MAINE BLUEBERRY PIE

PIE DOUGH:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into bits
1 large egg, I omitted
6 Tbsp. or more ice water
1/8 tsp salt

FILLING:

6 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or less
2 tsp finely grated lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cornstarch

In a large bowl combine flour and salt . Add butter and mix with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add ice water to flour mixture and mix gently until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix.
Divide the dough in half and form two thick disks. Put one of them on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the dough around the edge of the pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Put on the refrigerator for 1 hour or more. Roll out the second piece of dough for the top crust, then fold into quarters and place on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Frozen berries: dip then in hot water for up to a minute or until thawed, then drain and pat dry.
Fresh berries: Lightly rinse the blueberries in a strainer and gently pat them dry. Toss with 1 cup sugar, the cornstarch, cinnamon, grated lemon, and vanilla.
Spoon the blueberry mixture onto the pie shell.
Remove the top crust from the refrigerator and unfold it over the filling. Trim the overhang to 1 inch. Moisten the edges where they meet, then press them together lightly while turning them under.
Make two or three slashes in the top crust to allow steam to escape, then brush lightly all over with water.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees F, in the lower third of the oven, approximately 1 hour or until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown. Cool on a rack until warm, or serve at room temperature.
Serve with vanilla ice cream! Humm... delicious.

BANANA NUT BREAD

YOU'LL NEED...

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
1/4 cup almond halves or pieces

A LA CUISINE !

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease three (3) 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together bananas, butter, brown sugar and eggs.
Stir banana mixture into flour mixture, just until combined. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let it rest in pans for 10 minutes, then remove it from pans and let it cool on a wire rack.