Stars & Stripes Pie

Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to everyone who is currently serving in the military or who has served. My best friend of fourteen years is in the Navy and I'm so blessed that I have the opportunity to travel to see her in about a week and half. Since she joined the Navy we've been trying to see each other about once a year.

I thought this recipe was adorable, if you want a bigger color contrast use prepared pie filling from a can. I used frozen berries for the filling and it detracted from the color contrast.

Recipe adapted from Women's Day.

Ingredients:
-1 box(es) (15 oz) refrigerated ready-to-use pie crusts
-1 large egg, slightly beaten in a cup
-3 tablespoon(s) sanding or coarse (crystal) sugar

Filling
-1 bag frozen cherries
-1 bag frozen blueberries
-Flour
-Sugar

To make the filling in 1 bowl combine a handful of frozen blueberries (you need to guest-imate. You will want one small corner of blueberries, the rest cherries), 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar. Repeat the same thing with the frozen cherries, 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar.

Bend a clean 6-in. square of cardboard (or a note card) in the middle to form a wedge.
Place in upper left corner of pie (like hands of a clock pointing to 9 and 12).
Fill with the blueberries.
Add the cherries to the rest of the pie.
Remove the note card.

Using a pizza cutter make three long stripes and two short stripes.
Place like so over the cherry filling.

Using a sharp knife cut out small stars from the remaining crust.
I made a template our of card stock in order to accomplish this.
Brush the crust pieces with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.
Then reduce the heat to 350 and bake an additional 20-30 minutes.

  

Let cool before serving.

I was a little disappointed in this recipe. The pie crust needed to be baked prior to the filling being added, the bottom crust got a little soggy. I also wished that the color would have come through a little better, I think pre-made filling would be the best to use -- the concept was adorable though.