Spring Bouquets and Blueberry Snack Bars

.  So, I'm a little disappointed in myself.

This post was originally supposed to be a giveaway for my dear readers (i.e., $10 off a stunning floral bouquet) but because of this or that, it took me way too long to get this post completed.

Therefore, I'm just going to have to promote the bejeezus out of FTD bouquets.  And Lucky Leaf Pie Fillings [the sponsor of this post].

And I can vouch that the FTD bouquets are lush, gorgeous, and the perfect centerpiece to give your home the most lovely Spring touch because FTD sent me a complimentary arrangement of my choice, of which I just could not pass up the Lavender Fields Mixed Bouquet... can you blame me?

The flowers [and vase] came with a packet of flower 'food', so the beautiful arrangement lasted a good week or so on our kitchen counter.  It was always so refreshing turning the corner from coming in to our apartment and seeing bright, luscious flowers that you don't get too often living in the city.

But in addition to the free bouquet,  Lucky Leaf also sent along four pie fillings and three very Spring recipe cards.

So let me speak of one of the most delicious bars I have ever made.  I kid you not.  These things were gone in a flash at work and I didn't stop hearing about them until long after.  They were goOooooOOOooood.

Blueberry Snack Bars.

Sweet, moist, dense cake-like bars topped with a creamy cheesecake middle, rich blueberry pie filling, and finished with crunchy walnuts.  Pa-LEASE.  Makes my mouth water.

And you know what slays me?  

The fact that they weren't completely homemade. 

I can hear the gasps from the true bakers of the world but you know what?  Sometimes you do what you gotta do.  And that's that.  This time around the quick and dirty method was just what I needed though, because I made these late at night after a work event.  But I guarantee you no one would have guessed how easy peasy these were!

Hopefully by this time I've convinced you to at least take a gander at the lovely products FTD has to offer, I do believe a very special Mother's Day happens to be tomorrow...

Or at the very least, I hope you're already gathering together the ingredients for these bars.  Oh you are?  Happy baking!  .

P.S. you've probably noticed I don't have any of my own pictures on this post, huh?  Well I had a bit of a snafoo with my camera and they were deleted from my memory card.  So...this post...just needs to be done.  Sowwy guys.

Blackberry-Blueberry Scones with Honey-Butter Glaze

.  Well sadly...summer is a-windin' down.  Even though we really didn't have a summer though, I guess.  So regardless that it's nearly September, it seems odd to me that the weather has already begun to cool.  Fall is by far my most favorite season so I'm not complaining one bit.  But I will admit that I did miss the summer heat that never seemed to show.  Oh well...

But like I mentioned before, I have a couple of 'summer' treats that I have to pump out before it gets too late.  Because we all know that once August hits, it's officially Fall baking season.  So pumpkin, spices, apples, and more pumpkin, are fair game.  Watch out peeps.

So for one of my last summery goodies, I must say that we're leaving the season with a b.a.n.g.  Or in other words, this is a legit scone that even Robbie enjoyed [i.e., he's not a bready fan, so scones are one of his least favorite things].  

But lucky for you, me and Robbie, these are one of the most unique scones I've had to date because the flavor combination of fresh, tart, juicy blackberries and blueberries with the thick, sweet, salty taste of the Honey-Butter Glaze?  Well, dyyyyyamn.

And we all know that scones get a bad wrap because they don't seem to keep very long [i.e., they get crumbly and somewhat stale].  But the secret to keeping these scrumptious scones fresh for days?

That Honey-Butter Glaze.

If you happen to sneak a bite of the scones straight out of the oven [pre-glazed], you'll first realize how incredibly delicious this buttery, fruity goodie is just by itself.   But slathering the salty-sweet combination of honey-butter over the fresh scones seems to lock in all of that moist goodness.  And no doubt adds an extra flavor element to make this one of the best scones I've ever eaten.  Let alone produced out of my very own kitchen.  BOOM!

