Fresh Fruit Crumble Bars

Fresh berries, rhubarb or stone fruit, in most any combination, shine in these simple, not too sweet bars. The above is straight strawberry. My favorite might be apricot and sour cherry but actually every time I make them I say that batch is my favorite. ... Read more »

Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins

[caption id="attachment_14055" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Meant to photograph the full dozen but realized I had almost devoured one before I managed to.[/caption] These are one of the reasons I freeze blueberries every summer. They are not very sweet and the lemon zest adds another dimension. You can use fresh blueberries of course too.... Read more »

Strawberry Spice Cake

  --inspired by Smittenkitchen.com via Martha Stewart   This is a simple spring/summer cake with a hint of cardamom. I imagine it would be excellent with peaches, apricots, plums, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. ... Read more »

Minty Fruit Salad

  This is a very simple, summery fruit salad that can be made with most any fruit. The mint is what makes it interesting. And if you want to be fancy, pour 1 cup of prosecco or other sparkling wine over the whole thing right when you serve it.... Read more »

Baked Oats with Blueberries

--adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson   I look forward to making this when blueberries arrive every summer and in the dead of winter, using my robust stash of frozen berries. It’s quick to pull together, warm, hefty and healthy and just a treat any time of day. A layer of fruit lines the base of a baking dish and the fruit is then topped with a blend of rolled oats, nuts, and spices. A mixture of milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla is poured over before baking to a golden-topped finish. It's important to use rolled oats and not instant oats. The original recipe uses a layer of bananas as the base but my family does not love cooked bananas so I use blueberries as the base as well as the other layers and it's divine. You could use partially cooked apples (they would probably not soften enough if you just put them in raw or other berries or omit that base layer as well. And if you like bananas warm, by all means, slice 2 and cover the bottom of the baking dish with them.   This dish is not very sweet so feel free to increase the syrup or sugar a bit if you'd like.  ... Read more »

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

--inspired by the Joy of Cooking   These are my favorite pancakes, with or without blueberries and I make them all year long (using frozen blueberries).  They are fairly thin and almost lacy around the edges. The lemon zests lends a wonderful fragrance.   Makes about 12 4-inch pancakes  ... Read more »

Blueberry Coffee Cake

I tend to make this right after my annual first u-pick blueberry outing though it's also delicious mid-winter made with frozen berries. It’s a lovely, quick cake, just barely sweet and packed with berries. Coffee cakes are always better the day they are made, and preferably within a couple hours of coming out of the oven.  ... Read more »

About: Blueberries

The first few pints of blueberries of the season surely need no recipe. They will be consumed standing at the kitchen counter or on the way home from the market, or at the market.   Blueberries are the easiest berries to freeze--quick rinse and fill containers--and keep well, frozen. Frozen blueberries can be added to hot cereal in the winter (cools the cereal, thaws the berries!), to coffee cakes, to make compotes and sauces, etc.   As is often noted, blueberries are rich in antioxidants. They have a variety of micronutrients, including manganese, vitamin c and k and dietary fiber as well as other, potentially beneficial phytochemicals.  ... Read more »