Blueberry Corn-Muffins for the easily lost cook

I am not a great cook. I do have a few favorites I do well, though. I've noticed that they are all recipes that are, um, -forgiving. I do best with a recipe for the more 'subjective' cook, -a recipe I can add or take away from and it will still turn out. I've discovered lately that I also like uncomplicated recipes, ones without too many ingredients and/or too many steps.

I found this blueberry corn muffin recipe in a magazine, sorry- I don't remember which one. It's very easy, short list of ingredients, and a surprising mix of flavors.
I am reveling in its awesomeness this week...!

Corn muffins with blueberries

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup corn kernels (listed as fresh, but I used canned)
1 cup or more blueberries
raw sugar (turbinado) for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place baking liners in 12 cup muffin pan

Combine flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg and butter together and then stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries and corn.

Divide batter among muffin cups and sprinkle with the raw sugar. (I happen to think the more the better...mmm, sugar)

Bake about 25 minutes, cool.

Easy, internet friends, and soo worth it....

Sunday Night link fun

Sunday night at our house means serving dinner to a houseful of Bible college boys. We usually grill, because I seem to be challenged when it comes to cooking things in big batches- it's never ready on time when I cook. I do like to do dessert, though...here is one that is easy and a favorite

Apple-cranberry crisp recipe*

(I usually double the crisp part, and we serve it over ice-cream...and it is very good without the cranberries if you don't have any.)

Hilary Weeks and her version of My Favorite things...which happens to be my favorites, too :)

hat tip to Rudy Family Rukus for introducing me to Hilary Weeks, what a treat!

Well, I'm thinking about breaking out my 30 day shred dvd again...I did several days of this back in the Spring, it was pretty intensive but thankfully short, you just feel like you are going to die for 20 minutes. I had to stop because we had just brought home Emma the wonder-dog and she would go nuts when I tried to do it. So, I'm about to break it out, anyways, there are several bloggers doing it, I found this interesting blog called Shredheads, with lots of advice and encouragement. Check it out if you are thinking of trying this!

goodnight, God bless you!

a few recipes for the reluctant mom chef

or...
" shoot, it's dinner-time Again? "

" What's for dinner?...good question!"

or how about Sky's question..."yes, it's 4 o'clock and yes dinner time rolls around everyday. Why are you always surprised by this, Jen?"

My blog is an eclectic mix of this and that, mostly homeschooling...but recipes are something you will not find much of here. Unless it is easy and special. And easy.
Did I say easy?

here is one that is a hit at my house;

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger pie

First, I double the recipe, then I use the low-fat bisquit mix, and on half I put the onions and I also add cut up bell pepper and tomatoes- this is for the adults, the other half I leave bland for the kids.

I just saw this apple recipe over at Quiche Woman in a Barbecue town,

Apple Squares

this looked very easy, yummy, and something you could do with the kids.

Rave dessert recipe

I've posted before that every Sunday night we host 8-10 bible college boys over for dinner, plus a few friends. We are so blessed to do this, and we enjoy the boys so much. I tried this dessert this past Sunday, and oh my goodness-it is a keeper! Sorry, no photos..the kitchen was a madhouse as we were assembling these and passing them out.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake
serves 8, prep time 30 min., cook time 30 min

3 squares (1 oz. each) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup Shedd's Spread County Crock Spreadable butter w/canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
2 cups strawberries, sliced, with 1 tbsp. sugar
2 cups sweetened whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease 9-inch round baking pan. Microwave chocolate with spreadable butter at High until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Beat in sugar, vanilla, eggs, 1/4 cup flour, baking soda and salt. Alternately beat in remaining flour and water until blended. Pour into pan. Bake 30 minutes; cool on wire rack.

2. Slice cake horizontally. Layer strawberries and whipped cream in between halves.

What I added: I doubled the amount of strawberries and taking half; mashed them in a bowl with a potato masher, squeezed in the juice from half a fresh orange, and put in 2 tsp. of sugar, set bowl in refrigerator for a few hours. I put whipped cream and mashed strawberries on bottom half of cake and then put whipped cream and sliced strawberries on top. I also tripled this recipe, cuz we had lots of hungry boys.

it was really, really yummy.