Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

 

Blueberry muffins topped with a buttery streusel topping not only heightens their classic appeal, it adds a touch of crunchy sweetness to an already tender moist muffin that is bursting with plump blueberries.  

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

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makes 12 muffins

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large egg, beaten 

Streusel Topping

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1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chilled firm butter

Mix flour, brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter by using a fork or pastry cutter, until crumbly. You may use clean hands to do this also. 

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Grease the bottoms of a standard 12 cup medium muffin cup tin or line with baking paper cups or silicone baking cups. Set aside. 

Make the Streusel Topping and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, ground flax seeds, sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk together. Add the blueberries and toss to coat in the flour mixture. 

Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the milk, olive oil and egg. Stir until the flour mixture is just moistened, the batter will be lumpy. 

Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups. Sprinkle each with the streusel topping.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown. If baked in a greased muffin tin, let stand about 5 minutes in the tin then remove to a wire rack; if baked in baking cups, immediately remove from the tin to a wire rack. Serve warm. 

Notes: You can use self raising flour, just omit the baking powder and salt, when making the muffin batter.   

 

Date Walnut Loaf

 

This classic British loaf gets a wee bit of an update by having a crunchy sesame seed and walnut topping. It adds a more rich nutty flavour to an already nutty sticky malt like loaf that has such sweetness and warm.  

Date and Walnut Loaf

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3/4 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups chopped dates

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

1/4 cup olive oil

sesame seeds, for decorating 

extra chopped walnuts, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)

Grease a 2lb. ( 9 x5 x 3 inch ) loaf pan or loaf baking dish and line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

Place the water into a medium saucepan and bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water has boiled, stir in the chopped dates and turn the heat down to medium low. Constantly stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

In a large bowl add the flour, ground flax seed, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until combine. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

In a medium bowl add the milk, egg, vanilla extract and olive oil and beat together until combined. 

Add the milky egg mixture and the cooled date mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined. The batter will be lumpy however it should not have any flour streaks. 

Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top generously with sesame seeds and chopped walnuts. Bake in the preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, a few moist crumbs are fine. If you notice the loaf browning too much before it is fully baked place a piece of aluminum foil over top to prevent excessive browning.  

Notes: If you wish to substitute the white sugar for dark brown sugar just swap and pack the brown sugar, for a 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar instead of the 1/2 cup white sugar. 

Tomato Relish

 

Tomato relish may seem reminiscent of Pico Gallo however it is different as it has no cilantro or lime. It may be closer to a rustic salsa in that it has fresh tomatoes, onion and jalapeños; plus it has a sharp zesty flavour and can be the absolute garnish or addition to any dish or meal. 

Tomato Relish

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2 large beefsteak tomatoes, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, remove seeds, finely diced

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon corriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried dill

Prep and finely dice the tomatoes, celery stalks and red onion. 

Place all the chopped or diced vegetables into a large bowl. Slice the jalapeno pepper in half and scrape out the ribs and seeds, then finely dice. Add to the bowl. Toss the vegetables together.  

Add the vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds, salt, ground pepper and dill. Toss everything together and allow the relish to stand at room temperature for an hour. 

Refrigerate any leftovers in a well sealed glass container for up to two weeks. 

Notes: Roma, heirloom cherry tomatoes may be used. 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Peppers

This year we got an assorted pepper pot and it was one of the best things to have. They aren't a standard full size pepper however they do have lots of flavour for being so mini. Keeping care of it was easy however diligent and we were able to produce more fruit and have sliced peppers with almost everything this summer. With an array of colours varying from orange, yellow, green and red. They were absolutely wonderful on nachos.   

These were some of the red peppers from the pot and although petite, they had a bit of a spicy kick, which was a surprise but very welcomed. Excellent with eggs and in stir-fries, the vibrant mighty minis are a favourite. The pot is still producing fruit so our pepper eating days are continuing late into the summer.    

Late Summer Peach Cake

 

Peachy perfect with a warm delicate golden glow sums up this late summer treat. No need for icing as the sugar along with the maple flavouring and peaches provides all the summery sweetness you need. Fresh peaches are a must however canned or frozen peaches will do, just make sure they are drained or defrosted well. 

 Late Summer Peach Cake 

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2 cups Granulated white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon maple extract

2 cups fresh peaches, diced

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

some freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325ºF (170ºC). 

Grease the bundt pan with butter generously and lightly sprinkle in some flour and shake around the pan to coat. Turn the pan over and tap to remove any excess flour. Set aside.

Dice the peaches, if you haven't already, and place them in a bowl. Using 1/4 cup of the flour sprinkle over the diced peach and stir together to coat. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining flour with the baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt and grated nutmeg. Set side.