To leave you all, it's officially Robbie's birthday weekend so I'll be spending the next couple of days tending to his every need.  Oh, is that different from other days around here though...?

Just kidding ☺ But we will be out and about and his brother, Danny, will be joining us Sunday for the day, so we definitely have a packed weekend ahead of us!  Hope you enjoy your days off as you please, until next time!  .

From A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:

Blackberry-Blueberry Scones:

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 c. heavy whipping cream

3-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. frozen blueberries 

1/2 c. frozen blackberries

Milk (for brushing)

Honey-Butter Glaze:

1/3 c. honey

1/4 c. unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Put lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and add heavy whipping cream to the 1 cup mark.  Let stand for a few minutes to make soured cream.  
2. Heat oven to 425°F.  Arrange oven rack to upper third position.  Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.
3. In a food processor, add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and blend briefly.  Add butter and pulse to make coarse mixture.  Turn out mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center.  Add egg, vanilla extract, and enough soured cream to make a soft but firm dough.  Gently fold in blueberries and blackberries.
4. Turn out dough to lightly floured surface and knead briefly to make a firm dough.  Pat out dough into 1-inch thick circle.  Cut dough into wedges or rounds and place on prepared baking sheet.  Brush each scone with milk.
5. Bake 16 to 19 minutes or until scones are nicely browned.  
6. While scones are baking, make the glaze by heating honey and butter in a liquid measuring cup until melted mixture is simmering (about 1-1/2 minutes).  Brush scones with honey-butter glaze as they come out of the oven.  Let scones cool for about 15 minutes before brushing on honey-butter glaze once more.

Yield: 1 dozen scones

A Lucky Leaf GIVEAWAY and {No Bake} Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Trifles

.  You've probably noticed that I've done a number of Lucky Leaf Giveaways and baked the same number of their delicious recipes [e.g., Cherry Cheesecake Pie, Mini Fruit Pies, and Cherry Coconut Squares].  And seemingly, each giveaway has been better the prior!  Lucky me and you, eh? 

But folks.  This is easily my favorite Lucky Leaf recipe to date.  It's absolutely scrumptious, the simplest to put together, and undoubtedly bears the cutest presentation.  See, getting better every time!

So let's get into this summa' time treat because we both know you just want to get to that giveaway, huh?

For this round, Lucky Leaf focused on crowd-pleasing summer time goodies that also gives us bakers some relief from the hot kitchen.  I mean really, who wants to sweat over a scorching stove and/or oven when it's 95+ and humid out?  My hand is firmly down.

Tilly reaaaaaaaally wanted a trifle!

So in addition to three [no bake] summer recipes, Lucky Leaf also sent me a package of four [too cute] mason jars, two mason jar carriers, and three different flavors of Lucky Leaf pie fillings.  And because I couldn't get enough of those dang mason jars, I had to make the [No Bake] Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Trifles.  And I'm telling everyone right now who plans on visiting us any time soon, I will be shoveling these into your face because they are that good.  For the life of me, I still can not figure out why I had never tried these types of adorable desserts before?  Shame on me.  But now [thanks to Lucky Leaf], I have a nice collection of mason jars.  So let the layering begin!

This decadent [yet fluffy and light] dessert includes layers and layers of summery yummyness.  Let's start with a cinnamony almond streusel nestled under a layer of fresh blueberries, topped with a [finger-dipping, addicting] smooth lemon cheesecake filling, and finished with buttery pound cake pieces.  Oh yeah, x2.  Yep, if you're using a mason jar you'll have enough room for double the layers.  And you'll still be coming back for more!

So I know mason jars aren't typically a staple in anyone's house, so it must be your lucky day!  As part of this go-around's giveaway, Lucky Leaf will send a winner a a package containing a Lucky Leaf pie filling, a mason jar, and a recipe card, so you can get going on your [no bake] summer time treats!

