Day 23: Mini Blueberry Pies

 You know how when you're in a hurry you usually mess something up or forget something? Well, today as I was making these pies, I'm lucky they turned out right. I didn't forget anything, but I came close to. I don't know where my mind way! I'd always catch a mistake last minute and thankfully, I'd have just enough time to fix it.

Crust:
3 cups flour
2 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup ice water
1 tsp oil
2 sticks butter, cubed
Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the water and oil. cut the butter in, until it resembles very fine crumbles. Knead a couple times until it starts coming together (at first it will seem almost to dry and crumbly), divide into two balls and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Roll one pastry out and cut into 8 circles, place them into well greased cupcake cups (no liners). Roll out the other ball and cut eight more circles for the caps.
For the Filling:
2-1/2 cups frozen blueberries (they need to stay frozen do not thaw)
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
(I forgot to do this)one egg for brushing on top of pastry and extra sugar to sprinkle over pastry
Toss together the blueberries and 2 TBS of the lemon juice. Mix together all the dry ingredients and then add to the blueberries. Toss together, then add just enough of the remaining lemon juice to make the moisten all the dry ingredients (if needed you can add more lemon juice-I just estimated 1/2 cup). Now, divide filling amongst 8 cups. Take the pastry caps and place onto. Pinch/crimp the top crust to the bottom crust, as you normally would a pie. Chill 15 minutes (now preheat oven to 400). Cut 3 vent slits in caps. Beat and egg, then brush over pastry. Sprinkle with sugar. Place on baking sheet,  bake for 10 minutes or until the crust looks dry and very slightly browned. Now lower the temperature to 350 and bale 20-30 minutes more (until the crust in done). Let the pans cool before trying to remove the pies. Yields: 8 mini pies.

Can you believe that Christmas eve is tomorrow?!? Where has this month gone?!?
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve service at my church- this will be the first time I've ever gone to a Christmas Eve service (and I plan on doing it every year from now on!)
Gabrielle W.
"The Lord directs the steps of a christian. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand." Psalms 37:23-24