Saturday, August 21, 2010

Blueberry Dessert and friends.

I've been to the Farmer's Market twice now to collect my 5 pounds of pickles and today is the day I begin the Bread and Butter process!  I've had a really busy beginning of school week and each night we've had events so I've set aside this afternoon to start, finishing tomorrow hopefully. 

Last night we had friends over for wine and homemade pizza.  One of the best things ever is to whip up dough before school, come home and roll it out on my pizza stone.  I made the sauce quickly from soft tomatoes from our garden and added sautee'd zucchini and garlic, with homegrown red pepper, store bought mushrooms and fresh mozzarella!  Oh, it was so delicious-the crust was perfectly crisp!

For dessert we had something I made the night before using a recipe a friend gave me last year.  It isn't "healthy" but it is yummy and tastes like summer.  Luckily, I had fresh blueberries to use!

Blueberry Lemon Squares

Crust:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on low to beat together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add the flour and beat just until it forms small crumbs.   Press about 2/3 of mixture evenly into bottom of the baking dish.  Set the remaining mix aside.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly browned.  Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile whip up the filling.

1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
Juice and zest from one lemon
1/8 tsp salt
3 eggs
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt.  Add the eggs and lemon juice, then whisk until smooth.  Spread the blueberries over the already baked crust.  Pour the filling over the blueberries.  Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top.  Bake 30-40 minutes, until topping is golden and the filling is puffed up.  Let cool completely then cut into squares.  Makes about 9 squares.

We ate the entire pan even after finishing the pizza.  My friend Nikki is English and has served me delicious tea at her house and she brought me some Tetley English Black Tea so I can make it myself now.  She says the key is to add 2 % milk-not skim.

I finished A Place for Delta by Melissa Walker this morning and hope to finish One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia Williams today or tomorrow.

I hope your weekend is filled with incredible food and friends with maybe a little reading inbetween!

This is linked to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking meme.  Take a moment to go check out the other food-related posts on her beautiful blog.

8 comments:

Golden Eagle said...

I love Farmers' Markets!

Beth F said...

I love everyone's pizza variations over the last few weeks. Fresh tomato pizza is so summer, isn't it?

And those blueberry squares are an absolute must try here -- I mean it. I bet I could make it with frozen berries if I can't find fresh at the farmers market.

caite said...

I make lemon squares...but the blueberries sound great.
so do those bread and butter pickles.

Anonymous said...

I love homemade pizza. Those Blueberry Lemon Squares sound good.

Rikki said...

Ah, those blueberry squares sound delicious. I love blueberries.

Heather said...

This sounds wonderful. I will definitely be giving it a try. I have some frozen berries, but will get some fresh ones.

JoAnn said...

I've never seen Blueberry Lemon Squares before, but I KNOW these would be a big hit at my house!

Unknown said...

I had no idea it was your bday!!! Happy belated birthday!!! Are you a fellow Leo? And I'm reading your recipe and thinking that sounds familiar - hee,hee - you reminded me, I forgot all about it. So making those today. See you soon.