All YOU have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite summer time recipe, savory or sweet!  The giveaway will be only be open until July 12th, so leave your comment today!  Then, I'll randomly select a winner and announce the lucky reader soon after!  Easy peasy, if I do say so.  So get commentin'!  .

Adapted from Lucky Leaf

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Streusel:

9 cinnamon graham crackers, crushed

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

1/2 c. slivered almonds

1 pinch of salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

 

No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Filling:

24 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1-1/2 c. frozen whipped topping, thawed

1-1/2 c. Lucky Leaf Premium Lemon Pie Filling

 

1 (10.75 oz.) frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

18 oz. fresh blueberries

6 mason jars (optional)

 

Directions:

1. For streusel, toss crushed graham crackers, light brown sugar, almonds, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl until butter is evenly distributed.
2. For cheesecake filling, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.  Gently fold in whipped topping and pie filling until evenly combined.
3. To layer, sprinkle streusel in bottom of jar until bottom is covered (about 3/4-inch thick).  Follow with blueberries, cheesecake mixture, and pound cake cubes.  Repeat steps until mason jar is filled. 

 

Yield: 6 servings

Lucky Leaf Pie Filling GIVEAWAY and Mini Fruit Pies

.  Yep, you betcha!

I have another Lucky Leaf Pie Filling giveaway!  And just in time for Valentine's Day.  I'm always thinking of you guys.  How nice of me ☺ 

You may have caught my previous Lucky Leaf Pie Filling giveaway and fortunate for me, Lucky Leaf tapped me on my shoulder to do a second one!  And because giveaways are simply exciting [we gotta switch it up every now and then around here, right?] and Lucky Leaf Pie Fillings are just so dang scrumptious, there was no way I was passing this up.

Like before, Lucky Leaf sent me a lovely package filled with three pie fillings [strawberry, blueberry, and apple], three recipe cards, a bakery bag, and a Rachel Ray 6-cup Muffin Pan.  Uh huh, it was an awesome gift I got in the mail.

One of the recipes cards I received was for Mini Pies and I opted for this choice because 1) pies are my absolute fav to eat and make and 2) my wonderful friend was having a Super Bowl party with some fancy homemade dishes.  Remember the gourmet cook I mentioned in a prior post?  Well it only seemed fitting to add to her spread with something that deserved to accompany her gourmet-ness, and lattice-crust pies are always a winner.  At least in my book.  Oh, and don't forget that these would be the most perfect Valentine's Day dessert.  Eh, eh?!

Anywho, I must say these pies went over rather well!  The recipe only made a dozen but there wasn't a crumb left in the house by the end of the night.  That's a good sign, right?

I of course chose to make a homemade [super easy] buttery pie crust and filled each with the delectable Lucky Leaf Pie Filling.  I decided on making Strawberry and Blueberry Mini pies simply for variety but the colors also went with the teams playing in the big game [i.e., red for the Niners and purple for the Ravens].  Like that?!  Then I topped the fillings with a fun lattice top and voila, mini fruit pies for everyone!

So enough chatting and let's get to this giveaway, shall we?!  Let's see what one lucky reader will win:

1 can of Lucky Leaf Pie Filling

1 recipe card

Festive muffin cup papers

1 bakery bag

And like usual, it's rather easy to partipicate.  All you need to do is leave a comment on this post below telling me what your favorite kind of pie is!  And to earn some additional entries, follow Lucky Leaf on Facebook, Pinterest, and/or Twitter, and leave separate comments telling me you did so.  The giveaway will be open until Saturday, February 23, so get commentin'!  And don't forget to spread the word!  .

My Notes:

• I chose to make a homemade pie crust, but if you're in a complete bind for time, feel free to use store bought crust.

