Blueberry Pie

My friend Andrea sent me this wonderful recipie that her husband has made three times this season from a cookbook he got in Nova Scotia. Wow, a man that bakes! Anyway, last night I had the college kids home, and wanted to make something quick and easy for dessert-this pie was a hit! I made two pies and one instantly vaporized!

This morning I sliced into the second one to photograph just how yummy it looked, just as friends showed up to show off their garage sale treasures. Needless to say, my sample disappeared in no time. Before the blueberries go out of season, you might want to give this a try. It's quick, easy, and a crowd pleaser!

Nova Scotia Blueberry Crumb Pie

1 unbaked, deep 9 " pie shell

1/4 c. flour or 2 T. cornstarch

2/3 c. sugar

4 c. Blueberries

2 T. lemon juice

Mix above and pour into a non-pricked pie shell.

Topping:

1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c hard butter

1/3 c. brown sugar

Sprinkle over berries and press down

Bake at 425' for 20 minutes, and then 350' for 45 minutes

Cool before serving. I added a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream

Tarte

Last month I discovered Tarte!

Who would have thought that a country road on the outskirts of Oregon City would lead to a barn full of treasures!

I guess you could say that Tarte reminds me of a classy European Flea Market and although I've never actually been to one, I've read enough about them to know that you can find just about anything there ....
from garden art to home decor...
Vintage furniture, birdcages, creams, and French soaps...

and Shabby Chic...

If you appreciate things with an artistic flare....

or could use some ideas or tips on how to turn your 'trash' to 'treasure,' you must check out Tarte!
Cindy, a bubbly blond, decked out in black and rhinestones (with an infectious laugh), told me that she'd been collecting treasures her whole life. Her love of all things unique and pretty is clearly evident in the magical vignettes that she and her helpers have created. If you'd like some inspiration, follow the winding road to Tarte, where you'll likely find some treasures to truly inspire!

Checkout Cindy's Blog: http://queenoftarte.blogspot.com/ for directions and more information on her monthly Land of Tarte sale.

Summer Soup

As the temperature inched over 90' today, I remembered a great soup I got from a cooking class years ago. I remember making it up in a pitcher and chilling for several hours so the flavors could mix. I couldn't find the exact recipe, but this soup is what I remember from over twenty years ago. It was great as a first course for a summer dinner party, or a summer meal with french bread and a salad.

1 qt. tomato juice

1 small cucumber, peeled and finely chopped

3 green onions finely chopped

3 stalks celery chopped fine

4 1/2 oz. small salad shrimp

2 Tb. olive oil

2-3 cloves mashed garlic

1 tsp. dill

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1/2 squeezed lime

1 peeled and cubed avocado

mix and chill

Serves 6-8

Top with crumbled feta cheese or croutons

Radio Gig

KEOL...'Placating the Masses' in La Grande, Oregon.

When we were in La Grande for Bryan's graduation, Rick and Bryan had a chance to be on the air together on Sunday for the 9 AM to noon radio show. Not sure how many people actually heard it, with graduation being the day before and the numerous parties following, but it was quite the event for father and son to actually do a show together! Rick had more than five years in radio in his 20's, first at the UO campus station in Eugene [KWAX, classical music, news]; then professionally at two other Eugene stations [KPNW and KASH, reporter, on-air news and more]. For him, being on the air with his son was like a 30-year time trip back to the 1970's--and the music was the same!

For the past year, Bryan has been a radio DJ with the campus station KEOL. Maybe after listening to his parent's music all these years, he found an interest in the music of the 60's and 70's...whatever the origin, he started an all-vinyl show.

Rumor has it that the station actually had to upgrade their turntables, since most of the DJ's shows used CD's. On most Wednesday nights, it's been fun to tune in on the home computer and listen to Bryan's show. He's developed quite a following in the Valley, with his Classic Rock show, requests welcomed...at least among friends and relatives! Today's show was definitely a family affair, with Rick's brother Dave running for records, and his sister Linda keeping the music log, and me taking photos.

Later while listening to the tape, there were several comments on it like "Mom, you said that was the last photo!" or "Will someone please grab that camera from my Mother!" The following photo says it all, but hopefully someday Bryan will be glad that I took all the photos which recorded this fun and memorable day.

Girls Just Gotta Have Fun

With temps soaring into the 90's in town, it was a nice escape to head for the soothing breezes at the beach. My friend Barb, and I took off for a girls shopping excursion on Oregon's North Coast. We visited some old friends, Les Femmes de L'Ocean and found some new places of interest. My favorite was the Yankee Trader, on Hwy. 101 in Gearhart, where we found this charming display of boot planters for sale.
couldn't resist posting this sign

As you can see, we were having too much fun, and haven't even gone inside yet! Carrie, the owner of Yankee Trader, makes these incredible 'cakes' made of plaster and Styrofoam, and decorates them with themes-Easter, Wedding, Halloween, Christmas, etc. They're pretty incredible.

Carrie also has themed vignettes all over the store that are pretty amazing! I must have driven by her store hundreds of times, and had no idea what was inside.

After stopping for a quick cup of coffee at Columbia River Coffee Roasters in Astoria, and purchasing several bags of their yummy Saddle Mountain Coffee Beans, we were off for more shopping and lunch at Pacific Way Cafe in Gearhart. The cafe was so quaint and European looking, that I wanted to take some photos, but we were there during the busy lunch time. The cafe has an extensive menu, but we settled for sharing a sandwich and a cup of soup, knowing we would be having a BBQ with the guys later.


Gearhart reminds me so much of the East Coast...flower baskets are everywhere!

Another of our favorite shopping places is the Pacific Crest Cottage in Gearhart. The front of the store is so quaint.

It was fun to come back to the beach house and paint a scene in our Travel Journals.
Finally, we had to stop at another favorite shop, Fitzgeralds, where you'll find beautiful home decor items.
There's a 7 Dee's Nursery next door, and everything was in bloom. I had to put the camera down long enough to check out their terrific selection of succulents.