Trending
One of my favorite berries is the blueberry. Not only are blueberries tasty, they are affordable and good for us. 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 the old-fashioned way – baked in a cake, a pie, a muffin or a warm homemade cobbler.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 T. butter, softened
Directions: For cake, beat butter at medium speed of electric mixer till creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating till blended after each addition.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine milk and 1/4 cup water.
Add flour mixture to butter alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour, mixing on low speed after each addition, till mixture is blended. Gently stir in blueberries and cream cheese cubes. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square pan.
For topping, combine flour, sugar, lemon zest and butter. Stir with fork. Sprinkle topping over cake batter. Bake in preheated 375-degree F. oven 50 to 55 minutes or till golden brown. Serve warm, or cool completely on wire rack. Serves 16.
Blueberry-Lemon Sponge Pie
1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 T. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup orange juice
Baked 9-inch pie shell
1/4 cup sugar
2 T. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 cup sugar
Directions: For blueberry layer, heat blueberries in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. In small bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour and salt. Add two of the egg yolks and orange juice to flour mixture, mixing till smooth. Stir egg yolk mixture into blueberries. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly till mixture thickens slightly. Pour mixture into the baked pie shell.
For lemon sponge layer, combine sugar, flour and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in water and one beaten egg yolk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and lemon rind.
Beat egg whites in another bowl till foamy, using an electric mixer on high speed. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating till stiff peaks form. Gently fold lemon mixture into the beaten egg whites. Spoon mixture over blueberry layer, spreading so it touches inner edge of crust all around.
Bake in preheated 325-degree F oven 30 minutes, or till lightly browned. Cool on rack. Store in refrigerator. Serves 6 to 8.
Blueberry Sauce
(Great over ice cream, pound cake, pancakes or anything that can benefit from a little sauce.)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1-pint blueberries
Directions: In saucepan combine cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is slightly thickened and clear. Remove from heat and gently stir in blueberries. Cool.