The Gathering Room

Picking Berries

At Grandma's House

Stephanie, Janine and Angie ( around  1976)

We go out to pick the berries for

homemade jams and jellies,

But come back with purple fingers

and the berries in our bellies

*********

This picture is a special one to me. My mom had decided to dress her grandchildren in prarrie bonnets before searching for the berry patch. Pictured are my daughter Stephanie, and two nieces, Janine and Angie. Picture taken around 1975-76 :)

RASPBERRY/BLUEBERRY PIE

3 pints raspberries (rinsed and drained)

1 pint blueberries (rinsed and drained)

7/8 cup sugar + a little for dusting the top of the crust *

1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca **

2 T. butter cut into small pieces

Pie crust for a 9" two crust pie

Mix the berries, sugar, and tapioca and let sit about 15 minutes while you make up the pie crust.

Roll out half the pie dough and place it in the pie plate.

Add the berry mixture. Place the bits of butter evenly over the top of the berry mixture.

Roll out the top crust and place it over the berry mixture. Crimp the edges. Cut slashes in top to allow steam to escape.

Sprinkle the crust with about 1 T of sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cool completely before serving.

* You can reduce calories and sugar by replacing sugar with equal amount of Splenda. You may wish to adjust the Splenda depending on your taste.

** If you make this pie with frozen berries, you will need to use more tapioca as frozen berries seem to release more juice than fresh. Add 1 more tablespoon of tapioca..