Potato & Broccoli Soup

Another recipe taken from MrsErikaMay's cooking blog. It notes that this recipe was taken and modified from Cooking Light.

• ¼ cup flour
• 3 ½ cups (or 2 cans) chicken broth
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 broccoli "tree", chopped
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup half & half
• 1 ½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded (use fresh from a block of cheese for best melting results)

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together flour and about ½ cup broth. This will be used later to thicken the soup.
In a large stockpot, saute the onion in a small amount of olive oil or butter until soft.
Add in remaining broth, potatoes, and broccoli. Bring to a nice simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes until potatoes are tender. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes.
Pour in flour mixture and stir in. Continue to stir over medium-high heat until soup thickens.
Pour in milk and half & half, stirring to mix. Cook over medium heat to warm through.
Finally, just before serving, add in cheese and stir until melted. Serve hot.

Ziti, Chicken, & Broccoli with Cheddar Wine Sauce

February 10, 2011 -- I finally tried this for the family tonight. I have my go-to Chicken Ziti Broccoli recipe, but I remembered I had saved this, and in my efforts to make something from the "Can't Wait to Try" list so I could change it to "Tried and True", I thought this would be worth the try. I found this recipe when one of the girls from the Nest message board posted her blog -- taken from MrsErikaMay, who's blog is "beanbistro". She had tried this off someone's else's blog. Got to love recommendations...

• 1 box ziti
• 1 grilled breast of chicken
• 2 stalks of broccoli
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• ½ cup white wine
• ¼ cup dry vermouth
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Grill chicken (or use leftover grilled chicken)
   (I added a little oil to a skillet and cooked up the chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces until cooked through)
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt butter in this pan. When butter is melted, add in garlic and cook until aromatic.
3. Stir in flour and mix until smooth and bubbly.
4. Pour in wine and vermouth and stir. When the liquid has reduced by about half, add in chicken stock.
5. Heat stock until boiling, stirring often so it will thicken.
6. Add in cheese and stir until melted. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper as desired.
7. Get a large pot of water boiling. Cook the ziti according to directions. Add broccoli florets when there is about 6 minutes remaining and continue cooking. Drain and set aside.
8. Pour in pasta, chicken, and broccoli one at a time, stirring to coat with the sauce each time. Serve hot.

Yields about 8 Servings
Nutritional Information
380.0 Calories, 23.2 Total Fat, 14.3 Saturated Fat, 31.9 Cholesterol, 479.9 Sodium, 60.9 Potassium,
22.9 Total Carbohydrates, 2.4 Dietary Fiber, 1.3 Sugar, 15.1 Protein

Basic Pizza Dough

Taken from Ready2006's post on the Nest.
Mix up a batch of this dough whenever you're in the mood for homemade pizza. Use it in the recipes here, create your own versions, or add mix-ins to customize the crust. Don't worry about rolling the dough into a perfect circle.

• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 package active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ tsp.)
• ¾ cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces), divided
• ½ tsp. salt
• Cooking spray
• 2 Tbsp. stone-ground yellow cornmeal

Directions
Dissolve the honey and yeast in ¾ cup warm water in a large bowl.
Let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
Add 2 cups flour and salt to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes).
Add enough of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly sticky).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.
Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)
Roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about ¼-inch thick) on a lightly floured surface.
Place dough on a rimless baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim.
Lightly spray surface of dough with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap.
Place the dough in refrigerator for up to 30 minutes.
Bake according to recipe directions.
Wheat Germ Dough: Replace ¼ cup all-purpose flour with ¼ cup toasted wheat germ.
Asian Dough: Add 2 teaspoons raw sesame seeds.
Herb Dough: Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (use a mix of herbs or just one, such as basil or oregano).
Nutty Dough: Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pecans.
Cheese Dough: Add 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, fontina, or other cheese.
Pepper Dough: Add 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.
Note: Nutritional analysis is for 1 (12-inch) pizza crust. -- Yield: 1 (12-inch) crust
Nutritional Information: CALORIES 1155(3% from fat); FAT 3.4g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.5g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 33.8g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 49mg; SODIUM 1195mg; FIBER 10.8g; IRON 14.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 242.5g
To make calzones or pizza, we top with sauce (I use a can of tomato sauce simmered for ~20 minutes with spices), cheese, and then your toppings. We love turkey sausage--our favorite combo is ricotta, turkey sausage, and roasted red peppers. Yum!

