Panna Cotta is probably one of the simplest desserts to make. It’s nothing more than heating cream and sugar and stirring in some “bloomed” gelatin to set the mixture. There are many variations to the basic Panna Cotta and, today, I am sharing my recipe for a divine Blueberry Panna Cotta. Continue reading Blueberry Panna Cotta Recipe
These Blueberry Scones are always a lovely treat when the local highbush blueberries are in season. They may be made with either orange or lemon zest for additional flavor and are divine served still slightly warm from the oven with a favorite jam and/or fruit curd with, of course, some clotted cream or English double cream. Continue reading Blueberry Scones Recipe
This Blueberry Quick Bread is a wonderful treat when fresh local highbush blueberries are in season. The addition of either orange or lemon zest and juice makes this a very flavorful quick bread. So, according to your taste preference, you can make this a Blueberry-Orange or Blueberry-Lemon bread. Continue reading Blueberry Quick Bread Recipe
Modelled after, and made with the same method as, a traditional Date Square, this wholesome Orange-Scented Blueberry Oat Square features a delectable blueberry filling sandwiched between a sweet and buttery orange-scented oatmeal crumb base and topping. Continue reading Orange-scented Blueberry Oat Square
Smoothies are such a great and tasty way to eat fruit and yogurt, making them healthy choices. And, they are very filling. They are great for breakfast, summer barbeques, as a transportable breakfast-on-the-go, or just anytime as a nutritional drink.
I am not far from Tryon Blueberries U-Pick, a high bush blueberry farm in central PEI and, when they are in season, I have a steady diet of these blueberries.
I freeze a quantity of them for use in smoothies throughout the year.
Basically, any fruit you like can be combined into a smoothie. For this recipe, I have chosen to feature the local blueberries but I also add in some other fruits that pair particularly well with blueberries. These include mango, papaya, and banana. The great thing about smoothies is that they can be made with fresh or frozen fruits. I often bag up fruits when they are in season locally and freeze them in just the right sized portions for smoothies. This makes it quick and easy to prepare the smoothies which is great because, as we all know, if something is overly laborious, well….it often just does not happen.
Smoothies are so easy to make. A blender or smoothie maker is needed for this recipe. Simply combine all the ingredients into the blender and process the mixture until desired smoothness is reached.
For sweetener, I use 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup. This natural liquid sweetener blends better than sugar. Reduce the amount of maple syrup if you like a less sweet drink. I also add in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground chia seeds. Whole chia seeds may be used but the ground seeds make for a smoother drink and are a better alternative for those who can’t easily digest seeds. Chia is loaded with good health benefits like fibre, omega 3 fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
The yogurt I have used in this smoothie is a Mediterranean-style lavender yogurt. Lavender pairs very well with blueberries. Don’t be put off by this flavor thinking it will be like perfume. This yogurt is very gently flavored with lavender and it is not at all strong in either the lavender flavor or scent. It does, however, add a subtle layer of flavor to the smoothie. Plain Greek-style yogurt can, of course, be substituted but, if the lavender yogurt is available in your area, I recommend giving it a try.
Any kind of fruit juice can be used in this smoothie. I have made it with plain orange juice which is very good but it is super tasty if made with a mango-citrus blend of juice or a tropical fruit juice. If possible, I try to add juice that has the flavor of at least one or more of the fruits I am blending into the smoothie. I don’t add any ice cubes to this smoothie because I find they can dilute the flavor. Make sure the fruit juice is good and cold and the smoothie will be just the right temperature for drinking without adding any ice.
Garnishes are optional but they do dress up the smoothie. If using garnishes, choose fruits that are in the smoothie as I have done here with the blueberries, mango, and papaya.
This smoothie recipe will yield approximately 4 cups which is about two good servings or, for smaller portions, four 1-cup servings are possible. This really is a meal in a glass – it provides servings of fruit, yogurt, and liquid content. This smoothie is best served as soon as it is made because it has banana in it and it can produce quite a strong flavor if left to sit and it can take over and become the predominant flavor in the drink.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups fruit juice (e.g., mango-citrus, orange juice, etc.)
1½ cups high bush blueberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup mango, coarsely chopped (fresh or frozen)
½ cup papaya, coarsely chopped (fresh or frozen)
½ large banana, sliced
½ cup Mediterranean-style lavender yogurt (or plain Greek-style yogurt)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1½ tbsp ground chia seeds
Method:
Combine all ingredients, in order given, in blender and process until well blended and smooth. Pour into glasses. Garnish with skewer of fresh blueberries, mango, and papaya. Serve immediately.
