Sunday was “blueberry day” at the Chattanooga Market. I got there two hours after they opened and the blueberries were already almost sold out, but I got my pint. Since I knew the blueberries were arriving, I spent some time online this week trying to find the perfect blueberry muffin recipe. According to those who tasted them, I did. I first found it on Pinterest. I added 1/4 tsp of lemon extract and 1 tsp vanilla to mine, otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. YUM!
Bursting Blueberry Muffins
Makes about 12
•½ cup Butter
•1 cup Sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon For Topping
•2 Eggs
•½ cups Milk
•2 cups Flour
•2 teaspoons Baking Powder
•½ teaspoons Salt
•1 teaspoon Cinnamon
•¼ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
•2 cups Fresh Or Frozen Blueberries
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 12-count muffin tin. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and 1 cup sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in milk.
3. Combine dry ingredients (everything else except the berries) in another bowl then add this into the creamed mixture. Stir to combine. Gently fold in blueberries.
4. Fill greased muffin cups about 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with the remaining sugar. Bake in the preheated 375 F oven for about 20 minutes (or until lightly browned).
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen.
No….the two aren’t related. After last year’s beach trip I mapped out this shell art, but never put it together because I was too lazy to iron the burlap. This year, I changed around some shells and ironed, but couldn’t find the glue gun. Turns out they are only $2.77 at Walmart, so I saved myself the headache of hunting for it and just bought a new one. I am pleased with the way it turned out. I originally got the idea from a Pinterest post. I got the weathered frame, foam core board and burlap from Hobby Lobby, and the shells span three beach trips. I sprayed them with a light gloss spray to enhance the colors. And, on to the the raccoon issue. They have eaten all of the tomatoes. I mean ALL of them. The green ones, the almost red ones, the ones that were just thinking about becoming tomatoes… We bought some sort of mystery substance at Stockdale’s to that is supposed to deter them, but the guy there said it was about a 50/50 chance of whether they would hate the smell enough to leave. Here’s hoping for a stinky garden!
The beans are coming in faster than I ever imagined. Before cooking them I did my usual thing and read a dozen recipes for ideas but didn’t follow any of them. I sautéed some onions and mushrooms with fresh basil and oregano in olive oil while boiling the beans in another pot for 8 minutes. I added the beans to the onion mixture with a little sea salt and cooked it on medium heat for a few more minutes. To top it off, I toasted some almonds on the stovetop. I shot the photo quickly because my man was waiting nearby with a serving spoon ready to dig in. It was a big hit, and healthy too!
There is nothing like seven days at the beach to relax you…and then hit you upside the head with all of the things you need to do when you get back. It was wonderful, and as usual, I enjoyed looking for shells. I was especially happy to grab the weathered conch shell, left, and pristine sea snail. Waves slammed shells to the shore, only leaving a split second to spot a prize and grab it before it was taken back into the ocean. As the shells washed by, I wondered what kind of creatures had lived in each one. Fortunately, both of my favorites were unoccupied! I brought back three small bags of goodies, including some more broken shells to edge the herb garden.
It was a big surprise to see how much the garden had grown during the week we were away. A friend watered it, but we also had a big rain so everything had a huge growth spurt. I picked a big handful of green beans and a few peppers. The basil that I planted so long ago has finally matured into harvestable plants. The tomato plants have spilled out of their cages and are filled with flowers and fruit. Shouldn’t be too much longer before we are making fresh salsa!
Sow What.....and other ramblings. 