When I say my Great Grandma Carmen made the best pies I am not lying to you friends! Literally every weekend she would make a pie along with 5 loaves of homemade bread to give to all her neighbors and friends. But she would always keep a slice for herself because that woman had one heck of a sweet tooth. My grandma was also a very economical woman. She lived through the great depression and the lessons she learned then stuck with her for her entire life. She loved fresh fruit but would never buy it out of season simply due to cost. So come blueberry season she would start making this pie as soon as she got her hands on some fresh blueberries. She also would buy as many pints as she could afford that week or month and put them away in the freezer for when she had a hankering for a blueberry pie out of season.

When I tell you that I don’t make pie crusts from scratch I don’t feel bad. Why? Because Grandma Carmen told me so! She had made many a pie crusts in her day but she said there is nothing wrong with saving a little time and elbow grease on the store bought ones because they tasted pretty good and they would occasionally be on sale and she always had a coupon. I’d like to think I make her proud when I make this and other pie recipes of hers.

I’m telling you this pie is amazing. You just HAVE to use fresh blueberries. You can use frozen if you want but make sure the frozen berries are fresh berries you froze yourself. Otherwise the pie will be watery and not have a much flavor. Also the apple sauce is a must. It sounds weird but it is one of my grandma’s best baking secrets! It is in almost every recipe of hers. Trust my grandma – she knew best! Also, serve this with ice cream OK? Because all of grandma’s pies come a la mode!

Grandma Carmen’s Fresh Blueberry Pie

Ingredients

– 2 pie crust shells, unbaked
– 3 pints of blueberries
– 1 and 3/4 cup granulated sugar
– 1/4 cup flour
– 4 tbsp corn starch
– zest of 1 lemon
– juice of 1/2 lemon
– 1/4 or 1/3 cup of apple sauce (1 single serving of the applesauce cups)
– 2 tablespoons of butter, cubed

Directions

In a mixing bowl combine the blueberries with the sugar, flour, corn starch, lemon zest, lemon juice and apple sauce. Pour into a pie dish lined with 1 of the pie shells. Top the blueberry mixture with the cubes of butter and lay the top pie crust on top. Seal and crimp the edges and cut some vent holes in the top. Cover the edges with a pie shield and bake at 350º for approximately 1 hour or until the pie is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. *Place the pie dish on a baking sheet while baking because it will bubble and run over.

Much Love,
M & GGC