Blueberry Nectarine Pie

It is not hard to figure out by reading my blog that I am not really a dessert fan…love to bake and cook for others but not really one to eat what I create…unless of course it involves chocolate…that is a different story!! 🙂  Since my days in Jr. High Home Ec class, I haven’t made a pie and really rarely eat pie…and it would be French Apple at that sooooo needless to say…this recipe was not one I thought I would be eating.  That said, I had many tasters willing to try it out for me!! 🙂  If you would like the recipe check out Hilary’s blog and Liz’s blog.

I have to say I was intimidated with making the crust.  It seems whenever people are talking about pie…it comes down to the crust..it is flaky…tastey…  All I could do was follow the directions and hope for the best.  I cut in the chilled butter and shortening.

Stirred in the chilled water and it seemed to come together nicely. 🙂

With the dough chilling I got to work on the filling.  Most people I told about this recipe thought the combination of blueberry and nectarine was a bit unusual.  I personally would have stuck with good old apple…I know I went rogue on the biscotti but I do want to stay true to the recipes the first time through. 🙂

I cut up the fruit, went out and picked a lemon and was able to use my new zester my parents had given me for Mother’s Day with my cool cutting board….much nicer that using my grater!! 🙂

And then cooked down the fruit.  I was so afraid to try to boil the fruit because there really was no liquid but just like the recipe stated…the fruit will release it’s juices…and they did! 🙂

Now to rolling and filling…So it was time to taste my new creation.  I thought it looked pretty…smelled good…but how will it taste???  My son, who eats anything, tried it first…I knew I could count on his appraisal…surprising both of us…he didn’t like it…like didn’t even finish it. 😦  That never happens!!!  Uh oh…my daughter and I aren’t pie eaters so we didn’t count…texted my tasting friend and told her it was ready, but also told her it wasn’t going over well at our house.  Thankfully things turned around!!!!  Her family LOVED it, my husband got home…and LOVED it, and my parents came and got theirs and LOVED it!!!  YAY…so it wasn’t the baker ha ha!!  I am so “pie” flawed I didn’t even know if the crust was good or not.  Apparently this recipe is right on the money…I would have to say this recipe will be a keeper…when we take it somewhere else! 🙂 🙂

Semolina Loaf

Right from the start I have to say this recipe is a keeper!  Still not sure what semolina flour is, but this bread is absolutely delicious!!  The only difficult part in baking this bread was finding out where to buy semonlina flour…couldn’t locate it in the grocery store but found help on our P & Q page and just like they said, it was right there at our local produce store! 🙂 I also took the advice of reducing the salt…I cut it to 1 tsp and had no problems. For the recipe, check out the host blogs: The Way To My Family’s Heart and Keep it Luce.

This recipe was SO easy…made the sponge starter. Check out those bubbles!!

 

After the first rise…shaped my loaves. Since I had enough of the semolina flour and many willing tasters…made two loaves at the same time. 🙂

            

After the second rise, the recipe says to use a razor blade and slash the sides at a 30 degree angle…this proposed a few problems for me.  There was no picture in the cookbook to see what they were describing and I didn’t have a razor blade.  I did the best I could with a sharp knife but in the end it just seemed like it deflated my big beautiful loaves…thinking the next time I would skip this step unless I find out it is necessary.

This bread was so good and so easy to make…doesn’t even require kneeding!  I made two at time…no problem.  I can easily see myself using this recipe!  It was delicious right out of the oven and great as toast the next morning!! 🙂  Yes, all tasters agreed…

THIS ONE IS A KEEPER! 

I have a favor to ask of any of you that read/comment regularly on my blog…I will not have access to a computer to “leave my link” for the Blueberry Nectarine Pie…would someone be willing to do that for me?? 🙂  I will have my blog post but need help leaving my link. 🙂  Just message me if you can…Thank you!!

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Well it finally happened… I went rogue on this one…Hazelnut Biscotti became Chocolate Chip Biscotti….and I would have to say it was a great choice! 🙂  If you would like the recipe for Hazelnut Biscotti check out our host blogs: Homemade and Wholesome and Baking and Boys.

I don’t drink coffee so my experience with biscotti is pretty limited but I would have to say these were really delicious!  I dipped them in milk. 🙂  There were two things I changed up in the recipe…I added the chocolate chips for the hazelnuts and then I just used more vanilla to offset the liqueur I wasn’t using.  There was a great vanilla taste that came through in the cookies…loved it!

Mixed up the batter and realized they were not kidding that the dough would be sticky.  I didn’t think flouring my hands was going to make one bit of difference so I just used my spatula and placed the dough into logs on the parchment paper…I wasn’t sure if this would work but actually it worked brilliantly and I would suggest it to anyone who had trouble with sticky dough.

The next part…cutting the cookies made me happy because I was able to use my new knife again already…the one I bought for the strawberry cake!! 🙂  Having the right tools really does help!

I was afraid my biscotti would be thin since I didn’t make the log the way I was instructed to,  but it seemed to work out just fine.  I would really recommend using the spatula to plop it into a log…so much easier and now I know it works. 🙂

These really were delicious…my daughter, parents, and my “tasting” friend all said they were great with their tea/coffee.  Actually everyone I shared them with said they were great and loved the chocolate chips so I would have to say I would make them just the way I did the next time… these are a keeper! 😉