Blueberry Bash

Mr Beauregard: I can't have a blueberry as a daughter.
--from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

It's true-- blueberries would make terrible daughters, but they are wonderful snacks. We learn more and more about the health benefits of blueberries all the time, and these tasty little berries can be enjoyed with every meal of the day. Let's start with breakfast, shall we?

Barbara Stein of Praying For Grace offer this yummy looking recipe for Blueberry French Toast at her cooking blog, Bless Us O Lord.

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E. Caughron sends along this wondeful recipe for Blue berry Glaze she says work equally well on pancakes or cheesecake.

Blueberry Glaze:

1/2 c. sugar
2T cornstarch
1/2c. water
1T lemonjuice
2 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 t salt

mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in bottom of saucepan. Slowly stir in
water and lemon juice. Add blueberries. Bring to boil over medium
heat and boil 2 minutes or until desired thickness. Sam likes it
when the blueberries have "popped" and are not individual berries in
the sauce.

Barb, sfo has two recipes to share. First her Blueberry Coffee Cake and also a recipe for Blueberry Muffins. These are great simple recipes.

Hallie offers us this delectable entry. Wow! I love lemon with blueberry.

Lemon Dipped Blueberry Muffins:

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

Topping

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

6 tablespoons sugar

For the muffins, toss the blueberries with 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon zest in a bowl. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

Whisk the milk, oil, and egg in a bowl until blended. Add to the well, stirring just until moistened. Fold in the blueberry mixture. Fill paper-lined or greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

For the topping, combine the butter and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well. Dip the tops of the warm muffins in the butter mixture and then in the sugar.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

This tempting recipe and the above picture are from Cheryl of Time Really Does Fly...

This sweet little dish is just perfect for breakfast or afternoon snack. I use frozen blueberries because I like them cold, but fresh would be wonderful also.

In a bottom of a small bowl I put some yogurt – usually low-fat plain (I love Brown Cow Farm vanilla!), then on top the yogurt I sprinkle a nice serving of Cascadian Farm Honey and Oat granola (pretty much any granola would work), next some chopped nuts – pecans, walnuts, even cashews (whatever is in the fridge at the time) and finally the delicious blueberries top it all! The different tastes and textures are wonderful!

This recipe for Blueberry Streusel comes from Renee Moore...

Blueberry Streusel:

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, softened but still cool (1/2 stick)

Cake
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool (1 1/4 stick)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (about 4 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 cups fresh blueberries, picked over (about 20 ounces)

For the streusel:
n standing mixer fitted with flat beater, combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt on low speed until well combined and no large brown sugar lumps remain, about 45 seconds.Add butter and mix on low until mixture resembles wet sand and no large butter pieces remain, about 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer streusel to small bowl and set aside.

For the cake:.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan*(I used a shallow rectangle white dish and it cut neat squares) with 2-inch sides with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl to combine; set aside. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, cream butter, sugar, salt, and lemon zest at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; using rubber spatula, scrape down bowl.
Beat in vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds.

With mixer running at medium speed, add eggs one at a time; beat until partially incorporated, then scrape down bowl and continue to beat until fully incorporated (mixture will appear broken). With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until flour is almost fully incorporated, about 20 seconds. Disengage bowl from mixer; stir batter with rubber spatula, scraping bottom and sides of bowl, until no flour pockets remain and batter is homogenous; batter will be very heavy and thick.Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed. Transfer batter to prepared pan; with rubber spatula, using a pushing motion, spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter.

Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

Cool on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes (cake will fall slightly as it cools).

Cool until just warm or to room temperature, at least 1 hour. Cut into wedges and serve.

Renee is fighting cancer and she passes this savory recipe on, given to her by a doctor who recommends eating blueberries to fight cancer.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Blueberries

Dressing
1 cup red wine vinegar dressing
Salad
3 cups spiral pasta
2 cups (about 1 pound) cooked chicken, cubed
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup pea pods, trimmed, cut-in-half
1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar dressing
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to directions on package. About 1 minute before it is cooked, add the pea pods. Drain and rinse with cold water. To a large bowl, add pasta and pea pods along with the remaining salad ingredients, except Parmesan cheese. Toss with 1/2 cup red wine vinegar dressing. Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight to blend flavors. Before serving, toss with remaining dressing and Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 12 (1 cup) servings

Matilda takes the cake...Ooops I mean doesn't make a cake for her husband's birthday. She's going to try inventing a No Bake Blueberry Creme Pie. I hope she posts a follow up on this one to tell us if it works.

