Buttermilk Oatmeal Berry Muffins

Blueberry season will soon be here again.  I still have a few quart size bags in my freezer.  I love them!  They are such an easy little berry to use in so many things.  As I made these this morning, my 3 year old granddaughter came for a visit.  She walked in and said " Oooh!  Whatcha making Nina?"  I lifted her onto the counter top so she could watch as I put in each ingredient.  Oh my goodness how I love having another grandchild  who can share the joys of baking with me!  After they were done, she, along with her little brother helped eat several of them.  They were wonderful with my morning coffee!
           

Buttermilk-Oatmeal Berry Muffins

I use the Saco Buttermilk powder but you can add 1 TBSP of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand for 10 minutes, and you have a wonderful and easy substitute. I didn't use the walnuts because my daughter is allergic but I'm sure they would be wonderful! I use frozen blueberries but you can use any berries that you choose.

1 1/8 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal 1 cup buttermilk 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 cup flour, all purpose 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 egg 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup butter, softened 1 1/3 cup blueberries

1 Generously butter ( I use PAM) 18 standard size muffin tins. Place on rack in center of oven . Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I did not do this. I just put the batter into cold muffin tins. 2 Blend oats, buttermilk and vanilla in a medium bowl; set aside. 3 Combine egg, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl (I used my KitchenAid mixer) and blend well. 4 Add butter and beat for 1 minute. 5 Add buttermilk mixture and blend well, 6 Add dry ingredients and blend until flour is just incorporated; do not over mix. 7 Fold in berries. ( Since my berries are frozen I don't have to be too careful because they aren't as delicate as thawed berries) 8 Fill muffin tins 1/2 full dividing the batter equally among the 18 tins. 9 Bake until muffins are lightly browned, about 15 to 20 min. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Servings: 18

Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/18 of a recipe (2.1 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. Amount Per Serving Calories 118.74 Calories From Fat (24%) 28.96 % Daily Value Total Fat 3.29g 5% Saturated Fat 1.86g 9% Cholesterol 12.32mg 4% Sodium 275.3mg 11% Potassium 71.04mg 2% Total Carbohydrates 20.33g 7% Fiber 1.05g 4% Sugar 10.76g Protein 2.1g 4%

Story Time

Today was an absolutely glorious day.  Low humidity, blue skies, and temps in the 80's!  Is this really March in Maryland?  I did some embroidery this afternoon but I want to share a cute story from my day that doesn't include embroidery.

I was scheduled to meet a friend at a coffee shop this morning.  I was almost ready to leave home when my phone rang.  The caller ID identified my daughter.  When I answered it wasn't my daughter but my three year old granddaughter.  She said " Will you tell me a story Nina?"  My heart melted! 

Several months ago, she started asking me to tell her a story about angels. We would lay down as if taking a nap and I made up a simple story.  Occasionally she'll ask for the same story again.  The story is still VERY simple and short but has gotten more detailed as her attention span and comprehension have grown.   Recently, Lauren told me that Taylor keeps asking for the story about angels but Lauren and Ryan have their own stories and they don't know the one I tell.  I told Lauren that anytime Taylor wants to hear the story, just call and I'll tell it to her.  That's why I got the phone call this morning.


Here is the story:  There once was a little girl with big blue eyes and beautiful curly blond hair.  Her name was Taylor.  She lived with her Mommy and Daddy and little brother in a cottage in the country.  One day her telephone rang and when she answered it, it was her grandmother who she called Nina.  Nina asked her to come bake cookies with her and told her to ask her Mommy if it would be okay.  Taylor asked her Mommy and Mommy said it would be fine. 

Taylor didn't live far from her Nina and could walk to her house.  She put her coat on and started walking to her Nina and B-Pa's house.  The sky was bright blue, the sun was shining and there were pretty flowers and lots of green grass.  She walked down a path towards the woods.  The woods is a place where there are a lot of trees.  When she first got into the woods, she could still see the sunshine and blue sky.  But as she walked further into the woods, there were more trees and the sunshine couldn't get through to Taylor and it got very dark.  Taylor started walking slower and got very scared.  She soon started crying.  Then she remembered something that her Mommy said was in the Bible.  " When I am afraid, I will trust in you"  She remembered that she should pray when she is scared.  So she prayed " Dear Jesus, it is dark and scary in the woods. Please help me to get through the woods to Nina and B-Pa's house. Amen"  When she opened her eyes there was a very big man standing in front of her.  He was sort of shiny.  He said " Hello Taylor!  My name is Michael.  God heard your prayer and sent me to help you through the woods.  Take my hand and we'll go together." 

Taylor didn't feel scared anymore!  She and Michael walked through the woods and pretty soon there were fewer trees and the sunshine started to show again.  Soon there were no more trees, only grass and flowers.  Taylor looked across the grass and saw Nina and B-Pa's house.  She and Michael started running.  When the got to the house, Taylor rang the doorbell.  Nina and B-Pa answered the door and were so happy to see Taylor. They asked her to come in and bake cookies.  Taylor asked if her friend, Michael, could come in also.  Nina and B-Pa looked puzzled.  They said, " Taylor, we don't see any friend with you."  Taylor turned around but Michael wasn't there.  She then told her grandparents how she had been scared and prayed for God to help her and then Michael came.  Her grandparents smiled at each other and then at Taylor.  B-Pa said " Why Taylor!  Do you know who that was?  He was an angel! God heard your prayer and sent Michael!" 

They all stopped and said a prayer to thank God for sending Michael to help Taylor and for getting her to their house safely.  Then they all went inside and made cookies.  The End.

When I got to the end, Taylor said " That was a good story! Tell it again??"  I told her to call back another time for a story because it was time for me to go to breakfast with my friend.  It was a great way to start my day!

Berry Coffee Cake Recipe

Blueberries, peaches, plums, cantaloupe, cherries, corn on the cob, fresh picked tomatoes.....OH MY!  I love summer time fruits and veggies.  So far I've picked around 27+ lbs of blueberries.  We love to eat them in steel cut oats all year long.  They freeze so well!  There are tons of great recipes for all of the fruits and berries.  Below I've listed just one.  I made it the other day and it was delicious.  Especially when it was still warm from the oven.  I gave some away to my parents.  We had company for dinner the next day and I topped each piece with some whipped cream and sliced fresh peaches.  Yum! Berry Coffee Cake

From Especially Berries Cookbook, pg. 63

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 cup sugar 2 egg ( Egglands Best) 2 cups flour, all purpose 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 8 oz sour cream, low fat 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup chopped pecans( optional)

1 Cream butter until and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well at medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. 2 Combine flour, baking powder and soda; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing until blended. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. 3 Spoon half of batter into a greased and floured 10" Bundt pan; sprinkle with berries, sugar and cinnamon ( and pecans if desired). 4 Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350degrees for 45 to 50 min. Cool in pan for 10 min. ; remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Servings: 12

Nutrition Facts Serving size: 1/12 of a recipe (3.4 ounces). Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. Amount Per Serving Calories 267.14 Calories From Fat (39%) 103.89 % Daily Value Total Fat 11.72g 18% Saturated Fat 6.35g 32% Cholesterol 44.06mg 15% Sodium 112.22mg 5% Potassium 26.47mg <1% Total Carbohydrates 37.16g 12% Fiber 1.15g 5% Sugar 19.24g Protein 3.69g 7%