I went PYO berry picking again, this time for blueberries, raspberries, red and black currants, and unexpectedly, jostaberries (see the next post on that). And so I decided to make some more jam. This one is a variation on your typical blueberry jam, but I added lemon and lemon thyme. It doesn’t really taste thyme-y, just clean and fresh with a hint of “what’s that flavor?” Summer in a jar.
Birthday Breakfast for America! OK, I’m not patriotic in the slightest (or if I am patriotic, it’s to more than one of my countries), but it is the 4th of July and I did make these very typical Blueberry Muffins, with an Almond Struesel (there is the German in me) topping. Great way to start off this celebratory day while up at a camp on the lake in Maine. Breakfast is good, weather is great, friends are fantastic!
And now for something actually good for you [grin]. Ok, so these granola bars so actually have chocolate chips in them (you can skip those if you like; add in more fruit) but on the whole they are pretty darn good for you. Wrap them in parchment paper or plastic wrap and they should stay good for a couple of weeks of lunches as the recipe makes 15 of them. Note that the recipe is versitile when it comes to the fruit and chocolate. On other words, if you like cranberries and dark chocolate chips, swap those in. Cherries and chocolate? Also good. Figs and cinnamon chips and add a bit of maple syrup? Great! Or go with the traditional raisins. Any which way, homemade granola bars are definitely the way to go!
The other day, I made this Berbere Spice Mix. It is super yummy and I find myself putting in and on pretty much everything. But, seeing not everyone knows what to do with the flavors, I thought that I would give you three examples: Skillet Potatoes, Chicken Skewer Wraps with Tzaziki Sauce (yes, Ethiopian and Greek in this case) and a beautiful Heritage Pork Chop. Yum.
Apparently today is a holiday. Or a “holiday”, as it were. The first Friday in June is apparently National Doughnut Day in the US. Yes, just what we as a generally overweight nation need: a day in celebration of the doughnut. And yet, when I heard that Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme were giving the little gems away, I decided that I could one up them by simply making my own, hence these Glazed Ricotta Doughnuts. For Breakfast. Before work. On a holiday.