peaches n' "cream" oatmeal.

this is just a simple breakfast recipe for an oatmeal alternative.  i make my oatmeal like this:

serves 5, 1 C. servings
170 calories per serving (just the oatmeal, not the toppings)

2 C. rolled oats
3 1/2 C. water
1/3 C. powdered milk
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. add oats and powdered milk to a pot and stir well.
2. add in water and stir; bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute until thickened.
3. stir in cinnamon.


for the peaches n' "cream":
3 peach slices per person
2 large spoonfuls of homemade crockpot yogurt (or other plain or vanilla yogurt of choice)
sprinkle of chopped pecan pieces
drizzle of honey

for the kids i stir in 1 tsp. of brown sugar into their oatmeal bowls before i add on their toppings.

this would be so yummy with fresh peaches in the fall!  for now the rest of the year i use my home-canned peaches.  this would also be yummy with some sprinkled coconut flakes or a drizzle of pure maple syrup.

motivation. {and lots of projects}. project completion #1- hexi quilt, doll quilt & pillow.

so i wrote this post back in august....

apparently it takes making a BIG, HUGE mess to get me motivated to get a bunch of projects done.  that, and a deadline.  like, oh, maybe a baby coming and not wanting unfinished projects sitting around collecting dust and taking up space anymore.

(the floor is an example of what happens when you cut a bunch of quilt pieces and leave them on the floor in order of how you'd like to sew them, and then sleep in while your kids watch shows in the morning.  zach was pretty proud that he "messed up" mommys' "stuff". FORTUNATELY my kids have always been good about not touching mommy's "stuff" when i have it on my table!)

it seems i have a bit of ADD when it comes to sticking to one task and getting accomplished.  NO, i'd rather go all out and drag EVERYTHING out in one big crazy pile and try to get it all done at once.  

i finally finished olivia's hexi quilt that i started last july. i have made a few simple quilts before and got it into my head {thanks to lots of surfing on pinterest} that i wanted to attempt to make one of the most tedious and time-consuming quilts out there.  a COMPLETELY BY HAND english paper piecing hexi quilt!

it was EXACTLY what i had been looking for to complete Olivia's room and set the tone for the vintage vibe that i wanted her room to have.  the key pieces in her room are the dollhouse i refinished and this quilt.  all the colors tie all of the little details together.

the top of the quilt before i added the pink flannel backing:





and the finished product!!!

i used a mixture of fabrics in this quilt and i love the results! my mom has sent me several vintage fabrics over the years which i have been collecting but was never quite sure what to do with them.  when i saw a quilt that mixed old and new designs i knew right away what i wanted!

and then i fell in love with the "vintage modern" series by MODA at porter's.  appropriately named, right?  exactly the look i was going for.  for around $40 i had all the fabric i needed for her quilt and binding, as well as a lot of remnants left over for other projects!

i only wish i had more since the line was discontinued...WHY DO THEY DO THAT?  good things should be available forever!

i had some  miscellaneous other fabrics i threw in as well and had gotten some cotton batting for free from my aunt linda, as well as some pink flannel.  so all in all, a quilt i am quite proud of, that i hope will become an heirloom piece for my daughter for $40 and a YEARS' WORTH OF EFFORT!!!

after i finished her quilt i was so super excited!  i was motivated to finish the other little projects her room has been waiting for!



my grandpa morgan, who the kids call Papa made olivia (and ALL of his great-granddaughters) these adorable doll beds and dressers. i had some bedding i had made for an older doll bed i had for olivia back when she and brady had a cowboy/cowgirl room.  i decided to re-vamp the dolly bedding and whipped up a little hexi blanket for her. man was that EASY compared to her quilt!