Yield: Apx. 4 cups
Kickstart your day with this super tasty blueberry and tropical fruit smoothie made with lavender yogurt and mango-citrus fruit juice
Ingredients
Instructions
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Lemonade is a wonderful refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day. Sometimes I like just plain old-fashioned lemonade and, other times, I like to flavor it using whatever berries are currently in season. My latest lemonade creation uses high bush blueberries to make blueberry lemonade concentrate. Fill a glass about one third full of the concentrate and top it up with lemon-lime soda for a tasty drink. You can, of course, top up the concentrate with lemon-flavored sparkling water instead of the soda. Continue reading Blueberry Lemonade Recipe
There are many ways to make blueberry pie but I have found that this is one of the tastiest. It’s also a great alternative to anyone who is not overly fond of double-crusted pies as this one is all about the filling!
Now, I love blueberries but sometimes I find they need a little help with a flavour boost. That’s why I have created this recipe for a blueberry filling that adds a gentle amount of cinnamon and nutmeg along with some orange juice and orange rind. To add a bit of depth and complexity to the flavor, I add a couple of tablespoons of Grand Marnier liqueur after the filling has cooked and been removed from the heat. This is an optional ingredient but a lovely flavor addition to the pie if you have the liqueur on hand.
As with any food, it is important to know what flavor combinations work and will complement each other. Cinnamon and nutmeg are two spices that go well with blueberries and, of course, blueberry and orange have long been a successful flavor combo. The other thing that is important is not to add in too many different flavors (or too much of any one additional flavor) as that can confuse the palate, detract from the authentic blueberry flavor, and not have the desired result. Sometimes less really is more!
The blueberries I used in this recipe are locally-grown here on PEI. Over the past few years, a number of high bush blueberry u-picks have begun operating around the Island. These are the lovely, large plump blueberries which are very easy to pick off bushes so no need to get down on hands and knees to find them. They grown in clusters on the vine, almost like grapes and are quick, easy, and clean to pick. When these blueberries are in season in August and early September, we always have them fresh. The berries freeze well and this pie can certainly be made with the frozen berries so it can be enjoyed at any time throughout the year.
This is one of the those pies that is best eaten the day it is made so plan to make the pie early in the morning, let it chill for the afternoon, and enjoy it with a dollop of whipped cream as a special dessert treat for dinner.
[printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
9” baked pie shell, cooled
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp sugar
1½ tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla
¾ cup granulated sugar
3½ tbsp cornstarch
Dash salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
12 oz. high bush blueberries (apx. 2½ cups)
2 tsp orange juice
2 tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
½ tbsp butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp sugar
Method:
In small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Spread over bottom of baked and cooled pie shell. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
In small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and grated orange rind together. In medium-sized saucepan, combine the blueberries, orange juice, and cornstarch-sugar-spice mixture. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Grand Marnier liqueur and butter. Let mixture cool to room temperature then spread over chilled cream cheese base. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow pie to set.
Beat whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form then slowly beat in the sugar. Add a dollop of the whipped cream to each individual pie serving or, alternatively, completely cover chilled pie with the whipped cream. Refrigerate until use. Pie is best eaten the day it is made. (Note: Cool Whip can be substituted for the whipped cream, if desired.)
Yield: One 9” pie.
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A luscious and decadent blueberry cream cheese pie that combines high bush blueberries with cinnamon, nutmeg and orange liqueur flavorings
Ingredients
Instructions
Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam
Picnics are a favorite summertime activity for us. We like to do a lot of daytripping around our province discovering and revisiting all that our wonderful Island has to offer. Prince Edward Island has many great locations that are suitable for picnics. Our picnic last weekend took us to a scenic location near the Confederation Bridge in Borden-Carleton.
This bridge transcends the Northumberland Strait linking PEI with New Brunswick. At 12.9km (8 miles) in length, the bridge is the longest bridge in the world that crosses ice-covered water. Our Island winters can be quite harsh and the Strait is covered in thick ice for several months of the year. Building a bridge to withstand these conditions was no easy feat.
Before the bridge opened to traffic on May 31, 1997, the only ways on and off PEI were by ferry or air. Ferry service does still operate seasonally in the Eastern part of the Province at Wood Islands where ferries transport vehicular traffic between PEI and Nova Scotia.
The Confederation Bridge curves partway across the Strait and has a high navigational span that allows large ships to pass under the bridge. It’s pretty cool to see the large cruise ships going under the bridge!
