Blueberries, Blueberries, Blueberries!

After a bountiful harvest of blueberries last weekend in the Berkshires -- FIVE pounds of hand-picked berries in fact -- I had to figure out what to do with it all.

Maybe eating pie and cake all week isn't the best way to keep my girlish figure in shape, but since blueberries are a miraculous wonderfruit antioxidant, that makes it ok, right?

Right!

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL PIE

I turned to EatingWell.com for a less-guilty pie recipe that uses extra lemon zest for sweetness and instant tapioca vs cornstarch. The results were citrusy and delicious, albeit a little soupy.



What I am most proud of, however, is my first ever homemade pie crust!


BOYFRIEND'S MOM'S BLUEBERRY CAKE

How do I win over my boyfriend's heart just a little more? By baking a kick-ass version of his mom's own cake recipe. Of course this could go badly should I not quite stack up to Mom...



Phew! Thankfully I passed with flying colors. Here's this family recipe so you too can impress your boyfriends. I also amazed my intern Pete, who after two months in NYC away from home was probably really thrilled to have something home baked.

• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
• 2 Cups sifted sugar
• 2 eggs beaten w 1tsp real vanilla extract
• 3 Cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Cup milk
• 1 quart (4 Cups) blueberries (preferably fresh) dredged in 1/4 Cup flour
• cinnamon sugar to taste (I go heavy with it)

In a large mixing bowl cream butter well, add sifted sugar & cream again. Add eggs & vanilla, blend well and set aside. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder and add alternately with the milk to the batter mixing well after each addition. Fold in the dredged berries. Pour into a 9"X13" greased & floured baking pan ( I use Crisco shortening) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If using a glass or very dark coated pan bake at 325 degrees. Cool on rack before cutting. Yum.

Slap Chop Rap

There is just no introduction that could do this justice, so just watch...