Summer Reflections...and Blueberry Pie

My summer has been completely typical of the average 27 year old female. Nothing unusual at all.

Among the highlights and lessons learned....

• I judged a teenage pie-eating contest (Lesson Learned: One's love for food and cooking does not necessarily translate into a passion for competitive eating.)

• I almost got kicked out of a Planetarium show by an angry Physicist (Lesson Learned: When you warn your students about the importance of following rules--like not texting during a Planetarium show--make sure you follow your own rules.)

• I observed a sunset funeral for a bat...who was killed by one of the students...inside the office (Lesson Learned: A sunset service is the only way to go.)

• I was serenaded daily to the tune of "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang, and "Baby Got Back" by Sir-Mix-a-Lot (Lesson Learned: When driving a 15 passenger van of teenagers is part of the job, listening to their iPod playlists also becomes part of the job.)

Needless to say, living, eating, and working with with 22 teenagers for 6 weeks makes for an eventful and joyful summer.

The summer camp portion of my job has concluded for this year though. And while I'm sad to see the kids go, I'm looking forward to enjoying the non-work pleasures of summer: evening walks, Dairy Queen treats, yard work with Adam, Team Trivia with friends, and eating dinner on the porch.

Did I mention blueberry pie?

Because a juicy Blueberry Pie with a cinnamon-y crumb topping is definitely on my list of summer pleasures.

I baked this blue beauty on Saturday afternoon, basking in the glow of all the summer that still lays ahead.

Blueberry Crumb Pie

(recipe from Allrecipes.com)

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie shell (I used my favorite recipe for Perfect Pie Dough)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 5 - 6 cups fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 6 TBSP butter

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Press pie shell into a 9 inch pie pan; set aside in the refrigerator.

2) In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Stir until blueberries are fully-coated. Pour into the pie shell.

3) In the same bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats, flour, and cinnamon for the crumb topping. Cut in the butter and mix with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Pour evenly over the blueberries.

4) Bake pie for 40 minutes, or until edges of crust and top are lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream :)

Farewell, Summer Grilled Veggies

Let's face it: You can sauté them, roast them, stuff them, or eat them raw, but does any cooking method really compare to grilling your vegetables?

With Labor Day weekend upon us, it seemed appropriate to bust out our little Smoky Joe charcoal grill and give it one final heat-up before the summer comes to a close. On the menu? Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Quesadillas--a recommendation from one of the Hungry Spoon's wonderful readers :)


As a side note, I must remind you of my die-hard love for grilling all things vegetarian. That's right: charcoal and grill marks aren't just for the carnivores. Forget the kielbasa and ribs, my friends--it's bean burgers, pizza dough, and veggies on this little grill! Remember those awesome Grilled-Veggie Pesto Pizzas? Oh, the delicious-ness. And how could we forget S'Mores?


Last night grill-icious quesadilla dinner was easy-peasy, full of fiber (woo-hoo!), and super filling. It's based on a blending of two recipes: one sent by reader and friend Jamie (found at this link on Family Fun's website), and the other found in Andrea Chesman's cookbook 365 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains (recipe titled "Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesadillas").


So, friends, let us bid farewell to Mr. Smoky Joe until next spring. We'll be trading in his beautiful grill-marks and smoky flavor for soups, casseroles, and the classic stovetop veggie saute. He'll be missed for sure.


Happy Labor Day!


Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
(adapted from recipes in Andrea Chesman's cookbook and the Family Fun website)


Goat cheese on quesadillas? Unbeatable. We're so used to using cheddar on these tasty grilled delights that we forget about the wonders of smooth, delicious chevre. Goat cheese has got it going on.


Ingredients:

• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 - 2 zucchinis, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• a little olive oil
• a little lime juice
• Smoked paprika (or other smoke seasoning)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans
• Goat cheese (yummmm)
• Tortilla shells
• Your trusty outdoor grill
• For garnish: chopped avocado, salsa, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce or spinach

Directions:

1) Prepare grill for cooking.


2) Place bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and garlic in a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil and lime juice over the veggies. Sprinkle with smoke seasoning, pepper and salt (to taste). Thoroughly mix until veggies are evenly coated.


3) Spray a grill pan with non-flammable grill cooking spray. Place veggies in grill pan and place on the grill. Cook until tender, or until they get those awesome grill marks (about 5 - 8 minutes?). Remove from grill.

4) On one half of a tortilla, spread a little goat cheese and sprinkle some black beans (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup?). Top with grilled veggies and fold other half of tortilla over.


5) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place folded quesadilla in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip quesadilla and cook until the other side is golden brown (about 1-2 minutes).


6) Top with chopped avocado, salsa, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce or spinach.