Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake.

This is NOT your momma’s zucchini bread recipe!

Are you overloaded with zucchini and looking for new recipes to use up the abundance you have this time of year?

You have to try this amazing cake!  A co-worker made this to share for a recent celebration at work, and I knew I had to make it.

I modified it slightly from the recipe he found at I Am Baker by cutting the frosting in half, and it was absolutely amazing.

Go bake this!

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries
  • Lemon Buttercream Frosting
    • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
    • 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
    • Juice of 1/2 lemon (1 Tbsp)
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • Dash salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

Shred zucchini and spread out on a clean dish towel.  Roll up and squeeze gently to drain a bit of the excess water.  Set aside 2 cups of shredded zucchini.

Beat together eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar, and lemon zest with electric mixer.  Gently fold in the zucchini.

Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Stir until incorporated.  Gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour half of batter into each cake pan.

Bake approximately 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.

Prepare lemon butter cream frosting by beating butter, sugar, salt, lemon juice and vanilla with electric mixer until creamy.

Spread on top of each layer, leaving sides “naked.”

Decorate with additional fresh blueberries, lemon zest, zucchini blossoms, and powdered sugar if desired.

Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Fresh Blueberry Scones

Fresh Blueberry Scones.

I had a friend come over Saturday morning.

HOORAY!  Excuse to bake something yummy.

I surely couldn’t know someone is coming and not have something freshly baked to share if I could help it.  Right?

Surprise visitors might not be as lucky – but are equally welcomed!   (They may just have to look beyond my make-up-less face, a potentially less than clean house, and deal with frozen cookies.)

It was so good to catch up with this friend I haven’t seen in a while – munching on these tender, buttery, lightly sweet biscuits bursting with tart blueberries and sipping on Cinnamon Dolce coffee with Italian Sweet Cream.

Sometimes it takes a guest to make us sit back and relax and truly appreciate our home.  My friend asked me how I ever get anything done with the beautiful view and comfy surroundings?

It made me think….

I need to quit apologizing for the carpet that needs replaced or the walls that need a fresh coat of paint or the old “stuff” I have.

The greatest compliment I receive is when someone tells me they feel completely comfortable and relaxed and welcome in my home.

Isn’t that what makes a house a home?   I have two signs in my home (one I bought and one made for me by my BFF who didn’t know I had bought the same sign!) that say “The thing I love best about my home is who I share it with.”

That could not be truer for me.  A house is made of wood and nails, but a home is made with love and family and friends.

And maybe fresh Blueberry Scones!

Here’s my recipe.

Fresh Blueberry Scones

Ingredients:

2 1/2  Cups Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 Sticks Cold Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Buttermilk (easy substitute is 1Tbsp white vinegar added to 1 cup milk)
1 cup Blueberries
Coarse Raw Sugar for Sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Cut butter into small cubes and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs are formed.  Pour in vanilla and buttermilk, and mix with pastry blender just until incorporated.  Dump dough onto counter, gently incorporate blueberries into dough, and gently shape into a 15″ x 3″ rectangle.  Cut dough in half, then each half in half, then each quarter in half, so that you have 8 rectangles.  Cut each rectangle on the diagonal to form 16 triangular shaped scones.

Place on backing stone or cookie sheet, brush with some milk or water, and sprinkle with coarse raw sugar.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes on stone or cookie sheet, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Fresh Blueberry, Pistachio, & Edamame Salad with Goat Cheese

Fresh Blueberry, Pistachio, & Edamame Salad with Goat Cheese.

Summer is such a glorious time of fresh bounty.

Salads become meals made from fresh fruits and vegetables.  Like this yummy salad I made for lunch one day with some plump sweet and tart blueberries, crunchy pistachios, protein and fiber-rich edamame, and creamy crumbled goat cheese piled on a bed of greens.

All of this drizzled with a honey red wine vinaigrette is heaven in a bowl!

What is your favorite summer salad?  There are so many wonderful combinations and possibilities!