Because the Confederation Bridge is an iconic element of PEI, it makes a fitting backdrop for a summertime Island picnic.
So, now that the stage has been set for the location, back to the picnic……I have chosen to go with a black and white theme and I’m a big fan of checkered fabric – checks just seem to speak of picnics. I have chosen to use my plain black dinner napkins and have wrapped the cutlery inside the napkins. This is easy to do before leaving home and it keeps the items together. To give the classy black napkins a more casual look for a picnic, I have tied each napkin with narrow twine.
To add a punch of color to the table, I selected small bright yellow sunflowers paired with Bells of Ireland. Whether I am setting the table for an event at home or on the road, I like to see a well set table! These flowers were locally grown at Island Meadow Farm in York, PEI. They grow the most amazing array of flowers and I like to use them in my summer tablesettings.
Picnics are meant to be casual fare so, while I always try to have a main, a side, some fruit, something sweet, and a beverage, I often like to include some finger/snacking foods as I have done today. Let’s start with the PEI mussels in the shell. These are steamed mussels to which I have added some red and orange pepper, celery, and red onion. A light dressing of a red wine vinaigrette makes these tasty little morsels.
Cold cuts, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber are always good nibbling foods (and they add great color to the table).
I wrapped peach wedges inside basil leaves and prosciutto (seen in the photo below). These little picnic hors d’oeuvres add color, texture, and flavor to the menu. They go particularly well with Gouda cheese.
I have chosen small tomato quiches for the main in today’s picnic. The great thing about quiches is that they can be served, hot, warm, or cold and, when cold, are great travelers for the picnic basket.
And, for a side, I opted for a quinoa salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. To the quinoa I added peppers, corn, celery, red onion, and kale from our garden. Packing the salad into small Mason jars is an easy way to transport salads on a picnic.
Plates are not always necessary for picnics. Here, I have used small breadboards which work equally well and they are easy to pack.
I popped by the Tryon Blueberries U-Pick in North Tryon on my way and picked a box of these amazing high-bush blueberries. I live on these berries when they are in season on the Island!
And, for the sweet tooth, I took along some of my homemade snickerdoodle cookies.
And, as an extra special treat, we enjoyed Belgian chocolates that we brought home from a wonderful visit to Brugge, Belgium. If you ever have the chance to visit Brugge, I highly recommend it. You can view photos of my visit to Brugge over on my travel blog, Island Shore Traveler, by clicking here.
I like to choose foods and elements to the picnic that are colorful and that blend well together.
I hope you have enjoyed a little “taste” of my picnic by the bridge.
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With the abundance of local blueberries in season and available locally, I try to maximize my use of them. So, today, I am introducing my recipe for Blueberry Barbeque Sauce made with high bush blueberries picked at Tryon U-Pick Blueberries in North Tryon, PEI. Continue reading Blueberry Barbeque Sauce
There are so many ways to use blueberries, including an endless stream of desserts.
Today, I am featuring Blueberry Buckle using high bush blueberries that I picked at the Tryon Blueberries U-Pick in North Tryon, PEI.
Blueberry Buckle consists of three parts: A cake base, a sprinkle of fruit, and a streusel topping. The origin of the name “Blueberry Buckle” is not definitively known. However, it seems it may have something to do with the cake base rising up around the blueberries and meeting with the streusel ingredients that, together, form a crumpled or buckled looking appearance on the dessert top. Whether that’s truth or fiction, this is a tasty dessert!
A Blueberry Buckle is very similar to a coffeecake. It is a dense cake with a moist crumb that can be served either warm or cool (i.e., at room temperature). It can also be served plain, just as it is, with its streusel topping or, alternatively, dressed up with ice cream, whipped cream, and/or drizzled with a sauce. I often serve it with brown sugar sauce or sometimes with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with blueberry sauce, as I have today. I call this blueberry overload! I maximize the use of fresh local blueberries when they are available.
While Buckles can be made with other fruits, the most common one is made with blueberries. This dessert also freezes well so it’s a handy one to have on hand in the freezer. When I am using it from its frozen state, I take the buckle out of the freezer and allow it to thaw at room temperature, then heat it for just a few seconds in the microwave. Tastes like it is fresh from the oven!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup flour
½ tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter
Cake Batter:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 extra-large egg
2 tbsp orange juice
¾ tsp vanilla
1½ cup all-purpose flour
2¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
1½ tsp grated orange rind
½ cup milk
2 cups high-bush blueberries
Method:
Grease or line an 8” square pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare the streusel topping by mixing the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream the butter and add the sugar. Beat until mixture is smooth.
