Blueberry Breakfast Sauce

There’s a sale on blueberries, and I’m always making those blueberry pancake, probably because I love blueberry pancakes. Just take the blueberries and toss them in the batter, quick and easy. But there is another way of getting those powerful blue little antioxidants onto the old flapjack… let’s make us some blueberry sauce!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 4 cups of blueberries
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cups of maple syrup
• 2 tbsp corn starch

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch and then gradually stir in maple syrup. Add blueberries; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let it cool. At this point, you could sever this warm over some fresh pancakes, or waffles, or French toast. Transfer the sauce to a Mason jar and store in the fridge for whenever you want the great taste of blueberries and maple.

Friday’s ‘on sale’ Bread used on Sunday

Stop and Shop, a large food retailer, one of my ‘local’ sources, has a special on loves of Italian bread on Fridays. Loaves that usually sell for two dollars a loaf, are one dollar per loaf. I think they were driven to this action by the competing Met Foods down the road which has a deal with my local Monreal bakery selling loaves of Italian and French bread for a dollar a loaf on Fridays. Any given Friday when you walk into Met Foods there is the wall of fresh baked bread aroma, and several racks of bread just rolled out into the store isles. So, with this king of Friday deal, I usually pick up two loaves, one to use right away nice and fresh. The other I leave out to use on Sunday. By Sunday, the loaf left out has dries sufficiently to make a wonderful bread pudding. Now that autumn is here, its time to break out the autumnal treats.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups whole milk (or 2 cups half & half)
• 1 stick (1/4 cup, or 4 tbsp) butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark, depending on taste preference)
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups of dried bread, torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk (or half & half) just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to this mixture until its lukewarm. Now, in a large bowl combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat this until its well mixed and then slowly add the milk mixture.

Place the bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with raisins if desired, and pour the batter on top of bread. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm, perhaps with egg nog or warm cider.

Crock – Pot Pulled Pork Carolina Style

While traveling through the Carolina, I must stop and enjoy the savory, vinegar pulled pork bar-b-que shacks that litter the region. In Santee, South Carolina they make a pulled pork seasoned with mustard. Although I usually make this using a slow-roast method, in a 220 degree oven for 6 hours or so, I’m taking a different track for this experiment. While consulting some pulled pork aficionados, there is an alternative to the ‘dry’ slow-roast, ad that’s the  ‘wet’ crock-pot method. So, since the Bet Yet market had pork shoulders on sale… I’m going to try the ‘wet’ method.

Here’s what I’ll need:

• 1 (3 pound) pork shoulder
• 4 cups water, or as needed
• 4 cups cider vinegar, or as needed
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Place the pork shoulder into the ceramic bowl of a slow cooker. Pour enough water and white vinegar into the slow cooker to assure the pork is completely covered, maintaining a 1-to-1 ratio of vinegar to water. Add the salt. Put the ceramic bowl in the refrigerator and allow the pork to marinate at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Drain enough of the liquid from the ceramic bowl until about 1/2-inch of pork is left exposed. Add the onion to the remaining liquid. Season the exposed surface of the pork with the cumin, mustard, chili powder, and brown sugar. Place the bowl into the base of the slow cooker and cook on High until the pork is tender and falls apart easily, 8 to 10 hours.

Carefully remove the pork to a cutting board; shred the meat into strands using a pair of forks. Remove and discard any excess fat.

Serve this with some Cajun spiced rice and veggies…

Valentine’s Day 6 Days To Go

With a week to go until Valentine’s Day, I’m posting a couple of recipes. This is the second in the series… I like serials, and cereal, but that’s another story. Today’s toast is a chocolate-orange heart warmer, and to seal the deal, a couple of chocolate-orange cookies.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Drink:

• 1 1/2 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
• 1 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1 oz. Orange Juice

Shake these together then pour into a champagne saucer filled with crushed ice.

Desert:

• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel or finely chopped candied orange peel

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. On low speed beat in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in orange peel..

Spray cookie scoop with vegetable pan spray and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-12 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

If you don’t think cookies will melt her heart… wait till tomorrow’s post.