 Pie Crust from A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:

All Butter Pie Crust:

3 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening, cut into chunks

1 large egg

4 to 8 tbsp. ice water

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Lucky Leaf Baby Pies Recipe

Directions:

1. For crust, place flour in food processor.  Add sugar and salt and process 20 seconds to combine.  Add chunks of butter and shortening and pulse to break up butter until mixture looks crumbly
2. Add egg and drizzle ice water and lemon juice on top.  Turn on food processor for 15 seconds until mixture more or less holds together.  
3. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and knead very gently for a few seconds to smooth out dough.  Divide dough ball in half, pat each ball into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill dough for 1 hour or overnight before using.
4. Refer to the Lucky Leaf Baby Pies Recipe for the assembly instructions.

Yield: 4 single pie crusts

Blueberry Raspberry Crumble Bars

.  Hey, oh!

Long time no post, huh?  Okay, only a few days.  But I do feel like LSM has been a bit neglected as of late.  This whole new job thing has got me going a million miles an hour and leaves me completely crashed at night.  So no time for posting.  I'm sure you'll forgive me though.

Not too much [but at the same time, a lot going on!] over our way.  Let's see, for this weekend I'm planning on fitting in a lengthy run on Saturday morning [we'll see how that goes though because for some reason my knee has been bothering me], helping with a special work event later that morning [more to come on that], and then finishing Saturday painting our deck with Robbie and his papa.  No real plans for Sunday except that dear ol' Robbie is leaving town again for work.  Boo to that.

We're kind of boring, huh?  I know, I'm trying to work on that.  Robbie and I have some fun travel plans coming up soon though, so that'll shake things up a bit!

But for this weekend, I have a special end-of-summer treat to share with you all [gah, I can't believe summer is ending already...!].  These Blueberry Raspberry Crumble Bars [which I was tempted to call BlueRaz Bars, but refrained] are a classically simple bar to make yet result in an over-the-top, humongous goodie.  No joke.  These bars are thick mamas.  If that even makes sense.  And so, so scrumptious.

Where to begin?  Well what makes them so easy is that the the base and crumble are one in the same.  Meaning that you make one mixture that is used for the base and the topping.  Easy peasy.  The filling is somewhat gooey, studded with chunks of sweet and tart blueberries and raspberries, and pairs perfectly with the crunchy, buttery outsides.  Cue salivating mouth...now. 

My thoughts are that you can grab some local fruits from the farmers market this weekend and make this recipe in a snap to share [or not] with your loved ones.  Now get bakin'!  .

Adapted from A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:

Crust and Topping:

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1-1/2 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Filling:

2 c. fresh blueberries

1 c. fresh raspberries

3/4 c. sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Generously coat 11x7-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. For crust and topping, place flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon into a food processor.  Pulse to blend (about 20 seconds).  Add butter and pulse until you have a crumbly mass (not dry by sticking together).
3. For filling, toss blueberries and raspberries in a small bowl with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
4. Spread half of crumble mixture into prepared pan and pat down gently.  Spread fruit filling evenly over crust.  Top as evenly as possible with remaining crumble mixture and press slightly.  Chill 30 minutes.
5. Heat oven to 350°F.  After chilled, bake bars 40 to 45 minutes until fruit starts to bubble.  Reduce oven to 325°F and bake additional 15 to 20 minutes or until fruit that is bubbling is deeper in color and edges of squares are browned.  Cool completely in pan before cutting or refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before cutting.

Yield: 15 bars

TWD Baking with Julia: Blueberry Nectarine Pie

.  This is an exciting one and I want to get right into it.

Tuesdays with Dorie has done me in again.  And I loved every bite of it.

Let's be real, this Blueberry Nectarine Pie [that you're hopefully drooling over right now] is easily one of the best pies I've made and probably ever tasted.  No joke.  After making this, and devouring most of it by my lonesome [because I wouldn't share with anyone else], I realized how much I love pies.  I mean, I've always known it.  But this pie just solidified it.  Sorry all you other treats.

Ha, I guess that's all I really have to say.  And it's basically all you need to know.  If you don't, at the bare minimum, at least bookmark/pin this recipe, you are doing your taste buds a disservice.  And who would ever want to do that?