                           

couldn't stop there- the baby dolls also got a little mattress and a cute pillow (the pillow insert i have had since olivia was BORN, a find for $1 at D.I.) finally put to its' intended use. sheesh.

love. love. love accomplishing things (like this post 6 months after the fact!!!)

rice pilaf.

i made this to go along with chicken pillows, which we usually have with potatoes.  this was a nice change and will be added into our rotation of regular recipes.  i did decide that next time i'm going to decrease the garlic and onion a little, so i have reflected that in my recipe. 

photo from {kelseys' apple a day}.

rice pilaf serves 6.
2 T. butter
1/3 of an onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 1/4 C. rice (can use brown)
2 1/2 C. chicken broth
can add in fresh herbs or dried herbs for color if desired.

1) melt butter over medium heat; add onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  stir until onions are soft.  

2) stir in rice until well coated; add broth and bring to a boil. 

3) cover, reduce heat and summer until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes.  fluff with a fork.

i got this recipe from the book The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner, pg. 213.

pineapple zucchini muffins.

a great way to use up some of that summer zucchini!

photo and recipe from {bless this mess}.

pineapple zucchini muffins: makes 18 muffins.
1 1/2- 2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. applesauce
1/2 C. canola oil (can sub all applesauce or 1/2 C. coconut oil)
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
2 C. shredded zucchini, drained well
8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained well             

1) preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

2) in a mixing bowl add sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to combine. 

3) sprinkle flour across the top of the wet ingredients and the rest of dry ingredients across the top of the flour. stir everything together just until combined. 

4) add the zucchini and pineapple and stir to incorporate.

5) pour the batter evenly into 16 muffin cups (as close to the top as possible) and bake at 425 degrees for 6 minutes, then reduce temperature (without opening the door) to 350, continue cooking for an additional 12-14 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

NOTES:
if the pineapple or zucchini is not drained well the muffins will turn out gummy.

use the pineapple juice in another recipe or smoothie!

you can sub the white flour for whole wheat or do half and half. if subbing all whole wheat for the white, increase the baking soda to 1/2 tsp.

homemade crockpot yogurt. {part 1}. the info.

photo from {live simply}.

did you know you can make homemade yogurt in your crockpot?  this has been on my TO DO list for over a year now.  my kids and i LOVE yogurt and spend quite a bit of money every month on the small walmart yogurt cups, my favorite Zoi honey vanilla greek yogurt and the larger "boring" (as my kids call it) tubs of peach, strawberry or vanilla.

although my kids still prefer the small flavored yogurt cups (and i love my Zoi), i am trying to tighten our grocery budget over here.  living in utah is quite a bit more expensive than idaho. we were really spoiled with cheap, good food in idaho!

a tub of yogurt here costs almost $5!!!

a gallon of whole milk cost around $3.15.  the yogurt recipe calls for a half gallon of milk and a half a cup of plain yogurt (i use Mountain High).  to get started you need to buy plain yogurt, but then you can save out a 1/2 C. from your batch of homemade yogurt to use for your new batch.

by your second batch you'll only be paying around $1.57 + tax for about 8 C. of nourishing yogurt!

photo from {may purr}.

it also helps to know that i know the exact ingredients in the yogurt we are eating.  no sugars, dyes and preservatives!

i know, you may be thinking. eww- plain yogurt is sour and disgusting.  i thought the same thing.  this homemade yogurt is still tangy, but it is much milder than store-bought.  i add some fresh berries and a slight drizzle of honey and it's a delicious snack.  add in some granola and you've got a healthy and filling breakfast!

my kids even ate this with fruit and granola! i was impressed. usually my kids are total yogurt snobs and can detect when i've tried to give them plain yogurt.

benefits of plain yogurt:
1) to quote fitness magazine, yogurt's got power-boosting protein and bone-building calcium.

when you eat yogurt, the calcium in it signals your fat cells to pump out less cortisol, making it easier for you to drop pounds and especially belly fat when you are following a healthy diet.  cortisol is the hormone that triggers your body to store more fat, specifically around the waist.  

2) yogurt has "live and active cultures," which means that it has probiotics, beneficial "bugs" that live in your digestive tract and help crowd out harmful micro-organisms that can cause intestinal infections.  the probiotics also strengthen your immune system

3) yogurt is loaded with vitamins.  one serving is a significant source of potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamins B5 and B12.  an 8 oz. serving of yogurt contains about 60% of the vitamin B12 that an average adult woman needs daily. B12 is the vitamin which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly.

