Blueberry-Cinnamon Muffins

Several weeks ago, we went blueberry picking with friends. It was a fun filled morning. We started out early and headed to the berry patch where we would meet friends. After a fun filled morning of picking, filling our tummies with goodies from the country store (as well as a blueberry here and there) and playing on the obstacle course we headed home. I promised my friends I would share some recipes and am really late in upholding my promise but here is a new one.

I actually made these muffins last night so that we would have something yummy to fill our tummies with before we headed out to walk the Race for the Cure. I have to say I think they were delicious. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Blueberry Cinnamon Muffins - adapted from Southern Living

Topping:

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

Stir together and set aside.

Muffins:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 cup blueberries (if using frozen do not thaw before folding into batter)

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs beating until well blended. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Gently fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into muffin pans sprayed with cooking spray or lined with muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle tops with oat mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until tops are golden.

Long Time No Blog

Ok.  I know it has been 5 months since my last blog so I apologize.  I really have such good intentions but something seems to always get in the way.  I am going to do my best to blog at least a couple times each month.  So please feel free to keep me honest.  :)

Well one of the things that has been keeping me busy lately is that my sister-in-law just got married this last weekend and I have been the unofficial wedding coordinator.  I have done all sorts of things to help get ready for the big day but since this is a food blog.  I will share the groom's cake with you.  I have baked cake after cake trying to find the right cake for Isaac's groom's cake. (This is probably why the dress I wore for the wedding was a little tight.)  Anyway, finally Isaac and I came to the agreement that we would make a Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese frosting.  It is such a yummy cake and turned out to be an excellent choice for them.  I made 2 16-inch round cakes and then decorated them with the Cubs logo.  I made alot of icing so that I wouldn't have to make more in the middle so now I have leftover icing that I hope lasts until July 4th.  

Recipe Coming Soon.

Tortilla Soup

Jeff and I were suppose to go to a Murder Mystery Dinner last weekend and I was suppose to take soup for the potluck.  Well we ended up not going to the dinner because William was sick but I had already made the soup and it was delicious.  The recipe makes a lot so you may want to cut it in half unless you want a huge batch of soup.

Tortilla Soup

1 tablespoon oil

2 large onions, chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

12 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

juice of 2 limes

1 package (8oz.) small corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 in-thick strips

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4 inch thick strips (or use a whole shredded chicken)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey Jack cheese

1.  Heat 1 tblsp. vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in two-thirds of the garlic, 1 tbsp. salt, cumin, and chile flakes and cook 2 minutes.

2.  Add broth, tomatoes, and half of the lime juice and increase heat to a gentle simmer; cook 20 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, pour about 1 in. of vegetable oil into a small frying pan set over medium-high heat.  When oil is hot but not smoking, add one-third of the tortilla strips and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer strips to a paper towel-lined sheet pan.  Repeat with remaining strips.  Sprinkle with salt while hot.  Set aside.

4.  Puree soup.  (I use an immersion blender but if you don't have one just put it in your blender in batches.)  Return soup to pot and resume simmering.  In a small bowl, toss chicken with remaining lime juice, garlic, and add 1/2 tsp. salt.  Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes, then add to soup and simmer until chicken is cooked through.  Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Serve with tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream, and cheese.

Note.  When I made this last weekend I cooked 2 lbs of chicken according the the recipe and then added half of a shredded chicken to add more chicken to the recipe.  Even if you use precooked chicken go ahead and add the marinade in with the chicken to get all of the flavor into the soup.

What's For Dinner

Even though I love to cook, I don't always enjoy coming up with what to cook.  I do well for a while especially after looking through my newest cooking magazine but after the excitement wears off I am just like everyone else.  Fortunately, my family does like to help with the menu.  Sometimes they are more helpful than others but at least they do like to contribute.  William is responsible for our menu of the evening and I was more than grateful for the suggestion and thankful that it wasn't Salmon, noodles, and peas which is his most frequent and favorite request.  Tonight he wanted Goulash.  It is perfect weather for it and I was more than happy to satisfy his tastebuds for the evening.

So in case you are interested here is the recipe I am using.  It is adapted from The Dean Bros.  Y'all Come Eat.  (I do lighten up the recipe by draining the meat and taking out the additional salt.)

Goulash

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds ground beef

1 - 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 29-ounce can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Brown meet and onion together until the meat is browned.  Drain.  Return meat mixture to pot.  Add remaining ingredients except the macaroni.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered for 20 minutes.  Stir in the macaroni, simmer, covered for 20 minutes.  Let goulash stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings.

I love to serve with shredded white cheddar cheese on top and crusty french bread.

Enjoy!

I will try to post some pictures later today.