Visit The Farm
Fun Days
Visit the farm at Blue Jay Orchards is full of fun days and gorgeous landscapes gallery photos on the farm, helpful resources, and delicious country recipes. We encourage you to visit our Farm Market where we offer a variety of homemade goodies and so much more!
RECIPES
PERFECT APPLE PIES
Our homemade apple pie is sure to be the best apple pie recipe you've made to date. For starters, you can make this warm, cozy, classic dessert in three simple steps, and it's made with the ultimate baking shortcut: Pillsbury Pie Crusts. Serve up this easy apple pie and enjoy the most classic dessert with family and friends. Whether you bake it for a holiday, a potluck, or as a special weekend treat, this timeless recipe is guaranteed to spark joy.
Crust
1box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on box
Filling*
6cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 medium)
3/4cup sugar
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4teaspoon salt
1/8teaspoon ground nutmeg
1tablespoon lemon juice
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in an ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against the side and bottom.
2. In a large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in the top crust.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and the crust is golden brown. Cover the edge of the crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after the first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on the cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.
Apple Blackberry Pie
Fresh blackberries and apples are spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg in this winning pie recipe at a State Fair Pie Contest in 2010.
1box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on the box
4cups sliced peeled tart apples (about 6 medium)
2cups fresh blackberries
1/2cup packed brown sugar
4 1/2teaspoons cornstarch
1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Make pie crusts as directed on the box for Two-Crust Pie, using a 9-inch glass pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples and blackberries. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir into fruit; toss to coat. Spoon into crust-lined pie plate.
3. Top with second crust and flute; cut slits in pastry. Cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.
4. Place pie on middle oven rack; place sheet of foil on rack below pie in case of spillover. Bake 50 minutes. Remove foil; bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool at least 3 hours before serving.
Triple Berry Pie
Triple Berry Pie has never been so good. This mixed berry pie comes together with Pillsbury Pie Crust and your favorite fruit flavors for an easy dessert. Make your berry pie filling with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries for a triple berry pie that's three times the fun. Have this ready to bake in just 20 minutes, and wow your family with the final result. It's the perfect dessert for a holiday gathering or a summertime cookout!
1box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on the box
1 1/2cups sugar
5tablespoons cornstarch
2tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/4teaspoon salt
3cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blackberries
2cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) raspberries
2cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries
1tablespoon milk
2teaspoons sugar
Steps
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Make pie crusts as directed on the package for two-crust pie using a glass 9-inch pie pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, and salt; gently toss with berries. Let stand for 15 minutes. Spoon into a crust-lined pan. To make a lattice top, cut the second crust into 1/2-inch wide strips. Arrange strips in lattice design over filling. Trim and seal edges. Brush crust with milk; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
3. Place pie on middle oven rack; place large cookie sheet on the rack below pie pan in case of spillover. Bake pie for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. cover the edge of the crust with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Let stand 2 hours before serving.
Easy Pie Crust Recipe
This homemade pie crust dough recipe yields a flaky tender crust with rich buttery flavor. This recipe uses only butter (NO SHORTENING) so it is all natural.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more to dust, *measured correctly
1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 lb COLD unsalted butter, (2 sticks) diced into 1/4″ pieces
7 Tbsp ice water, (7 to 8 Tbsp)
1. Place flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
2. Add the cold diced butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form with some pea-sized pieces then stop mixing. The mixture should remain dry and powdery.
3. Add 7 Tbsp ice water and pulse just until moist clumps or small balls form. Press a piece of dough between your fingertips and if the dough sticks together, you have added enough water. If not, add more water a teaspoon full at a time. Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will be sticky and difficult to roll out.
4. Transfer dough to a clean work surface, and gather dough together into a ball (it should not be smooth, and DO NOT knead the dough). Divide dough in half and flatten to form 2 disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using in recipes that call for pie crust.
Resources
A national information resource for value-added agriculture
Interested in aquaculture?
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Are you interested in peanut production?
Check out the variety of grains & oilseeds!
Wondering what some non-traditional forest product options are?
Nutrition Journal
Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits.
Serving Up Better Health
Eating a well-balanced diet doesn’t just help you live a healthier life, it will also help you decrease your risk for cancer.
Better Nutrition
Start learning about the relationship between nutrition and cancer risk. Discover how everyday dietary decisions can affect your health, and find out how to take a proactive approach to manage your risk for cancer.
Nutrition Journal
Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits.
Apples: Linked with Lower Risk of Breast Cancer
Apples provide dietary fiber and polyphenol compounds that partner with gut microbes to create an environment that may help to reduce the risk of cancer. Observational population studies link apples with a lower risk of the estrogen receptor-negative form of breast cancer.