Our family reunion ended when the last of the children and their families left on Monday after a whirlwind of parties and festivities. It started on Wednesday when #3 son from Florida, his wife and teenaged daughter arrived, followed by #2 son from St. Louis with his wife and three little ones; Will (5), Morgan (2 ½ ) and Olivia (9 months) followed by #1 son from Madison with his wife and Annika (6) and Jake (3). Our daughter had arrived the previous Saturday from Boston to hostess the St. James functions in lieu of the wedding reception she had cancelled.
Wednesday night’s activity was a Twins vs. Rockies game (Twins obligingly won). Thursday found many of us at a wine and cider tasting in Maiden Rock. Friday night we dined in the Port at the St. James. Saturday was the big blow-out dinner-dance in the Summit Room and Sunday we had two seatings of brunch in the Victorian Room. In between we had a great picnic at Colvill Park and a homemade pizza party on our porch.
It was wonderful, but I must admit it is a relief to be just the two of us again but I will have to get used to cooking for just two once more. After the absolutely delicious meals we had at the St. James in all their venues, I was craving something simple, fresh and non-fattening. The blueberries in the market are unusually good this year—seems early to me—but they’re already in and moderately priced. Plus, blueberries are one of the healthiest foods around.
Blueberries with some cream and sugar are delicious—or even sans sugar and cream. They are great in pancakes and topping simple pound cake or ice cream. They can star in green salads and fruit compotes and, of course, in pie. Since I usually do a pie-of-the-month about now, and since strawberries are usually June’s star—I decided to make a light and refreshing pie that wouldn’t break the calorie bank using both fruits. I found just the right one in the pages of the 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi. This pie is beautiful and delicious as is but you could wait a week and serve it for the Fourth of July if you put whipped cream on it to make it red, white and blue. Another bonus of this pie is the fruit is uncooked which means it provides maximum health benefits.
Red, White and Blueberry Pie
1 cup wild blueberry fruit spread
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ pints fresh blueberries
1 ½ tsp. grated lemon zest
1 9” prebaked pie shell
¼ cup strawberry fruit spread
6-8 large strawberries, sliced vertically
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Melt the blueberry spread with cinnamon over medium heat. Off heat, mix in the blueberries and lemon zest until the berries are coated. Spoon the berries into the crust. Melt strawberry spread over medium heat. Mix strawberries into the melted spread to coat. Arrange glazed strawberries in a ring on top of the blueberry filling, placing them with the wide end against the edge of the crust and the point inward. Form an 8-pointed star in the center, with 4 slices pointing outward and add 4 smaller ones arranged on top of them. Pipe rosettes of whipped cream (or dollops) over blueberries, making sure the berries peek through for the color. Serve within 1 hour of filling.
Lemons and blueberries are a match made in heaven. There is something about the juicy, tart blueberry and the citrusy-sweet tang of lemon that makes a perfect pair. I named this next light and airy dessert Cloud Nine.
Cloud Nine
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp water
1 cup sugar (or sugar substitute such as Splenda for cooking, if you prefer)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
1 ½ 8-ounce containers plain nonfat yogurt
1 pint fresh blueberries
Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tbsp. water in small saucepan and let stand 10 minutes to soften. Stir constantly over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Set aside. Combine sugar and lemon juice in another small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Clip candy thermometer onto side of saucepan. Increase heat and boil without stirring until thermometer registers 238 degrees, about 5minutes. Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of salt in bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat hot syrup into egg whites. Add gelatin mixture and lemon peel and beat until mixture is stiff, glossy, and cool, about 3 minutes. Mix in yogurt. Divide among 10 custard cups or ramekins. Refrigerate until set about 2 hours. Wash and sort blueberries. Top desserts with fresh, unsweetened blueberries.
Wednesday night’s activity was a Twins vs. Rockies game (Twins obligingly won). Thursday found many of us at a wine and cider tasting in Maiden Rock. Friday night we dined in the Port at the St. James. Saturday was the big blow-out dinner-dance in the Summit Room and Sunday we had two seatings of brunch in the Victorian Room. In between we had a great picnic at Colvill Park and a homemade pizza party on our porch.
It was wonderful, but I must admit it is a relief to be just the two of us again but I will have to get used to cooking for just two once more. After the absolutely delicious meals we had at the St. James in all their venues, I was craving something simple, fresh and non-fattening. The blueberries in the market are unusually good this year—seems early to me—but they’re already in and moderately priced. Plus, blueberries are one of the healthiest foods around.
Blueberries with some cream and sugar are delicious—or even sans sugar and cream. They are great in pancakes and topping simple pound cake or ice cream. They can star in green salads and fruit compotes and, of course, in pie. Since I usually do a pie-of-the-month about now, and since strawberries are usually June’s star—I decided to make a light and refreshing pie that wouldn’t break the calorie bank using both fruits. I found just the right one in the pages of the 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi. This pie is beautiful and delicious as is but you could wait a week and serve it for the Fourth of July if you put whipped cream on it to make it red, white and blue. Another bonus of this pie is the fruit is uncooked which means it provides maximum health benefits.
Red, White and Blueberry Pie
1 cup wild blueberry fruit spread
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ pints fresh blueberries
1 ½ tsp. grated lemon zest
1 9” prebaked pie shell
¼ cup strawberry fruit spread
6-8 large strawberries, sliced vertically
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Melt the blueberry spread with cinnamon over medium heat. Off heat, mix in the blueberries and lemon zest until the berries are coated. Spoon the berries into the crust. Melt strawberry spread over medium heat. Mix strawberries into the melted spread to coat. Arrange glazed strawberries in a ring on top of the blueberry filling, placing them with the wide end against the edge of the crust and the point inward. Form an 8-pointed star in the center, with 4 slices pointing outward and add 4 smaller ones arranged on top of them. Pipe rosettes of whipped cream (or dollops) over blueberries, making sure the berries peek through for the color. Serve within 1 hour of filling.
Lemons and blueberries are a match made in heaven. There is something about the juicy, tart blueberry and the citrusy-sweet tang of lemon that makes a perfect pair. I named this next light and airy dessert Cloud Nine.
Cloud Nine
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp water
1 cup sugar (or sugar substitute such as Splenda for cooking, if you prefer)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
1 ½ 8-ounce containers plain nonfat yogurt
1 pint fresh blueberries
Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tbsp. water in small saucepan and let stand 10 minutes to soften. Stir constantly over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Set aside. Combine sugar and lemon juice in another small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Clip candy thermometer onto side of saucepan. Increase heat and boil without stirring until thermometer registers 238 degrees, about 5minutes. Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of salt in bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat hot syrup into egg whites. Add gelatin mixture and lemon peel and beat until mixture is stiff, glossy, and cool, about 3 minutes. Mix in yogurt. Divide among 10 custard cups or ramekins. Refrigerate until set about 2 hours. Wash and sort blueberries. Top desserts with fresh, unsweetened blueberries.
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