Yummy Blueberries

We had the wonderful opportunity to go pick our own blueberries last week. I think we ended up with around 11 lbs! So far I've made 2 pies and some freezer jam. This week I will be making some muffins and probably more jam.

I wanted to share my jam recipe because it was too simple and very yummy. I wanted to make a lower sugar jam and replaced some sugar with xylitol.

Low Sugar Freezer Jam

• 3 cups prepared fruit. (squished or chopped. I ran my berries through a couple of spins in the food processor)
• 1/2 c. natural sugar
• 1/2 c. xylitol
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 envelope of cook-less jam pectin

Mix sugar, xylitol, and lemon juice with the fruit and let stand for 10-15 min., stirring occasionally. In a seperate bowl, slowly add the pectin to the warm water and stir until well blended. Add pectin to the fruit and stir for 3 minutes. Place jam into small jars or plastic containers. Refrigerate for 18-24 hrs before using. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. In the freezer up to a year!

I'd also love to share my blueberry pie recipe. The pie filling recipe came from Randy's grandmother Sisco-Shive. The crust is something I came up with from reading several different recipes.

Cat's Healthier Pie Crust

• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 3/4 c. unbleached white flour
• 2 Tab. natural sugar or xylitol
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 Tab organic unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 Tab. soy milk (can also use milk or buttermilk)
• 1 Tab. lemon juice
  

Mix together the flours, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and work together with your hands or a pastry blender until coarse and crumbly. Add the vanilla, milk, and lemon juice and mix slowly with your fingertips until the dough forms into a ball and it's no longer sticky. Add a bit more flour if necessary. Refrigerate about 20 min while you prepare the filling. Roll the dough out onto a well floured surface.

Double this recipe if you need a top crust or are making 2 pies.

Grandma Sisco's Blueberry Pie

• 4 c. fresh blueberries
• 3/4 c. natural sugar
• 3 Tab. unbleached white flour
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tab butter (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees then line a 9 in' pie plate with pastry. Combine berries with sugar, flour, salt, and zest. Stir until berries are well coated. Pour into the pie shell and sprinkle with lemon juice. Dot with butter and place top crust over the pie. Make a few slits in the top crust with a knife. Bake pie for 30 min and let pie cool a bit and 'set up' before serving.