Star Spangled Muffins

These red, white, and blue muffins are the perfect touch for a patriotic breakfast celebration (or any time of the day...yum).

Fresh Summer Quadruple Berry Pie

Makes one 9-inch two crust pie.

Ingredients:

1 cup raspberries/ loganberries
1 cup blackberries/marionberries
1 cup fresh strawberries (core and quarter)
1 cup blueberries (optional but beneficial to the pie structure and volume)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (not bottled)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pat butter broken up (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare Donna's pie crust and divide into 2 balls. Set in fridge in a ziplock bag.

Combine all pie ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Roll out one ball of pie dough into a large circle line bottom of pie pan, pour in fruit, roll out second ball and cover top of pie. Pinch edges. Cut six 1 inch slits in top of pie. Sprinkle with sugar. Place a 3 inch foil collar around pie and slightly bend in. this prevents crust from getting too dark. Place in 425 degree oven. Place a foil lined jelly roll pan (to catch drippings) under the pie. Bake 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees. Bake 1 hour, take foil collar off last 15 minutes to lightly brown the crust. Cool pie on rack.

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream

The blackberries and blueberries give the pie structure. The berries blend well together.

Donna's Black-Eyed- Susan Button Pies

These little button pies were created and designed by Donna for Julia's wedding. They look like a Black-eyed-Susan that had its petals fall off. They are little bites of bliss.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients of my standard pie crust recipe.

2 small boxes instant white chocolate pudding
2 3/4 cup milk
1 -- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (softened)
12-18 ounces of fresh Blackberries (rinsed and well drained)

Optional:

Almond slices
Coconut
Mini Chocolate chips
Other Raspberries, Blueberries, or whole Strawberries
Other pudding flavors can be substituted.

Directions:

Roll pie crust into 1 inch small balls, drop each ball into mini muffin pans. Or, roll dough out about 1/8th inch thick. Cut in one inch squares.  Drop a square in each mini muffin cup. Use the Pampered Chef wooden tart shaper to press down the pie centers and round the sides, or use your thumbs to shape. Dip shaper or thumbs into flour between making each tart. Prick bottoms of the button pies with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees 11 minutes or until golden. Cool pies completely.

Prepare pudding according to pie directions. Whip 2 3/4 cup milk with two small boxes of white chocolate instant pudding. Blend in softened cream cheese. Rinse and thoroughly drain berries. Drop pudding by the rounded teaspoon full into the cooled tart shells. Top with one blackberry. Chill and serve.

Optional:
Are blackberries out of season or too expensive?  These pies can be topped with any berry, kiwi, chunk of pineapple, mandarin orange section, pieces of a candy bar/ sandwich mint, coconut, almond slices, mini chocolate chip morsels, Reeces Pieces, M&Ms, a chocolate curl, or glazed fruit piece mixture.  Once topped with fruit or topping these little pies can have a drop or zigzag of melted chocolate over the top. These are really versatile little pies.

Donna's Berry Elegance

We served this at my son, Jonathan's, wedding reception.

Ingredients:

1 box White Cake Mix
2 small boxes instant white chocolate pudding
1 -- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (softened)
12-18 ounces of fresh blueberries (rinsed and well drained)
16 ounce Cool Whip
Almond slices and or coconut

Directions:

Bake cake in a jelly roll pan, according to box instructions (I use a pampered chef stoneware jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes). Cool cake completely. Prepare pudding according to pie directions. Blend in softened cream cheese. Rinse and thoroughly drain blueberries. Thaw cool whip. Place cake on the bottom, spread pudding cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled cake. Equally distribute berries over pudding layer. Spread cool whip over berries. Sprinkle almonds (and or coconut) over top. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

This is best when assembled just before serving.

Optional: Blackberries, Raspberries, or Strawberries

Donna's Chocolate Raspberry Delight

We served this at my son, Jonathan's, wedding reception.