Texas Potatoes

I received this from my SIL as an idea for the holidays. She got it from a friend, and I've heard they are delicious. I can't wait to try them!

• 1 large bag frozen Hash Browns (Ore Ida)
• 1/4 pound melted butter
• 2/3 pint sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup chopped onion

Directions
Mix all ingredients in a dish and then spread into a 9x11 baking pan
Crumble Ritz crackers (or corn flakes or whatever you have to make it crispy) on top and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Spinach Dip

I got this from my sister-in-law, Francesca. She got it off the back of some container of some sort... but I'll give her 100% credit for introducing me to it. It's become a holiday/party staple.

• 1 envelope Lipton Vegetable Soup and Dip Mix
• 1 8 oz. container sour cream
• 1 cup of Helmann’s mayonnaise
• 1 package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
• (2) bread bowls

Directions
Mix the soup mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, and spinach together in a bowl.
Refrigerate the dip -- the colder the better.
In the meantime, cut one bread bowl into dipping pieces.
Cut the lid off the second bread bowl and hollow it out.
Fill this bread bowl with the dip right before serving.

Bourbon Chicken

Taken from MA Girl in the OC's blog
(Source: RecipeZaar.com)

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ¼ tsp. ginger
• ¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup apple juice
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
Remove chicken.
Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.
Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve over hot rice.

Modifications:-I only used 2 chicken breasts because that is all I had thawed. But I kept all the sauce ingredients the same as the original recipe so I would have plenty of sauce for my rice.
- I ended up using a slurry (cornstarch and water) to help thicken the sauce because I preferred it to be a thicker consistency.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy of Bruegger's Bagels. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin... but we were in line at Bruegger's Bagels while waiting to get T's hair cut next door at Snip-It's and they had this recipe out on display. It looked easy, and since CC loves to cook, I figured we could give it a whirl.

Here is the whole recipe. I halved it because I didn't feel the need to make TWO cheesecakes -- and I think the only reason why this is for two (besides a marketing ploy to buy four tubs of cream cheese) is because how do you halve five eggs? I did it... I cracked three eggs, whisked them all together (despite how the recipe said to add one at a time) and estimated how much a half an egg was and chucked the extra half egg.

By the way... from the girl who isn't all that in to pumpkin... it was DEEEE-LISH-OUS...

• (4) Bruegger's Pumpkin Cream Cheese containers
• (2) 9" prepared graham cracker crusts
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Mix cream cheese until softened in mixer for 1 minute.
Add sugar gradually while maintaining mixing.
Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add eggs one at a time, blending after each addition.
Add vanilla; mix thoroughly.
Pour batter into prepared graham cracker crusts.
Bake at 325° F for 30-35 minutes.
Cool completely, then refrigerate.

Serve with homemade whipped cream.

Crockpot Ideas (10/09/2007)

From Jenimac:
Put 2-3 pounds of cubed stew beef with 1 cup red wine, 1 cup water, and a packet of onion soup mix. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

From MrsSmailey:
A whole chicken rub with a packet of ranch dry mix dressing and pour 1cup to 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook on low of 8 hours..

From MrsParks23:
Basically I get stew beef, a can of beef broth, carrots and potatoes and cook them on low for 8 hours. I coat the beef in flour first so that the sauce gets thicker. Making a rue. Then I add peas at the end, frozen are ok and pour it over some kind of noodles. I like wide egg noodles - that's what my mom always bought for us.

