Kitchen Mailbox: Blueberry muffins please no matter what the size

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Kitchen Mailbox: Blueberry muffins please no matter what the size

Thursday, October 28, 1999

By Arlene Burnett, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Muffins have been around for centuries -- whether they were made with rye or white flour and whatever else was on hand, such as rice or corn. If the cook wanted to get fancy, she would throw in chopped dates or raisins. Today, we've expanded on the ingredients and the size of muffins. Take your pick from jumbo, traditional size or mini muffins.

Today our recipes are for jumbo blueberry muffins and the traditional size blueberry muffins. These muffins are delectable -- moist and bursting with blueberry flavor.

Thanks to Jill Diskin of Squirrel Hill and Mary Ann Karenbauer of Bethel Park, Zora Barnes of Greenville now has recipes for blueberry muffins.

The following recipe was sent in by Jill Diskin of Squirrel Hill.

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/4 cups sugar 6 tablespoons margarine or butter 2 large eggs 2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk (we used whole milk)2 teaspoons cinnamon and sugar mixture 1 pint blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter or margarine; add sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk.

Crush 1/2 cup blueberries (we used our hands). Spoon crushed blueberries into batter and stir. Add remaining berries and stir gently.

Lightly grease jumbo (6-muffin) muffin pan, or use paper baking cups. Fill each muffin liner to the top; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake on a cookie sheet for 40 minutes or until tops are set. Allow muffins to cool thoroughly in pans before removing.

This recipe was sent in by Mary Ann Karenbauer of Bethel Park.

Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen ( 1/2 cup mashed with fork) 2 cups flour 1/2 cup milk 1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups or use paper baking cups.

In medium size bowl, beat batter until creamy; beat in sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well after each; then add vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix in 1/2 cup mashed berries.

Fold in half the flour with spatula, then half the milk. Add remaining flour and milk. Fold in remaining blueberries. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg and sugar. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan.

Requests

Kathryn Troup of Meadville is looking for the recipe for Chop Suey Cakes. They're spicy oval cakes with maple icing.

Suzanne Price has fond memories of McIntyre's Bakery and its Cherry Filled Cookies and Devil's Food Cake Cookies. Perhaps someone has similar recipes?

If you want to answer a recipe request from a reader or are looking for a recipe yourself, please write to Kitchen Mailbox, c/o Arlene Burnett, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222, or e-mail to aburnett@post-gazette.com. Please include a name, neighborhood and a daytime phone number on all correspondence. All recipes are kitchen-tested by the Post-Gazette.