Posts Tagged ‘blueberries’





Blueberry Season In Full Swing

Sunday, June 5th, 2011





Blueberry Streusel

Crumb Cake



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Several stages of ripening in our blueberry bed




The blueberries are coming in with a bang this year. They are so big and juicy! Oklahoma’s gonna compete with Maine, I’d say!!


When I was a girl, my family would go to Cadillac Mountain in Maine and pick wild blueberries to our heart’s content. Wild raspberries and strawberries could be found as well. There was just nothing like standing on that high mound of granite that was covered in short blueberry bushes, loaded with small, ripe berries. The book Blueberries For Sal was a favorite of ours.


Now, I harvest Oklahoma blueberries – large, plump and sweet. The bushes are much larger than those of the Maine wild blueberries. The berries are wonderful for jelly, muffins, scones and coffee cake and today, I thought I’d share a yummy coffee cake recipe that we like. Canned blueberries work fine in this recipe too. Enjoy!


Blueberry Streusel Crumb Cake



For Cake:

  • 1 stick real butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp grated lemon or orange zest
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 ¼ cup all purpose or heavily sifted pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries tossed with 2 tbsp sugar or ¾ cup canned blueberries
  • Confectioners Sugar


  • For the Streusel Crumb Topping

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1 cup all purpose flour or heavily sifted pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped English Walnuts or pecans
  • Printable Recipe



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    Cream butter, sugar and eggs together


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    Add vanilla and either lemon or orange zest and mix


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    Add sour cream and mix in


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    Add flour that has been mixed with soda, salt and baking powder. Stir


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    Add fresh blueberries that have been tossed with sugar or use canned blueberries


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    Grease a 9” round or square pan with Crisco or other shortening. I use a paper towel to do this. I find that it covers more surface than a brush.


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    Flour the pan by shaking flour around the surface of the pan until all areas are covered. Shake out excess flour. In cookbooks, this is what is meant by “greasing and flouring “ your pan.


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    Meanwhile, melt stick of butter over medium heat and remove from heat


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    Add white and brown sugars and stir


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    Add cinnamon and stir until completely blended


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    Stir nuts into the batter


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    Add flour and stir until everything is totally incorporated. It will be crumbly and sticky.


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    Pour batter into baking pan and crumble topping over the surface of the batter


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    Crumble the topping all the way to the edge of the pan. Place in a 350º preheated oven and bake for 40 – 55 minutes. Test for doneness with a knife or a toothpick. It should come out clean.


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    Allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes and sprinkle with Confectioners sugar. Serve warm. Leftovers can be cut up and frozen.


    Happy Baking!



    MB
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    Roses and Berries and Grapes – Oh My!

    Thursday, May 5th, 2011





    All’s Well In Okie Land



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    As cold as it has in these here parts, it’s amazing to see how fruits and veggies are responding. It’s awesome. I picked 4 quarts of strawberries and am cutting those up for more jam and, of course, strawberry shortcake. I thought I’d just take you on a stroll through part of the garden and let you see how great everything looks.


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    The Knockout roses are a knockout!



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    The azaleas must think they’re in Georgia!



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    The Dianthus and Daisies are divine



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    The asparagus, on its second year, is a canopy of fronds



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    The strawberries have gone crazy



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    As have the blueberries



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    And the grapes. All the little flower bunches are “pre” bunches of grapes



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    Yes, despite the drought and the freeze and the wind, it’s a pretty good year. Just goes to show you that God’s creation can dish out and take anything!! We’re just along for the ride.



    Happy Gardening!



    MB
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