4) a cup of yogurt a day can help you recover faster after a workout.  with the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, yogurt makes an excellent post-workout snack.  eat within 1 hour of a work out and the proteins provide the amino acids your muscles need to repair themselves.  the carbohydrates replace your muscles' energy stores, which are depleted after a hard workout.  it's a bonus if you drink a full glass of water along with it; the protein in yogurt may also help increase the amount of water absorbed by the intestines, improving hydration!

5)not all yogurt is equal!!!  fruit yogurts have less calcium than plain because of the sugar content.  yogurt is NOT a healthy snack or meal when it has tons of sugar loaded into it!!! and light or sugar-free are not great options either; the aspartame or other fake sugars added in instead are even worse for your body than sugar itself!

6) yogurt may prevent high blood pressure.  every day, 70% of people consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt; over time that can lead to hypertension and kidney and heart disease.  the potassium in yogurt, almost 600 mg per 8 oz. may help flush out some of the excess sodium from your body!

7)a daily serving of yogurt keeps colds away!  the healthy bacteria in yogurt help to send signals to the immune-boosting cells in your body to power up and fight off harmful bugs. allergy sufferers may also find relief by adding yogurt into their diets.

8) the lactic acid in yogurt appears to give your gums protection and helps build stronger teeth.


in researching yogurt i have found so much information! according to the site {eat local grown}i found preservation of yogurt starter information and different ideas for flavoring yogurt:


how to preserve yogurt starter:
if you don't want to or can't make a new batch of yogurt every week or so, you can reserve your 1/2 cup of yogurt, or more if you cannot eat all of your yogurt before it goes bad and FREEZE it!!!

yogurt freezes well and the active live cultures in yogurt will survive for many months in the freezer.

simply freeze in a clean ice cube tray or small plastic container equal to a half a cup portions.


more ideas for flavoring yogurt:
flavor with the seasons!  flavoring plain yogurt is always to taste.  try adding seasonal fruits, cinnamon, honey, vanilla or other natural flavor extracts.

puree fruit in a blender or add in a bit of jam or even try blending it up with some fruit juice or concentrate.  you can add in chopped nuts, seeds, mini chocolate chips, protein powders, and coconut flakes.

photo from {paleo leap}.

fall/winter: apple, cinnamon/spices, peach, pear, apricot, cranberry, pomegranite
spring/summer: strawberry, pineapple, blueberry, cherry, raspberry, blackberry
year-round: banana

photo from {let the baking begin}.

if you preserve your own fruits you can enjoy them year-round as well!!!


there are tons of resources if you're interested in learning more about yogurt!!!

fresh apricot jam. {how i make it}.

                        

photo from {flickr}.

i like my apricot jam to be slightly tart with a hint of sweetness.  i don't want to follow traditional recipes of dumping in 6 CUPS OF SUGAR into 8 cups of pure fruit.

my recipe follows a low-pectin guide of 10 cups of chopped fruit to 2 C. of sugar; however, i do not add in any additional juices as the recipe suggests.  instead, i allow my chopped fruit to sit over night with lemon juice and 1 C. of the 2 C. of sugar sprinkled on top.  this allows the natural juices of the fruit to draw away from the fruit and soften the fruit a little.

oh, and don't think you have to pick a massive amount of apricots to make the jam!  a few buckets full goes a long way.  my family and i took 15 minutes the other night and picked off a low-lying tree.  the kids each had a sand bucket full and we had a large bucket slightly full.  all in all the apricots filled one side of my kitchen sink.

how much jam did this yield? 15 pints!!!!

photo from the {idea room.}

fresh apricot jam: yields 10 1/2 pints or 5 pints

10 C. chopped fruit

2 T. lemon juice

2 C. sugar

7 1/2 T. low-sugar fruit pectin

1) wash fruit well and pit.  

2) chop into quarters and put into a large pot.

3) add in lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with 1 C. of the sugar.  do not mix.  cover and allow to sit overnight.  

