The Blueberry Post

[gerisullivan]

Even though I was born more than half a century before Blueberry Girl was published, I had the most excellent fortune to grow up being granted all of the appeals and gifts in Neil's poem.

Tonight, though, I'm a girl with blueberries and I need some ideas of what to do with them.

I'm talking 4 pints worth. Not enough for jam, but more than I'm likely to eat in a fruit salad. I also have 3 kiwis, and 4 peaches that want some ripening. The sale prices were that good.

At the very least, I can freeze the blueberries. That would work well for later baked goods, pancakes, and waffles, though I hardly ever make pancakes or waffles.

I do think I'll make up a bowl of fruit salad -- blueberries, kiwis, and peaches sounds yummy and if it stops raining long enough tomorrow, I can probably add some fresh black raspberries and maybe even some blackberries to the bowl.

What else?

Comments

I frequently buy them at Costco,

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

they have large clamshell packs of them, often for really cheap.

I spread them out onto a cookie sheet in our freezer (it's an upright freezer), then bag then into a ziplock when they are totally frozen.

Re: I frequently buy them at Costco,

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the freezing tip.

Re: I frequently buy them at Costco,

[lsanderson.livejournal.com]

I've just tossed the pint plastic package in the freezer and they freeze just fine. I do empty them into a bag after they've frozen. I throw them in muesli or breakfast cereal in the morning. Rumor has it that they're better than rosemary for remembrance.

In the long ago, there ustta be a store in Phoenix that made lemon ice cream with frozen blueberries.

[whipartist.livejournal.com]

Cobbler or crisp?

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Intriguing question. I have no idea why, but for me, if it's to be made from blueberries, it absolutely has to be cobbler rather than crisp.

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

PIE!

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Excellent idea! I haven't made a pie in forever, and never a blueberry pie, let alone one from fresh blueberries. That sounds like just the thing.

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

I love the Intertubes, I really do. Without it, how would we know that there is a "U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council" with its own web site? It includes recipes, including one for blueberry wine!

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Great site, with several amusements. My favorite line: "Fresh, frozen or dried blueberries are the best forms of blueberries for muffins."

And what other forms of blueberries might there be?

They even ask and answer that question of the Ages: "Does size matter?"

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

And what other forms of blueberries might there be?

"giant mutant"? "sadly immature"? :->

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

Chocolate-covered?

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

Other forms of blueberries? Tinned. What they are saying is that the tins of berries that you get (intended mainly for pie filling) are no use in muffins.

i use the frozen blueberries

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

in lots of ways, including just thawing them out and eating them, including tossing a handful of frozen berries into the oatmeal before I nuke it.

Blue oatmeal is actually a fairly joyous experience. It is totally yummy!

(I cook 1/4 cup of regular oatmeal with about 3/4 cups of water if I'm tossing in a lot of fruit, 1/2 cup if just oats. Remember to use a very deep bowl, it rises very large in the microwave.)

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

Just for you, I've posted a profoundly tasty recipe called a "Blueberry Buckle." I think you would find it quite nummy.

[voidampersand.livejournal.com]

I've been making the basic Joy of Cooking recipe for Sour Cream Muffins, substituting yogurt for the sour cream. There is no butter and only 1/12 of an egg per muffin. The muffins are very moist. It definitely works well with blueberries. I've also done banana/walnut/date which is quite good.

My dad has kiwi plants in his back yard. Last year he gave me 1/2 a grocery bag of kiwi fruit, so I did what any man would do in the same situation and baked a kiwi galette. Now I want to plant some. You know kiwis are closely related to roses?

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't know that!

Curiously enough, my house is currently blessed with both kiwis and roses indoors, and roses outdoors, too, though the latter are on the last legs of their blooming cycle.

[voidampersand.livejournal.com]

Kiwi fruit are basically giant rose hips.

Rose: Not a small family...

[lsanderson.livejournal.com]

One of the larger plant groups is the rose family, which includes many familiar fruits (apple, pear, plum, raspberry, strawberry, cherry) and useful herbs.

Read more at Suite101: The Rose Family: From strawberries to rose hips http://plant-species.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_rose_family#ixzz0tqG7PvtC

Blueberries are okay

[maruad.livejournal.com]

but I much prefer saskatoons even if they are not really a true berry. Saskatoon pie > blueberry pie by a clear margin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amelanchier_alnifolia_2802.JPG

Crumble!

[buttonlass.livejournal.com]

This is a recipe I've been working on for fruit crumble good for almost any thing if you add varying spices depending on your fruit, but the total amount should be 1 tsp. I would probably use cinnamon and a little cardamom. You should try it. Around here we gobble it up with ice cream.:)

You need a pan of good size. I've used a casserole pan and a 9x13 at various times.

You mix:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oats
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom

Melt:
1/3 cup butter

Pour over oats and toss together to evenly distribute.

Boil:
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup water
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

Once it gets gelatinous turn it off and remove from heat.

Toss:
4 cups blueberries
and cornstarch mixture together.

Butter the bottom of your baking pan and put in about half the oat mix and press to make bottom layer. Pour in blueberries and dot the top with the remaining oat mix.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until the topping gets toasted and nice.