So easy a 3 year old could do it!

My goal is to make dinner, every night, for around $10 for 4 people. Sometimes I miss, but most nights I'm pretty darned close.
Tonight's dinner was pretty darned close (and the reason we missed was really good) -- we had steak, potatoes, corn, and blueberry pie. The steak was on sale at the local market-- $2 each ($8.10 for a pack of 4), 5 lbs of potatoes for a buck, corn from the food pantry, Blueberries 2 pints for $4.98 and I had Pillsbury pie crusts frozen from when they were on sale at Christmas ($2).

Broiled the steaks, baked the potatoes, microwaved the corn... cost, $2.10 per person (or so, I didn't count how many potatoes were in the bag). The pie put me over a little, because berries are so expensive this time of year, but it was really really good... here's the story.

My 3 year old granddaughter LOVES The Backyardigans (a show on Nick Jr.). Her favorite episode, which she has on DVD, is "Making Pie like a Samurai." A couple of weeks ago, she was dancing and singing in the kitchen while I was doing dishes, and she stopped and said "Gramma, can we make some pie?"

Well... we have frozen blueberries, and frozen pie crusts, I'm sure we can put something together. We didn't have any corn starch, though... pie thickened with flour is not nearly as bright as that thickened with tapioca or corn starch. I thought I had some tapioca in the pantry, but while searching for it I found the bag of powdered sugar.... which gets its texture from corn starch...hummm... we can try that. The pie was perfect! Beautiful, thickened just right and really tasty.

Today, knowing my granddaughter was coming over, I bought fresh blueberries (which were expensive this time of year, but were on sale)... and really, fruit pies are a pretty wonderful winter treat. This time I used the powdered sugar by choice. Again, it turned out wonderfully... so here is the recipe for the pie... so easy to make, a 3 year old can (mostly) do it.

Jax Blueberry Samurai Pie

1 box Pillsbury ready made pie crusts
2 pints blueberries (or 2 cups frozen, rinsed)
1/4 C powdered sugar

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Mix sugar into blueberries, try and coat them very well (GENTLY, Jax says, don't break the berries)
Spread one crust into a pie pan
Pour blueberry/sugar mixture into crust and try to make it even
Cover with the other crust
Crimp the edges with a fork, trim off any excess (and give to the 3 year old to play with).
Slice a steam vent into the crust

Back for 40 - 50 minutes (until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly).

LET COOL COMPLETELY! (Really, otherwise it'll run all over the place. I know it's hard because it smells so good, but trust me on this, hot blueberry pie is more like blueberry soup).

Makes 8 slices for about $6.