Best Ever Blueberry Muffins

Whenever I find a recipe entitled "Best Ever ______," I usually save it and make it, and I think it's pretty good, but I don't want to commit to calling it the "Best Ever," so I change the name to something else and then put it on the blog.
But for these... I really do believe that they're the BEST EVER blueberry muffins. Jeff really likes blueberries, so I make a decent amount of blueberry stuff and guys... these are really, really good. Like really good. I'm pretty sure that as far as blueberry muffins go,  it doesn't get any better than this! 

Recipe adapted from here.
Ingredients: 1/3 cup sugar (for topping) and 1 1/8 cups + 1 tsp sugar (for muffins) Zest from one lemon (for topping) 2 cups fresh blueberries 2 1/2 cups flour 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs 4 tbsp butter, melted 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 1 cup buttermilk  1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:  1. Prepare the topping by stirring together 1/3 cup sugar and lemon zest. Set aside. 2. Preheat oven to 375. Grease and flour a muffin pan.  3. Rinse one cup berries and pat dry with paper towels. Simmer the remaining cup of blueberries and 1 tsp sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mash with a spoon periodically and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup (this takes about 5-10 minutes). Transfer blueberry-sugar mixture to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature. 4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the rinsed berries in witht he flour mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and 1 1/8 cup sugar until thick. Slowly add in the butter and oil until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. 5. Gently fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined (batter will still be lumpy, a few streaks are okay). Don't overmix! 6. Spoon the batter into muffin cups until they are about 3/4 full. Spoon a teaspoon of the cooked berry mixture into the center of each mound of batter. Using a toothpick, gently swirl the berry filling into the batter. 7. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over the tops of the muffins. Bake until muffins are golden and just firm, about 16-18 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for another few minutes before serving. 

(lemon zest + sugar)

(topping mixture)

(berries + sugar)

(berry-sugar mixture)

(cooling berry-sugar mixture)

(flour + baking powder + salt)

(adding in the berries)

(eggs + sugar)

(adding vanilla and buttermilk)

(finished batter)

(about 3/4 full... or a little more)

(adding the berry-sugar mixture)

(swirling with a toothpick)

(ooh, pretty blueberry swirls!)

(so pretty!)

(lemon sugar added on top)

(ready for the oven)

(finished!)

(look at that oozy blueberry goodness!)

(golden and delicious!)

(cooling on a tray)

(delicious!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Turkey Apple Brie Paninis

Here's an easy, delicious, perfect-for-after-work recipe!

Recipe adapted from here.
Ingredients: Sliced sourdough bread Sliced smoked turkey 4 oz Brie cheese, thinly sliced 1 Gala apple, cored and thinly sliced butter
Directions: 1. Preheat a panini press (or a skillet or grill pan or whatever) over medium heat. 2. Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Place a layer of brie on the un-buttered side of a piece of bread. Top with turkey, apples, and another couple pieces of brie (so the top bread slice will stick). Place the top bread slice on, butter-side out.  3. Heat in panini press for 4-6 minutes, or until golden brown and heated through.

(bread)

(turkey)

(brie)

(apples)

(preheating panini press)

(sliced brie)

(sliced apple)

(butter on one side)

(brie on the non-butter side)

(then apples...)

(then turkey and a little more brie...)

(top slice of bread)

(all done!)

(yummy!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Our Go-To Burger Recipe

Burgers are really east. And they're fast. And they're especially easy and fast when you hand them off to your husband for the grilling portion of the meal preparation. They're also good for casual parties. Or food Tuesdays. Whatever. :) 

Burgers are pretty simple, but everyone has to have a go-to burger recipe, right? Here's the recipe for how we make 'em! 

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef (not extra lean)

2 tsp seasoned salt

2 tbsp A-1 sauce

2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. 

2. Form the beef into 6-8 patties (depending on how big you want each one), each about 1/2 inch thick. 

3. Cook the burgers on a grill over medium-high heat... about 5-7 minutes per side. Toast buns on the grill for the last couple minutes of grill time, and add cheese (optional) so it gets nice and melty on the burgers. 

4. Serve 'em up with whatever cheese, veggies, and condiments you desire! 

(mixing ingredients)

(all grilled!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Parmesan Orzo with Peas

Okay, so side dishes are my new favorite thing. I'm trying to branch out (and away from my just-stick-some-steamed-veggies-with-it mindset). This recipe is a perfect side dish. Or I suppose you could add some turkey or ham or chicken and make it a main dish, but the point is - it's delicious. I could eat a whole big bowl of this stuff. Or two bowls. 

Recipe adapted from here.
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 tsp salt 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/4 cups orzo 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 1/4 cups frozen peas, thawed 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 11/2 tbsp dried parsley Black pepper, to taste
Directions: 1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  2. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent (6ish minutes). Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. 3. Stir in the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes (or until most of the orzo grains are golden).  4. Slowly add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and the liquid has been absorbed (about 10-12 minutes).  5. Remove from heat and stir in peas, Parmesan, and parsley. Let sit until the peas are warmed through (a couple minutes). Season with pepper to taste. 

(melting the butter)

(cooking the onion)

(toasting the orzo)

(just added the chicken broth)

(simmering until orzo is tender)

(adding peas, parmesan, and parsley)

(all done!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!