My mother made the best blueberry pies EVER! Her homemade piecrusts turned out light, flaky, and perfect every time. Her blueberries with those madly marvelous small-sized wild berries that we all dutifully picked each year and then froze for incredible edible enjoyment for the rest of the year. She never added too much sugar either, just enough to bring out the bountiful berry juices. If I want to slide into Memory Lane euphoria, I can simply remember savoring a scintillating slice of Mom’s blueberry pie, still warm from the oven and usually adorned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I admit that I never developed the patience to deliver her consistently perfect piecrusts. And I no longer make the annual pilgrimage to pick the bountiful northern New England berries. Further, Mom is enjoying her well-earned retirement, although she regularly delights her friends and family with some of our favorite goodies.
On this National Blueberry Pie Day 2023, I will share with you my 1980 recipe for a pie that combines strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. See, we’re on the right track! Make it now or tuck this recipe away for a perfect summer’s day delight.
Super Simple Red, White & Blueberry Pie
(We now know this as a classic at Café Martin.)
4 lbs strawberries, washed & hulled (8 heaping cups total):
4 heaping cups sliced (these should be fresh berries), halved if small berries
4 heaping cups sliced berries (can be frozen), then mashed into 2 heaping cups mashed
16 small, attractive berries for garnishing (8 on each pie)
1/3 c sugar (or fave substitute, such as coconut sugar or monkfruit)
4 T cornstarch
2 T lemon, lime or orange juice (or combination)
¼ c cranberry juice
red food coloring, if desired
2 T butter
2 c fresh blueberries
2 prepared pie shells (store-bought shortbread cookie crust or regular baked & cooled)
Fresh (or canned) whipped cream, and plenty of it
In large saucepan, mix mashed strawberries with sugar, cornstarch & juices. Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened & transparent. Add a few drops of red food coloring, if desired. Stir in butter, till melted. Add the sliced/halved strawberries & the blueberries (saving some blueberries for garnish), stirring to coat with glaze. Pour into shells, pressing to fill air pockets. Chill thoroughly (at least 3-4 hours, or overnight). At serving time, top with whipped cream; garnish with small, whole strawberries & the reserved blueberries. Makes 2 pies.
KISS Note: I have no idea what to do with leftovers. There have never been any.
Go for full-sized pies or mini tarts. Add currents, raspberries, blackberries, and even fresh mint leaves to your toppings, if desired. Or go extra Super Simple and serve the filling and topping over split hot biscuits as Red, White & Blueberry Shortcake!
Yes, this is one of many recipes in one of the first cookbooks I first published in 2007. The paperback and digital editions of “Fifty Years of Fabulous Family Favorites: Starters, Sippers, & Sweets” remains popular on Amazon and other sites.
The Academy of American Poets started this tradition in 2008 to recognize poetry and American poets. Carry a favorite poem in your pocket and pull it out and read it on this day. You can read it aloud outside your own front door, to co-workers, or in some public place, regardless of how unexpected it might be!
“I’m nobody! Who are you?
Top them with anything you like, from nuts and seeds to everything bagel seasoning… For me, please make it plenty of good, coarse kosher salt! So, twist like a pretzel when you must, but never lose your salt!
“Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas; they are in your own backyard if you but dig for them.”
Super Simple Caprese Sandwiches or Kebabs
Super Simple Peach Salsa
Super Simple Sparkling Lemonade
We’re taking a look back today at National High Five Day, which is always the third Thursday of April. Officially, that was yesterday.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the “high five” has been around since the early 1980s and is related to the slang expressions “give me five”, “slap me five”, “slip me five”, and “give me some skin”. It is the recognizable request for some form of handshake with the “five” referring to the digits of the hand.
In truth, there are possibilities that go back much further. A high five-style raised hand slap is depicted as far back as 3200 BC in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Yesterday I mentioned that Ellis Island had a dark past. Before becoming a major immigration center, it was used for hanging condemned prisoners, pirates, criminals, and mutinous sailors from the early 1800s through 1839. It then served as a Navy munitions depot before being repurposed as a federal immigration station.
In 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed into law the first Quota Act, ending America’s open-door policy. The new law set monthly quotas and limited admission of each nationality to 3% of its representation in the 1910 U.S. Census. By 1925, the government shifted the inspection process from American ports to U.S. Consulates abroad. Ellis Island then operated primarily as a detention and “deportation point for undesirable immigrants.”
Wear and tear took its toll on the buildings at Ellis Island. Eventually, restorations were ordered, and the facilities opened for tourist visitors during our nation’s Bicentennial in 1976. Some 3 million visitors tour Ellis Island annually. People can access Ellis on the same ferry as the one to the Statue of Liberty. While on the island, many look up ancestors who first arrived there.
