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

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.