Another wonderful pie comes our way from Family Food For Feast and Feria, JenniferGM says this pie is comfort food for her family: Blueberry Meringue Pie. Yum.

Muffins, muffins, muffins...

Everybody loves blueberry muffins. Here are a few favorite recipes...

Jill from Kindred Spirits shares her recipe for Blueberry Orange Muffins. Those look terrific, Jill!

Sherry turns our attention to these delicious looking muffins.

And (drumroll please) I am very pleased to announce the birth of a new cooking blog. Mixing Bowls and Measuring Spoons is the collaborative effort of Michele, Robin and Celeste. Go see the recipe for Blueberry Muffins and look around a bit, too.

Meredith, from Sweetness and Light has a "recipe" for summer fun with blueberries here.

And last, but not least, Margaret slides into home plate at midnight as I am putting this together with a last minute entry at Come For Coffee, A Blueberry Coffee Cake. I'm glad you made it on time for the Blueberry Bash, Margaret.

Thank you all, for visiting.

Blueberry Scones

2 Cups flour plus more for dusting.
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. butter, cold, cut into pieces
1 Cup heavy cream
1 Cup fresh (not frozen) blueberries

Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Using forks, a pastry blender, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal. Make a well in the center and pour in cream. Fold together just to incorporate. If the dough seems excessively dry add a tablespoon of milk just so the dough holds together. Do not overwork dough. Toss blueberries in a little flour to dust them and fold into the dough gently, taking care not to bruise them.

Press dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that measures 12 inches by 3 inches and is 1 1/2 inches tall. Cut in half. Cut each half in half again. Cut these four squares of dough along the diagonal so that you end with 8 triangles.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown.

Lemon glaze: This lemon glaze is very good on these scones. The scones pictured above are just brushed with an egg white wash and sprinkled with large sugar crystals.

1/2 Cup fresh lemon juice
2 Cups confectioners sugar
Zest of lemon
1 Tbs. butter

Mix lemon juice and confectioners sugar together in microwave safe bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add zest and butter. Microwave 30 seconds on high. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over slightly cooled scones.

Enjoy.

Ratatouille

Text from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, by Julia Child:

"Ratatouille perfumes the kitchen with the essence of Provence and is certainly one of the great Mediterranean dishes. As it is strongly flavored it is best when it accompanies plain roast or broiled beef or lamb, pot-au-feu (boiled beef), or plain roast, broiled or sauteed chicken. Equally good hot or cold, it also makes a fine accompaniment to cold meats, or may be served as a cold hors d'oeuvre.

A really good ratatouille is not one of the quicker dishes to make, as each element is cooked separately before it is arranged in the casserole to partake of a brief communal simmer. This recipe is the only one we know of that produces a ratatouille in which each vegetable retains its own shape and character. Happily a ratatouille may be cooked completely the day before it is to be served, and it seems to gain in flavor when reheated. "

For 6 to 8 people

1/2 pound eggplant
1/2 pound zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions
2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers
2 to 3 tablespoons more olive oil, if necessary
2 cloves mashed garlic
1 pound firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced (makes 1 1/2 cups pulp)
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper

Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.

One layer at a time, saute the eggplant and then the zucchini in hot olive oil in an enameled skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.

Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.

Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole.

Set aside uncovered. If not serving immediately, reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

Single Malt Whipped Cream

A delightful discovery. I had no bourbon in the kitchen, so I substituted my husband's scotch (shhh......).

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1+1/2 tablespoons single malt scotch

1-2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Beat ingredients together in an electric mixer on high speed until the cream is softly whipped. Serve with your favorite peach pie, and enjoy!

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Strawberry Festival

Doubtless God could have made a better berry; but doubtless God never did.

--William Butler

Strawberries take their name from the most commonly used mulch for the cultivated berry--straw. The wild strawberry, known throughout history and literature as the emblem of summer, can be found by following your nose in fields the sun favors. The juicy ripe sweetness of the strawberry is a perfect pairing with cream and is so loved by Americans that there is a National Strawberries and Cream day, May 21st. But don't worry that you've missed it because National Strawberry Sundae Day is just around the corner, July 7th.

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And what better way to celebrate Strawberry Sundae Day than with homemade strawberry ice cream? Barbara Stein shares this delicious recipe with us at her beautiful food blog, Bless Us O Lord.

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Johane is an exquisite cook and a chef by profession. She shares some fabulous recipes for Strawberry Coulis and Strawberry Rumpot at her blog where she shows herself to be a mom as well as a cook, The Home Gourmet.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble.
This yumilicious recipe comes to us from Monica Bernstein...