If you love ancestry, checking out Ellis Island is a riotous “rabbit hole” to investigate. I had family enter the U.S. there, as did the nearly 40% of American citizens who can trace at least 1 ancestor to Ellis Island. 40%! That’s HUGE! It all started in 1892.
Ellis Island lies between NY and NJ… not far from the Statue of Liberty. Originally 3.3 acres in size, it was intentionally expanded to 27.5 acres to accommodate more people and buildings. Ellis Island sits in the waters of New Jersey, but an 1834 agreement stated the island belonged to New York. A 1998 agreement stated that the original 3.3 acres of land belonged to NY, but the additional 24.2 acres belonged to NJ.
Regardless of which state owned the island, all entrants approaching the United States were stopped for a quarantine checkpoint off Staten Island before their ships were even permitted to enter New York Harbor. Doctors check for dangerous contagious diseases, such as smallpox, yellow fever, plague, cholera, and leprosy. Plus, travelers in steerage and their belongings were sprayed down with disinfectant. After inspection, immigration officers then boarded the ship and began clearing U.S. citizens and all other 1st and 2nd class passengers. Most travelers, those in steerage, were given manifest tags to present to U.S. Customs officers to identify passengers. No passports or visas were required, nor were any papers needed.
Arriving in 1916 as a small child, along with an older brother and his mother, my Armenian grandfather and his family were nearly among those deported. That fact is visible today upon examining the records at Ellis Island. Language challenges had made it difficult to help officials understand that his mother had been badly injured by Ottoman Turk soldiers, rather than being ill with some dreaded disease. Though it took a lot of time and tears, they finally were able to find someone who could help communicate, and they were able to join relatives waiting on the shore, rather than being sent back to Europe.
Chef Charles Ranhofer is credited with creating Eggs a la Benedict at Delmonico’s Restaurant in Lower Manhattan. He came up with the combination in the 1860s when a regular diner, Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, sought something new on the menu. The dish began being served regularly at Delmonico’s, and Chef Ranhofer finally published the recipe in his 1894 cookbook.
First, use a packet mix or make your own Hollandaise sauce. An immersion blender makes it in a snap!
Then you can start to imagine the possibilities! You could kick this up to a lunch entrée by replacing the English muffins with a baked potato. (Remove the hot pulp, mash, add butter, salt & pepper; then return the seasoned pulp to the potato skin and top with the bacon, egg, and Hollandaise sauce.
Celebrate the silly, the scintillating, the serious thinker in all of us! We spend a great deal of time in our lives trying to seek exactly the correct answers. Whether we are guessing how many dandelions are budding in a meadow, attempting to count jellybeans in a huge jar, or estimating our taxes, we all have inklings and premonitions.
Brilliant blue skies… stunning cloud formations… the gray of dense rain. Catch a blazing sunrise or sunset… or remember one that was particularly spectacular. Do some star gazing. Listen to a “sky”-themed song or two… “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Spirit in the Sky,” or “Sky Pilot.”
Whether you own or owned a dog or were ever owned by a dog… or more than one, celebrate this day by hugging your dog… or somebody’s dog… or the memory of your dog. Dogs make us better people. (If only all dogs could say the same about all people.)
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
Here’s a Super Simple way to make 4 Burritos.
Have fun with burritos. Make them with leftover rotisserie chicken, or ground beef & beans, or grilled veggies. Try a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, chorizo or sage sausage, and tater tots or rice, if you prefer).
When people have praised or celebrated my books, I have often quipped that I doubt I have ever had an original thought! That is not just wit or modesty. I mean it. Who do I think I am to imagine that I ever came up with some thought that no one else in history has ever thought long before me? I know better. And then I saw this delightful quote from Voltaire… the nom de plume for Francois-Marie Arouet.
National Grilled Cheese Month meets National Sourdough Bread Day. This is no April Fools Day joke. National Grilled Cheese Month meets National Sourdough Bread Day! Who doesn’t love a great grilled cheese sandwich?!?
The one absolute requirement is good melting cheese. Some firm or semi-firm cheeses simply do not melt naturally, which makes them tough to use in a great grilled cheese sandwich. Be careful with cheeses such as queso fresco, feta, or even semi-soft goat cheese. When using Swiss or Cheddar cheeses, I like to also add layers of Muenster (my go-to fave), Brie, Monterey Jack, or Pepperjack. These boost the creamy meltiness. (Okay… use American if you absolutely must, but do so with awareness that it is actually a processed food that contains cheese.)
