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Ah, the wonders of the summer growing season. Just when one fruit or vegetable reaches its end, another equally luscious one, replaces it. I barely had a chance to be sad that local strawberries were no more, when alas; beautiful blueberries began popping up at area farm stands.
Not only are blueberries tasty, they are high in antioxidants, known to boost the immune system. They also help the heart and the brain. It seems there are many good reasons to eat blueberries every single day.
Start at breakfast with a sprinkle of berries on your oatmeal or cold cereal. For lunch, have blueberries in your salad. For dinner, serve your chicken breasts topped with a lovely blueberry sauce. And to fill in the gaps any time of the day, eat blueberries baked in a cake, a pie, or a creamy dessert. Enjoy!
Honey-Lemon Glazed Blueberry Bundt Cake
1 (18-ounce) lemon cake mix
1 (3-ounce) vanilla instant pudding mix
1(8-ounce) container vanilla yogurt
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 T. flour
Honey-Lemon Glaze (below)
Directions: In large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, yogurt, eggs and oil. Blend with electric mixer on low speed to blend, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.
In small bowl, toss blueberries with flour to coat. Stir carefully into batter. Pour batter into greased and floured 12-cup bundt cake pan. Bake in 350-degree F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes or till wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto serving platter. Spoon cooled Honey Lemon Glaze (recipe below) over top of cake. Serves 12.
Honey-Lemon Glaze
2 T. sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. butter
Directions: In small saucepan combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently for 1 minute and remove from heat. Cool for several minutes, then spoon over cake.
Blueberry Delight
Crust:
1 1/3 cup graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Filling:
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup sugar
8-ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. grated orange rind
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Directions: In bowl, combine crust ingredients and mix till crumbly. Press mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan.
For filling, beat together eggs, sugar, cream cheese and salt till well blended. Pour over crust. Bake in preheated 375-degree F. oven 20 minutes. Cool on rack. Arrange 1 cup blueberries over cooled cheese layer.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Combine 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, water and orange rind in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till thick and clear.
Pour hot sauce over blueberry layer. Chill before serving. Serves 8.
Blueberry Crumb Pie
1 unbaked (10-inch) pie shell
1 T. flour
1 T. sugar
Filling:
7 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions: Combine the 1 tablespoon of flour and sugar and sprinkle over unbaked crust. Mix filling ingredients and spoon into crust.
Prepare topping by stirring together flour, sugars, salt and pecans. Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbles. Crumble over filling. Bake in preheated 400-degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325-degrees F. and bake an additional 30 minutes, or till top is browned. Serves 8 to 10.