Friday, August 22, 2014

Baking Blueberry Galette with the Boys

Today we decided to cook/bake together.  It's important to me that the boys learn that things aren't just "there"...in the store.  I wanted them to know that it takes hard work for things to be made.  Someone grew these fruits.  Someone made this.  Food can be so easy to get and so readily available (first world problems) that sometimes I think we all forget just how much effort goes into it.  Since we couldn't keep our Venus fly traps alive for more than a few days, we decided that it was hard work to grow blueberries.  Kuddos to blueberries farmers everywhere.  So we decided to get the blueberries, flour,sugar and lemons and a few other things out and make blueberry Galette.  We started with fresh blueberries, mixed in a few things and popped it in a (store bought) pie crust and, Voila.   Bubbling.  Goodness. It brings me joy to give my kids something homemade.  And what they make, they are excited to eat.  I plan to let them help me make green beans next.  Hope that goes ok.  Not holding my breath tho.
I will include the whole recipe at the end.  So a big thank you to one of my best friends Joanna and her sister Marissa for enhancing and rocking my world with blueberry Galette.

It doesn't seem hard hitting, but the little things I do with my boys seems to excite them more than anything I buy them or any exciting place I take them.  Maybe "I" am enough?

I need to document all this effort I am putting forth for my kids.  You know how people only remember the bad memories (we have a bunch).  Well I have blogged proof that I did stuff with my kids. So kids, don't forget me when you are all famous. Oh...um...I'm back.   Sorry back to blueberry Galette.

Before long they will be off to graduating High School, off to College and getting married. Deep Sigh! (Depressed eating blueberry Galette)  I love my kids and I love being schooled at the University of Boys!!! Ciao for now.

                                                My little guys taste testing the "blue babies"

                                                            Squeezing lemons


                                                   Apparently we need hats to bake
                                              Team work! If only things always looked peaceful.

                                       Big Brother will take it from here.  Mom wanted to keep the
                                           little sanity she has and went with store bought pie crust.

                                                              He's a pro
                                                             Butter Butter!
                                   All the bubbly goodness.  Top that with some whip cream..Whoop Whoop!

                                1  Pie Crust (we used Trader Joe's)
                                          
                                           2 cups Blueberries
                                          
                                           1/4 cup sugar in the raw or coconut sugar
                                          
                                           2 Tb Cornstarch 
                                          
                                          1 Lemon
                                          
                                           1 tsp Vanilla Extract
                                           
                                           1/4 tsp salt
                                          
                                           1 Egg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a bowl.
Thaw out your Pie Crust and put all the delicious mixture into the center.  
Pinch in the dough to form a ring and  to keep the mixture in.  
Brush egg wash (egg and water mixture) on the pie crust.  
Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.  From what I keep reading it's okay for some of the juices to come out.  Let it cool and serve with whipped cream or Ice cream.  YUM.  THE END