A few things to do with blueberries: Blueberry muffins & tea loaves
I think you get from reading these posts that growing up, my family had an extensive garden. We raised chickens, had beehives, caught fish, gathered clams and even, at one point, had our own beef cows. We grew every vegetable that could be grown in the Pacific Northwest with asparagus beds, fruit trees, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. Three blueberry recipes in particular come to mind-blueberry muffins, blue berry tea loaf and blueberry kuchen. I loved them all and make them still today… You will find two of the three below and can find the kuchen (torte) recipe posted separately.
Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup soft shortening
1 egg
½ cup milk
1-cup well-drained fresh, canned or frozen blueberries
Preparation:
Shift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the shortening, milk and egg and stir until the ingredients are JUST blended. Carefully stir in the blueberries. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with butter and with jam, marmalade or honey. Makes 12 medium-sized muffins.
Blueberry Tea Loaves
Ingredients:
1 package pound cake mix
1-cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup raisins
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups powered sugar
Lemon juice
Preparation:
Prepare the pound cake mix according to the directions on the package. When batter is ready, fold in the blueberries, nuts, raisins and spices. Pour mixture into 3 greased and floured 3 x 5 ½ x 2-inch loaf pans. Bake according to the package directions, allowing 10 minutes less baking time. Un-mold and cool on a rack. Mix the powdered sugar with lemon juice until the consistency of whipping cream. Spoon glaze over the loaves. Cool thoroughly before slicing.
Blueberry Kuchen
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2/3 cup sugar, divided
½ cup slightly softened butter
1 tablespoon white vinegar
5 cups blueberries
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation:
Mix 1 cup flour, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cut in the butter and sprinkle with the vinegar. Shape into a ball and press into a nine inch springform pan, about ¼ inch on the bottom and 1 inch on the sides. Add 3 cups blueberries. Mix the remaining flour, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the berries. Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven at 400 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining blueberries. Cool. Remove the rim of the pan. Serve with whipping cream or ice cream.
