This week's column is bopping to the blueberry blues with recipes shared by a Nacogdoches reader. Let's cook!

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Blueberry Fried Pies

Crust:

2 C. flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C. lard, chilled

1/4 C. cold water

Filling

2 C. blueberries

1/2 C. sugar

3 tsp. flour

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 C. water

In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Cut in lard with a pastry blender or a fork. When the mix forms clumps, slowly add water until the mixture holds together. Pat the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour. Mix the filling ingredients in a large pot and boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then set aside. Roll out dough until it is a 1/4-inch thick. Cut out as many 5-inch circles as possible, re-rolling the remnants to cut more circles. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle. Moisten the edges, fold and press with a fork to seal. In a skillet, heat an inch of oil to 350 degrees. Place each pie in the oil and turn after a minute. Cook for an additional minute, then drain on paper towels. Makes 10 to 12 pies.

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Blueberry Cookies

2 C. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. shortening

1/4 C. milk

1 egg

1 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 C. fresh blueberries

In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, sugar, egg, milk, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to shortening mixture and mix well. Gently fold in the blueberries. Chill for at least 4 hours, covered in plastic wrap. Heat oven to 375 degrees and drop teaspoons of dough on to a cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

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Blueberry — Pecan Cake

Cooking spray

2 tsp. flour

5 T. butter

3/4 C. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 C. low-fat buttermilk

2 tsp. orange rind

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 C. flour

2 C. fresh or frozen blueberries

1/3 C. pecans, finely chopped

2 T. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch round spring-form pan with cooking spray and dust with 2 teaspoons of flour. Set aside. Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute, or until butter is melted. Add granulated sugar, and stir well with a whisk. Add eggs, and mix well. Stir in buttermilk, orange rind, baking powder, salt, vanilla, almond extract and baking soda. Add flour, stirring just until blended. Fold in blueberries and pecans. Spread into pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Blueberry French Toast Casserole

10 slices firm bread without crusts, cut into small cubes

6 oz. cream cheese, cubed

1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries

6 jumbo eggs, lightly beaten

1 C. vanilla yogurt

1/2 C. milk

1/3 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Generously spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the dish, top with cream cheese cubes and blueberries. Top with remaining bread. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, milk, sugar and nutmeg with a whisk. Pour over bread, making sure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cover and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until it is puffed and golden. Serve warm with syrup or powdered sugar. Serves 6 to 7.

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Blueberry Muffins

1/2 C. butter, room temperature

1 C. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 C. blueberries (separate 1/2 C. and mash)

2 C. flour

1/2 C. milk

1 T. sugar mixer with 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, including the area between the cups, or use foil muffin cups. In a bowl, beat

butter until creamy. Beat in the sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, Beat in vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix mashed berries into batter. Fold in half the flour with a spatula, then half the milk. Add the remaining milk and flour. Fold in the remaining berries. Scoop batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan before serving.

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Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

6 eggs

1 tsp. orange zest

2/3 C. orange juice

2 T. sugar

pinch of salt

1 (16.5 oz.) can blueberries, drained with the liquid reserved.

8 slices 1 and 1/4-inch thick bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a large bowl, combine eggs, zest, juice, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt.

Pour into a shallow rectangular dish and set aside. Cut a 1-1/2-inch slit in the side of each slice of bread to form a pocket. Stuff with a large spoonful of blueberries. Place in egg mixture, letting stand 5 minutes on each side. Place coated slices on cookie sheet, and bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown, turning after 10 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

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Trivia will return next week.

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Monthly contest

Every reader who submits a recipe request, correct trivia answer prior to the answer's publication, and/or recipe share to What's Cooking? will be entered in a monthly drawing for a prize. The next contest drawing will be June 30, from all readers who have submitted recipe shares and/or recipe requests received through noon June 30. Submission address information is found at the end of this week's column.

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If you have a great cook or local-flavor cookbook to recommend, favorite recipe to share, a recipe request, suggested idea, question, cooking tip, story idea, or answer to a recipe request, please write: Carol Kimbrough, P.O. Box 631719, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963-1719 or e-mail whatscookingcolumn@yahoo.com. Please include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (if applicable). Readers who submit a recipe request and/or recipe share will be entered into a monthly drawing for a cooking-related prize. Please note if you do not want your name published. Winner names will be published.