Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

I've picked about 7 pounds of blueberries in two days. The last batch had some tart ones in it so I decided to use them for muffins.

• 2 c minus 4 T all purpose flour (or 2 c cake flour)
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1.5 t powder
• 1/2 t soda
• 1 pinch salt
• cinnamon
  
• 3 oz cream cheese, cubed
• 2 t vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c melted butter
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 3/4 c blueberries, fresh
  

1. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.
2. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients (first 6), using cinnamon to taste.
3. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
4. Add eggs. Blend in.
5. Stir in melted butter.
6. Add milk.
7. Just barely combine the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
8. Gently fold in blueberries.
9. Spread evenly in muffin cups. Bake at 350 for 25 min. Cool for 15 min.

Variations

• Add 2 t lemon juice with the cream cheese and vanilla.
• Use frozen blueberries - be sure they are patted dry.
• Top muffins with a cube of cream cheese before baking.
• Add nutmeg with cinnamon.

Salmon-Spinach Pasta

Whipped this one up for the kids, too.

• sliced smoked salmon (Pacific, not Atlantic!), bite size pieces
  
• onion, chopped
• spinach, frozen or fresh
• black pepper
• pasta
• oil
  

1. Cook the pasta.
2. Fry the onions.
3. Add the spinach.
4. Cook the pasta.
5. Drain the pasta. Oil or butter to keep from sticking. Add onion-spinach and salmon. Season with black pepper.

Notes
The smoked salmon is usually salty enough you don't have to add any more salt.

Variation
Add ricotta.

October 11, 2011 ****
- handful of green peas, chopped to bite size pieces
- half bowl of frozen peas
- frozen spinach, 1 pkg
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- butter
- spiral pasta
- small package smoked sockeye salmon, cut into bite size pieces
- grated cheese

Zucchini Ideas

Zucchini Cakes
egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, seasoning; baked

Eggless Zucchini Fries
breadcrumbs/cornflakes, yogurt; baked

Zucchini Nut Bars
honey, butter, eggs, flour, dried fruit, nuts, baking powder; baked

Zucchini Basil Muffins
eggs, milk, oil, flour, sugar, salt, basil, parmesan, baking powder; baked
not too sweet

Zucchini Muffins
butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, soda, salt, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, c/raisins; baked

Zucchini Pancakes
shallots, chives, parsley, garlic, eggs, parmesan, flour; pan fried

Zucchini Muffins
flour, eggs, butter, sugar, sour cream, soda, powder, spices; baked
good with kids, not too sweet

Zucchini Pea Pasta

Whipped this up for the kids today.

1. Lightly brown sliced zucchini in olive oil.
2. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil.
3. Add generous amount of boiled, buttered peas and marscapone (1-3T per cup of peas).
4. Stir in cooked pasta.
5. Sprinkle with black pepper and salt.
6. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Variations

• use cream instead of marscapone
• 11/26/11 Added mushrooms with zucchini, no cream or marscapone - just mixed grated cheese.

Cherry Scones

California cherries are popping up everywhere now, but they're not always all that sweet. I had a bag of fairly tart cherries I wanted to use up quickly, so used this recipe. If your cherries are super tart, you might want to sprinkle a little sugar on them. Otherwise this recipe is good as is.

• 1.5 c cherries
• 2 c flour
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 T cold butter
• 2 T canola oil
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 t vanilla

1. Pit cherries and coarsely chop. Drain on paper towel.
2. In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, powder and salt.
3. Using fingers, work in small pieces of butter.
   
4. Stir in drained cherries.
5. Make a well in the center.
   
6. Stir together oil, milk and vanilla. Pour into well and stir just until firm dough forms.
7. Turn onto floured surface. Knead 3 times. Divide in half. Pat each half into 6" circle 3/4" thick. Cut each into 6 wedges.
8. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
   
9. Bake above center at 450F for 10-12 minutes.

Notes
I eyeballed the milk and the dough was very wet but they were still fully cooked at 12 minutes in the oven. The original recipe calls for sweet cherries (vs tart cherries), so perhaps if you have tart ones, stir in a little extra sugar.

Chocolate Mousse

One of my favorite desserts of all time. I learned to make this in 7th grade but have since lost that recipe. I only remember that it did not use cream. Since then I've searched and it's hard to come up with something as good, or perhaps my memory is only of an ideal. In any case, I found this in some old filed away place with a note that I'd made it in 2001, but no notes on how it turned out. So I gave it another go. This time I doubled the recipe (original portions below), and it came out quite sweet. If I were to do it again, I might do a mix of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate. Warning: Contains raw egg - not good for pregnant women.
12/28/15 Made this again, and again served it to a pregnant woman! Still delicious though.

• 6 oz semisweet chocolate
• 2-3 T water
• 1 T butter
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 3 eggs

1. Melt the chocolate and water in a microwave according to directions. (Place in large bowl and microwave for 1m30 at 50%. Stir. Continue microwaving at 15-30 second intervals, stirring each time. Mixture should be thick and creamy.
2. Stir in the butter and vanilla.
3. Separate the eggs, putting the whites into a bowl and dropping the yolks, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture, stirring well after each addition.
4. Beat the egg whites until they hold a soft peak. Fold 1/4 into the chocolate. Fold in the remaining whites.
5. Pour into serving containers or into single large bowl. Chill overnight.

Variations

• Use rum instead of vanilla.
• Use black coffee instead of water.
• Top with whipped cream.
• Serve with raspberries, blackberries or strawberries.
• Use as filling inside crepes.
• Spread between layers of cake.

Strawberry Shortcakes

I tried a new recipe for shortcakes, requiring frozen butter. I also made individual cakes instead of in a 9" cake pan. It got good reviews, but when doesn't the combination of fresh strawberries, whip cream and cake? I'll have to do a side by side taste test some day to figure out which recipe is better.

5/8/22 threw this together for dessert but forgot to sprinkle sugar on the shortcakes before baking. Also only filled the shortcakes... Did not decorate on top to make eating less messy.

• 2 c flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 T powder
• 3 T sugar
• 1/2 c butter, frozen
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 T sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 18 oz fresh strawberries
• optional: sugar

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Grate 2 T butter coarsely. Toss. Repeat.
3. Combine egg and milk. Pour in. Toss with fork to form large clumps.
4. Lightly press into ball. Add t more of milk if won't come together.
5. Divide into 6 pieces (approx 3x3 inches, or rounded). Place 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
6. Sprinkle with 1/2 T sugar.
7. Bake 425F 12-14 minutes or until light brown.
8. Cool to warm 5-10 minutes.
9. Whip cream. Add sugar and vanilla. Whip to completion.
10. Wash, hull, and lightly mash strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar.
11. Cut cakes in half. Layer strawberries followed by whipped cream. Place cake half on top. Top with whipped cream and strawberries.
12. Serve immediately or chill.