Fresh Blueberry, Pistachio, & Edamame Salad with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

  • Mixed Greens (Kale, Arugula, Spinach Swiss Chard – any of your faves)
  • Fresh Blueberries
  • Pistachio Nuts, shelled
  • Edamame, shelled
  • Goat Cheese, crumbled
  • Green Onions, chopped (optional)
  • Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing (homemade or your fave – this is how I make mine – it will make more than you need for one salad) 
    • 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
    • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
    •  Tbsp Honey
    • Salt & Pepper

Directions:

In a bowl, place a handful of mixed greens.  Top with fresh blueberries, pistachios, edamame, goat cheese, and green onions (if desired).  Drizzle with Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake.

What is a girl to do when a bestie friend comes home after a long time away?!

Well…. run over and visit and hug as soon as possible!  Right?!

But you can’t go empty handed!

So – what to bake to take?  I needed something quick, but yummy, that my sweet friend Janet and her Mom and Dad would enjoy…

I had some amazing fresh blueberries in the fridge I had recently bought at a local farm market, so I decided to make a blueberry cake.

And OH was it yummy!  (I know because I kept half for hubby and me and took half to them.  She is that kind of friend!  The best kind – that you can take half a cake to – LOL!)

I arrived just in time to serve it to them for dessert!

Oh the joy of friendship!  Oh the joy of baking and sharing!

Make this for yourself!  Make this to give away!  But make this amazing Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake today!  (oh dear – am I still rhyming?! )

Welcome home sweet Janet!  Looking forward to our time together.

Here is the recipe I made as I adapted from LifeLoveandSugar:

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

Streusel:

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted

Cake:

  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. salted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (light sour cream works fine)
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used Skim)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries

Glaze:

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare an 8-9 inch cake pan by greasing bottom and sides with shortening and then placing a circle of parchment paper in the bottom.

Prepare streusel by combining ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork.  Set aside.

Prepare cake batter by beating sugar and butter in electric mixer for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add sour cream and milk  until well incorporated.  Add egg and vanilla.  Finally, add baking powder, then flour just until thoroughly combined.

Spread half of the batter in prepared pan.  Top with half of the streusel mixture, then  3/4 cup blueberries.  Repeat batter, streusel, then 1 cup blueberries.

Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove from pan.

Prepare glaze by  by combining powdered sugar and milk until a glaze consistency is achieved.  Add more powdered sugar or milk as needed.

Drizzle cooled cake with glaze, and top with remaining 1/4 cup fresh blueberries.

Serve warm or cold – plain or with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream!

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Fresh Red Raspberry & Blueberry Pie

Fresh Red Raspberry & Blueberry Pie.

Are you looking for an amazing fruit pie that is tart and sweet and bursting full of fresh fruits of the season?

I haven’t baked a pie in a while, so I thought it was high time I treated hubby to something he would love being that it is Father’s Day weekend and all.

He would choose pie over cake or cookies approximately 99.5 times out of 100 – conservatively speaking.

I had some fresh red raspberries and some fresh blueberries in the fridge, but not enough of either to make a whole pie, so I decided to try combining the two into one pie.

I researched some recipes and then decided to combine things I liked about different ones into my own creation – including using tapioca instead of cornstarch as the thickening agent for this pie.  Grandma always used tapioca in her berry pies, so there is no other way in my book!

This pie turned out perfectly thickened and so full of fresh berry flavors.  It was a complete hit with Hubby – especially when topped with a melting scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

If you are looking for a new twist on berry pie, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try!

Fresh Red Raspberry & Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

  • Double recipe for Pie Crust
  • 2 cups fresh red raspberries
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup + 1 Tbsp. white sugar
  • 1/4 cup tapioca
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract of paste
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp. milk or water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a 9 inch pie plate with bottom pastry.

In a bowl, combine berries, 1 cup sugar, tapioca, flour, lemon peel, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Gently stir, and pour into pastry lined pie plate.

