Blueberry Custard Pie

 

Erin was holding a foil-covered parcel resting on a hot pad…and the aroma wafting from that bundle was fantastic.  Sweet Erin had baked us a pie to welcome us home to Iowa!

 

And this was not just ANY pie.  It was a Blueberry Custard Pie  with a streusel topping…and a made-from-scratch crust!  What a MASTERPIECE!

 

So…before I share the recipe Erin so graciously gave me, let me give you a little background on Jake and his wonderful family…and I’m including Erin in that group.

 

Years ago, Jake’s parents purchased the ranch style home across the street from us.  They had four amazing “stair-step” kids (one girl-three boys) who ALL planned to attend the University of Iowa over the next decade.  And rather than pay dorm fees or apartment rent for four kids, they purchased the house where the kids could live while attending school here in Iowa City.

 

I must admit, our eyebrows raised slightly when we found that a house full of college kids would be occupying that house across the street for years to come…but we soon discovered how lucky we were to have the Ballweg family as our neighbors.    (Bear with me for calling them “kids” in this blog post.)

 

From the day they moved in, these “kids” have kept their house and lawn in tip-top condition…and if we’ve ever needed some additional muscle and brawn, they are always ready to help us. Once, when we were out of town, sister Jessica called to tell us there had been an ice storm,  and the siblings had noticed that our snow removal person hadn’t shown up.  And while I was talking to Jessica, I could hear one of her brothers already chopping the ice off our sidewalk across the street!  Amazing young people…

 

The first to graduate from the University of Iowa was sister Jessica. 

Then came those three brothers…All champion wrestlers…

Click on their names to “meet” them:

 

All four siblings have gone on to stellar careers.  Jessica in Nursing. Matt and Mark in Business.  And Jake will graduate in two weeks with a degree in Mechanical Engineering…and he’s already landed a corporate position in Tennessee.

 

And Jake’s sweet and talented girlfriend Erin?  She holds a degree in Elementary Education. (Lucky kids in HER classroom!)  But after taking one bite of that pie, I’m sure she would also find HUGE SUCCESS if she decided to open a bakery!

We are so happy for the success all of these young people have achieved…but we’re selfishly sorry to see them all graduate and move on with their lives since that may eventually mean new neighbors across the street. But rest assured there could be NO neighbors that could measure up to those Ballwegs (and Erin)…Not a chance.

And the delivery of that unexpected pie reminded us once again how lucky we have been to be able to watch these “kids” grow up right before our eyes…

THANK YOU AGAIN, ERIN AND JAKE!
Your parents must be so proud of the successful lives you have created…and of the hard work you’ve ALL put in to reach your goals.
God Bless…

And now…that delicious pie recipe…thanks to Erin…and her “taste-tester” Jake!

ERIN AND JAKE’S BLUEBERRY CUSTARD PIE

Custard Filling
1 C. sour cream 
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg
2 T. flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 C. fresh blueberries
1 9 in. unbaked pie crust

Streusel Topping
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/3 C. flour
1/4 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. chopped pecans

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.  In a large bowl, mix the custard ingredients.  First, mix the sour cream, sugar, egg, flour, vanilla and salt with a spoon until smooth.  Gently fold the blueberries into the custard mixture.
3.  Spoon the filling into the unbaked pie crust.
4.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
5.  While the filling is baking, prepare the streusel topping.  in a bowl combine the brown sugar and the flour.  Mix in the softened butter until the mixture resembles course sand.  Fold in the chopped pecans.
6.  After the filling has baked for 25 minutes, sprinkle the struesel topping over the pie.
7.  Bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until the filling is set and the topping is brown.  (Erin puts a foil crust shield around the edge of the pie to keep the crust from burning.
8.  Remove from the oven and let set for 15 minutes.  

Erin serves her pie warm with vanilla ice cream…

But no matter HOW you serve it…It’s DELICIOUS!!!