Add the egg, orange juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and grated orange rind. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture along with the milk in three parts, starting and ending with the dry ingredients (i.e., three additions of the dry ingredients alternated with two additions of milk).
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Sprinkle mixture evening with the blueberries.
Sprinkle the streusel topping over entire mixture.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Do not overbake as cake will become dry.
Serve plain or add a dollop of ice cream and, if desired, drizzle with blueberry sauce.
Yield: 9 servings
Here is my recipe for the blueberry sauce I used over this Blueberry Buckle.
Ingredients:
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
Pinch salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 tbsp orange juice
1/3 cup water
2 cups high bush blueberries
1½ tbsp butter
¼ tsp vanilla
Method:
Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange rind, orange juice, and water in medium-sized saucepan. Heat to boiling point then add blueberries and reduce heat to medium low. Cook mixture, stirring regularly, until thickened to desired consistency. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm over ice cream or pudding. Refrigerate unused sauce.
Yield: Apx. 1¾ cups
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Blueberry Bread Pudding
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
Peach Blueberry Crisp
Mini Blueberry Bundt Cakes
Blueberry Grunt
Yield: 9 servings and apx. 1¾ cups blueberry sauce.
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
Oh, those gorgeous big highbush Blueberries! They just beg to be made into Blueberry Bread Pudding! Continue reading Blueberry Bread Pudding
A number of years ago, a couple in North Tryon, PEI, began a high-bush blueberry U-pick. The berries are so easy to pick and the bushes are just laden with these huge plump blueberries. They are super yummy in Blueberry Muffins! Continue reading Blueberry Muffins
Do you ever have a craving for comfort foods? You know, the foods that are basic, nostalgic, or that you have a sentimental attachment to and that take you down memory lane. Some might even refer to these dishes as vintage. Maybe your mom made them for you when you were a child or you remember them from visits to grandma’s house. I’m talking about foods like macaroni and cheese, baked beans, scalloped potatoes, apple pie or crisp, homemade stews and “boiled dinners“, and baked bread. Cottage pie, rice pudding, roast chicken dinners, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and fruit cobblers are other comfort foods commonly enjoyed in North American culture. There are many other dishes that bring us comfort, especially in the cold Canadian winters, so this list is not exhaustive and what constitutes comfort food may vary between cultures and regions of Canada.
These foods, in their traditional content, are by no means gourmet fare nor are they necessarily devoid of calories. They’re typically plain and simple stick-to-the-ribs kind of fare and they generate feelings of contentment and satisfaction … you feel warm and cozy when eating the meal. These kinds of dishes take basic, easy-to-find ingredients and are not usually difficult or complicated to make. They’re the kinds of foods that, when you walk into a home where they are being prepared, your appetite is immediately whetted and you harken back to early memories of enjoying those foods. They are hearty classics and endure over time, generation after generation. Yes, even the old tuna casserole is still considered a comfort food by many!
Today, I am sharing my recipe for Blueberry Grunt. I don’t know the origin of this dessert or how it got its name but it’s really just a baked fruit dessert – a slightly thickened fruit sauce on the bottom topped by a biscuit-like dumpling. This dessert is often made on the stove top where the dumplings are put in the pot on top of the bubbling blueberry sauce, covered and let simmer for about 15 minutes. However, my recipe calls for the dessert to be baked in the oven.
My featured Island product in this recipe are the blueberries. Each summer, I pack away several bags of these sweet little Island-grown morsels for use in my favorite recipes like this one for Blueberry Grunt.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cardamon
Topping:
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp white sugar
1 cup milk
2 1/2 tbsp cold butter
Method:
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a small bowl, mix together the sugars, cornstarch, and spices. Stir in the grated lemon rind. Set aside.
In saucepan, combine blueberries and the sugar mixture. Add the lemon juice and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer mixture for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add enough milk to make a soft dough mixture that will cling together.
Grease a 1 1/2 or 2-quart baking dish or 8 individual ramekins. Spoon the blueberry mixture into baking dish(es).
Divide the dumpling dough into 8 portions.
Place dumplings over blueberry mixture (close together if baking in one casserole or centered if using individual dishes).
Bake in 400F oven for about 20-25 minutes or until dumplings are done and lightly golden brown on top.
Serve hot or warm with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (or both!).
Serves: 8
What are your favorite comfort foods?
Yield: 8 servings
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Blueberry Buckle
Blueberry Bread Pudding
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
Peach Blueberry Crisp
Mini Blueberry Bundt Cakes
Orange-scented Blueberry Oat Square
