Cooking Blueberries...what to do, what to do???

[aprilvaca04]

We just went blueberry picking this afternoon and boy was it a bumper crop! The kind of weather we have been having must really agree with blueberries. The bushes were loaded!!! Anyway, so now what to do with them? Anyone have any recipes to share? Would be willing to try just about anything...Just made a no bake blueberry pie for dessert. Hopefully it's a hit

Have lived in Maine for 18 years now, can you believe it's the first time we picked blueberries...crazy

 

[morgansmom2000]

I made scones for the first time a couple weeks ago (not blueberry, but banana), but then thought about making them with blueberries. I may need to go blueberry picking just to make scones

 

[greeneeyes]

I made blueberry muffins, used the Bisquick recipe.

 

[LindaBabe]

Oh, scones! YUM! And blueberry pancakes, muffins, buckle, and in a bowl. Layered with cool whip and strawberries in a tall clear glass they make an elegant dessert. Blueberry sauce for ice cream and pound cake. Blueberry jam mmmmmmmm.

 

[DVCDan36]

Check out my Red, White, and Blue Triffle under the Dessert Sticky. It uses some Blueberries, but is very tasty.
Also, Blueberry jams, blueberry syrup, and other sauces are great too.

 

[MazdaUK]

what's a buckle?

 

[PinballFamily]

what's a buckle?

It is something you have to loosen when you eat too much buckle!

Sorry!

It is another name for a cobbler.

I've been thinking about making blueberry crumb cobbler, since it is "that time" around here. I've adapted an Emeril recipe and we love it - finally worked out a good fruit-to-crumb ratio...we're big crumb people! I'll post it asap.

Pam

 

[morgansmom2000]

I always prefer the crumb to the fruit Post it soon!

 

[PinballFamily]

Ok!

My changes mostly are about the fruit-to-crumb topping ratio! Following Emeril’s recipe was too much fruit for me and it was too runny. I cut back on the blueberries and the liquor, which now, to me, makes this recipe perfect! I've been making it for a few years now, and it is quite yummy, very crumb-y. If anyone tries this and makes other changes, I'd love to hear about them!

Pam

Here it is:


Fifield’s Blueberry Crumb Cobbler (by Emeril) with modifications!

Filling
3 cups fresh blueberries [Emeril says 6 pints]
3 tablespoons fruit brandy/liquor of your choice – I’ve used apricot brandy, Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) or Grand Marnier [Emeril says 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur]
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Topping
1/2 pound (two sticks) unsalted butter [this is a change – his original recipe for this called for one stick and I’ve been successful with that, but I’m sure two would be delicious, too!]
2 cups light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg [Emeril says “cinnamon OR nutmeg…I use both]
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats (not instant)


1 tsp unsalted butter (to grease pan)

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients: blueberries, brandy/liquor, granulated sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Toss to mix and let sit for 15 minutes.
Grease a 9-by-13 inch glass ovenproof baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Spread the berry mixture evenly in the baking dish.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Cream the butter with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg, the remaining cup of flour and the oats. Mix well.
Spread the oat mixture evenly over the berry mixture. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

 

[aprilvaca04]

Great ideas...thanks. I'm making blueberry sauce tomorrow. I've never made jam, is it hard? I'm not to good in the kitchen but I'm trying to get better>

 

[cirquelovers]

I make freezer jam and it is super easy! I use Ball freezer jam pectin, blueberries and sugar, or Splenda if you prefer. It saves the wonderful fresh fruit flavor all winter long. I always freeze some berries for use during the winer months too!

 

[MazdaUK]

How easy jam is depends on the pectin level of the fruit - I'm not sure about how high the pectin is in blueberries, but if its low you can add juice of one lemon and/or some apple (peeled, cored and chopped) to the mix (or use jam sugar which has pectin added).

For jam cook the fruit til soft with a little water (literally only a T or two) then add equal weight of warmed sugar (just pop in oven on low for a few mins), stir to dissolve and boil for about 10 mins. Check for set - put a t on a very cold saucer (I keep a couple in the freezer) and if after a minute or so it wrinkles when you push it with a finger the jam is ready. Skim off any scum and put into warmed sterilised jars (wash well and put in oven for 15 mins on 160c) - jars and lids must be dry or jam will go mouldy. Cool before labelling and store in a cool dry place - cellar, garage etc.

For jelly cook fruit til soft and drain in a jelly bag (or layers of muslin) overnight. Add equal sugar to the ammount of juice, stir over gentle heat to dissolve then boil for 10 mins and check for set as above. When draining the fruit it is important not to squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Wish I had your problem! My DD10 has gotten us all into smoothies lately and we are buying more fruit to use in them. Wish we had places where we could pick like you did. I did just come from my neighbors across the street where they have a bumper crop of smaller than usual peaches. We traded them some of our tomatoes for them. We picked quite a few but there a hundreds left. They'll all probably be ripe in the next 1-2 weeks. I'm thinking peach jam. Yum.

I would freeze some of your berries to use later. They would be great in smoothies. We currently make ours using frozen mangos, homegrown strawberries, o.j. concentrate, last of our home grown plums, bananas, or whatever we have handy. It's a great way to get her to eat more dairy. She even likes them with yogurt.

2 years ago we had a bumper crop of plums. So many that my DM and DD made homemade plum jelly. It was so good! We haven't had enough in the past 2 years to repeat the jam.

 

[franandaj]

Mmmmmmm blueberries!

My favorite recipe is Paula Deen's Blueberry Dumplings:

Personally, I think this serves 4 and I would make double the dumpling part of the recipe for 8. When I get under 200 lbs, I will make this as a celebration!

Blueberry Dumplings
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time:15 min
Inactive Prep Time:--
Cook Time:35 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 8 servings.

Ingredients

•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1 tablespoon sugar, plus 1 1/2 cups
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•Pinch salt
•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
•1/4 cup milk

•1 quart fresh or frozen blueberries
•2 cups water

•Vanilla ice cream or fresh cream, for serving


Directions
Stir flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter or fork. Add milk to form dough. Set dumpling dough aside.

In a large saucepan, combine berries, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Drop dumplings into hot boiling berries by the tablespoonful. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook slowly for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not remove the lid before 20 minutes has passed, and do not stir dumplings. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh cream.