Boysenberry Pie

From the kitchen of: Janeel Burningham (5^th Ward)

This is a great berry pie recipe. It works with any kind of berry.

Use a mix of raspberries, blackberries and boysenberries or blue berries for a great pie!

Filling:

6-8 cups boysenberries (depending on size of pie tin)

1-1 1/4 c. sugar

4 T. tapioca

• Combine all ingredients and stir occasionally while you make your pie crust. 

• Make your favorite crust recipe or use a frozen one, for the top and bottom crust.  Roll out half the dough and place in bottom of pie pan.  Pour in boysenberry filling.  Roll out other half of dough.  Wet edges of pie crust and place top crust on pie.  Press down edges and seal.  Prick top of crust with fork. 
• Bake and 450°F for 10 minutes then lower heat to 350°F  for 35-45 minutes until crust is golden brown on edges. 
• This is really good served warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.

Berry Orders

Don't forget to get your berry orders to your ward Provident Living Leader by Sat. Oct. 1! They are a great price and you can make smoothies or any of the great healthy berry recipes from your ward berry class or the recipes on this blog!

Berry Orders

From now until Oct. 1, you may order berries through your ward Provident Living Leaders. A variety of berries, fruits and jams are available.They are a great bargain and come straight from the growers in Oregon. The price is about $2.50 a pound which is an excellent price for berries.

So hurry and get your order in. They should be delivered sometime before Thanksgiving. (Just in time for berry pies!) There are already ideas for using berries under the berry tab on this blog and we will continue to add more. If you need additional ideas refer to the berry handouts from your ward Provident Living Leader's class from July or Aug. or contact them directly. They are an amazing resource!

Growing Berries

Fall is a great time to plant berries. Plant them in September so they can get a solid root structure before the cold sets in for the winter. 

• Berries grow easily in Utah and are very cost and time effective for the home garden. With just a few plants they will supply your family with a year’s worth of produce
• Berries love sun. So plant them in a partially sunny to sunny location. (But with that said I have raspberries that grow under my apple tree, but they just do not produce abundantly.
• Berries grow well in out of the way spots, not used for other backyard activities. So try planting some in your side yard or try some strawberries under your rose bushes. 
• Strawberries make good ground cover.
• Water berries deeply 2-3 times a week in the spring and early summer before and while bearing.  After they are done bearing watering can be reduced. 
• Many varieties of raspberries, boysenberries and blackberries bare on the new canes or vines so each fall or spring the old canes or vines (which have already born fruit) can be cut off.  
• Boysenberries grow in long vines (6-10 ft.) so it is good to grow them on a trellis or fence. This keeps them off the ground and makes them easier to pick. 
• We all love berries and so do the rats, birds, squirrels and snails. This is why strawberries are most effective planted in patches so they can be covered with netting.

Berries Are Nutritious

Here are a few interesting nutrition facts about berries:

Berries contain Antioxidant compounds/Cancer fighting compounds- (which may improve memory and coordination)

• Blueberries highest levels of all berries,but raspberries also contain antioxidants

• Blackberries are rich in a compound that helps fight cancer and inflammation and may also reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Strawberries are rich in ellagic acid, a cancer fighter.

Fiber:

• Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries are loaded with 4 grams of fiber per half cup

Vitamins:

• One half cup of strawberries provides 57 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin C.

“Elderberries, black currants, and chokeberries are still scarce in the marketplace, but that may change as consumers learn about their high antioxidant content — they may have 50 percent higher antioxidant levels than the more common berries!”1

1  - Nutrition information from:  “Berry, Berry Nutritious”, Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/nutrition/nutrition-berries-jibrin-0106,    

Raspberry Sauce

From the kitchen of: Vivian Evans (7^th Ward)

1 half pint fresh raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup raspberry jam

1 - 2 Tbs lemon juice

Heat raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in small saucepan. 

Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 4 minutes. 


Stir in the jam and mix and until well blended. 
Can mix in a food processor. Chill.  Serve over cheesecake or other desserts.

Berry Frozen Yogurt

Boysenberry Frozen Yogurt

from the kitchen of : Audra Hinckley (2^nd Ward)

originally from the Deseret News

-This refreshing treat is very similar to a sorbet. It is a great low-fat, low sugar alternative to ice cream!

 3 cups blueberries (any berries would work)

 2/3 cup water

2/3 cup sugar                                                                           

 2/3 cup plain yogurt

In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Let cool completely.  Wash and stem blueberries and puree with yogurt.  Mix with the syrup mixture.  Freeze in a shallow metal cake pan for 4 hours or until firm. 

Break in to chunks; puree in food processor.  Pack into airtight containers and refreeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Berry Yogurt Parfaits

This is a easy, nutritious summer breakfast, refreshment at a bridal shower, or healthy dessert!

Fresh strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, blueberries, etc.
Yogurt (I like vanilla, or berry)

Granola

Layer berries, and yogurt in a glass dish or cup. Sprinkle with granola. Garnish with a berry on top. Serve! Yum!