Top with remaining pie crust cut and wove into lattice.

Brush with milk or water, and sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Fresh Peach and Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake

Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake 1

Sunday was a rather rainy, oppressively humid, relaxing, fabulous, lazy, stay-in-the-house kinda day.  What better kind of day to bake a beautiful treat like this Greek yogurt cake with fresh, juicy, ripe peaches…

Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake fresh peaches

and tart, tangy, locally-grown blueberries…

Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake fresh blueberries

for a lovely dessert!

Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake slice

OH How Yummy…

Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake

and OH How Beautiful!

Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake 2

Moist and sweet – but not too sweet, bursting with fresh summer fruit flavor, delicious warm or cold, amazing alone – and possibly even more amazing with a dollop of whipped cream or melting vanilla ice cream.

Hope you’ll give this a try.

Here is the recipe slightly adapted from JuliasAlbum.

Fresh Peach and Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:Peach Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake 1

  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 fresh, ripe peaches, sliced into wedges
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 Tbsp raw or granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the side and bottom of a 9″ springform pan with Pam cooking spray.  Line bottom with parchment paper, and spray it too.

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy for approx. 2-3 minutes on high speed of an electric mixer.  Add vanilla and Greek yogurt, and continue beating for another minute.

With the mixer on low, add baking powder, baking soda, and then flour, and mix just until combined.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Top with two of the peaches, sliced, and two-thirds of the blueberries in any design you like.  Sprinkle the fruit with sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Pull cake out and add the third peach, sliced, and the remaining blueberries.  Return to oven, and continue baking for 15-20 more minutes until cake is golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan for about 40 minutes, and then release cake from the springform pan.   Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve warm or cold.  Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Blueberry Shortbread Tart

blueberry shortbread tart 2

I thought it would be nice to make a sweet treat this past weekend for the guys since I had been away for awhile.  I didn’t have enough blueberries to make a pie, but I had a nice amount to make this yummy blueberry shortbread tart.

blueberry shortbread tart 1

What could be bad about a shortbread crust, some jam and blueberries, fresh lemon juice and zest, and a crumbly topping?!?!

blueberry shortbread tart 3

It went together easily, only took 30 minutes to make, and was a hit!  (Hubby said it reminded him of a toasted blueberry Pop-Tart (and that was meant as a compliment – lol!)

I can’t recall the last time I bought Pop-Tarts, but this is a tart, and it is filled with fruit, and it is baked, so I guess that pretty well qualifies it to taste a bit like it.  I can imagine this would also be great with many other fruit fillings (aka Pop-Tart flavors) –  Cherry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Peach, Apple & Cinnamon, Strawberry, or Peach – to name a few.

My guys topped theirs with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, because, well…. just because!

It was a great dessert to end a hot summer day and meal of grilled sausage sandwiches with onions and peppers on hard rolls, fresh sweet corn on the cob rolled in butter and sprinkled with Old Bay Seasoning, and a cucumber and tomato salad fresh from the garden drizzled with tangy red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Hungry yet?!

Blueberry Shortbread Tart

Ingredients:blueberry shortbread tart 2
  • 2 sticks butter,  room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup blueberry preserves or jam
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9-inch tart pan.

Beat butter, sugars, lemon juice and zest with electric mixer approx. 3 mins until well incorporated.  Add flour and salt, and mix until well blended and forming clumps.

Press 2/3 of the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and going up sides.

Spread with the blueberry preserves or jam evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border.  Sprinkle with blueberries.

Crumble the remaining dough into large crumbs and  sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake 30 – 40 mins. until lightly browned.

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*recipe slightly adapted from Erren’s Kitchen

Pineapple Blueberry Salsa

Pineapply Blueberry Salsa

It was HOT here in Mars this past weekend, so Sunday supper called for something light and fresh.  I rarely make fish as Hubby is a bit skeptical about it, but I had some frozen Hake loin filets in the freezer that needed to be used.

