Lemon Blueberry Muffins II

So I'm trying  new recipe for lemon blueberry muffins again - This one makes 24 muffins. I modified several I found the internet and made it up.  I tasted the batter - I think next time I will add more lemon, but today I only had one.

New recipe

3 c flour
1 and 1/2 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cup blueberries
2/3 c oil
2 eggs
2/3 c milk
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl mix the oil, eggs, milk and lemon juice. Add to the dry mixture. Fold in berries and lemon zest. Put in lined muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 min.

Monster Pancakes or German Pancakes

So here's the recipe for the Monster Pancakes we used with the peach syrup. I found this one in a ward cookbook someone gave us for a wedding gift. It's the only recipe I use out of the entire book.

1/2 cube butter
1 c milk
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 c flour

But the butter in a 9x13 pan and put it in the oven. Turn oven on to 350 degrees. While the oven heats the butter will melt. Mix the other ingredients well. I usually beat the eggs first. Add the milk and salt. Add the flour last and use a wire whisk to mix well. I mix it all in a large glass measuring cup so it's easy to pour.

When the butter is melted, pour the egg mixture into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. They are REALLY puffy when they come out of the oven, But they fall as they cool. I always double the recipe to make 2 pans. Serve with fruit or syrup.

Peach Syrup

Dad made the drive to Brigham City and bought fresh peaches! YUM! But what to do with those peaches going bad in the fridge? The girls suggested we make monster pancakes for breakfast with peaches. I though, why not do peach syrup? So a quick internet search and I found a recipe that looked good and made some changes and here it is:

5 large peach -peeled and pureed in a blender - mine made about 4 1/2 cups
ADD:
1 to 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
1 to 1 and 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

I originally just added 1 cup sugar, but the I did more lemon juice- it makes it a little lemony. Next time I will use less lemon juice.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add:

1 Tbsp vanilla - if you don't like vanilla so much, skip it or use less. We like it. It makes your syrup much darker if you used a lot and its regular vanilla - use the clear kind if you don't want it so dark. I didn't worry about the color, so mine is a little dark.

It makes about 5 cups of syrup. More than I needed for breakfast I realized half way through cooking it. So I did a made scramble for canning supplies to bottle half of it- here's how it you want to try it. SUPER EASY!

While the syrup cooks, put clean 1/2 pint bottles top down in a pan with an inch of water. If your pan is big enough, throw the lids in there too. Or use a separate pan. Bring the water to a boil and then turn it down. You are just heating up the bottles so they don't crack (maybe it cleans them some) and softening the rubber seals on the lids so they stick.

Fill the jars with hot syrup-do this right after you turn it off. If you wait for it to cool they won't seal. Use some oven mitts to pick up the hot jars or a kitchen towel. Leave some space at the top of the jar - about the same width as the threads at the top of the jar.

Use a damp towel (I used a paper towel) to clean off the top of the jar. You know you spilled on it, and you need it clean so the lid sticks, But the lid on it. (Use a fork or something to fish it out of the hot water. - I have a canning tool for this, but didn't take time to find it). Put the ring on and tighten it. Use a kitchen towel. Set the jars on the counter and as they cool, they will seal  - you can hear the click. FYI - Same recipe for Strawberry jam, Only boil longer to thicken it. - After they have all cooled, check that the lids have all sealed down and store them. Mine were all sealed within 30 minutes, but still warm to the touch.

We served our over German pancakes with more fresh sliced peaches.

Ok Girls! Now it's your turn - Add some of your own pictures. What else did you do with your peaches?

-Gen

Chinese Chicken Salad

Yes it looks like we abandoned our blog. Sad! And we don't sign our names, so I don't know whose recipe is whose. The only time I think about our blog, is when I am going through my cupboard full of recipes. Its so disorganized I can't find anything. The recipe I'm looking for today is Chinese Chicken Salad. I got this recipe from Mom, who got it from Aunt Terry - I think. I made a few changes. It's really easy and yummy! I have cabbage I need to use from my bountiful basket veggies this week so here it is:

1 large head of cabbage
8 green onions
4 chicken breasts -cooked and cubed (I used 2 cans of  canned chicken from Costco - its easier)
4 oz slivered almonds
4 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 packages of Ramen noodles broken into pieces

put noodles, almonds and sesame seeds on a baking sheet - toast under the broiler - watch them. They toast fast around 5 minutes I think.

Chop or shred the cabbage, add chopped green onions, toasted noodles, seeds and nuts. Add chicken. Toss with dressing:

Dressing

2 spice packets from Ramen soup
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 c oil

notes: I have 1 and 1/2 times the recipe for the salad but not increased the dressing at all- it seems like plenty. So you may not need the entire amount of dressing for the salad.
-Also the original dressing recipe may not have used the spice packets, but it did have 1/2 tsp salt, 1and 1/2 tsp Accent seasoning and 1/2 to 1 tsp pepper. If it did use the spice packets, that seems pretty spicy. Its a little unclear. But I never put any of that in. You could try some sesame oil too - but not too much!
                             -Gen