4) in the morning or the next day, bring fruit to a slow boil or med-high heat and add in pectin, 2 T. at a time, stirring to incorporate.  

5) add in 1 C. sugar, stirring to incorporate and allow mixture to thicken.

6) as it thickens, transfer large ladles-full to a blender and chop/puree until desired consistency.  add back into the pot and continue until you have the total desired consistency for your jam.

7) transfer jam to hot, sterile jars and top with hot, sterile lids (i boil mine to soften the gel and sterilize them).

8) process for 15 minutes for pint-size in a hot water bath canner.  adjust for altitude.  in utah and idaho for the elevation i have to increase my processing time by 10 minutes. so total process time is 25 minutes for pints.

9) after processing, remove from hot water bath and set on a single layer of towels on the counter top to cool for 24 hours. test lids for seal.  if unsealed refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.

tip: i would use old dish towels if you don't want staining from fruit when canning!  learned that the hard way!

in the end you have a beautiful, as-close-to-the-fruit-as-you-can-get, thick jam!

photo from {leites culinaria}.

photo from {love and olive oil}.

i love images of canned goods! they are so simply beautiful!

i'll continue to post a few more apricot recipes in the following days.  i like my recipes to be simple and as healthy as possible, so i don't get extremely creative or inventive.

because i'm about 3 weeks from my due date i'll be limiting my canning this year.  there are some things i MUST have, like peaches, pears and applesauce.  those are family staples here.

if you don't already follow my pinterest boards you can see other apricot recipes that i pin on there to maybe try next year. apricot jam is all this girl will be making for this apricot season.  next year i'd love to bottle a bunch of apricots, make apricot jabanero jam and do some baking etc.  eventually it would be wonderful to have my own apricot tree.  i can picture myself canning away and having the kids run a road-side stand to sell extra produce!

but there will be a few for you and yours to enjoy if you wish!

grilled apricot chicken.

i got this recipe from a trainer i was working with last year.  it's yummy, everyone in our family likes it, flavorful and easy.

oh, and yeah- it's healthy.

apricot chicken: serves 4-8

4 chicken breasts, butterflied

olive oil

dry rub:

1 T. dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne (omit if you don't want a slight kick)

1/8 tsp. salt

apricot glaze:

2/3 C. 100% apricot jam (i make my own)

1-2 T. spicy brown mustard (can add more if you want more spice)

1) brush chicken with olive oil.

2) prepare dry rub by combining all spices together and season both sides of chicken. 

3) cover and refrigerate 15-30 minutes.

4) preheat grill.

5) grill chicken for 6 minutes on one side and 4-6 minutes on the other side, or until cooked through.

6) while grilling chicken, prepare glaze by combining jam and mustard in a small saucepan and bringing to a soft boil; then simmer until ready to spoon over chicken.

NOTES:

this recipe serves 4-8 depending on portion sizes. most people i know would eat a whole chicken breast.  my meal plan during weight loss calls for a 4 oz. portion of chicken, which is also about as much as my children eat.  so if you are eating less and serving children then it will serve 8.

i use the leftovers for chris' lunch and make a healthy salad for the next day with a little bit of sauce, rice and chicken with tomatoes and whatever other veggies i have and romaine lettuce. (salad in a jar...more to come later...)

i like to slice up my chicken and serve over rice with the glaze spooned on top.  we also like steamed broccoli on the side.

197 calories per 4 oz. serving of chicken with 2 T. sauce

homemade chicken stock. egg noodles. chicken noodle soup.

i never liked homemade chicken or turkey soup growing up.  the smell of the the boiling carcass into broth made me nauseous and i just didn't want anything to do with.  it wasn't until recently when our friends, the Hansens made a simple chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles that i realized how delicious and comforting it is!

their method is simple: cook a few chicken breasts in a crockpot on low for around 8 hours with some spices and bouillon; shred the chicken, use the broth and add some egg noodles.  

i like this simple version, and they serve theirs over mashed potatoes, which seems so weird, but it makes the soups so smooth and creamy.  

