These Candles Are Making Me Hungry

This fall, my favorite candles thus far are Maple Walnut, Chai Latte, Pumpkin Spiced Whipped Cream, Wedding Cake and Cafe Al Fresco. It's always the food scents! The house is filled with deliciousness.  

Why do I torture myself like this? Today, I could take it no longer. I had to bake something. Something sweet and buttery and delicious. 

I came across this recipe in my files that I hadn't made in quite a long time. My guess is that it goes back to Ye Olde Yankee Kitchen days. It's quick and easy and I had all the ingredients on hand.  

 

Maple Butterscotch Brownies

1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. maple flavoring

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. chopped walnuts

Confectioner's sugar for dusting if desired.

Combine brown sugar, butter & flavoring. Beat in eggs one at a time. Combine flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Stir in walnuts. 

Pour in greased 9 inch square pan. 

Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until no longer gooey in the center. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 pan for 50 minutes.

 

Little things mean a lot

'Tis the Season

It's good to have traditions. They give us a sense of comfort and belonging.  

During a pandemic, continuing a simple tradition becomes even more special.

 

So, when our favorite blueberry farm announced that they were open for picking, we were all-in. With their state mandated "to-do list" checked off, Gianetti's U-Pick Blueberries in Franklin, Massachusetts opened for the season. Pre-signups, pre-pay, assigned picking locations, hand-washing and sanitizer stations were something new of course, but the experience of being up-close and personal with the berries was like coming home again. And up-close is no understatement! Where normally you might find clearly defined paths in between the rows of bushes, this year it was more like a blueberry forest! 

Hold onto your basket! It's a Blueberry Forest!

No shortage of blues here. But there's always that next bush that looks even better!

Berry nice, I like!

And the muffins are good, too.

It won't take long to get all the blueberries you need to fill a pie shell or make these tasty treats.

Here's a recipe from a dear friend. I especially like her "trick" and "tip" that she's indicated. 

Blueberry Muffins

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs  

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups blueberries (rinsed)

sugar to sprinkle on top

Sift dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat well. (My own trick is to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until they stand in peaks. Then I add them last.)

Combine dry ingredients and milk alternately with creamed mixture. Add vanilla. 

Batter will be very thick. 

Grease and flour cupcake pans or use paper cupcake liners. 

Put about 2 big tablespoons of mixture in each cup. Sprinkle with sugar. 

Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan a few minutes before removing.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen muffins.

Tip: Flour the blueberries before adding to the mix or they will all settle to the bottom. Add blueberries and then whipped egg whites.