grocery store. Believe me, it tastes nothing like pie made from fresh berries. 

I use the pie crust from my Farm Journal Complete Pie Cookbook which is posted on the blog.

However, the filling recipe is always from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. 

You will need 2 nine inch pie crusts, and 4 cups fresh blueberries.

Blueberry Pie
4 cups blueberries

¾ to 1 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon lemon peal
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon each, cinnamon & nutmeg (optional)

Dash of salt
1 Tablespoon butter

Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry. Combine 4 cups fresh blueberries with ¾ to 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel and a dash of salt.  Add ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into pie shell. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Adjust top crust or as I do, make a lattice crust. 

Bake in hot oven 400°F. 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.
*The lemon juice adds tang to the store bought berries.