Crockpot Garlic Chicken

I got this from Mrs.Smailey (Karyn) off the Nest. It sounds like it was made to ward off Count Dracula, and also sounds like something my mom would LOVE, and since I'm becoming a garlic fiend, I can't wait to try it. Karyn says that even though is sounds like a lots of garlic it is not overwhelming.

• (1) whole chicken
• Seasoning
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 40 cloves of garlic

Directions

Take a clean, whole chicken and rub with seasoning.
Place in crockpot.
Pour in the chicken borth and add the garlic cloves.
Cook on low for approximately 8 hours... the chicken will fall off the bone.

Monkey Bread

This recipe is too sinful and too addictive and came from our friend Julie. Since she passed this recipe to us, I have seen something similar using a Tupperware seasoning packet. But who wants to spend a lot of money for their vanilla and cinnamon packet, when we can just use this recipe from scratch?

• 4 packages (10) Pillsbury Buttermilk biscuits
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 1/3 sticks butter

Directions

Cut biscuits in quarters.
Mix white sugar and cinnamon together in a big bowl.
Put biscuits in with sugar mixture and coat well.
Put coated biscuits in a bundt pan.
Melt the butter and brown sugar on the stove.
Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the coated biscuits.
Take remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes.
Let cool 5 minutes then flip over slowly onto a plate.

Ice Box Cake

This was Nick's dad's favorite cake. Nick's mom would make this every February for his birthday. It was a yummy pudding cake with graham crackers, and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

• Graham crackers
• (2) boxes vanilla cook and serve pudding
• (2) boxes chocolate cook and serve pudding
• 8 cups milk
• Whipped cream

Directions
Line the bottom of a 9x13” glass pan with graham crackers.
Prepare vanilla pudding as directed.
When pudding is done, slowly pour on top of graham crackers.
Top with another layer of graham crackers.
Prepare chocolate pudding according to package directions.
Slowly pour over second layer of graham crackers.
Crumble 3 full rectangles of graham crackers and sprinkle on top.
Chill at least 1 hour.
Serve by cutting into squares and top with whipped cream.

Tequila Lime Chicken

I actually got this off of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. It's a lot of work, using fresh squeezed juices, but it's so good. I serve it with Near East's Spanish Rice Pilaf.

• ½ cup gold tequila
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5-6 limes)
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. fresh jalapeno pepper, minced (1 pepper seeded)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced (3 cloves)
• 2 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 6 split)

Directions

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the chicken breasts.
Refrigerate overnight.
Heat grill and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.
Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade.
Sprinkle well with salt and pepper.
If using chicken with skin still on, grill them skin side down for about 5 minutes until browned.
Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through.
Remove from grill on to a plate.
Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes
Serve hot or at room temperature

Honey Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

Nick's dad used to grill this pork tenderloin at least once a month. It was melt-in-your-mouth good.

• 2 Tbsp. garlic
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup teriyaki sauce
• ½ cup honey

Directions
Combine above ingredients.
Marinate with pork tenderloin for 2-4 hours, shaking and turning the container.
Grill until internal temperature of 160°F.
Let rest about 5-10 minutes and slice.

Blueberry Pie

Nick's mom provided many of my favorite dessert recipes, and here is another one that is really easy to make. You only have to bake the pre-made frozen pie crust. The rest is done on the stovetop and then placed in the refrigerator to set. Absolutely delicious with freshly picked blueberries and served with some Brigham's vanilla.

• 4 cups blueberries
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp. butter/margarine
• 1 cooked pie shell

Directions
Pre-cook pie shell according to directions
Allow to cool
Pour 2 cups of uncooked blueberries into cooked pie shell
In saucepan, combine 2 cups of blueberries, cornstarch, sugar, and butter
Cook on medium-high and then reduced to medium until berries pop (approximately 5-10 minutes)
Pour over uncooked berries in shell
Refrigerate

Apple Crisp

Another recipe from my stepmother, and this has to be my most favorite, MUST MAKE, Fall recipe. For some reason, the recipe is titled "Apple Crisp Pudding". I'm not sure what makes it a pudding, but boy-oh-boy is this good (oh yeah... it probably helps that I basically doubled the streusel topping. My husband thinks it's too much sugar and butter, but I think it's the absolute best. Add some Brigham's vanilla and I'm in heaven!)