Well...I guess I could at least try to begin describing what it is that I can't stop talking about.  And anyone who's been around in me in the last week knows I haven't stopped talking about this pie.  Sorry friends.

First, top two pie crust EVER.  If you ever read my Bumbleberry Pie post, then you know that I thought that crust was to die for.  But this crust gives my former favorite recipe a run for its money [or butter...har, har].  This crust is so dang flakey it's ridiculous.  A slight touch with the fork sends this buttery crust softly falling atop the blueberry-nectarine filling deliciousness that I could have eaten by the spoonful.  Oh wait... I did that.

I mean really, who can deny a carby, buttery, flakey pie crust paired with a refreshingly juicy fruit filling?  Because if you slap something like that in front of me, I have no chance.  Willpower goes straight out the window.  I'll thank my mom and her sweet tooth for that ☺

So by now you shouldn't need any prompting, but head on over to our hosts for this month, Manchego's Kitchen and That Skinny Chick Can Bake, for the Blueberry Nectarine Pie recipe.  And also check out all of the other TWD participants posts about this lovely summery pie. 

Thanks ladies for hosting, this is my favorite recipe thus far!  .

My Notes:

• For those of you intimidated by pie crust making, this recipe is for you.  You might be able to tell from my picture that I added a bit too much water to my crust and for whatever reason, I didn't feel like fixing it (i.e., adding in a bit more flour).  So when I went to roll the crust, it completely stuck to the counter.  I literally had to scrap the dough off and piece it into the pie pan.  Not your most traditional method but it worked and the pie was still ah-mazing!

Blueberry Pie Bars

.  Hey all.

It's Thursday, which means it's Foamer time around LSM.  Unfortunately I didn't make it to last weeks game because I was busy making [literally] 100 cupcakes for an event at work, but more to come about that later.

But the week before last, I did make it to the game and as [my own made up] tradition calls for, I brought along some unique bars.  Blueberry Pie Bars, to be precise.

The name alone got me hooked.  I mean, how could that not catch your attention?  Blueberry Pie.  In bite sized pieces?  I'm in.

The joy of these bars is that, aside from delicious bursts of juicy blueberries, is that this recipe calls for only one mix for the crust and crunchy topping.  Definitely one of the best ideas whoever it was came up with.

These bars are not like anything I've made or even tasted before.  And I'd have to attribute this fact to the filling.  Like I mentioned, the crust and topping are your classic buttery, shortbready, streusely combination.  But that filling...

I have a hard time coming up with words to even describe it actually.  The filling, though made with eggs, is rather light and almost airy.  For lack of a better word, almost sponge-like.  But regardless, I couldn't get enough of these bars.  I'm a sucker for fruity desserts and anything remotely close to a crust.  So these babies had my name written all over them.

If you haven't noticed, I've basically been an awful teammate this slow pitch softball season and yet again, I won't be making the game tonight.  Robbie and I have some surprise plans for the weekend, which I will fill you in on next week as well.  Lots of things to catch you all up on, huh?!  Can't wait!  .

From Kirbie's Cravings

Ingredients:

Crust and Topping:

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 c. unsalted butter, chilled

Filling:

2 large eggs

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. sour cream

3/8 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. almond extract

16 oz. fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8x8-inch pan with non stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. For the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.  Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces and add to flour mixture.  Process until the butter is evenly distributed but the mixture is still crumbly (about 30 to 60 seconds).
3. Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the mixture for the topping; set aside.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. For the filling, whisk eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugar, sour cream, flour, and almond extract.  Gently fold in blueberries.  Spoon the filling over the crust and sprinkle the reserved topping mixture evenly over the filling.
5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until top turns golden brown.  Cool 1 hour before cutting and serving or serve out of pan cobbler style.

Yield: 16 bars

Tried & True Tuesday: Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

.  Hey guys!

I know, we're still doing Tried & True Tuesdays?  And my response?  Heck yes we are, I think I just forgot about them briefly.  But they're back in action.

