Childs' Recipes to Rave About

Each of these recipes is tried and true. Twenty-five years ago, we handed out recipes because at least half the people at the farmers market would point at our blueberries and ask, "what are those?" The recipes listed below are the ones the customers kept coming back, year after year, raving about how good the recipe was.

Aunt Carmen's PIE--CRUST: Mix 4 cups flour, 1 tbsp sugar and 3/4 tsp salt. Cut in 2/3 c shortening (until shortening is pea size) using a knife and fork (or pastry blender). Add 2/3 c shortening, repeat. Add 3/4 c ICE water and stir with a fork until dough sticks together well. Divide into 2 pieces and let it rest for 15 minutes. Roll out the first piece for the bottom of pan and the second for the top. Poke holes in crust and make designs with butter knife in top. BLUEBERRY SHEET PIE: Follow above and place bottom crust in 12 x 15 x 1/2" cookie sheet. Mix 4 cups blueberries, 1 1/4 c sugar, 1/4 c tapioca, flour or cornstarch and a dash of lemon juice. Fill pan and place crust on top. Bake at 400 for 1 hour. You may use any combination of 4 c fruit. Try pineapple or mix 2 c peaches or raspberries with 2 c blueberries

Please note--I once bought blueberries frozen from the store and made jam with them. I did not realize how rancid they taste and how little competition we really have. I had to throw the jam out as it did not meet my standards. Cheap fruit sits around until you throw it out. Don't use it in pie and make my mistake. Good fruit, like Childs Blueberries, equals great results but be aware--good fruit disappears in a house quickly so if you are making Aunt Carmen's pie--hide the Childs Blueberries! :)

Delicious Blueberry Muffins: Cream 1/2 c. butter and 1 1/4 c sugar until light. Add 2 eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Sift 2-c. flour, 1/2-tsp. salt, 2-tsp. baking powder together, add to creamed mixture alternately with 1/2 c. milk. Crush 1/4-pint blueberries with a fork and mix in batter. Fold in 3/4 pint of fresh or frozen, unthawed blueberries whole. Grease 12 large muffin cups and fill. Sprinkle 3-tbs. sugar over tops of muffins and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Cool 30 minutes before removing. Over 1000 Blueberry Muffin recipes were submitted in a contest and this is the one that won!

Bob’s Blueberry Cobbler: Mix 2 c. flour, 1/2 c sugar, 4 tsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. melted butter, ½ tsp. salt, 1 c milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, together on low speed until smooth. Place into a greased 13 x 9 pan. Scatter 1-pint fresh or unthawed blueberries over the batter. Sprinkle with ¾ c. sugar. Pour 1 ½ c. boiling hot water covering everything but do not stir or mix. Carefully place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30’ Bob Childs of Childs Blueberries favorite.

Childs Play Pie: Combine 1 c. blueberries and 3/4 c. water in medium sauce pan; simmer 3-4 minutes. Combine 3/4-c. sugar and 3 t. corn starch in a small bowl. Add sugar mixture to blueberries in saucepan; cook over medium heat stirring constantly until syrup is clear and thickened. Stir in 1 T. orange juice...Beat 8 oz. cream cheese until fluffy then add 2 T. orange juice mixing until well blended. Spread cream cheese mixture on to the bottom of a 9" graham cracker shell; cover with 3 c. FRESH blueberries. Top with cooked blueberry mixture. Chill thoroughly and then top with whipped cream. Place a few choice berries on top of the whipped cream for decoration.

BLUEBERRY CHEESE TART : Combine 1 ½ c. vanilla cookie crumbs, 6 T. melted margarine/butter and 1/8 t. nutmeg. Press into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (Keebler makes a variety of pre-made pie crusts that can be substituted here). Beat one 8-oz package of softened cream cheese, ½ c. sugar, 2 eggs, ½ t vanilla, & ½ t. lemon peel with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon mixture into the piecrust and bake at 375 for 15 minutes until firm. Cool. Spread a blueberry topping (cook 2 c. blueberries, ¼ c. sugar, ¼ c. water, 2 T. cornstarch and a dash of salt in a saucepan stirring for 4 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1 T. lemon juice and cool to lukewarm) over and refrigerate several hours. Makes 10-12 servings.

