Blueberry Muffins

The calendar says spring is here. While the weather may not always agree, we do our best to welcome the new season. Blueberry muffins always make me feel like sunnier days are on the horizon. With the current state of our public health and daily doses of unsettling news reports, the distraction of baking has never been more welcome. 

Here in upstate New York we are lucky to have an abundance of local farms, many whom offer CSA memberships. Over the years we have really enjoyed visiting the farms for our weekly shares, sometimes even picking the produce ourselves. I've always found it to be a great way to get my kids interested in eating more fruits and veggies. As I look forward to our first pick up from this season's chosen farm, I'll have to settle for berries from the market for this week's batch of blueberry muffins. Lucky for me this recipe works well with either. These muffins are so full blueberries, I rarely add butter or jam when eating them. Although, the lure of a little pat of butter on a warm muffin is always difficult to resist!

I say, start 'em early! If you can, get your kids out to farms when they are young and show them where their food comes from.

With less than ten ingredients and very little effort, you can have freshly baked muffins.

Mashing some of the berries before folding them into the batter
is the secret to even distribution of fruit.

I almost never use an electric mixer for this recipe. A big bowl and rubber spatula does the trick.

I like to use two spoons to distribute the batter.
Be sure to generously fill the muffin cups and top with lots of berries.

Here's my recipe: 

Blueberry Muffins

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2c butter, melted
1c sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract 
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2c flour
3c blueberries, cleaned (3/4c mashed)
1/2c milk or plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a muffin tin with papers. Alternatively, you can skip the papers and spray the tin with a non stick spray. But I find it's an easier clean up with the papers.

2. In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Add most of the  whole blueberries (reserving some to top the muffins). Add the mashed blueberries.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together baking powder, salt and flour.

4. Add half the butter mixture to the flour and then half the milk (or yogurt.) Mix.

5. Add the remaining butter mixture and milk. Fold together just until mixed. The batter should be thick.

6. Divide the batter into the muffin cups. Top with remaining whole blueberries.

7. Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Cool the muffins in the pan for about 20 minutes. Remove from the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack.
Enjoy!