Blueberries abound June 29, 2009

berry blues

Still enjoying the heck out of that Logan’s Turnpike Mill stoneground Georgia cornmeal that we picked up in Atlanta.  I’m using the yellow more because that’s what I’m used to but I’ll get back to the white after a while.

Texas blueberries are all around with Central Market selling full pints of the organic jewels for $3.99.  I’ve been finding similar deals at the farmers markets and Whole Foods. The last issue of WF’s Whole Deal offers coupons for Organic Valley butters ($1 off per package)that expire tomorrow and both OV’s cultured butter (gold package) and Pasture butter (green package) are on sale right now at WF for $3.39 per half pound block.  These specialty higher butterfat butters are luscious and perfect for gilding your muffins.

BLUEBERRY CORNMEAL MUFFINS yields 1 dozen

• 94 grams (1 cup) organic whole wheat pastry flour
• 92 grams (3/4 cup) organic all-purpose flour
• 3 1/4 ounces cornmeal (2/3 cup), preferably organic
  
• 1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder, I use Rumford
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt, preferably local
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3  to 1/2 cup honey, preferably local
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• a cup or so of fresh Texas blueberries, preferably organic, rinsed and dried
  
• optional enhancements:  lemon zest, freshly grated nutmeg, vanilla extract
• turdinado sugar for sprinkling on top, optional

Grease your muffin tins and heat up your oven to 400°.

Whisk together your dry ingredients through the baking soda.  In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk, salt and honey.  Pour the slightly cooled butter on top of the wet ingredients then dump the dry ingredients on top.  Give it a couple of stirs then pour on the blueberries.  Stir quickly and gently just to mostly combine everything.  Don’t overmix!  Fill your pans (use a scoop) and top the batter with turbinado sugar if desired.  Bake 12 minutes or more, until baked through.  Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes then loosen each muffin with a small knife or spatula and unmold onto your cooling rack.  Enjoy now or later.

This recipes halves easily so you can bake just 6 muffins in your toaster oven.

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slow carrot cake May 15, 2009

We don’t have much longer for carrots at our farmers markets.  So put that cooker outside and eat dessert in less than two hours.  This ingredient list looks long but the enhancements (orange, lemon, vanilla and pecans) are optional.

• 181 grams organic whole wheat or white whole wheat flour (about 1 1/2 cups minus a scant 2 teaspoons)–Whole Foods carries the King
  Arthur brand 5# bag, the least expensive packaging I’ve found.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 168 grams local honey, (1/2 cup)
• 1 stick organic butter, melted and cooled slightly–Organic Valley is my preference–use your Whole Deal WF coupon for the best price right now
• 1 Tablespoon organic coconut oil
• 1 drop orange oil or a small pinch of orange zest from a Texas orange (organic if you can afford it.  If not, then scrub your orange very well with some dish liquid or produce wash.  If you zest a few of your oranges during our citrus season and stash the zest in the freezer you’ll find yourself tossing it into all sorts of dishes.)
• 2 drops lemon oil (Occasionally in season you may find precious meyer lemons at our farmers markets and of course it’s my dream to get my own tree.  You’ll find small trees for sale around town, too.)
• 2 large eggs, preferably from the farmers market or your own backyard
• 112 grams  finely shredded carrots, preferably local and/or organic
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla rum (steep a vanilla bean in a jar of rum–I use Flor de Caña Gold.  It’s ready to use in a couple weeks.  Leave the bean in there and top it off with more booze when necessary.)
• 3 Tablespoons finely chopped toasted Texas pecans

Whisk together your dry ingredients (through the salt).  Whisk together your wet ingredients, through the vanilla.  Pour the flour mixture on top of the wet stuff, sprinkle the pecans around and whisk quickly and gently til well combined.  Pour the batter into a well greased (I use coconut oil) 4 quart round slow cooker lined with a round of parchment on the bottom.  Cook on High for about 1 1/4 hours, until the cake tests done (a skewer inserted into the center will come out clean).  Loosen the sides of the cake and pop it out.  Serve right away (or later).