I am not a baker. I don’t have the patience for it. You have to be precise when it comes to measuring your ingredients. The hardest thing I did was writing my cookbooks, because I had to measure out the ingredients to share them. If you spend enough time in the kitchen, you can estimate the amounts of the ingredients with great results. For baking, you can’t.
Today, I want to share with you 3 easy baking recipes. The first one, Blueberry Muffins, is a perfect way to start your day. The second one, Banana Nut Bread, is a great midday snack. The last one is a dessert recipe, Easy Blackberry Cobbler. So gather your ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen!
Blueberry Muffins
Here is a simple recipe for the most popular muffin. Feel free to use fresh blueberries in this recipe. You can find them year-round in grocery stores.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
Preheat oven to 400℉.
Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center. Add eggs, milk, butter, and blueberries, stirring just to moisten. Divide batter evenly among cup lined muffin tin.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a pick stick in the center comes out clean.
Banana Nut Bread
Here’s a recipe that can either be used for bread or a muffin. Banana Nut bread is a great gift for a housewarming or holiday time. Spread a little sunshine with this recipe.
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup crushed pecans
Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a small bowl, crush bananas and whip until light. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar; add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Sift dry ingredients together and add gradually to egg mixture, beating after each addition. Fold in bananas and nuts. Turn into a well-greases and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake for one hour, or until a pick inserted in the loaf comes out clean. If making two smaller loaves, reduce baking time accordingly.
Easy Blackberry Cobbler
I have fond memories of picking blackberries at my grandmother’s house. She had a single bush in her small backyard. It’s amazing how many blackberries we collected every year. Here’s a great way to use them.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh blackberries
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place butter in an 8-inch square baking dish. Melt butter in the preheated oven, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
Meanwhile, mix flour, sugar, and milk in a bowl until combined; pour batter over melted butter in the baking dish. Scatter blackberries over batter.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about one hour. Serve warm.
As you know, I enjoy making desserts. With most desserts, you don’t have to be exact with your measurements. For example, I always add more white chocolate to my desserts. While you can add more of the fruit with these recipes, you can easily throw the balance of the finished product off.
Baking is also great during the winter time. With the cold winds outside, you can feel warm and comfortable in your kitchen with the oven on. I find that I use my oven more in the winter than during the hot summer months. But if you like baking, any time of the year is a great time to fill your house with the aroma of freshly baked products.
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