15,000+ runners and one hot, fun day!

However, before I get into our recipe for the day, I have a little update from this past weekend.  And what a colorful update it is.

Has anyone heard of The Color Run?  Well if you haven't, click that link I've provided just for you.  Basically The Color Run involves a little running [no shock there] and way too much fun!  During the 5k jog, all of the white-wearing participants run through designated 'coloring' zones where volunteers throw colored powder all over the racers.  Hence, The Color Run.  I no doubt had the most absolute best time at this race and it's easily the most unique one I've ever done.  I know The Color Run is happening all through out the country, so regardless if you're a runner or not, SIGN UP!  It's not about how fast you go [a lot of people just walked it], but about how colorful you can get.  So.  Very.  Worth.  It.

Before and After!

Robbie's sister, Kelli, and brother-in-law, Brett, [from The Lauritsen Life], traveled to Omaha for a wedding and to also take part in The Color Run.  Hollyann and I planned on doing the race together but also made the trek to the racing grounds with Kelli and Brett, who met up with a group of their friends.  Seriously, even though it was scorching hot, I know we all had an amazing time.  Sign me up for next year!

Unfortunately I have no story to tie The Color Run to these Blueberry Cheesecake Bars I have for you today.  All I can say is that these are one of my most favorite, easiest bars I've made.  Yes, they call for a boxed cookie mix [gasp!] but it definitely comes in handy when you're in a bind.  Especially during a busy week.  And what's even more great is that you can swap in any type of fruit you have on in hand into these bars.  You can thank me [and Betty Crocker] after you take your first bite of these chewy cookie, fruity filling, and indulgent cheesecake topping bars.

Enjoy ☺  .

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

Cookie Base:

1 pouch (1 lb. 15oz.) Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

Cheesecake Topping:

3 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

3 eggs

Fruit Filling:

1 jar (12 oz.) blueberry preserves

1-1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, beat cookie mix, butter, and egg with electric mixer on low speed until soft dough forms.  Press dough into bottom of pan.
2. Bake 15 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Add heavy whipping cream and eggs; beat on low speed until well blended.
3. Spread blueberry preserves over cooled crust.  Sprinkle with blueberries.  Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over blueberries, spreading gently to cover.
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set.  Let bars cool for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Serving: 2 dozen bars

Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding

.  I'm sorry.

Not sure if you've noticed, but my posts have been lacking as of late.  Not quite sure why but I guess I haven't felt like it.  I've been a bit busy with work, our recent trip to LaLa Land, and I think I've been mentally preparing for the month of June, which will be one crazy time.  But there will be more about that later this week.

But what I will let you in on is that our month of June will involve a number of out of town visitors.  And.  I.  Can't.  Wait.

If you haven't heard, I live for entertaining.  Granted, I'm not the best at it.  But I love planning meals and getting to watch people enjoy the things I have for them.  One of those particular reasons I can't get enough of baking, actually.  But anywho, the fact that we'll be having some guests is what brings me to this post: Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding.  Odds are my visitors will be shoveling this in their face sometime in the next couple of weeks...

First, it's ridiculously easy.  Like most bread puddings I would say.  Second, stupid good.  Yes, 'stupid' in this context is a good thing.  A great thing.  There's a few things that make this bread pudding extra special, too.  Let me fill you in: local, luscious blueberries bursting in every bite, a slightly crunchy sugary topping, and of course, bready goodness bringing it all together with the help of a thick, creamy custard.  Doesn't get much better, my dear friends.  

I'll admit, I'm a bit bias when it comes to any bread pudding.  I'm like my mama and can't get enough of this breakfast/dessert.  It's just irresistible.  And when I get a quality one, it's all over.  I may or may not have eaten the majority of this goodness-in-a-pan all by myself.  You'll never know though...

Now that you have this on your baking list [yep, you do], make sure to keep an eye on LSM later this week to hear about the big news!  Especially you Omaha'ers ;)  .

