Blueberry Muffins

This is my all-time favorite blueberry muffin recipe. I think what I love most about them is that the blueberries are chopped, not whole, so instead of getting a sour blueberry burst in every bite (some people love that... I don't quite as much), the blueberry taste is all throughout the muffin. I got this recipe from my cousins wife who got it from a friend who used to own a bakery. It was a little heavy on the sugar, though, so believe it or not, I took out almost 1 cup to make the recipe below! Dont worry, it is still definitely sweet enough.

Blueberry Muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. (rounded) + 1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. blueberries, chopped
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 and grease 12 muffin cups

In a large bowl stir together dry ingredients. In another bowl mix together wet ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add wet. Stir just to combine. Add berries and nuts.
Pour into muffin tin. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar over top of muffins. Bake 20-25 mins

Tortillas

There is nothing better than home-made tortillas. I first had these when my friend, Merrie, made them for me. After making them myself, I don't think I can ever buy the pre-packaged kind again! They are ridiculously delicious and easy! I also love this recipe more than other tortilla recipes because it just uses olive oil - so much better for you than crisco!

Tortillas

3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4-6 Tbsp.olive oil
about 1 1/4 cups warm water


Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetable shortening or lard. Or use a combination of the two. Use a fork to cut in the shortening or just your hands.

Next add warm water a little at a time until your dough is soft and not sticky. You do not need very hot water. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Now you will pull off pieces of dough to form about 12 small balls. Let them rest on parchment paper for at least 10 minutes, longer if you like.

*flatten and cook with a tortilla maker, or...

Flatten dough balls and sprinkle with a little bit of flour. Roll out (on parchment paper) with rolling pin as thin as you can, from the center out.

Melt a tiny bit of butter in pan on med to med-high heat, and cook tortilla in pan until it has lots of nice brown speckles (about 20-30 seconds).

(The dough also freezes really well! I usually double the recipe, and freeze a bunch. Make sure you roll each dough ball in flour, before throwing in a freezer bag, to prevent them from sticking together!)

***Since I wrote this, I have purchased this.  Hello, new best friend!  All I do is make the dough... and that thing cooks and flattens them.  I make tortillas about once a week or so.  Easy peasy. 

 pretty, huh?