Blueberry Muffins

I have to tell you this recipe proved to be quite trying. I had the most difficult time getting the oven temperature and the cooking time right. I can't tell you how many blueberry muffins ended up in the trash. That is saying a LOT, because I don't throw baked goods away unless they are completely unedible. Unfortunatly, what happened (on several occassions I must add) was that I checked the muffins and they looked like they were cooked, I inserted a toothpick and it came out clean, and then as they were cooling they caved in (which means they are not completely cooked). So frustrating!!!

This batch came out ok. They taste amazing, but they aren't the most attractive baked good to come out of my kitchen. I have learned that sometimes you just have to overlook the cover of a book to find that it was impeccably written.

What You Will Need:
Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
Medium Bowl
Whisk
Muffin Tins
Muffin Paper Liners
Medium Scoop
Cooling Racks

Ingredients:
1 Pint Blueberries
1 2/3 cup Sugar
2/3 cup Canola Oil
2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
4 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cup Soy Flour
3/4 cup Tapioca Starch
3/4 cup Potato Starch
1 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
Sugar for sprinkling tops

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Line muffin tins with muffin papers (makes approximately 24 muffins).

In stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs.

In medium bowl, whisk together soy flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, xanthum gum, baking soda and salt.

With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

Add blueberries and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. (This picture shows me adding the blueberries to the standmixer, but I found that it would be better to mix by hand to avoid damaging the blueberries.)

Using medium scoop, scoop batter into lined muffin tins.

Sprinkle tops of muffin batter with sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. (If you use a toothpick to check doneness, make sure the toothpick whole in the top of the muffin is big enough that wet dough from inside the muffin doesn't get wiped off of the toothpick.)

Check out this golden beauty bursting with plump, juicy blueberries!

"There is this little thing called perspective. When looking at a dandelion, some see a weed and some see a wish."

Which do you see? And if you don't like what you see, change your perspective!

~Sheryl



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Berry Hand Pies

When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of Hostess fruit pies. I loved everything about them - the flaky crust, the gooey fruit filling, the sweet glaze; and how they all worked together to make a delicious treat.

This berry hand pie is an homage to the Hostess fruit pie of my youth. It has a flaky crust, gooey fruit filling and a sweet glaze. Eating them brings back lots of great memories. Will they do the same for you? 

What You Will Need:
Small Saucepan
Shallow Dish
Silicone Mat/Clean Counter
Rolling Pin
Circle Cookie Cutter (Approximately 3")
Cookie Sheets lined with Silicone Mats or Parchment Paper
Cooling Rack

Ingredients:
Pastry Dough (Posted on May 18, 2013)
Filling
2 cups Berries (I used blackberries, but strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries would also be great.)
1 Large Apple (Granny smith would be great, but I used what I had - I think it was a red delicious.); peeled, cored and chopped.
2/3 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Tapioca Flour/Starch
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Milk (for sealing crust and brushing the tops)
2 Tablespoons Sugar (for sprinkling the tops)
Glaze
6 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Milk

Directions:
In a small saucepan, cook the filling ingredients over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens.

Pour the mixture into a shallow dish to cool.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Place racks in second to top and second to bottom slots.

On a lightly floured silicone mat or clean counter, roll out the pastry dough with a rolling pin to approximately 1/8"-1/4" thickness. Cut the dough with the circle cookie cutter.

Place a circle of dough on a lined cookie sheet, and place a heaping Tablespoon of filling in the center of the circle.

Take another circle of dough and press it between your thumb and fingers to flatten it slightly, so it is bigger than the bottom circle. 

Wet the edges of the bottom circle with milk.

Place the slightly stretched circle over the filling and line up the edges of the two circles. Press the edges with a fork to seal the edges together.

Cut a small x in the top of the hand pie.

Brush the top of the hand pie with milk.

Sprinkle with Sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes on top rack, then switch to bottom rack and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden. If baking two cookie sheets at once, place one sheet on each rack and swap at 15 minutes.

Transfer the hand pies to cooling racks to cool completely.

While hand pies are cooling, mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl with a spoon.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled hand pies.

Let the glaze set completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Yummy! These hand pies are perfect for a picnic or to stick in your lunch for a special treat. How about surprising your husband and/or kids by sneaking one in their lunch? Now that is a great idea.

"You are confined only by the walls you build yourself."

Don't let your walls confine you. Dream big, tear down your walls, and go after your dreams! 

~Sheryl