In a large mixing bowl beat together, using a stand mixer or an electric hand held mixer, the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between each additions. Continue to beat until well blended and creamy. Add the maple flavouring and mix until blended.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamy butter mixture while blending on low speed. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as you mix until completely blended. 

Fold in the diced peaches.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth out the top. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.

Place the cake pan onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. 

Using a knife to loosen the cake from the pan side, if necessary.

Place the wire rack or a plate over the top of the cake pan and carefully flip the pan over and gently remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely before serving. 

Notes: vanilla extract/flavouring can be substituted for the maple extract.  

Beef Mushroom Stew

 

If you love mushrooms then you will most definitely be delighted with this hearty beef and mushroom stew. It's rich with an earthy and robust flavour that is simply irresistible. And although the recipe calls for button mushrooms, you can certainly try a combination of crimini and shiitake mushrooms for a slightly different flavour. Either way, served with a nice bit of rustic bread to soak up the juicy broth, I highly recommend.  

Beef and Mushroom Stew

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Serves 6 - 8 

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless beef chuck, cubed

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

16 ounces mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 cup red wine

2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth

Heat butter and oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot to medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the beef and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, then let the meat sit and cook in the pot without turning or stirring it. After a few minutes, the meat will naturally relax and release from the bottom of the pot. Once it is easy to stir, mix it well to brown it on all sides. Brown the beef for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic and onion to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.

Next, add the mushrooms and tomato paste, season with the remaining salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Sprinkle the stew with the flour, Herbs de Provence and thyme and continue cooking everything for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens slightly. Gradually whisk in the wine by scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot to deglaze it, then add the broth and bring the stew to a boil. Once the stew comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes or until the meat is completely tender. Before serving, taste the stew and adjust the seasonings as needed. 

Notes: you may replace the Herbs de Provence with one teaspoon of dried rosemary or you may use fresh herbs, just adjust the amounts according to taste. 

Blueberry Zucchini Cake

 

I know this combination may raise an eyebrow or two however this late summer recipe that is sweetly glazed, deliciously moist and packed with plump blueberries, tender zucchini and all the zestiness of one lemon is absolutely inviting and flavourful.    

Blueberry Zucchini Cake

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2 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium zucchini) unpeeled and not packed

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, plus extra

Glaze:

2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 - 3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a medium bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, buttermilk and lemon juice until smooth. Spoon or drizzle over the cooled cake. Allow the glaze to set slightly then serve. Any leftover glaze may be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.                       

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Shred the zucchini with skin using a large standing box grater. Transfer to a mesh strainer, allowing to sit and drain while preparing the batter. Do not press the zucchini to extract moisture as some added moisture is what makes this cake so moist. When measuring zucchini do no pack the shredded zucchini in the measuring cup. If shredded zucchini is lacking in moisture, some zucchinis do, and seems dry, increase the buttermilk to 2/3 cup.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Line the bottom with baking parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

In a small bowl add the buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and stir to combine.

In a large mixing bowl and using a handheld mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and beat on medium speed until blended. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until combined. Repeat, alternating with half of the remaining flour and then all of the remaining buttermilk. Add the remaining flour and blend on medium speed until well combined. Add the zucchini and blend until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula, then blend again. The batter will be thick. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. 

Pour or spoon the thick batter into the prepared baking tin, smooth the top using either a butter knife, a spoon or an offset spatula. Scatter extra blueberries over top and slightly press them into the batter. 

Bake, in the preheated oven, for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is a lovely golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Moist crumbs are okay. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Then prepare the drizzle glaze and spoon over the cake.   

Lima Bean Soup

 

Lima beans seem to be an underrated bean however after making this recipe I believe that will change. This is one of those late summer gearing up to autumn soups that is just pure and simple and within a matter of minutes and some pantry essentials you can have a low fuss hearty soup.  

Lima Bean Soup

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serves 2 to 4 

1 can (398ml) lima beans

3 cups vegetable stock

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried nettle tops, optional 

1 - 2 tablespoon dried raw onion flakes

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse and drain the lima beans in a sieve.

Add the vegetable stock into a large pot. Add the lima beans.

Gently whisk the flour and paprika together in a bowl. Blend butter with flour mixture and add to the pot. Add the thyme, nettle tops and dried onion flakes and stir until well combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and place two bay leaves in the pot and cook on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Serve with rustic crackers or croutons.  

Notes: if you want to use freshly diced onion instead just sauté about 1/2 cup of onion in the pot before adding all other ingredients.