Ingredient Spotlight: Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries

Are fresh berries in season at your farmer’s market?  Or maybe even in your own backyard?

I haven’t picked fresh blackberries very many times in my life, but one time stands out as special.  I was with my mom and my oldest daughter, who was just a baby.  We had been visiting with my great-aunt Denny and my cousin Vick.  Both of them were elderly, but still spry.

Aunt Denny decided we should go out to an old family cemetery in Estill County, KY.  I remember she was wearing a house dress and she added a sun bonnet before we went outside.  A real sun bonnet, like in the olden days.  She was in her late 80s or early 90s at the time and this was 20 years ago.  Even so, it was long past the time when people donned sun bonnets, but it seemed fitting for her.

In the cemetery, among the old stones marking graves of great-grandparents and other family members, were blackberry brambles.  We picked enough to make a small cobbler for dessert that night.  That was one of the best desserts I’ve ever eaten, simply because of the story and the people.

Here’s the recipe we used to make the cobbler, along with a few others:   [Read more...]

New England Blueberry Coffee Cake

How many U.S. states have you been too?  I have not been to very many, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to go.  You know those culprits – time and money – that keep us from getting to do what we’d like to do.

So I had an idea that this summer I would travel the country from my own kitchen and invite you to come along.

This week, we’re in the New England states of Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts.   I would love to visit this area of the world, because I hear it is beautiful!  If you’re from New England, please leave a comment and let me know.  And tell us what your favorite regional foods are – links welcome!

I chose to make this recipe for New England Blueberry Coffee Cake.  I found the recipe on AllRecipes.  The only change I made was the baking time.  The time the recipe states was no where near long enough.  I also forgot to add the flour to the butter and brown sugar in the topping.  It still turned out, but the flour would have made it more like a crumb topping.

We loved this cake.  It’s full of blueberries, topped with brown sugar and butter and studded with walnuts.  Oh my! [Read more...]

Nutella and Fruit Topped Waffles

Oh my goodness.  This is beyond amazing.

Nutella slathered over malt waffles and piled high with bananas, blueberries and strawberries.  Wow!

A while back I saw a post on the Disney Food Blog about new waffle sandwiches available at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom.  I’ve vowed that we will try these on our next trip.  But I couldn’t wait that long.  I decided to make them at home.

I used malted milk powder in the waffles to make them more like Magic Kingdom waffles.  I don’t own a Belgian waffle maker, but if you have one, you’ll want to use it for this recipe.   I think thicker waffles might make them easier to fold into a sandwich.  We ate them on a plate, with a fork. [Read more...]

Ingredient Spotlight: Blueberries

Little orbs of denim blue

Juicy sweet inside

Disappear into my mouth

I was in a haiku mood.  It happens to me sometimes.

I love fresh blueberries.  Or dried blueberries.  Or chocolate covered blueberries.  I can’t wait to see the recipes you have to share with me this week.  Here are some that I have to share: [Read more...]

Berry Shortcake and Monday’s Celebration

berry shortcake

My husband lucked out this year for his birthday.  His actual day was Thursday, but because our son had soccer practice we decided to celebrate Friday night instead.

Except, the kids thought we should give him his gift on Wednesday night, since it was a fancy new coffee maker.  That way he could enjoy great coffee on his birthday morning.  He has a thing for coffee and even roasts green beans.

On his actual birthday, I didn’t want him to feel we’d done nothing for him, so I made Berry Shortcake.  It’s the same recipe as Strawberry Shortcake, with the addition of blueberries.  Oh so yummy!

And on Friday he got a birthday dinner – his request of meat on the grill, corn on the cob and a variation on his favorite cake, German Chocolate Upside Down Cake.  The recipe for the cake will be coming soon.

Monday’s Celebration

Monday marks the 52nd Menu + Grocery List.  That’s a whole year of free menu planning and grocery list making that has been done for you!

To celebrate there will be a special edition of the menu.

There’s also going to be a giveaway!  You don’t want to miss it!

But first, we get a weekend.  We get to pick our oldest daughter up from the airport on Sunday evening.  She’s been in Bogota, Columbia on a mission trip for 11 days.  I can’t wait to see her again and hear her stories.

What are you doing this weekend?

Blueberry Cobbler

blueberry cobbler done

For reasons I cannot explain, I had never made or eaten blueberry cobbler.  I don’t know why I waited so long to partake of this delicious dessert.

This is adapted from my recipe for Cherry Cobbler, which I’ve also made with blackberries and mixed berries.  I cut the sugar a bit for the blueberry, since they are naturally more sweet than cherries and other berries used in cobblers.

[Read more...]

Blueberry Muffins with Orange Glaze

blueberry muffins with orange glaze done

Do you ever just get a hankering for something?  I did the other day.  I wanted blueberry muffins but I really felt the blueberries needed to be paired with a hint of orange.

Sounds sunny, doesn’t it?  The muffins are perfect for breakfast, but we ate them for a snack.  (Don’t tell anyone, but I prefer muffins to cupcakes.  This tidbit of info could destroy my serious sweet tooth reputation.)

[Read more...]

Blueberry French Toast Bake

Blueberry French Toast Bake done pan

Want a special breakfast for Sunday morning?  This dish is bursting with sweet blueberries, a bit of brown sugar and hint of vanilla.  

This is another dish from the VanGuard’s Cookbook that my sister-in-law gave me.  The women who submitted recipes for the cookbook are feeding their soldiers very well! [Read more...]

Blueberry Upside Down Cake

blueberry-upside-down-cake-piece

A perfect summer dessert.  The cake is moist and just sweet enough to really showcase the flavor of the blueberries.  This is a variation of the Cranberry Upside Down Cake that I made in December. 

[Read more...]

Blueberries and Vanilla Yogurt

blueberries

Divine

[Read more...]

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