A Parade, A Plunge, and Two Perfect Pies

Memorial Day!  Always a fun day at our house, with many cool traditions we love. This year it included a parade, a plunge, and two perfect pies.

I am always ready for an early morning walk this time of year, with the mild, beautiful weather.  No need for an alarm clock, since the birds (and, thus, the Siamese cat) had me awake today with their chatter at 5:00 a.m.   I enjoyed a quick 2-miler – a little bit of solitude before all the hullabaloo ahead.

The next two hours were spent with all 5 of members of the clan getting things ready for our annual cookout.  This is a tradition that happened gradually, and has grown immensely.  We were blown away when we realized we had 60+ folks coming (including 35 kids!)  A new record!  So,  toot-sweet we had a double batch of Super Fast Turkey Chili in the crockpot and nine pounds of chicken in marinade in the fridge.

10:00 am.  Parade time!    We are lucky to live right on the parade route near the center of town, and so our driveway has become a gathering place for family and friends who want a front row seat.  This is the day I proudly play the role of “townie” here in my hometown.

I proudly waved at the war veterans who were  neighbors, friends of my parents, and members of my church.

I clapped along to the music…

…cheered on the Brownies and Scouts…

…and admired the beautiful horses.

And I tried to say hello to everyone I knew (impossible).  As a kid growing up here, I marched in this parade as a Brownie, a Girl Scout, a Little Leaguer, and as a drummer for the militia and the high school marching band.  It is always such a neat feeling to see this parade march by, looking so much like it did 30 years ago. I love that I am from a town that holds on tight to its great traditions.

After the last Classic car rolled by, we packed up the chairs and headed back down the driveway.  The next several hours were a wonderful blur of catching up with friends, drinking and eating , playing volleyball and capture the flag, and — most exciting — the grand opening of our new pool!  The kids are still pinching themselves about it.  The pool was absolutely the center of attention and was filled with happy kids all day, at one point holding 24 of the 35 that were present.

Since this Memorial Day also happened to be our 18th wedding anniversary, my husband and I decided to “take the plunge” again with a ceremonial first dip in the pool.

The food that everyone brought was delicious, but, of course, I didn’t snap many photos.  Maybe that’s because I already knew I had to share with you two pie recipes that are great for occasions like this.  Hey, I know what you’re thinking…

Pies are fussy. Pies are messy. Pies take too much work. Think again.  Give either of these a try — fantastic desserts that showcase the fruits of the summer season in New England.  Trust me, you can make these and it WILL be worth it.

The Blueberry Crumble Pie is heaven — sweet and full, full, full of blueberries.  It caused quite a ruckus at today’s cookout, with its many fans anticipating its appearance.  It arrived fashionably late, along with its maker, who was at home waiting to pull it from the oven (thanks, Shanna!).  The Strawberry Glace’ Pie did not make an appearance today, but has been ooh’d and ahh’d over many a time at family gatherings and always pleases the strawberry lovers.  It’s got a secret that everyone loves to discover as they dig in.

First up is Shanna’s famous Blueberry Crumble Pie — shared in her own words 🙂

Blueberry Crumble Pie
serves 8
(as seen on The Martha Stewart Show and from the cookbook Lobster Rolls and Blueberry Pie by Rebecca Charles)

Make no mistake, I am no Martha Stewart! As I was watching her show I saw this recipe and thought ‘I can totally make this!’ I have made this for many family and friends including Miss Julie and it has gotten rave reviews!

I do not make my own crust. I buy Pillsbury or store brand pie crust. Let the frozen pie crust sit out for about 10 minutes. Place in pie plate. Flatten the dough out and pinch the sides and prick with a fork a couple of times. Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 10 min. Let cool slightly.

Pie filling
6 cup blueberries (I have also used frozen when not in season)
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
 Pinch of black pepper (I know- sounds weird, but trust me, it works)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl making sure to squish some of the blueberries either with your hands or back of spoon. This helps the juices to mix with the cornstarch and thicken. Add to pie crust.

Crumb topping
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup butter

I use my food processor for this step. Combine flour and sugar. Add small pieces of butter and process until crumbles appear. Add on top of blueberry mixture. Place pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 1-1/4 hours. Let cool before serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Strawberry Glace’ Pie
serves 8
Are you a strawberry lover? Do you like cream cheese? This refreshing pie is light and fruity with just a hint of cream cheese hiding in the bottom layer. It is quick and easy to make (especially if, like me and Shanna, you use store-bought crust) and is such a pretty pie to bring to cookouts, BBQs, or any kind of summer celebration.

1 pie shell, baked as above

4 cups fresh strawberries , stems removed and halved
1 cup water (in two parts)
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3 oz. light cream cheese, at room temperature

1) In saucepan, simmer 1 cup of the berries and 2/3 cup water for 3 minutes. Blend together with the back of a spoon to break up the larger strawberry pieces.
2) Combine the cornstarch with the remaining 1/3 cup water in a small bowl. Add that to the mixture in the pan, along with the 1 cup of sugar.
3) Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Once it begins to bowl, continuing stirring and boil for about 1 minute. Mixture will be thickened.
4) Remove from heat and cool for 1-2 hours.
5) Spread cream cheese over bottom of cooled pie shell.
6) Fill with berry mixture and chill.