Filling:
1 cup white sugar
3 T flour
3 cups sliced strawberries
3 cups diced rhubarb
(If you have more berries than rhubarb, you can do 4 cups berries, 2 cups
rhubarb. In fact, I prefer it that way, myself!)

Preheat oven to 375.
In large bowl, mix sugar through rhubarb. Place in even layer in 9x13"
dish.

Crumble topping:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups regular oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt in small bown.
Add butter and vanilla; stir with fork until moist and crumbly.

Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over strawberry mixture.

Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes.

Yield: ~8 servings, depending on the size of the sweet tooth!

Mile High Dessert
from Jamie's grandmother

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
mix together, press in 9x13 pan and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool. Crumble and use for bottom and top of dessert.

Filling:
10 oz pkg frozen strawberries (thawed)
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Beat for 20 minutes (use a BIG bowl) fold in small cool whip.
place in 9x13 pan on top of crumble crust/top with some of the crumble and freeze overnight.

Lite Strawberry Pie
and another from Jamie. This one looks easy and light...

Container of cool whip
pkg dry sugar free strawberry jello
fresh or frozen strawberries
graham cracker pie crust.

Mix the cool whip with the dry jello, add the strawberries, place in crust, refrigerate!


Strawberry Topping:
This recipe for vanilla ice cream topping from Sarah looks simply divine!

1-2 lbs Quartered (or thick-sliced) strawberries (amount depends on how much you want to make)
1 bottle of late-harvest chardonnay (the bottles are usually smallish)
A little sugar

Simmer the strawberries in the chardonnay until the liquid has reduced to a somewhat syrupy consistency. If necessary, sweeten with sugar. Spoon over ice cream and serve IMMEDIATELY.

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Waltzing Matilda never lets us down. Here's a recipe your kids are sure to clamor for, Cappuccino Mouse. Wow that looks good. This is making me hungry.

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And Lorri of the Mac and Cheese Chronicles proves she can cook up more than Mac N Cheese-- she offers us the deliciously rich phrase "veritable cornucopia of strawberry goodness" as well as her mother's recipe for strawberry pie. Now that's smart comfort food.

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Minnesota Mom contributes with a terrific looking Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler. Peruse her Come for Coffee cooking blog while you're there. It's well worth "staying for the cake." If you're not hungry yet, you will be.

Michelle Halpin of Party of Five directs us to this Two-Tier Strawberry Pie recipe at the great menu planning and recipe resource All Recipes.

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Elizabeth Foss shares this recipe for a berry pie (can be made with other berries) that her nine year old daughter made. Elizabeth says this recipe stands out because the berries are not cooked and therefore retain their crisp texture. Take a look around at Kitchen Comforts and don't miss the Fourth of July Cake--topped with strawberries too!

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Our old college dorm prefect, Nora N. emailed us too, to say that if you want the best Strawberry Shortcake, look no further than Betty Crocker. Thanks Nora!

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Update:
Strawberries are not just for Dessert.
Enjoy These Savory Recipes

Melanie B. adds a link in our combox to her very appetizing blog, In the Kitchen with Bella. This recipe for Strawberry Soup looks like something we need to try.

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Also, our great friend Eika T. emailed us with this recipe for Strawberry Salsa

Strawberry Salsa

1 pint fresh strawberries, diced

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 small red onion, diced

1 to 2 medium jalepeno peppers, minced

Juice of 1 lime

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine strawberries, tomatoes, onion and peppers. Stir in lime juice, garlic and oil. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Serve with cooked poultry or pork or as a dip for tortilla chips. Yield 4 cups.

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And last, but not least, our very own Kristen has prepared a beautiful and summery spread below,
"Berry Tart and Strawberry Lemonade."

Please, pull up a chair and join us-- we're just about to serve!

Berry Tart and Strawberry Lemonade

I've been making this tart for years, and love it for it's simplicity and scrumptiousness. Because the pastry dough and filling can be made in advance, this dessert is perfect for occasions when you're short on time. Enjoy!

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Tart Pastry (for a 10-inch shell)

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A little less than 2 cups flour

1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1/3 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled

3 Tbsp. or more, cold water

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Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into pieces and drop into the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, blend the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. One tablespoon at a time, sprinkle cold water over the flour and blend lightly with a fork, until the dough is ready to hold a shape. Pat the dough into a cake with your hands. If using now, roll the dough out onto waxed paper or a on a floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the rolled out pastry to your tart pan, poke holes in the top and sides with a fork.