i made some homemade chicken stock over the past few days (thanks to Pinterest and recipe from here) in the crockpot and will be canning it today (can freeze as well, but i prefer most of my food storage to be shelf-stable).  so here's an alternative version to homemade chicken noodle soup starting with homemade stock in a crockpot!

i especially liked making my own stock because it is so full of nutrients!  the bones in the broth and the addition of using apple cider vinegar leaches the minerals from the bones into the stock. the broth contains minerals in a form that the body can absorb easily, such as: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, and other trace minerals.

the broth also contains the broken down material from the cartilage and tendons- that include things like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine.  these are the kinds of things found in expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain. 

chicken broth supports the immune system by promoting the absorption of vitamins and minerals.  so yes, chicken soup really is good for the body!

your family is getting ALL of the nutrition available to them through this broth! 

you can use your stock in soups, gravies, casseroles, over rice etc.  

you can use a whole roasted chicken to make your stock, but i prefer to roast the chicken, eat it with your family, pick of most of the easily removed meat and then use the rest of the entire carcass {such a gross word!}to make the stock. 

you can add the giblets in your stock as well. great nutrition from those organs. 

other reasons to make your own homemade chicken stock?

1) it's WAY cheaper than buying regular or organic chicken broth (which by the way has almost no flavor!!!)

2) i have been using powdered chicken bouillon in place of broth for about 3 years now in order to save money because i use chicken "stock" a lot in recipes.  i actually took the time to read the label the other day.  ingredients: corn syrup solids, salt, cornstarch, hydrolyzed corn, soy protein, rendered chicken fat, sugar, onion powder, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, spices, turmeric, dehydrated parsley, silicon dioxide, yeast extract, sweet whey, garlic powder, caramel color, dehydrated onion.  

sound nourishing? bleck.  

i will still buy this to have in my long-term food storage and use in a pinch but i cannot go back now to using this as my staple when i've seen how easy and pretty much effortless it is to make several quarts of homemade stock in my crockpot over several days basically for {free!!!}

i hope you try it out!!!

chicken stock in a crockpot: makes approx. quarts

1 whole chicken carcass

3-4 carrots, scrubbed and cut in half

2-3 celery stalks, washed, leaves on, cut in half

1-2 onions, cut in half, skins on

2 whole garlic cloves, skin on 

1 tsp. peppercorns

2 bay leaves

fresh herbs if available (thyme, basil, parsley, even cilantro)

2 T. apple cider vinegar 

1) put carcass into 6-quart crockpot, adding in vegetables and spices on top.

2) fill crockpot up to 1" from the top with filtered water.

3) add apple cider vinegar.

4) cover and allow to sit for 1 hour in order for the apple cider vinegar to leach the minerals from the bones before cooking starts.

5) turn to low and cook for 12 hours; at this time remove any meat left on the carcass and save for use.  extract 1/2 of the liquid (stock) from the crockpot; straining with cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer and pour into quart-sized canning jars.  

6) cover jars loosely and allow to cool on the counter prior to refrigerating.  

(you will fill your fridge over the next 3-5 days with jars if you are going to process them for canning; otherwise. leave 1 1/2" headspace and freeze the jars, or if you prefer freeze in quart-sized bags or plastic (BPA-free) containers).

7) add enough filtered water back in to fill up to 1" of the top; cover and cook on low another 12 hours. 

i started my stock in the evening after dinner; so i was able to pull my first stock out by 9 a.m. the next morning and the second stock at 9 p.m. that night, and so on for 3 days.  you can continue this process every 12 hours for 3-5 days. 

NOTES:

i don't usually have garlic cloves on hand (unless i grow them in my garden and store them) so if you don't have the whole cloves on hand you can use some powdered garlic or minced garlic.

your stock should be rich in color and aroma, like below.

                         

now for soup!

                                                   

homemade egg noodles: enough for 1 large batch of soup

2 C. flour

3 egg yolks

1 whole egg

2 tsp. salt

1/4 C. - 1/2 C. water

1) mix flour and salt.

