Blueberry Meringue Pie

Our friend Ruthann has MS, and is in a nursing home.  Each Thanksgiving, she requests that we bring her some of this pie, that she remembers from her past.

This year, I experimented a bit, and came up with this no bake version.

4 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 baked pie crust

Pour 2 cups of blueberries into the bottom of the baked pie crust.

In a medium pan, mix sugar and cornstarch and salt with wire whisk.
Add milk, and heat over medium heat.  Once the mixture is combined, whisk in lemon juice.
Add blueberries and cinnamon.

Cook stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil and thicken.
Use a bean smasher, potato masher, or bottom of a glass, and smash berries.

Add butter and vanilla.
Pour over blueberries in pie shell and allow to cool.

Top with meringue.

Beat 2-3 egg whites until stiff.  Add 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar and 6 tablespoons of powdered sugar, adding 1 tablespoon at a time.  Whip thoroughly.

Gently spread over blueberry filling, sealing edges.
Bake at 325* for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool prior to serving.

Blueberry Pie - award winning!

I went shopping a couple of weeks ago, and was trying to figure out a dessert for company.  As I mentally scrolled through my list of possibilities, I thought about tapioca.  My husband LOVES tapioca pudding, and he enjoys making it as well.

I dropped by the tapioca aisle, and grabbed a box.  Then started reading the back - looking for some other inspiration - you know, something guestworthy.

There on the back of the box, were a couple of pie recipes.

At home, I decided to try the blueberry pie recipe since I had some frozen blueberries in the freezer.
I even halved the sugar with splenda.  While this recipe took a little longer (maybe due to the frozen blueberries?) my husband said this was probably one of the best pies he had ever had.  He couldn't keep out of it!

I took it to a church pie cook off, and won "the prettiest pie" award with it too - the judges apparently dug into it on the right side there.

4 c. frozen blueberries
1 c. sugar (or 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. splenda or stevia)
1 T. lemon juice (plus a squirt of two more)
3 T. tapioca

Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl.
Let sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat oven to 400*.  Pour mixture into uncooked pie crust.
Dot with butter.
Cover with an uncooked pie crust, & flute the edges.
Gently brush milk over crust.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Lower heat to 350* and cover crust edges if desired.
Bake for an additional 30 - 45 minutes - until berries are bubbling.

Remove from oven.  Allow to cool (2-3 hours) before serving.