After the sandwich is in the pan, spread the slice that is now on top with mayonnaise and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. (If you typically spread butter on the outside of your sandwich, give mayonnaise a try. You may never go back! Low heat is important, as the mayo gives a delightful crunchiness to the sandwich, but it can brown more quickly than butter.) Covering your sandwich initially captures the heat and lets the cheese melting process happen more easily.
Remove the lid and use a large spatula to turn your sandwich over. Leave the pan uncovered for another 2-3 minutes to turn the bottle crispy golden before serving to your happy taste buds. Here’s a Super Simple tip: Serve with a hearty bowl of fresh tomato basil soup for dipping or sandwich at lunch… or cut your sandwiches into 3 strips and serve with the soup with beverages for Happy Hour.
We are digging up deliciousness today as we celebrate both National Clams on the Half-Shell Day AND National Oysters on the Half-Shell Day. Both are recognized on March 31st each year.
According to Food & Wine magazine, the most popular raw oyster varieties include Blue Point, Kumamoto, Pacific, Olympia, Well Fleet, and Belon. Clam fans may choose Quahogs, topneck, littleneck or cherrystone clams for their meaty, salty yumminess.
Clams and oysters on the half shell can be served raw, steamed, grilled, smoked, or stuffed. Raw is the way most people think of when it comes to a “half-shell” serving. Oysters are traditionally served with lemon wedges, 1 or 2 drops of hot sauce, and a splash of mignonette. (Mignonette is a fancy name for a simple combination of vinegar with finely minced shallots and black pepper.) Clams also get some fresh lemon wedges, along with tabasco and cocktail sauce. Mignonette can be served with either. However you choose to garnish, place the mollusks atop crushed ice for serving. Some warm French or garlic bread on the side is also great.
Not a fan of raw clams or oysters? Me neither. For me, I’ll take them baked, roasted, or grilled any day. A “Casino” approach means baking them with bacon and toasty breadcrumbs. This is a favorite method of mine for clams. Any baked or “Rockefeller” style for oysters also suits my palette. But today is the day to enjoy clams and oysters on the half shell… any way YOU like!
Naturally, you may choose the traditional lamb or beef or chicken kebabs… or Buffalo chicken tenders or teriyaki beef or Margarita chicken or a corn dog or mini meatballs with marina sauce or grilled shrimp or scallops. WAIT! Wrap those shrimp or scallops in bacon before grilling them on a stick. Or wrap a fresh chunk of pineapple or a chicken liver (if you must) or a water chestnut… in bacon.
Get basic… A popsicle or ice cream bar are super hits on sticks. Or choose a candied apple! You could always satisfy a sweet tooth urge with chocolate-dipped marshmallows on a stick. (I’m sorry. Had we lost sight of this being “something on a stick” day?
Very little can top an old-fashioned bonfire for a casual celebration with friends! We’ve hosted a few doozies over the years, and last night’s ranks among the sweetest. Gorgeous weather with after-dark temperatures hanging in the low 70s.
Food. Fun. Frivolity! Schweeeeet! And a new tray of Smores! Thanks to all for joining the revelry!
No secret ingredient, but I always share a not-so-secret technique. Stir your soup mix into the sour cream and scoop it all back into the sour cream container, but do this 24 hours ahead of serving time. This allows the moisture in the sour cream to fully rehydrate the dried onions, while also letting the flavors marry beautifully. Expect no leftovers. Yummy!
Soft tacos are fine, but today we celebrate the satisfying crunchy texture and fun of crispy tacos. Choose your fillings to suit your happy little taste buds! Go for traditional beef with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, diced avocados, sour cream, taco sauce, and jalapeños, if you so choose. Or switch out the beef for chicken or shredded pork. I also love crunchy fish or shrimp tacos, especially when jazzed up with a fresh mango or peach salsa and a nice slaw. Pile on whatever veggies, fruits, or legumes you love, too. Try roasted corn, black beans, grilled sweet pepper slices, sweet onions, refried beans, diced fresh pineapple (or other fruit), sliced radishes, grilled portobello mushroom slices, chopped fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Anything goes! Use your imagination.
More than 20 years later, we can all agree that we very much need a far kinder, more respectful, and happier world. Kindness takes no money… and just the tiniest touch of effort. While many are struggling through a plethora of problems in life, we can and should still remind ourselves not to take it out on others, especially those closest to us. It can become so easy to take our loved ones and besties for granted.
To anyone I may have insulted in a moment of crass self-centered insanity, I sincerely apologize. To anyone for whom I may have overlooked an opportunity to remind you of your worth and precious value, please know I am singing that fact loudly!
I find that simple acts and words of kindness return their value tenfold. Being nice to other people cannot help but bring happiness to them and ourselves.