Raspberry Macadamia Salad

 From the kitchen of: Cathy Stringham (1^st Ward, Stake R.S. Pres.)

Dressing:

2 1/2 T. raspberry vinegar

2 1/2 T. raspberry jam

1/3 C vegetable oil

Combine vinegar and jam in food processor.  Process to blend.  Add oil slowly; blend well.

Salad:

1 10 oz. bag fresh spinach, torn into pieces

l head green leaf lettuce, torn into pieces

3/4 C chopped macadamia nuts

1 C fresh raspberries

3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Toss together with dressing and serve immediately.

Recipe of the Week: Fruit Salsa

From the kitchen of: Laurie Lorenzon (6^th Ward Provident Living Leader)

1 orange, juiced or 1/4 c. of orange juice
1/2 pomegranate, or 1 c. of fresh or frozen raspberries

1 qt. strawberries, chopped fine
2 kiwi, peeled/chopped fine
2 granny apples, peeled/chopped fine
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. apple or grape jelly
2 dozen flour tortillas
Cinnamon and sugar
Pam spray

Mix all fruits with the brown sugar and jelly. 

Put in fridge to combine flavors. 

 

Cut tortillas into either strips or like a pizza into individual "chips." Put on cookie sheet and spray on one side, liberally with Pam spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Serve. Makes 2 quarts.

Freezing Berries

  Grow your own or watch for good prices on berries and freeze for later use.

Place fresh berries in a colander. Rinse thoroughly. Let drain. Place berries on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove from freezer and gently remove berries from cookie sheet with a pancake turner. Place in a Ziploc freezer bag labeled with the date. Return quickly to the freezer. 

*Note: by freezing berries in this manner the berries remain individual and can be taken out a few at a time, or used in many recipes that require fresh berries.

-They can also be frozen together in a quart bag or jar without the previous steps if they will be used for sauces, jams or syrups. By freezing with this method, the berries usually freeze together in a mass. They take longer to thaw and usually need to be used all together.

Bountiful Berries!

July is berry season in Utah!  

Many stores as well as the local growers 
will have a bountiful supply of berries at a great price!

 Enjoy these fruits that are rich in vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants.

Take time to freeze some,
make syrup, jam or jelly (raspberry jelly is amazing!). 

By putting a few away now you will be able to enjoy this fantastic fruit 

without paying high prices in the winter!

“In the day of plenty, prepare for the day of scarcity.”

First Presidency, “Message of the First Presidency,”

in Conference Report, Apr. 1942, 89.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam

From the kitchen of: Michele Higginson- Stake Provident Living Leader (2nd Ward)

This is great on whole wheat waffles! I also has about 1/4th of the sugar of regular jam!

5 to 6 cups rhubarb

1 cup water 

1 -15oz. can crushed pineapple.

5 cups crushed strawberries

2-3 cups sugar (to taste)

1 -6 oz., package strawberry jello

Cut up rhubarb. Place rhubarb and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Rhubarb will be juicy once it cooks down.  

When in juice form add crushed pineapple.  Then add crushed strawberries, sugar and strawberry jello. Stir as jam is brought to boil. Boil for 25 to 30 minutes.  Place in freezer containers, let cool and freeze. 

*To bottle fill jam jars, cover with lids and bands and while still hot, water bath. Once water is at a rolling boil, time for 15 min. Remove from canner and let cool. Check lids for seal, and store.

Blueberry Muffins

From: Shawna Wilde-  4th Ward, Stake R.S. Secretary

(from America's Test Kitchen) 

 Sugar top:  1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest + 1/3 cup sugar, stirred together to combine

Jam center:  Cook 1 cup fresh blueberries with 1 tsp. sugar, breaking down some of the berries.  Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup.  Cool to room temperature.

Batter: 

2 eggs

1 1/8 cups sugar

4 Tbsp. melted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

Dry ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Cream eggs and sugar.  Add melted butter (cooled), vegetable oil, vanilla, and buttermilk.  Combine with dry ingredients, but mix only until the flour is just incorporated.  Over-mixing will result in tough muffins.  Add 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, and stir to incorporate.  Put 1 tsp. of batter into each of 12 paper lined muffin tins.  Top batter with 1 tsp. of the jam.  Cover the jam with enough batter to fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.  Sprinkle with a bit of the sugar topping.  Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown and set.  It should take about 17 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen

Recipe of the Week

Raspberry Muffins
From the kitchen of: Jennifer Merkley- 5th Ward

4 3/4 c. flour
1 3/4 T. baking powder

1 1/2 t. salt
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 3/4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2 c. fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries or any other berry. 

Topping: 
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter (this can be reduces to 1/3 c.)
Cut butter into the flour and sugar, then add:
1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds

Cream sugar, effs and oil. Add vanilla and almond extract; mix. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and blend. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternately with milk. Fold in berries and pour into large or regular size, greased muffin tins. Sprinkle with topping mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes for large muffins, or 18 minutes for regular size muffins. Makes 18 large or 36 regular size muffins.