2) make a well in the center of the flour and add in egg; begin to mix together by hand until a thick, sticky dough forms.

3) add in water, 1 T. at a time, until dough comes together into a soft, workable dough.  

4) turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a circle.  cut the circle into fourths.

5) working with 1/4th of the dough at a time, pat out the circle and then roll flat to about 1/8" thickness and slice with a pizza cutter into 1/4" strips.

6) add raw noodle strips into boiling stock and stir occasionally to keep from sticking.  simmer along with other soup ingredients for 30 minutes-1 hour prior to serving.

                           

photo from {how to simplify}.

homemade chicken noodle soup: serves 6-8.

14 C. chicken stock (3 1/2-4 quarts)

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, scrubbed and diced into large chunks

3 celery stocks, diced (my family prefers no celery, optional)

2 tsp. minced garlic, optional

1 T. olive oil

1-2 C. cooked chicken, diced into bite-size pieces

1/2 T. oregano

1/2 T. basil

1/2 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. turmeric, optional

all of the spices are optional, as your stock will already be flavorful.  sometimes i want a "lighter" soup and sometimes i want more robust flavors (adding in more spices).

1) bring stock to a boil in large stockpot and add in noodles when ready.

2) meanwhile, heat olive oil in frying pan and saute onion, garlic, carrot and celery if using.  this brings an extra depth of flavor to the vegetables prior to adding them into the soup.

3) add spices into the vegetables and continue to saute until aromas are very fragrant and onions are translucent.

4) add vegetables and spices into stockpot, along with chicken; turn to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow flavors to combine.  

soup can be thickened with cornstarch or flour if desired.  often the flour on the noodles will slightly thicken soup.  also, if serving over mashed potatoes, the potatoes will naturally thicken the stock.

i served mine with cheesy zucchini garlic & herb biscuits.

cheesy zucchini garlic biscuits.

i got this recipe from {emily shares} on Pinterest (of course) and decided that i didn't have 50 minutes to bake the loaf (as it was originally intended as a bread).  because the dough was soft, sticky and lumpy i knew these would work great as biscuits.

original recipe also called for cheddar cheese (which i didn;t have) and dill (which i didn't want)...so my adapted recipe....

cheesy zucchini garlic & herb biscuits: 

makes 9 large biscuits, or 18 small buscuits

3 C. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano (or Italian seasoning blend)

1 C. shredded zucchini, well-drained

1 C. shredded cheese (i used pepper-jack)

1/2 stick butter, melted

2 eggs

1 C. buttermilk (i used 3 T. buttermilk powder and 1 C. water)

1) combine all dry ingredients (including buttermilk powder).

2) add in zucchini and 3/4 C. cheese.  stir just to combine.

3) whisk butter, egg and water and add into dry mixture just until combined.  mixture will be lumpy.

4) drop by large spoonfulls onto greased cookie sheet and sprinkle tops with remaning cheese. 

5) bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) for 18 minutes, or until cooked all the way through and turning slightly golden.

these were soft and flavorful.  perfect addition to a pot of soup.

blueberry crumb coffee cake.

this was a yummy breakfast cake, but more like dessert.  we had it for dinner so i didn't feel so bad.  the kids loved it and we used up the last of our frozen blueberries we picked in Sandpoint last summer.  boo hoo.

recipe and photo from {alexandra cooks}.

blueberry crumb coffee cake: serves 6-8.

1/2 C. unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp. lemon or orange zest

7/8 C. + 1 T. sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. flour (set aside 1/4 C. to toss with the blueberries) 

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 C. fresh blueberries

½ C. buttermilk (i use powdered)

1) preheat oven to 350ºF. cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.

2) add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3) add flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. fold in the blueberries.

4) grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar- i used a bundt pan) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. bake for 35 to 45 minutes. check with a toothpick for doneness. if necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

i used half white and half wheat flour with great results.

tip: 7/8 C. = 3/4 C. + 2 T.

to make homemade buttermilk: place 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and fill with milk until it reaches the 1 C. line.  let stand for 5 minutes.