Cold Blueberry Soup on a hot Summer's Day

Cold Blueberry Soup

It's blueberry time here in South Georgia.  I've been stocking up on fresh, organic, local blueberries and the freezer is just about full.  There are so many things you can make with blueberries, besides the obvious blueberry muffins, cobbler, pie or jam.  How about some refreshing cold blueberry soup?

I looked through my cookbooks and online and found many variations of blueberry soup.  I took the basic idea and came up with my own recipe using evaporated skim milk.  Evaporated skim gives it body and texture without the fat of regular milk or cream.  Of course, feel free to garnish the soup with a little whipped cream, sour cream or yogurt to give it a creamier texture.  I created the pretty pattern by swirling some whipped cream (I used a ziploc bag with the corner cut off) and then using a knife to cut in the design.

Cold Blueberry Soup

Yield:  4 large servings or 6 small servings

3 cups fresh blueberries

3/4 cup orange juice

6 Tablespoons sugar (or sugar substitute)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice - divided

12 oz can of evaporated skim milk, chilled

Garnish – whipped cream, sour cream or yogurt and fresh blueberries

1. Combine blueberries, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, salt and 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in a saucepan.
2. Stirring frequently, heat on medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat, and let cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
5. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender or food processor), process blueberry mixture and lemon juice until smooth.
6. Cover and chill until ready to serve.  (I chilled it overnight)
7. Stir in chilled evaporated skim milk just prior to serving.
8. Serve in stemmed glasses. Garnish, if desired.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog.  We hope you'll visit us again, soon.

Blueberry Oat Muffin Tops for a Happy Thanksgiving

While I am waiting for our guests to come in for breakfast, I decided to invite you into the Americus Garden Inn kitchen for a peek at today's muffins - Blueberry Oat Muffin Tops What can be better than the slightly crispy top of a freshly baked muffin?
These are really easy to make, even if you don't have a muffin top pan. The recipe makes 12 muffin tops or 6 regular muffins.

The recipe is at the bottom of this post. Here is the pictorial version of exactly how I made these muffins. Combine the oats and the orange juice to allow the oats to absorb the juice. Let it sit at least 5 minutes. (I usually do this step the night before).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees so it will be ready when you are.
In a small bowl, crack 1 egg
add 1/4 cup of oil
and whisk until combined.

Add the oat mixture
Mix until combined.
Measure dry ingredients into a sifter or wire strainer.
Using a whisk, sift to ensure there are no lumps.
This is what the dry ingredients should look like after sifting.
You don't have to sift, but I always do.In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients - 1 TBS sugar and 1/8 tsp cinnamon. If you have cinnamon sugar already mixed, feel free to use it.
This is the pan I use for muffin tops. I found it online a long time ago. It was really for some kind of special cookies, but, I remembered the Seinfeld episode about muffin tops and thought this pan might make the perfect muffin tops. I was right!
I sprayed the pan with PAM. Of course, you could use shortening or butter if you prefer.
Once the pan is ready and the oven is up to proper temperature, it's time to mix the blueberries into the flour mixture. I buy blueberries from Koinonia Farm, here in Americus, when they are in season. I wash them, dry them thoroughly, and freeze them for future use. If you didn't know, Koinonia Farm is the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity International. And, if you have been looking for a great holiday gift, Koinonia makes the most incredible fair trade chocolates. Anyway, back to the muffins.
Mix the blueberries into the flour gently. You want them slightly coated with flour.

Remember the egg, oil and oat mixture?

Add that to the blueberry flour mixture and mix gently. You don't want purple muffins, do you?

Mix just until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, either 12 muffin tops or 6 regular muffins.

Sprinkle each one with some of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes (18 - 22 minutes for regular muffins)

Test for doneness with the toothpick test - if it comes out clean, they are done.

Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from the pan to the wire rack.

Here are 2 muffin tops ready to be enjoyed.

Wish you were here to be my taste-tester. Don't they look delicious?

Here is the recipe:




Blueberry Oat Muffin Recipe

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup orange juice

1 egg

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

Topping:

1 TBS sugar

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine oats and orange juice in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Combine egg and oil in a small bowl. Add to oat mixture. Stir until blended.
3. Combine flours, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
4. Spray muffin pan with PAM (12 muffin tops or 6 regular muffins)
5. In a small bowl, combine 1 TBS sugar with 1/8 tsp cinnamon for topping.
6. Add blueberries to dry ingredients. Mix carefully. Stir oat mixture into blueberry flour mix just until combined.
7. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
8. Bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes for muffin tops or 18 - 22 minutes for muffins (until toothpick comes out clean)
9. Cool 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog on Thanksgiving Day 2010. Have a very happy day.

Fall Photos of our Americus Georgia Garden

Take a stroll with me through the garden at the Americus Garden Inn as we truly begin to see the transition of summer to fall. Remember to click on the photos for a larger image.

The cannas are still in bloom. There is actually fruit on the pineapple guava bushes. Kim tasted one and said it was reminiscent of a kiwi with hints of citrus.
Around the yard, there is the wonderful floral fragrance of tea olive.

The dogwood leaves are showing color.

Red foliage is apparent on the blueberry bushes.

The Chinese flame tree has what looks like two red pom-poms in this view of the path towards the gazebo.

A closeup of the foliage.

A look at the oakleaf hydrangea.

The Indian Hawthorn is covered with berries.

The lantana is thriving in this cooler weather,
So is the purple queen,
And the knockout roses.
A perfect bud for you, my friends!
Thanks for taking some time with me today. There are photo ops all over the garden so you can expect more photos from me soon. Hope you are enjoying a glorious day.

Pineapple Guava and Blueberries

It's a muggy day in Americus, but I thought I'd share a few more photos. Pineapple guava blooms are supposedly edible. They are so pretty that I thought they might make a great garnish for breakfast. I tried one. I think I'll leave them where they are.
The blueberries are ripening already. Our guests have been enjoying them.

This is the bed at the start of the back path. Purple queen in front, "happy returns" daylilies in the middle and ruby lorapetalum in the back.

The mini nandina is full of buds.

You can tell why this oleander is called "hardy pink".

Yesterday, there was only one "little business" daylily. Look at it today.

Thanks for visiting.