Pineapple Blueberry Salsa on Whole GrainTostitos Scoop

I was still OOGLING the amazing Fish Tacos I had the night before at Breakneck Tavern – O M G – and thought I’d try some type of version at home.

Pineapply Blueberry Salsa 2

So I made this super yummy, bright, fresh, fruity and savory (with just a touch of heat) Pineapple Blueberry Salsa to accompany the fish, but it also tastes AMAZING on tortilla chips.  I had some Tostitos Wholegrain Scoops, and they were just the ticket to balance out the flavors and allow for a healthy scoop of fruit and veggies in every bite!

This salsa and chips would be a great company or party snack to go with white wine spritzers or some white sangria (and everything goes with Gin and Tonics in the summertime!).

Here is the recipe.  Hope you’ll give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Pineapple Blueberry Salsa*

  • Servings: approx. 4 cups
  • Print

Ingredients:Pineapply Blueberry Salsa

  • 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup chopped sweet red and/or orange peppers
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 fresh lime, juiced (or lemon)
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped or 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (for a bit of heat)
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips (especially yummy with Frito Lay Whole Grain Tostitos Scoops, or alongside chicken or fish for a fresh and light, summery accompaniment.

Tastes bests when chilled for several hours to allow flavors to fully blend.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*slightly adapted from Jen @ CarlsbadCravings

Fresh Peach & Blueberry Streusel Muffins

fresh peach and blueberry struesel muffins

Do you know a muffin man?  One that might live on your lane?

If so, you might want to make him this yummy Fresh Peach and Blueberry Streusel Muffin recipe this weekend for Father’s Day brunch.

After all, we would be muffin without our dads – right?

fresh peach and blueberry struesel muffins 3

Silly nursery rhymes and puns aside….   I was excited to try out some new silicone muffin “pans” I got on clearance at Tuesday Morning a while back, and they did not disappoint.

No need for liners, the muffins popped right out, and clean up was SUPER easy!

The pair of baking pans I bought were slightly odd-shaped I came to find out when I tried to stand the finished little buggers up.  They are wider at the top and quite narrow at the bottom.  (They are likely shaped for some other baking delicacy, but the muffins still tasted AMAZING even though they could stand up straight on their own! Hence my inspiration for the picture to the left.)

These muffins are bursting with fresh fruit flavor and moist from the addition of creamy vanilla yogurt and milk.

And who can pass up a crumbly topping swirled with icing?!

fresh peach and blueberry struesel muffins 2

Peaches are just coming in season around our neck of the woods.  Mixing the tart burst of blueberries with the sweetness of ripe peaches is a muffin combination that is sure to make for happy tummies when you bake these for your family or friends or even just for you!

Fresh Peach and Blueberry Streusel Muffins*

Ingredients:fresh peach and blueberry struesel muffins

Muffin Batter:

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup half and half or milk
  • 1 cup peaches, peeled chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Crumb Topping:

  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp white sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) softened butter
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons half and half or milk or Italian Sweet Creamer*
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray.

For muffin batter, beat butter on high speed in electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugars and beat on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat until mixture is combined.  Add, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and beat 30 seconds or so to combine.  Add flour and mix until well combined.  Add milk and mix until no lumps remain.

Add a teaspoon of flour to the blueberries to coat and do the same to the peaches.  This helps them to no all sink to the bottom of the batter when baking.

Fold fruit gently into batter.

For the crumb topping, combine sugars, cinnamon, and flour.  Mix in softened butter until thick and crumbly.  You can use a spoon or fork or even your fingers.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top or even a little over. Divide the crumb topping among each of the muffin cups, crumbling with your hands to make some big chunks.

Bake for 5 minutes at 425, then lower temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.

Make glaze by mixing the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla together. Drizzle over muffins when most of the way cool.

*slightly adapted from SpoonfulofNature

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi