We found the best blueberry patch ever! I feel blessed that in all the places we’ve lived in the past couple years – from Boston to Chicago and now outside St. Louis – we’ve always been within driving distance of a pick-your-own blueberry patch. This year, we found a patch only 10 minutes from our house that’s beautiful, huge, and uncrowded. We came home with 10 quarts after 1.5 hours of morning picking.
We’ve been eating handfulls straight out of the fridge. Yesterday my 8 year old made “4th of July pancakes” all by herself by adding lots of big juicy berries to the flour, sugar, eggs, etc.
I learned the best way to freeze blueberries is to wash and blot dry with a clean towel; then spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and freeze for about 20-30 minutes. Then pop into a resealable zip-top plastic freezer bag, squeeze out most of the air, and place back in the freezer.
And of course a batch of blueberry muffins had to be made. I like lots of lemon zest and butter and white whole wheat flour in mine. They are a near-perfect (healthier) version of this gloriously rich Ina Garten recipe – to which I was introduced by my favorite farmers market baker in Chicago, Playful Palate. Plus these mix together super fast – for hungry blueberry pickers or muffin eaters everywhere!
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Grated peel from one small lemon, about 3/4 teaspoon
- 3/4 cup (1%-fat) milk
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup butter melted, then cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flours, salt, baking powder, and lemon peel.
- In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine milk, egg, butter and vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries.
- Using a spoon or cookie scooper, spoon into 12 papered or greased muffin cups.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
If you have more blueberries on hand, here are a few other Teaspoon of Spice favorites:
Blueberry Turkey Panzanella Salad
Baked Ricotta with Blueberries
Do you like to pick your own blueberries? Or get them at the farmers market? Or pick them up at Costco like my aunt?!
Heidi Diller
Friday 12th of July 2013
I have always dreamed of visiting a blueberry field. What a fun day! And a great activity to do with your kids. I need to add that to my list. Wish we had bb fields in Cali! AND..I am making those muffins! they look delish!
Serena
Friday 12th of July 2013
Thanks Heidi. I didn't know there were no blueberry fields in Cali...guess because you have every other produce under the sun! (: