Blueberry Muffins

The Best Blueberry Muffins
(according to Lora's recipe, which came from her friend Sandy)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
******
Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs; then add vanilla, baking powder and salt.
Fold in half of the flour and milk, then add remaining flour and milk.
Dust blueberries with flour and fold into the mixture.
Scoop batter into a greased muffin tin.
Mix together the 2 T sugar and nutmeg and sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12 large muffins.

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Since my butter wasn't softened enough, this is as light and fluffy as it got.
Beat in eggs;
then add vanilla, baking powder and salt. Looking creamier now.
Fold in half of the flour and milk,
then add remaining flour and milk.
Dust blueberries with flour and fold into the mixture.
Scoop batter into a greased muffin tin (I used paper liners). Mix together the 2 T sugar and nutmeg and sprinkle on top of the muffins.
Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 large muffins.

So now I get to tell you about all the little idiosyncrasies along the way. First, I didn't know whether to use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries. Since a very small package of fresh blueberries at Sam's was over $7.00 at the time I made this, I went with frozen. I did not thaw them first. I found out after the fact I was supposed to use frozen, so I was correct with what I put in the recipe.

Those frozen blueberries — they made that batter really cold and firm and sticky. It was difficult to get into the paper muffin cups, I had to smoosh it in because I had so much batter but I followed the recipe and only made 12 large muffins, and every time I did I was pulling the paper cups back out of the muffin tin.

If I had to do it again, I'd probably thaw the blueberries at least a little bit, and I would probably cut them back to 2 cups. There were a lot of blueberries in there. I suppose I'm used to them skimping in the boxed mixes.

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti

2 cups cooked & cubed chicken
1 box (16 oz) cooked spaghetti
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can diced Rotel
1 can chicken broth
Shredded Cheddar (I use a finely shredded mix Kraft makes)
Shredded Parmesan

Mix soups, Rotel, and chicken broth. Combine with chicken and noodles. Pour into a 9 x 13 ungreased pan. Cover with shredded cheddar cheese (I use at least 2 cups) and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes or until bubbly around edges. (I actually think mine only takes about 30 minutes.) I think the Rotel gives it a different flavor so it doesn't taste all "chicken-y."

Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
5 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup dry milk
3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 cup raisins
(but if you think I'm putting food in my food, you're crazy; I just put this here in case someone else happens to want this recipe and likes raisins; you can add other stuff, too, like it says in the directions below)

Mix brown sugar, oil and honey in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Combine dry ingredients in a large cake pan. Pour syrup over dry mixture and mix well. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Let cool in pan. Add raisins (if you must) and stir. Store in an airtight container. I use pretty glass canning jars. It takes me two 4-quart jars.

You can also add wheat germ, coconut, nuts, dates and other dried fruit. Of course that's just what the recipe said. That would again qualify as food in my food. Makes 5 cups. Mine makes more than that without the food in my food, maybe because it's not pressed down in the jars.

Here's what it looks like in my pan that I fix it in. I haven't been quick enough to take pictures in the jars.