MAINE VODKA ICE CREAM DESSERT

A tasty, easy dessert idea combines three Maine products: Cold River blueberry vodka, Gifford's ice cream, and wild blueberries. Trust me you've got to try this one out.

Ingredients:
Steep wild blueberries in blueberry vodka from Cold River Vodka for a few days, then pour over a bowl of Gifford's classic vanilla ice cream.

FRUIT PIZZA

This recipe using red and blue fruit for a patriotic theme was a big hit at a recent Independence Day family gathering.

Ingredients:
Slice and Bake Pillsbury Sugar cookie dough
16 oz. Cool Whip
16 oz. softened cream cheese
Fresh fruits which are colorful like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and Kiwi.
Flaked coconut toasted or not (optional)
Pizza pan, lightly greased

Directions:
Remove cookie dough from package and flatten onto pizza pan covering entire pan. Bake as directed for cookies until golden brown. Let cool. Mix together the Cool Whip and cream cheese (will have some lumps). Spread mixture onto cooked cookie evenly. Arrange fruits on top any way you like. Sprinkle coconut over. Keep chilled until time to serve. Best when made and consumed in the same day.

VERY ALMOND BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE

This recipe from Hannaford Fresh Magazine (May-June 2011) is full of nutrients and antioxidants. Throw all ingredients in a blender for a fast and wonderful way to jump start your day.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup Frozen wild blueberries
2 teaspoon apple juice frozen concentrate
1 tablespoon Nature's Place natural smooth almond butter

Directions:
1. Pour almond milk and almond extract in a blender. Add yogurt, wheat germ, and cinnamon followed by blueberries and juice concentrate. Blend on low for 20 seconds, then switch to high and blend until all the blueberries are pureed into the mixture, about 20 seconds.
2. Drop almond butter into the liquid and blend on high until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. Pour into 2 glasses and serve immediately

BLUEBERRY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This Thanksgiving why not try a new kind of cranberry sauce loaded with antioxidants? This delicious sauce is best if made a day ahead.

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups frozen wild blueberries

Directions:
Wash and pick over cranberries. Place in a medium saucepan with water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, stir and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

Slightly mash the cranberries with the back of a wooden spoon to insure all skins are broken. Add blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well.

Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly and place plastic wrap directly on top of sauce to cover. Refrigerate until chilled.

ONE-DISH BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

My mother recommends this really easy, really good, and quick-to-make recipe.

Batter:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 envelopes Fleischmann's® RapidRise Yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk (very warm 120-130°F)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg

Blueberry Sauce:
1-1/2 cups blueberries, fresh OR frozen
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cheesecake:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg

Mix batter ingredients together in a pre-sprayed 8x8-inch baking dish. Allow mixture to rest while preparing blueberry sauce and cheesecake. Combine blueberry sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce is thickened. Whip cheesecake ingredients in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.

Top batter with dollops of cheesecake mixture and blueberry sauce. Swirl mixtures together using a knife. Bake by placing in a COLD oven; set temperature to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes, until cheesecake is set.

FRESH BLUEBERRY FRIED PIES

This decadent recipe is adapted from Everyday is a Party cookbook by Emeril Lagasse. Makes 12 pies. (Some may want to cut this recipe in half.)

For the Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
4 cups fresh blueberries, stemmed and rinsed
1 tablespoon butter

For the Pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
Shortening, for frying

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Mix until blended. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and pour over the blueberries. Add the butter and mix well. Cool completely. Sift the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and with your hands or a fork, mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth ball forms. Cover the ball of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough piece into a thin round about 5 inches in diameter. Put about 1/4 cup of the blueberry mixture in the center of each round, fold the dough over, and crimp the edges together with a fork. Preheat the oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the pies in batches, 2 to 3 at a time, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Serve each pie on a serving plate with a scoop of ice cream

BLUEBERRY RHUBARB CRISP WITH PISTACHIOS

I found this recipe on the Epicurious Web site. It received the highest rating and more than 70 comments. Don't forget the vanilla ice cream!

1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 pound rhubarb
2 cups blueberries

Topping:
1/3 cup shelled natural pistachios
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375°F. and butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish. In a bowl stir together sugar and flour. Trim rhubarb and cut enough of stalks into 1/2-inch pieces to measure 2 cups. Add rhubarb and blueberries to sugar mixture, tossing well, and spread mixture in baking dish.

Make topping:
Finely chop pistachios. In a bowl whisk together flour and sugars. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and with your fingers or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add pistachios and toss well.

Squeeze a handful of topping together and coarsely crumble in chunks over filling. Squeeze and evenly crumble remaining topping over filling in same manner. Bake crisp until filling is bubbling and topping is crisp and golden, about 50 minutes.

Serve crisp warm or at room temperature.