Favorite Friday Recipe: Bananaberry Muffins

Here's a great muffin recipe from Tasty Kitchen.  I like that it uses the bananas to bind the mixture so you use less butter.  Of course, that just gives me an excuse to break open the muffins and put my own butter on it, but that's another story.

While these muffins are great warm out of the oven, the blueberries tend to get a bit tart when hot.  They were significantly better the next morning! 

Enjoy! (oh and notice my lovely Vera mug and new petalware plate!  and no, I did not eat all 5 muffins...at once...)

Bananaberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 cup Sugar
• ⅓ cups Butter, Room Temperature
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Mashed Ripe Bananas (about 2 Med Ones)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Fresh Blueberries (rinse And Pat Dry)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a tray with muffin cup papers.
• Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together with a wire whisk.
• Add butter, eggs, bananas and vanilla.
• Mix on low until just combined.
• Fold in blueberries. Reserve some to place on the tops of the muffins.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. (I think I did 15 min)
• Serve while still warm with butter. (YES!  see!)
• Makes 12-15 muffins. (I made 17 with this recipe)

Favorite Friday Recipe: Fruit tarts

(view of the strawberries my niece is growing in her little Florida garden)

One of the best parts about summer is the abundance of berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, you name it!  Today's recipe is simple and makes for a yummy and light dessert to top off your summer BBQ.

First, defrost a package of pastry puff (I used Pepperidge Farm here), cut them into squares (or rectangles or whatever your heart fancies) and bake according to package directions.  Then let cool.

In the meantime, whip up some instant vanilla pudding and place in the refrigerator to chill for a little while.  After the pastry puffs are cool to the touch, slice them in half...

And begin scooping some pudding into them...

Arrange fruit (California strawberries and Texas blueberries chosen here) on top of the pudding and you're all set!

Place them all in a lovely serving dish and remember to pace yourself when eating these!  Enjoy!

(I just had a thought that chocolate pudding would be really great in this too--with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.  Good thing I have another package of puff pastry in the freezer!)