Blueberry Quick Bread

This weekend my sister and I gathered the troops and headed up to Vermilion, Ohio to do some blueberry picking at Baumhart Berry Farm.   Bonnie had been here once before and raved about it, so this was my first time.  What a treasure to find!  The aisles are huge, easily accommodating our two large strollers, the bushes are tall enough that you aren't bending over giving yourself a backache and most importantly, the berries are HUGE and sinfully sugar sweet!!  I couldn't get over how easy it was to pick them, just grazing your hands over the plump fruits would drop them into your bucket.  The kids never tired of the picking and our buckets soon became full.  It was a fun afternoon, and even after all our snacking we still came home with more blueberries then one knows what to do with.  Don't worry, your tummies will know exactly what to do with them!

Let me help you with this lovely Blueberry Quick Bread.  It is overflowing with blueberries in ever single bite. The the bread itself has just the right sweetness and tastes heavenly with some soft butter smeared all over it. Try it with a slice of shaved ham on top.  Super yummy!

Blueberry Quick Bread
recipe courtesy allrecipes

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
4 eggs
2 cups cold milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts.

In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Pour into two 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 65-75 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

This recipe is featured on This and That and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party

Toad in a Hole- Midwestern Style

I know that Toad in a Hole means something completely different to people over in Europe where this recipe consists of sausages cooked in Yorkshire Pudding. But to most of us here in the Midwestern United States, Toad in a Hole is an egg that has been sautéed inside a slice of bread where a hole was removed from the center.  It is a simple dish, giving you that perfect dunking bread already there and waiting to be slathered in the runny yoke the moment a tine of your fork hits the egg.  It takes no time to make and is, well, wonderfully delicious.  Plus kids and adults always seem to get a kick out of it!

Toad in a Hole- Midwestern Style
2 slices bread per person
2 eggs per person
butter
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
fresh chives to garnish

Using a shot glass or a small biscuit cutter, cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread.  Butter both sides of bread as you would for a grilled cheese sandwich.  Be sure to butter the circles you just removed from the breads, they are great dippers for the runny eggs!

Place the bread into a nonstick pan  and "grill" at medium low heat until just golden.  Flip bread and very carefully break the egg into the hole.  The yoke should fill it nicely.  Season each egg with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.  Allow to cook until you get the eggs to your preferred doneness.  I like to lightly cover my pan with foil to set the yoke just a bit more.  If you don't like a runny egg at all, just leave the foil on the pan to your perfection.  Carefully remove the Egg's in a Hole to each person's plate, garnish and enjoy!  Serve along side some fresh fruit and crispy bacon.

I  know there are all sorts of other names for this fun dish.  What do you call it in your neck of the woods?!

Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

This pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to any and every summer meal.  It is different from the pasta salads you see everywhere and has a huge addicting quality making people want to have more and more. This is my sister's recipe and I have absolutely fallen in love with it.  I always hope for leftovers because I can never get enough!  Even though we tend to have it for family parties as a side dish, this would make a wonderful light dinner as is or with some grilled chicken or tuna tossed in.  Seriously, so, so, so good!  You will LOVE it, trust me.


Farfalle Pasta Salad with Sweet Peas and Dill

1 (16-oz) box Farfalle Pasta (any thick noodle would work well, but these bow ties look so pretty!)
1 cup sweet peas
1-1.5 cups)  mayo
dijon mustard
lots of fresh dill, chopped
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on box.  Allow to cool.  Combine the peas with the pasta and add enough mayo to coat, but not so much to make it to be super saucy.  This isn't a sloppy, saucy, mayo-rich salad, just enough for great flavor and to evenly coat.  Add a good squeeze of dijon, about 2 tablespoons or so and stir. Add a ton of chopped dill, and season to taste with salt and a bit of ground black pepper and stir to throughly combine. Allow to chill before serving.

This recipe is featured on This and That and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party