BLUEBERRY-ONION SAUCED PORK TENDERLOIN: Cook a 1 lb. Tenderloin as normal. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 T. butter. Add 2 medium sliced onions, ½ t. salt, ¼ t. pepper and cook about 10 minutes until onions are
golden. Add 2 T. sugar and cook until onions are caramelized. Three minutes longer, add ¼ c. port wine/sherry, 2 T. balsamic vinegar, 1 c. blueberries and 1 c. chopped tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Thinly slice the pork and serve with sauce.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler: Slice 4 peaches (peaches must be juicy and ripe)(2 c) and add 1/4 c sugar in sauce pan with 1 c blueberries (1/2 pint). Mix 1/4 c sugar with 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch and stir into 1/2 c cold water. When mixed, add to fruit cooking until liquid boils, clears and thickens. Pour into a deep 2 qt casserole. Stir together 1 c flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Add 1/2 c milk, 1/2 stick softened margarine and then spoon over fruit in the casserole. Mix 1 tbsp sugar and 1/4 nutmeg and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (use toothpick to check).

Blueberry Cheesecake: Mix 1 yellow cake mix, 1/3-c margarine, and 1 egg. Pat into 9 x 13 pan. Beat and then spread over cake mixture 2--8 oz packages of cream cheese (low-fat OK), 2 eggs, 3/4 c sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla. Bake until set (20-25 min). Mix 2 c sour cream (non-fat OK), 1/4 c sugar and 1 tbs. vanilla and spread on top of COOLED creamed cheese mixture. Cook 2-c. blueberries, 3/4 c sugar and 1/8 c cornstarch until thickened and spoon over top. Cover & refrigerate for a few hours.

Baked Blueberry French Toast: Dip 8 slices of bread into 2 well beaten eggs mixed with 1 c. of milk. Put slices on a heavily buttered cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with 1-pint fresh or microwave defrosted frozen blueberries. Combine 1-c. sweet cracker crumbs, 2tbs. flour, 2-tbs. sugar, 1/2-tsp. cinnamon, ¼ c. chopped nuts and ¼ c. butter. Sprinkle crumbs over blueberries and bake until lightly brown (15 minutes). The best part about this breakfast is everyone sits down together instead of one person being stuck at the stove.

Blueberry-Ricotta Squares: Combine 1 c flour, 3/4 c sugar, 1 1/4 baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1/3 c milk, 1/4 c shortening, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until combined then continue for 1 minute. Pour batter into 9x9x2 inch pan. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 c. unthawed frozen blueberries...In a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs with a fork, add 1 1/4 c. ricotta cheese, 1/3 c. sugar, 1/4 tsp. vanilla: beat until combined. Spoon over the blueberries. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Cool and cut into 16 squares. Store covered in refrigerator.

BLUEBERRY PUDDING: Cream 1/2 c margarine, 1 c sugar and 2 eggbeaters until fluffy. Add 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained to 1/2 c chopped nuts and 1 c blueberries; stir. Crush 8 oz of graham crackers . Alternate layers of crumbs and pudding mixture in foil lined 9 x 5 x 3 pan. Have enough foil around edge so pudding can be lifted out to a serving platter. Refrigerate 12 hours.

Appalachian Mountain Man Cordial (Not for the faint of heart): 2 pints unthawed frozen blueberries, 3 c vodka (moonshine) or gin, 1 c spring water, 8 whole cloves, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 c sugar. Crush berries and put into a wide-mouth 2 quart jar. Add remaining ingredients except sugar. Store for ten days stirring 5 times at different intervals. Strain through a paper coffee
filter, add sugar, stir and pour in a glass bottle. Cap and store for 1 month in a dark place. Start in November for the holidays and take away the keys before serving.

