banana and blueberry loaf

source www.taste.com

for mum and me. mum had something similar to this loaf at a local cafe... with lemon butter. mmm. she tracked down this recipe for us to try.

ingredients

melted butter, to grease

125ml (1/2 cup) mashed overripe banana

100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

1 x 140g ctn apple fruit puree (or make your own!)

2 eggs

125ml (1/2 cup) reduced-fat milk

1 tbs light olive oil or vegetable oil

120g (3/4 cup) wholemeal self-raising flour

120g (3/4 cup) white self-raising flour

120g (3/4 cup) fresh blueberries

method
1. preheat oven to 180°C. brush a 6cm-deep, 9.5 x 20cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted butter to lightly grease. line base and 2 long sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. combine the banana, sugar, apple, eggs, milk and oil in a large bowl.
3. sift over the combined flours. add the husks from the sieve. use a large metal spoon to fold the flour into the banana mixture until just combined. add the blueberries and gently fold.
4. spoon the mixture into prepared pan and smooth the surface. bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. cut into slices to serve.

NOTE: you will need 1 1/2 medium bananas for this recipe. if fresh blueberries are unavailable, you can use thawed frozen blueberries.

blueberry and almond muffins

for the mckendricks. thank you goodies for our great moving buddies.

and for fresh blueberries that are current as cheap or cheaper than strawberries at the moment.

from Chatswood Island Public School 'Favoured Flavours of the Clarence' recipe book 1999.

ingredients
2 cups SR flour
250g fresh blueberries
1 egg
90g butter, melted
flaked almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
1tspn vanilla
300ml cream

method
pre-heat oven to 200C. grease 12 hole muffin tray/set up muffin cases.
combine flour, sugar, blueberries and ground almonds in a large bowl. 
in a separate bowl mix egg, vanilla, butter and cream.
fold into dry ingredients.
spoon into prepared trays.
top with flaked almonds.
bake for 20-25minutes.
dust with icing sugar before serving warm.

my recipe changes: use skim milk instead of cream to decrease fat content. i leave adding the blueberries till last to allow the wet and dry ingredients mix better and i ground my own almonds to allow bigger bits for added texture interest in the muffins. result - scrumptious muffins.

microwave strawberry jam

for mum and kel. my jam sisters.

i still don't think my nanna believes you can make proper jam in the microwave... although she has asked for another jar!

a Sydney Markets recipe.

ingredients
750g strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
2 cups caster sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

method
1. combine strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a large heatproof bowl. stir until strawberries are well coated with sugar mixture.
2. microwave, uncovered, for 7minutes on high power. stir with a wooden spoon. brush sides of bowl with a wet brush to remove sugar crystals. microwave for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 5minutes, until jam reaches setting point*. spoon hot jam into a 500ml sterilized jar. cover with lid. seal tightly when cold.

*to check if jam is at setting point, place 1 teaspoon onto a chilled saucer. freeze for 1-2minutes. run your finger through jam, if the surgace wrinkles and jam stays in 2 portions, it's ready to spoon into jar. if not, cook for another 1-5minutes until jam reaches setting point.

NOTE: my favourite alternative is to use 2/3 strawberries and 1/3 blueberries. a very yum combination. and i use organic raw sugar and have have had great results!