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 small boxes instant Devil's Food pudding
1 -- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (softened)
12-18 ounces of fresh raspberries (rinsed and well drained)
16 ounce Cool Whip
Almond slices

Directions:

Bake cake in a jelly roll pan, according to box instructions (I use a pampered chef stoneware jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes). Cool cake completely. Prepare pudding according to pie directions. Blend in softened cream cheese. Rinse and thoroughly drain raspberries. Thaw cool whip. Place cake on the bottom, spread pudding cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled cake. Equally distribute raspberries over pudding layer. Spread cool whip over berries. Sprinkle almonds over top. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!

This is best when assembled just before serving.

Donna's Raspberry Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients

2 boxes Jello instant cheese cake
Bea's Raspberry Pie filling
Whipped Cream or Topping

Directions:

Prepare cheese cake as instructed on box. Press the graham cracker crust into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Bake and cool. Prepare cheesecake as directed on box. Pour into cooled crust. Chill until firm. Combine all Bea's Raspberry pie filling ingredients and chill until thick. Pour over cheese cake. Chill until set. Serve with whipped cream topping.

Bea's Raspberry Pie in a Graham Cracker Crust

Bea is my sister in law, Roger's sister. Roger told his college roommate, Ed, that sins could be forgiven for a raspberry pie in a graham cracker crust. Ed caused some friction one day, he wanted to get back on Roger's good side. So he called Bea and got the recipe. When Roger came home from work, Ed handed him the pie and said, "Here is the pie, now I do not want anymore grief over this!"

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 quart raspberries
1 tablespoon butter
1 3 oz. package of raspberry gelatin
1 tablespoon lemon
1 baked graham cracker crust, cooled

Directions:

In a sauce pan combine sugar and cornstarch. Mash 1 cup raspberries and add water to make two cups. Stir into sugar mixture. Cook and stir until boiling; boil two minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter, gelatin, and lemon juice, stir until gelatin dissolves. Chill until partially set. Spoon 1/3 of gelatin mixture into graham cracker crust, top with whole berries. Spoon remaining gelatin over berries, chill.

Graham Cracker Crust:

Mix:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar

Add:
1/4 cup melted butter

Press into a pie pan and bake 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool. Fill and Chill. Serve.

For Strawberry Pie:
Exchange strawberries for the raspberries and strawberry gelatin for the raspberry gelatin.

Donna’s Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground dry mustard powder
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup Raspberry Vinegar (Star brand makes a very fruity Red Raspberry Vinegar, red wine vinegar is an OK substitute, but not as delicate and fruity)
½ red onion, peeled ( a small yellow onion is an OK substitute)
2 cups vegetable oil
3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Directions:

Blend the sugar, mustard powder, salt, raspberry vinegar, red onion, and vegetable oil in a blender for 1 minute, or to the smoothness you desire:

After blending the dressing– Add and blend a few seconds: 3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Store in an airtight container. Will store for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Shake before serving.

Donna’s Raspberry Vinegarette Dressing

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup salad oil
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon raspberry jam or preserves (I bottled my own but you can use store bought)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (I sometimes use honey mustard)
a few fresh raspberries (I sometimes use frozen)

Directions:
Whisk together and serve over spinach or romaine salad (or any mixed green salad)

Wraps and Fruity Cream Cheese Wrap Spread

The great thing about a wrap supper, is that all food groups can be in the wrap and everyone can build their own to their liking.

Ingredients:

1 small package pf cream cheese (softened)
1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon jam (raspberry, strawberry, or pineapple-apricot) (at Thanksgiving I use cranberry-orange nut salad in the cream cheese and add turkey to the wrap)

Directions:

Add jam to softened cream cheese 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is the consistency and flavor you like, mixing well.

Spread thinly on flour tortilla and build your wrap, fold end in and roll wrap.

Wrap ingredient ideas:

Leftover chicken or turkey meat or deli meats
Thinly sliced cheese- Swiss, Jack, Provolone, Cheddar, Pepper Jack work well
Sprouts-even mixed sprouts
Thinly sliced cucumbers
Carrot, radish, broccoli shreds (large grated)
Nuts or sunflower seeds
Diced Tomatoes