• 8 medium apples
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water

Topping:

• 1 ½ cups flour
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 14 Tbsp. butter

DIRECTIONS

Pare and thinly slice apples
Line in baking pan
Mix sugar and water
Pour over apples
Mix topping and sprinkle over apples
Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 1 hour

Apple Cake

I think this recipe came from Nick's mom, again. It was titled "Jewish Apple Cake", but I wasn't sure where she got it since she's not Jewish :-) Regardless, it's a great way to celebrate the Fall with fresh picked apples.

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 5 apples
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Combine sugar, oil, and eggs
Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla
Slice apples thin
Combine apples with 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Add to above
Bake in an ungreased pan at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Bars

Another recipe from Mum, and another recipe where you can't just eat one.

• 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 2 rolls Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Directions

Slice one roll of cookie dough, ¼-inch thick
Layer in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan, pinching the slices together to cover entire bottom of the pan.
Combine cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla
Beat until well blended
Pour over cookie dough
Layer second roll on top, leaving small gaps in between slices (it doesn't have to be perfect)
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes
Cool thoroughly before slicing

Fudge

Who doesn't love fudge. This is one of the easiest recipes ever, coming from Nick's mom.

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 cups mini-marshmallows
• 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Combine butter, milk, sugar and salt in a saucepan
Bring to a rolling boil
Stirring constantly, cook 4-5 minutes
Remove from heat
Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, vanilla and nuts
Stir for 1 minute
Pour into 8" buttered pan
Chill and cut into squares

Key Lime Pie

My mom moved to Florida in 1995. On one of her first visits back, she brought a bottle of key lime juice (turns out, you can buy it in most grocery stores up here now). I tried this recipe off the back of the bottle and it was such a great dessert.

• (1) 9” graham cracker pie crust
• (1) 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
• 3 egg yolks
• ½ cup key lime juice (NOT lime juice)

Directions
Combine condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice
Blend until smooth
Pour filling into pie crust
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes
Allow to stand 10 minutes
Refrigerate
Top with homemade whipped cream and lime

Raspberry Squares

This recipe came from a co-worker of Nick's dad's, several years ago. She made it around the holidays as a gift, and it was such a hit that I begged him to get the recipe from her. So, this comes thanks to a woman names Sue N. You have to be careful with anyone allergic to nuts. The walnuts just make a nice crust to the squares, and you can't see that there are nuts in these. But they are so good, and so addictive.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ sticks butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 large egg
• ¼ tsp. salt
• (1) 10 oz. jar of raspberry jam
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Cream sugar and butter
Add egg, walnuts, flour, salt, and vanilla
Mix well
Press down one-half of the dough in greased 9-inch square pan
Spread jam over dough
Top with remaining dough
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

Sand Art Brownies

This is a great idea that I have used as Christmas gifts several times. It's easy to make up a bunch of these at one time, and they are THE MOST decadent, rich, and delicious brownies you will ever have.

Put in 1 mason jar, in order:

• ½ cup flour, plus 2 Tbsp. flour

½ tsp. salt

½ cup cocoa

½ cup flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup butterscotch chips

 
Type up the below with the wet ingredients, baking instructions, and frosting recipe. I used green paper to print out and make the card and cut it into a Christmas tree shape, tying it to the lid with a string of raffia.I got a piece of holiday fabric, cut it with craft scissors, and tied it with the card and the raffia.


When ready to bake add:

• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup oil
• 3 eggs beaten
• Pour into greased 9x11” pan
• Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees
• Cool and frost

Chocolate Frosting:

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 1 bag large marshmallows
  
  Cook butter, sugar, and milk on stove top just until boiling
  Add chocolate chips and large marshmallows
  Mix until gloss wears off

Strawberry Sour Cream Pie

I got this recipe from Nick's mother. It's a fabulous single crust pie, with the batter creating almost a top crust. It's fabulous with fresh strawberries in the early summer.