My Notes:

• When placing the blueberries in the pan, you'll have excess flour left over in the bowl.  Make sure to leave it out of the bread pudding, the flour is only to keep the blueberries from sinking and you don't need the excess.
• This time around I used a nine-grain loaf from Great Harvest Bread Company.  I personally  liked it and it made me feel a bit better knowing I was at least eating a healthier bread.  But some found that the graininess of the bread didn't work for them, so I would definitely go with a great challah or brioche.  Nom, nom, nom!

Adapted from Heirloom Baking

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding:

3 c. blueberries

2 tbsp. all purpose flour

6 tbsp. butter, melted

2 c. milk

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

1-1/3 c. sugar

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

3/4 tsp. lemon extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 eggs, beaten

1 round loaf bread (e.g., challah, nine grain, brioche), cut into 1-inch squares

Sugar Topping:

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1/3 c. sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray 13x9-inch pan with non stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Toss blueberries and flour together in a small bowl.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine butter, milk, heavy whipping cream, salt, nutmeg, sugar, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract.  Add eggs and beat to combine.  
4. Place half of bread pieces evenly into prepared pan.  Pour half of custard over bread and sprinkle with half of blueberries.  Add remaining bread pieces, then custard and blueberries.  Cover bread pudding loosely with plastic wrap and gently press down to ensure the custard has moistened all of the bread.  Let stand 15 minutes.  Remove plastic wrap and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Cover pan with foil.  Bake 30 minutes .  Remove foil and bake an additional 45 minutes or until pudding is bubbling, topping has caramelized, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out relatively clean.  Allow to cool 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 16 servings

Tried & True Tuesday: My Grandma's of New England Coffee Cakes

.  Wow, looking back it has been quite some time since I've last done a Tried & True post.  Oops.  I think TWD had a little something to do with that though so I'm sure you'll forgive me.

But to make up for my post-slacking, I definitely have something extra special for you all today.  Odds are many of you haven't heard of My Grandma's of New England.  Is that a correct statement?  I know I most certainly never had but before the fork full of rich coffee cake goodness hit my lips, I knew I was hooked.

I first experienced this mind blowing goodie while Robbie and I were last in Arizona.  His mom dished out breakfast plates to everyone and insisted we all at least take a bite of the Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake she had waiting for us.  And not one of us regretted that push.  My goodness, I can't even think of where to begin and how my love for this coffee cake grows with every thought.

Well Robbie's mom obviously caught on to my subtle hints [i.e., running around the house yelling to the world about this coffee cake] and sent two of these beloved coffee cakes to us for my birthday [both Pumpkin Spice and Blueberry].  However, I'm still not quite sure if she secretly knew about the surprise party and that we'd be having extra guests I hadn't planned for...?  Hmmm?!

Anywho, the least I can say is that My Grandma's was a hit.  A complete homerun.  Actually, more like a grand slam.  Both of the coffee cakes were demolished by the end of the weekend and people were still walking around the kitchen asking if we had any left.  That good, I tell ya.

The elements of each cake are nothing complex, but they have mastered the art of making a quality, straightforward coffee cake.  I'm going out on a limb and saying these are the best coffee cakes I have ever had.  No joke.  They're ridiculously moist, the texture of the cakes strongly reminded me of the Pumpkin Bars I've made before.  And each of the two cakes were also adorned with a simple cinnamon-sugar mixture that adds the perfect crunchy sweetness to the cakes.  And, of course, the blueberry version had pops of fresh, succulent blueberries.  Heaven sent!

Dad approves!

What also has me outrageously excited about this company is not only the abundance of varieties [e.g., cranberry, apple, chocolate, banana-walnut, and even low fat versions!] but these coffee cakes make the most perfect gift!  Just like Robbie's mom did, you can spread the love to friends and family across the country.  So let that be my warning that my friends and family may be receiving some of these in the near future...