Berry Pickin' Time

It's June and time to start picking blackberries and raspberries.  Yum! That means pies, cobblers, jam, and homemade ice cream. Last year we only had a few pickings before the birds finished them off.  So this year we put a huge net over them, thanks to Dad and Mom Stevens who bought Jon a net for his birthday.

We will enjoy them all year since it looks like there'll be plenty to freeze. 

Berry Cobbler

6 cups berries

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp butter

Mix sugar and cornstarch.  Add water and salt.  Mix well.  Add fruit and bring to boil.  Boil 1 minute or until slightly thickened.  Spoon into greased 13 X 9 and top with pie crust sprinkled generously with sugar.  Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 20-30 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Never Fail Pie Crust

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening (I use butter flavored)

4 Tbsp water

sugar

Mix 1 cup flour and salt. Cut in shortening.  Sprinkle water over and mix with a fork.  Use 1/3 cup reserved flour to roll out crust. 

Place over filling and sprinkle generously with sugar.