MangiaMore: BLUEBERRY pie

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Let’s just get this straight, right off the bat— I am not entirely sure I like blueberries or blueberry pie and I am not entirely sure I liked this blueberry pie. This was my first time making blueberry pie, and perhaps even tasting homemade (well almost) blueberry pie. With all that said, our pie was decent— the filling was pretty tasty, but the store-bought crust was far less than tasty.

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My boyfriend wanted to make one of these fruit pies for the 4^th of July festivities and I got excited. I like to bake new things and eat baked things. We kind of just picked the first recipe we saw, and used it as the base. Boyfriend wanted to add a few extras: lemon zest, lemon juice and mint. I was like, why the heck not.

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It resulted in a very floral filling. The tangy blueberries melted to sweetness once cooked, while the lemon brought back the tart memories. Though subtle, the mint created a rounded edge, adding to the floral brocade.

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The pie was nice, but it was easy to tell we cheated. The crust was just not on the same level as the layered filling, lacking depth, character and love. Unfortunately, that purchased crust was the downfall of the pretty pie, tainting both texture and flavor to displeasure. Next time I make a pie, I will definitely go all out Martha and construct a homemade crust.

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What did you bake for America’s Birthday? Have you been taking advantage of the delicious seasonal fruits? Anything good or out of the ordinary I should try with summer season fruits or veggies? Would love to hear from you!

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MangiaMore: father's day RICE PUDDING

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RER 6.15.14

Yesterday was Father’s Day, the day we celebrate our fathers by doing things he likes best. My poor old dad had to work (and edit) so I decided, almost on a whim (okay, this might have been a little premeditated as we did have Chinese food earlier in the week) to make some classic rice pudding. As of late, I have been using my boyfriend’s family’s recipe, but because this was for my Daddio, I dug deep and used the recipe he likes better. And because I love him so much, I used raisins (no one really likes raisins in my house; my mother and sister abhor them).

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Rice Pudding

½ uncooked rice

1 cup of water for cooking rice

¼ teaspoon salt for rice

2 large eggs or 4 egg yolks

½ cup white sugar

½ cup raisins (or whichever dried fruits suit)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups milk

Cinnamon

Prepare rice as directed on package.

In ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole, beat eggs. Stir in sugar, raisins, vanilla and milk and mix in rice. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of mixture. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes in 325 degree oven, stirring every 15 minutes. Pudding is done when top of pudding is very wet and not set. Stir well and let stand for 15 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

Please note: If using precooked rice, cook the pudding for five extra minutes.

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Did you make or eat anything delicious for Father’s Day? I want to hear all about it! Also, don’t forget to check out foodie ventures on facebook, instagram, twitter, yelp and pintrest!

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MangiaMore: caramel APPLE crumble

RER 12.7.13

Sometimes, all I want is something warm, sweet and comforting. Ok, sometimes is an understatement, especially with all of these recent chilly days. And one cold day, I was lucky enough to find a forgotten granny smith apple in my boyfriend’s basically barren fridge, and I was able to scrounge up my take on an apple crumble. I wanted to add something special, and immediately thought of the magnificent combination of caramel and tangy apples. I referenced this recipe for Caramel Apple Crumble bars, along with a recipe I use for cranberry oatmeal bars (a Christmastime favorite), doctoring up the soft cooked apples with some brandy. For the caramel layer, I used some of the syrup from the cooked apples and used this recipe for easy caramel sauce. Unlike the caramel apple crumble bar recipe from Kitchen Joy, I served mine more like a crumble in a bowl, warm, with a mountain of ice cream (also ate it for breakfast probably once or twice).

 

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What winter desserts keep you warm when it’s too cold out? Love to hear about those sweet thangs! And would love for you to follow foodie ventures on facebook, instagram, twitter, yelp and pintrest!

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