Summer Blueberry Strawberry Pie

We all have our role models in life.  Sometimes they are people we don't even know but admire aka Joy the Baker who has been able to pursue her dreams, accepts her faults, and lives life for all that it can be. Sometimes they are people we see almost daily like our best friends and a few co-workers that have "been there", who we have worked with a while and are easy to talk with.  There are also the people that make us think outside of the box we tend to live in, even if we would never dream of going as far outside of the box as they go.  The girl who writes The Dalston Years is basically my complete opposite and will not apologize for who she is, which is kind of amazing.  She takes life on face-first and is completely ready to live and take on any adventure that comes her way, which I can totally respect.  

Each of these types of people mold us a little, just like everyone we meet in life, and especially those that we spend time with, and get close to, even if only for a little while.  I am thinking about this as I am trying live life just a little bit more in my own way.  Let's be real here though, I am never going to be the girl who goes out and parties every weekend, but I can make an effort to make more plans.  To cross more things off of my "bucket list," which is now more of a list of things to do before I am 30, now that I am only a few years away.  Like volunteer more and be involved, finally go bungee jumping, learn to bake challenging things and basically try to remember to bake them as long as they are supposed to be baked.

You may be totally confused here, but that was really the easiest way for me to admit that I totally almost completely messed up this blueberry-strawberry pie by falling asleep on the sofa and leaving it in the oven for an extra 45 minutes.  Somehow though, the crust did not burn, and the filling still tasted surprisingly delicious.  Don't follow me here though, just bake it for the advised time.  This is not overly sweet in a good way, since not much sugar is needed because of all the natural sugars in the sweet summer blueberries and strawberries.  Enjoy!

Blueberries meet...

Strawberries.

Plus cornstarch and lemon juice.

A little egg wash and then ready for the oven.

Summer Blueberry Strawberry Pie: (adapted from Martha Stewart)
6 cups (about 4 pints) blueberries, picked over 
2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 cup cornstarch 
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 
1 large egg yolk 
1 tablespoon skim milk
1 box of pie crust, 2 crusts in the refrigerator section

1.  Roll one pie crust out into pan and then place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes

2.  Place blueberries in a large bowl; with your hands, crush about 1/2 cup of berries, letting them fall into the bowl as you work. Add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice; stir to combine. Spoon mixture into chilled pie shell, mounding berries slightly in the center. Dot with butter. 

3.  Remove dough from refrigerator, and place over blueberry filling (or cut into slices for a lattice top).  Tuck edge of top dough between edge of bottom dough and rim of pan. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.

4.  Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more.  (Don't over bake, but if you do the pie will still taste great!) Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. The pie is best eaten the day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.