Amaretto Berries-n-Cream

• 1 pint fresh mixed berries (strawberries should be cored and hulled)
• 1/2 - 1 cup Amaretto liqueur.
• Frozen Vanilla Custard (Ice Cream)
• 4 Almond Biscotti Cookies
• 1 chunk of dark chocolate

In medium bowl, placed in the refrigerator, marinate berries over night in Amaretto Liqueur. Crush three biscotti cookies. Cut the last biscotti cutting into fourths. Fill 4 custard cups with ice cream. Top each cup with 1/4 marinated berries and sauce. Top with a spoon full of crushed cookies. Place 1/4 cut cookie on the side with a piece of dark chocolate. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

• 4 cups rhubarb
  
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 - 3 oz package raspberry or strawberry Jell0

Mix rhubarb with sugar and let set for several hours or over night until juices sweat out. Boil mixture slowly, watching it, and stirring it as needed until rhubarb is tender and makes a sauce. Mix Jello into hot rhubarb. Pour into hot dry jelly jars or freezer quarts. Let cool - freeze, refrigerate or process for canning.

Strawberry Butter

This recipe has been totally renovated and worked on until it tasted the way I’d remembered.  I’m finally satisfied what what came from those test recipes.  Super easy to make and can be frozen for later use.  It is hard (it’s butter after all) so it does need to be removed from the refrigerator with enough time to soften before use in spreading and then returned to the refrigerator so the fruit doesn’t spoil.

• 1 pint (about 2 cups) to 1 1/2 pint fresh (or frozen) strawberries – hulled
• 4 sticks room temperature softened butter
• ¾ cup powdered sugar

In food processor chop strawberries mixed with powdered sugar. Slowly add butter cut into 1 or two tablespoon chunks while pulsing the processor stopping often to scrap sides.  Once well mixed and creamy remove from processor into mini sized containers for freezing.

Blueberry Boy Bait

(originally found at Smitten Kitchen)

• 2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk (though buttermilk, which was all I had on hand, worked just great)
• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not defrost first as it tends to muddle in the batter)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.
With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl.
Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk.
Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture.
Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour.
Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries.
Spread batter into prepared pan.

Topping

• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Scatter blueberries over top of batter.
Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter.
Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
(Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)
Serves 12, generously

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•  1 stick unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 cup pecan halves (optional)

In small bowl combine sugars, and spices. Stir in melted butter, then flour, and finally pecans. Mix until well incorporated and set aside.
Cake:

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 2 extra – large eggs at room temperature ( I didn’t have extra large so I used 3 large eggs instead)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sour cream (I didn’t have this either so I used a 6 oz carton of vanilla yogurt, just as good and less calories)
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 pint fresh blueberries 

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour an 8" square baking pan.
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about five minutes) . Reduce speed of mixer and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each until batter is creamy. Add vanilla and sour cream (or yogurt) and lemon zest. Add flour mixture only until incorporated. Fold in blueberries and gently stir until all ingredients are mixed in being careful not to over mix. (The room temperature ingredients and not over mixing is what keeps the cake moist and tender.)
Pour batter into prepared baking pan, spread to edges evenly. With you fingers crumble the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake in 350ºF oven for 40 – 50 minutes, testing until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

Blueberry Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 2/3 cups Milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Grease and flour bread pan; set aside
In a medium bowl mix together the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
In a large mixing bowl, combine beaten egg, milk, oil and vanilla.
Pour liquid ingredients into well of dry ingredients.
Stir just until the batter is mixed.
Fold in lemon peel, blueberries, and pecans. dump into loaf pan.
Bake for 60 – 75 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in pan. Dump once cool.
Wrap and store overnight in refrigerator or freeze for up to 6 months.