Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust

1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup graham cracker
crumbs
1 large egg white
1Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 pinch salt
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
6 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 cups blueberries

To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Coarsely chop walnuts in food processor. Add graham cracker crumbs and process until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.

Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until frothy. Add crumb mixture, butter, oil, and salt; toss to combine. Press mixture into bottom and half inch up the sides of a 9–inch removable–bottom tart pan. Set pan on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and slightly darker around the edges, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

To prepare fil ling: Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and maple syrup in medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. When the crust is cool, spread the filling evenly into it, being careful not to break up the delicate crust. Arrange blueberries on the filling, pressing lightly so they set in. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup over the berries. Chill for at least one hour to firm.

Blueberry Facts

• The blueberry is one of the few fruits native to North America (along with cranberries and concord grapes). • The naturally–sweet wild berry is thought to have been a popular native fruit, since sugar was scarce and very expensive in the early years of North America; therefore, blueberries played an important role in the diets of Native Americans. Soldiers in the Civil War regularly drank a blueberry beverage because of its health benefits. • In the past, blueberries were used for medicinal purposes, along with the leaves and roots, and were used to treat coughs, and said to be good for the blood.

Blueberry Delight

Contributed by Pam Staples

Crust:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup nuts, finely chopped
1 cup flour
1 stick butter
Berries:
4 cups blueberries
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 cup sugar

Filling:
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. sugar

Crust: Combine ingredients together and pack firmly in pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 12 minutes.

Filling: Blend together. Pour onto cooled crust.

Berries: Cook blueberries in a little water until soft, add sugar. Mix cornstarch with water and pour into berries to thicken. Pour this mixture over filling as topping.