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To fully bake the crust, preheat your oven to 425. Press a square of aluminum foil securely into the pastry dough, poke a few holes in the foil, then add pie weights if you have them (rice or dried beans will also work). Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking 8-10 minutes more, or until the crust is browned lightly. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

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Pastry Cream

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2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

pinch of salt

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

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Stir dry ingredients together with a fork. Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally so as not to cause curdling. When the milk begins simmering, gradually add it into the sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, 4-10 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolks over the heat, stirring until slightly thicker, about 2 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter.

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Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Cover and chill thoroughly. Pastry cream will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

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Assembling the Tart

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Spread pastry cream into tart crust, add as few or as many varieties of berries as you wish. The tart may be served now, or glazed before serving:

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Red-Currant Glaze

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1 cup red-currant jelly

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

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Bring the jelly and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool for a moment to set. The glaze is now ready to be spread atop your fruit with a pastry brush.

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Strawberry Lemonade

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No recipe needed for this one. Sprinkle strawberry wedges with sugar and let stand about 10 minutes. Add to your favorite homemade or store-bought lemonade, and watch your tart yellow beverage turn into a sweet, blushing delight! The longer it sits, the sweeter it becomes. Enjoy!

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Celebrating Cilantro

Cilantro is an herb with a refreshing, cool flavor that serves as the perfect accompaniment to the hot flavors found in many Mexican and Indian dishes. The leaves and the stems are equally pungent and useful for cooking, but this herb must always be used fresh. Cilantro loses all its flavor when it dries. It's leaves are similar in shape and color to flat leaf Parsley, but the flavors and scents are worlds apart. Parsley is no substitute for Cilantro. This herb is so distinctive in flavor, that it is either loved or detested. (Oddly enough, those who dislike Cilantro agree universally that it tastes like "dish soap.") Personally, I love it. But I detest the spice that is the seed to this otherwise delightful plant, Coriander.

Here are few simple recipes using Cilantro...

World's Best Simple Salsa

2 cans Delmonte or Contadina petite diced tomato
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Handful bunch of Cilantro, chopped fine
1-2 Jalapeno peppers (depending how hot you want your salsa), minced
1 Tbs. minced Vidalia onion
dash of salt
lemon juice to taste

Empty tomato into a medium sized bowl. Add all other ingredients. Stir well. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. I've made this salsa mild, medium, and hot. The hottest is when you release the most juices from the peppers by crushing them slightly when you mince them.

Corn Cilantro Salad

2 Cans of corn, drained
1 Handful bunch Cilantro, chopped fine
1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Red lipstick pepper
1/4 Sweet red onion, chopped fine
2 Tbs. vinegar (I use sushi vinegar, but any white or blush vinegar would do)
1 Tbs. light salad oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix corn, beans, pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Add Cilantro and mix. Mix vinegar with oil and drizzle over all. Mix and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy this colorful dish!

Cilantro Salmon with Lime

1 Fresh fillet wild caught Salmon
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 Lime
salt and pepper to taste

Salmon is a rich and oily fish so I never add oil to it when cooking. Rub garlic on fillet and add salt and pepper. Cover with generous amounts of chopped Cilantro. Slice lime into thin circles and place several on top of Cilantro. Squeeze remaining lime onto fish. Grill the fish to cook or bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until flaky.

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Jean's Pesto (up from the combox)

Cilantro makes a delicious pesto too!
Grind in a food processor
2 cups cilantro leaves
1/2 c pine nuts
2 cloves garlic (or to taste)
1/2 a seeded jalepeno (or not)
1/4 olive oil

Blend to make a paste and add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and kosher salt to preserve color and flavor.
This recipe adapts well to substitutes and add-ins like walnuts, feta cheese and other oils and it freezes well!
This can be used on pasta, as a meat seasoning or any other use you like for pesto. My mom even swirls it into freash baked bread and it is really tasty!

Cilantro Martini

Similar to the refreshing Mojito which uses rum and mint, the Cilantro Martini uses vodka, Cilantro, and Lemongrass.

Simply mix your favorite brand vodka with some chopped Cilantro and Lemongrass and, if you are so inclined, add a tiny bit of fresh ginger root minced well. Shake over ice and serve.

Jill's Easy Salsa

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons of chopped red onion
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

It makes a great topper for steaks. We don't make steaks too often, so we
use it on chicken or with some chips!


Do you have a great Cilantro recipe? Care to share? Email it to me. suzanne.templespam@gmail.com (just scrape off the spam)