BLUEBERRY DROP COOKIES: 1 ½ c. flour, 1 ½ t. baking powder, 1 t. cinnamon, 2/3 c. shortening, 1 c. blueberries, ¾ c. sugar, 1 egg, 4 t. milk, 1 t. vanilla. Cream sugar, shortening, vanilla, egg & cinnamon. Stir in milk. Sift flour with baking powder. Add to creamed mixture. Fold in blueberries. Drop by the t. onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Makes 36. Great for a snack on a road trip!

Here is Dan Childs’ “Recipes to Rave About” 28th Edition for 2012

 

Blueberry Smoothie:  I have lost 21 true pounds in 2 years by switching to this for breakfast 6 out of 7 days a week. The doctor wanted me to take statins but now after two years of this and really no other changes, my numbers are all in acceptable ranges without taking statins.

 

1 scoop of whey protein powder—builds muscle and helps drink “stay with you”, 1 tsp. of ground flax seed—cancer fighter, 2 tablespoons local honey or maple syrup, ¾ cup frozen blueberries, 1 half a banana, 3 tablespoons low fat yogurt (probiotic adds beneficial bacteria), 1/3 cup crushed ice & water enough so it will blend.  Dan Childs

INCREASED SHELF LIFE: Longtime customer Helen shares a method for extended shelf life:  “I put a paper towel in the bottom of a container, pour the berries in so they are one or two deep, put a paper towel on top of the berries and then put tin foil over the top. The tin foil lets air in but keeps the berries from getting refrigerator burn. My berries have been lasting 10 days!”

 

FREEZING: To freeze Childs Blueberries, place in a freezer bag and that is it. The berries will come out like little marbles. If you wish to rinse them, do so when you take them out under cold water. Place berries right in your smoothie, pancakes, and cereal or recipe-just as you would with fresh berries.

 

Frozen Blueberries Cereal:  Put a handful of frozen blueberries in your cereal bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Add cereal. Almost as good as fresh blueberries and a treat in the winter.

Childs Chemical Free Razzelle Elderberry  Wine w/ Frozen Blueberries:  Fill your wine glass with frozen blueberries and add the wine of your choice. This will chill your wine without diluting it and add subtle flavor enhancements to the wine. Then eat the blueberries for health!

Frozen Blueberry Daiquiri:  In your blender, combine 5 Tablespoons “Real” lime juice, 1 pint Childs Blueberries, 4 shots rum, 2 cups crushed ice, 2 teaspoons sugar. Blend until slushy. Top with whipped cream and fruit on a skewer. Makes four drinks.

Blueberry Banana Bread: Blend 2 beaten eggs, 1/3 c. canola oil, 2/3 c. sugar & 1 c. mashed ripe banana. Sift together 1 ½ c. flour, 2 ¼ t. baking powder, ½ t. salt and add. Stir in ½ c. uncooked oatmeal and then sprinkle 2 T of flour on ½ c. blueberries and stir in mixture. Pour into greased floured 8 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely. Wrap. This is better if stored one day before slicing. This is living—Try it, you’ll like it!

 

Childs Blueberries has a fabulous You Pick Operation. People who have come once, return from as far away places as Ohio or Pittsburgh. Our fields are mowed like a lawn, the mosquitos don't hang out at the high elevation which is a blessing most UPICKS don't share, we have a wide variety of blueberry bushes to choose from and you are free to wander the UPICK and enjoy each variety until you find just the perfect taste for you. We give you a free limo golf cart ride up to the fields which includes a short jaunt through the woods and fields which children and adults seem to really enjoy. We have clean porti potties with handwashing stations available. You can purchase our jams and chemical free wine while there and also stock up on pre-picked frozen berries and in season-fresh pre-picked berries. We are the safest, nicest You Pick operation and would love to have you visit. We are open the third week of July until the end of August for You Pick from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. but closed every Monday. Yes--some farms open earlier but customers often complain there is too little ripe when they get there. We feel it is better to wait until more berries are ready so you can fill your bucket faster. Details on the UPICK Drop Down on our website.