• 9” pie shell
• 4 cups strawberries, halved and sliced
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• Sugar for top of pie

Directions
Place strawberries in uncooked pie shell
Sift together sugar, flour, and salt
Fold in sour cream and pour over strawberries
Sprinkle top with sugar
Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees
Lower oven to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until top is slightly browned

Special Notes:

You may want to put a foiled cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to avoid the strawberry drippings on the floor of your oven.

Check the edges of the pie crust during baking. You may need to add foil around the edges of the crust to prevent overbrowning or burning.

Banana Bread

This recipe came from Nick's grandmother. I've used it to make it in bread loaves, as well as muffins (mini and regular size).

• 3 bananas, mashed
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup soft shortening
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt

Directions
Mix first four ingredients in mixing bowl.
Sift last four ingredients and add to banana mixture
Mix well
Bake at 350 degrees in greased loaf pan until done – approximately 60 minutes

Whoopie Pies

Another recipe from my stepm that we made while growing up. We recently made batches and batches of these for CC's 5th Grade bake sale. They were delicious and just like I remembered growing up. It always surprised me that the filling isn't made with any type of whipping cream, but they taste like it.

Pies

• ½ cup cocoa
• ½ cup hot water
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 ¾ cups unsifted flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup buttermilk

Filling

• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2/3 cup milk
• Dash of salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup shortening
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions
Mix cocoa and hot water
Cream shortening and sugar
Add eggs, milk, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla
Add cocoa mixture
Drop by teaspoon on ungreased cookie sheet (I used a 1" scoop)
Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees
Cook and set aside to coolFilling
In a medium bowl, combine flour, milk, and salt
In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening
Combine above mixtures
Beat until fluffy
Add vanilla
Spread between two pies


Alternate Filling Recipe
Jim wanted to try another alternative filling that didn't include shortening. I went to my go-to baking expert, Martha, who graciously shared her grandmother's recipe. It was a hit!

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 7 heaping Tbsp. marshmallow fluff
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients together.

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

I found this recipe a long time ago in the Boston Herald. I would venture to guess that it was sometime around 1990. I suppose the recipe dates itself, in a way, since there is no longer such a store as Jordan Marsh. I was working for an environmental company in Cambridge. It was in the earlier days of working at this company. I remember that we were at the old location, and I was still an administrative assistant. It was summer... a lot of people were on vacation, and there was virtually nothing to do. Someone had brought in a Herald, which I thought was cool, since I grew up in a Boston Globe family. The Herald, to me at that age, had all of the entertainment gossip and fun stuff, like regular recipes (not fancy gourmet stuff). Me, being more of a baker at heart, thought this was so cool. I have been using this recipe ever since -- gosh, looking at the year, pretty darn close to 20 years. ACK!

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 ½ cups blueberries
• Sugar for tops of muffins

Directions
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
Add eggs and mix until blended
Sift in dry ingredients
Mix in milk and vanilla
Mash in ½ cup of the blueberries and stir in
Add rest of the blueberries
Grease muffin tins
Spoon batter into muffin tins(Note: these muffins are large and tend to overflow; if you want smaller muffins, use two muffin pans)
Sprinkle tops with sugar
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes

Streusel Coffee Cake

This recipe came from my Mum. I have memories of making this all the time throughout my childhood, especially when we'd be going to visit my grandparents' cottage in Maine and special occasions. It's a delicious coffee cake.

Cake

• ½ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Streusel

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 2-4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped nuts (i.e., walnuts)
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Cream butter, eggs, and sugar
Add sour cream
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
Add vanilla
Mix streusel ingredients

Grease a Bundt pan, and add one-half the batter
Sprinkle half the streusel
Pour remaining batter
Finish with remaining streuselBake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour