Freezing Berries Tutorial & Spectacular Strawberry Bread

My absolute favorite food in all the world is a Berry...a Strawberry, a Blueberry, a Blackberry, or even a Raspberry. It is like a little taste of heaven in my mouth. I love berries in yogurt, in salads, in cereal, in breads, in shortcakes, in pancakes, in ice cream, and just plain by themselves. Berries are super delish and super healthy. I love Springtime because berries are also Super-Cheap at the grocery stores because they are "in season". So, I stock up when they go on sale for 99 cents a carton. I buy a ton of cartons and then freeze the berries so that I can indulge all year long.

On a side note-it is best to use frozen berries in muffin and pancake recipes. The berries burst while cooking and make the recipe even more moist and yummy. So, add the bluberries to your pancakes after you have already poured the batter onto a hot griddle. Yummy!

There is a trick to freezing berries, and I thought today I would I would share my Berry Freezing Knowledge with the world :-).

• First, do NOT rinse the berries. Rinsing the berries makes the berries mushy and makes them stick together when you freeze them.



• Take them out of the carton and remove the stems (I just cut them off). Some berries do not have stems so there is nothing to cut.



• Line large cookie sheets with wax paper.



• Lay the berries single file on the wax paper-lined cookie sheets.



• Stick the cookie sheets in your freezer, and set a timer for 2 hours to give them a quick freeze.



• Remove the trays of berries, and bag them in individual freezer storage bags.



• Label the bags with the type of berries and the date and freeze.



• Take out a bag of berries when you get a hankering for something sweet and enjoy fresh frozen deliciousness all year long. (You can even bag a mixture of berries in a bag so you have a ready-made smoothie base.)

Freezing Berries TOTALLY WORKS FOR ME! For more WFMW tips, visit http://www.wearethatfamily.com/

And, now for my all-time favorite sweet bread recipe that utilizes these frozen berries.....

Strawberry Bread
If you love berries as much as I do, then this is a slice of heaven.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup oil
2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries (thawed and mashed to make their own juice)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a hole in the center and add the beaten eggs and oil. Add the frozen strawberries. Pour into 2 greased 9x5x3 inch pans and bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes.

My Lord's Beauty and Lemon Meringue Pie

Sorry for the lapse in blog posting. A NASTY Stomach Virus hit our home last week and I wasn’t able to get out of bed, much less, bake. In fact, I think the 100 Muffin Challenge will be put on hold until the middle of May. My Hubby and I are getting ready to take a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands to celebrate our 10 year Wedding Anniversary. I am so excited and feel so blessed. So, when I return, I will be rejuvenated, rested, and ready to bake!

I am in awe of God’s beauty in my little corner of the world right now. My Magnolia tree is blooming, my pansies are a myriad of gorgeous colors, and my rose bushes are spectacular. Whenever, I see the flowers, I think about how Heaven must hold the same beauty times a zillion. And, then I think about how our precious daughter gets to dance in that beauty every second of everyday. That thought is like a little “happy” for my heart.

Now, nothing says Springtime like a Lemon Meringue Pie. My awesome friend, mentor, and Women’s Leadership Head at our Church, requested that I make her one of these lucious beauties to satisfy her craving. I was happy to oblige. I first made a Lemon Meringue Pie several years ago because it is my Daddy’s absolute favorite. I was a little nervous, as this pie definitly takes a lot of work and attention to detail, but it turned out great. Here is the recipe that I use. Try it out and let me know what you think. Be sure and devote your entire attention to making the meringue or it will wilt or just be plain yucky. Consider this pie your masterpiece, and treat it with care.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week. You are Prayed for and Loved!

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Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

Lemon Filling:
• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
• 1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows
Meringue:
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 10 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Directions:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
To make the Meringue: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks from. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form (THIS TAKES SOME TIME, please BE PATIENT.) Add the clear vanilla extract and beat just long enough to combine.
To make the Lemon Filling: Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.
Return egg mixture to saucepan, add the lemon juice, and turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter and lemon zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. I have found that it works best to use the back of a spoon to spread the meringue. Pull your spoon up with each dollop to make the cool-looking meringue peaks.
Bake for 20-23 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing. Store in Refrigerator.

Day #58: Crunchy Peanut Butter Muffins

Calling all kiddos...today's Crunchy Peanut Butter Muffins are "Yummy in your Tummy!" Make these tasty treats and serve them as a healthy, protein-packed afterschool treat. Serve them warm, cut in half and slathered in honey or jelly for an extra-special treat.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Toasted Almond and Apricot

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Crunchy Peanut Butter Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
6 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

For the Peanut Topping:
1/3 cup unsalted peanuts
3 tbsp raw brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

To make the topping, finely chop the peanuts. Put in a bowl, add the raw brown sugar, mix well, and set aside.

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the dark brown sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the milk, oil, and peanut butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle the peanut topping on top of the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Day #57: Hazelnut & Coffee Muffins

Today, I made some major substitutions in the Hazelnut and Coffee Muffin recipe, but the result was declared fabulous by my coffee-loving hubby and friend. I had to substitute for the hazelnuts because apparently there was a recall on hazelnuts not too long ago, and NONE of our stores carry them now. So, I used a combination of walnuts, pecans, and chocolate chips. The combination of coffee flavor, salty nuts, and sweet chocolate was a WINNER. These muffins are the perfect treat to enjoy with a nice cup of joe in the morning or after dinner for a special treat. Feel free to make them as the recipe dictates or to change them up a little like I did. Let me know how you like them...I love to hear your comments. Have a Beautiful Day! You are Prayed for and Loved!

Tomorrow's Muffin: Crunchy Peanut Butter

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Hazelnut & Coffee Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
heaping 1 cup hazelnuts (I used 1/3 cup walnuts, 1/3 cup pecans, and 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
6 tbsp canola oil


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

Put the coffee powder and boiling water in a cup and stir until dissolved. Let cool.

Meanwhile, finely chop the hazelnuts (or other nuts).

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar and 2/3 cup hazelnuts (or other nuts, chocolate chips).

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, oil, and dissolved coffee. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Scatter the reserved nuts on top of the muffins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Blissfully Blueberry Pie

I interrupt our regularly scheduled muffin posts, for an INCREDIBLE-Melt-in-Your-Mouth Blissfully Blueberry Pie. Seriously, you have to make this pie right now-stop whatever it is you may be doing and make it! It is that good! It got huge accolades by my hubby, several friends, and someone who was "scared to try it" because they don't like berries or pie. It was super easy to make and you could even change it up a little with any kind of berry (strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. It tastes similar to a gooey blueberry cobbler or straight-from-the-oven blueberry muffin. This would be even more amazing topped with fresh whipped cream, vanilla bean ice cream, or cool whip.

Enjoy my friends and do something today that makes you BLISSFULLY Happy :-)! You are prayed for and SO LOVED!

Blissfully Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:
2 pints fresh blueberries (you can also use 1 package of frozen blueberries)
1 Pre-made graham cracker crust (I use Keebler)
1 ½ c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
8-10 oz. evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
4-5 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Mix the sugar, flour, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla together until consistency is like pancake batter, not too runny. Pour blueberries into the crust, then this batter over the blueberries.
In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients-sugar, flour, and butter. Take a pastry blender or fork & crumble. Crumble topping mixture over entire pie and bake at 350 for 1 hour until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Day #56: Mini Blue Cheese & Pear Muffins

Muffin #56 in my 100 muffin challenge is a sweet and savory combo called Mini Blue Cheese and Pear. These muffins turned out quite yummy and very moist. When I chopped the pears, it produced natural juices that added to the sweetness and moistness of the muffin. This muffin would be a great addition to a Weekend Brunch accompanied with an egg quiche or omelet. You are welcome to make 12 regular size muffins with this recipe if you do not have a mini muffin pan. They will taste the same :-). You could use pecans instead of walnuts if you prefer.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Hazelnut & Coffee Muffins
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Mini Blue Cheese & Pear Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)

14 oz Canned Pear Halves in Natural Juice, drained
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

heaping 3/4 cup finely crumbled bleu cheese, such as Stilton or Gorgonzola
2 large eggs
1 cup milk

6 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup walnut pieces

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease 2 24-cup mini muffin pans or line with 48 mini muffin paper liners.

Chop the pears into small pieces.

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, pepper, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the blue cheese and chopped pears.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the milk and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Scatter the walnuts over the top of each muffin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then serve warm.

Day #55: Blackberry Crumble Muffins

Today's muffin, Blackberry Crumble, was in the words of my hubby, "DELICIOUS". These muffins ROCKED :-)! You have to make them! Please! Make them and then try and tell me that they aren't amazing! I think what it made it SO GOOD was the combination of the incredibly sweet blackberries that I bought at the grocery store and froze last week and the buttery crumble topping. The original recipe in the 100 Muffins book is called "Raspberry Crumble" but I changed it up with Blackberries because they were on sale, and I LOVE a bargain :-). However, I am sure these would taste equally AMAZING with Raspberries or even Strawberries or Blueberries. Use your favorite berry in your baking :-). On a side note-I do not like getting my hands dirty while baking, so I crumbled the topping with the prongs of a fork instead of my fingers. You could also use a pastry blender if you have one.

Tomorrow's Muffin: Mini Blue Cheese & Pear

Have a Beautiful, HOPE-Filled Week! You are Prayed for and LOVED!

Psalm 33:22
"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."

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Blackberry Crumble Muffins

Ingredients:
oil or melted butter, for greasing (if using)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
6 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blackberries or any other berries

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp superfine sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with 12 muffin paper liners.

To make the crumble topping, put the flour into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces, add to the bowl with the flour, and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (or you can use a fork or pastry blender to accomplish the same thing with a lot cleaner hands :-))

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then beat in the yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Add the Blackberries or Raspberries. Stir gently until combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Scatter the crumble topping over each muffin and press down lightly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until well risen and firm to the touch. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.