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FREEZING IS EASY

+Blueberries should be frozen dry, in any type container or bag, sealed tightly. We put our berries unwashed, in sealed boxes or bags, with a square of paper towel to absorb any extra moisture and reduce formation of ice crystals.. We don't think it's necessary to wash them at all, but if you wish they can be washed when taken out of the freezer. If dry, they freeze like marbles and pour out easily. Will keep for a year or more.

+ For baking, do not thaw frozen berries; dust them lightly with flour or put them into the dry ingredients mixture; add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.

+ Dusting frozen berries with flour before adding to batters reduces sinking and color streaking.

+ Unless a recipe specifically calls for fresh berries, frozen berries may be substituted in nearly all cases. Frozen berries contain more moisture so the thickening agent must be increased 1 ½ to 2 times and the berries must be dusted with flour.

+ Frozen blueberries are a simple refreshing summer snack — like popsicles. They also make delicious "smoothies" in a blender with yogurt, honey, ice cream, bananas, or whatever combinations you like.

+ Add to fruit salad unthawed 15 minutes before serving

Frozen blueberries on cereal:
+ Cold cereal: the key is thawing the frozen berries without their becoming mushy. The best way is to cover the berries with milk and microwave them for 30-40 seconds (the milk ends up still cold, the berries thawed but firm). Or you can add milk to frozen berries and let stand for 25-30 minutes. Then add cereal and more milk.
+ Hot cereal: make cereal according to recipe on box, add berries and microwave another 30-40 seconds. If you like sugar or honey, add them before the first microwaving. Chopped nuts, All Bran, Grape Nuts or other cereal can be added at the end.

USING YOUR ROCKY POINT BLUEBERRIES

Many people think of blueberries mainly in terms of muffins and pies. But they are in fact a versatile fruit for eating fresh or frozen, on cereal, in fruit salads, in smoothies, sorbets, etc. Some of our customers eat them fresh, as a snack like popcorn, while watching TV. Fresh, dry blueberries will keep 2 to 3 days at room temperature uncovered (and continue to ripen) and will keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated — in a dry, tightly covered container.

Like many of our customers, we freeze a lot of blueberries for use throughout the year. They can be used in most recipes the same as fresh blueberries, although adjustments sometimes have to be made because the frozen ones are a bit juicier. Frozen berries are good on cold cereal if they are thawed in the milk rather than in the air or by themselves in the microwave. Of course they are delicious in hot cereals. And they make delicious smoothies. See the sidebar for advice and suggestions.

We will add some of our favorite recipes below, more to come. And you can find hundreds of blueberry recipes at
www.blueberry.org :

'Jordan Marsh’ Blueberry Muffins
½ cup shortening 2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup milk
2 eggs 2 cups blueberries dusted with flour
½ tsp. salt sugar for top
Preheat oven to 450℉. Grease muffin tin - including top of pan as muffins will peak and cause a mushroom effect on top - and lightly flour it. Beat shortening with sugar and vanilla until well mixed; beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients and mix into sugar and egg mixture alternately with the milk. Fold in blueberries. Batter will be very heavy.
Fill muffin cups to top and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 450℉ for 5 minutes. Lower heat to 375℉ and bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins. Note: shortening may be all vegetable solid shortening, all butter, all margarine or a 50-50 blend.

Grand Marnier Crepes with Blueberries
Filling:    8 oz. cream cheese, softened            1 tsp. vanilla extract
             2 egg whites                                    2/3 cup sugar
Mix all ingredients together until creamy smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
Blueberry Compote:   6 cups blueberries
                               1 3/4 cups granulated sugar      2 Tbsp. lemon juice
                               2 Tbsp. water      1/4 cup cornstarch (moisten with water)
Place blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan.  Heat slowly to a simmer.  Add cornstarch and water mixture and stir rapidly for 2 minutes.  When sauce starts to thicken, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Crepe Batter:    3/4 cup sifted cake flour
                      1/4 tsp. kosher salt                   4 eggs
                      1/4 cup granulated sugar           2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
                      1 cup whole milk                     1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier
Sift flour into a mixing bowl.  Add salt and sugar and combine well.  Separately whisk milk, eggs, vegetable oil and Grand Marnier together.  Slowly add milk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients, beating until there are no lumps.  Refrigerate one hour.
Spray a 9-inch nonstick pan with cooking spray and place on medium-high heat.  Ladle 1/4 cup crepe batter into hot pan.  When almost cooked, flip crepe and cook a few seconds more.  Layer crepes between waxed paper to cool.
Fill crepes with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream cheese filling.  Spread evenly, leaving a half-inch border.  Fold in half and then in half again to form a “pocket.”  (Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days at this point.)
For serving: Heat crepes on a cookie sheet in 375oF oven for 5 to 7 minutes; they’ll puff up a bit.  Place 2 or 3 on a plate and scoop spoonfuls of blueberry compote over them.  If desired, garnish with ice cream, maple syrup and candied orange zest.  Serves 8 to 10.


Following are some requested recipes which were not included in the 2008 Favorite Recipes booklet available for donations to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. As I'd mentioned, I'd not been able to include all our favorites and will continue to use the free handouts which we'd provided since 1992. Will continue adding recipes on this website from time to time and welcome requests and recipes you wish to share (email: farm130@cox.net).

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 15-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 9-inch pastry shell, baked (standard recipe, graham cracker crust - your choice)
Whip cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add condensed milk; blend in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into baked pastry shell, chill for 2 or 3 hours.
1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup water 2 cups fresh blueberries
In small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch and water. Add 1/2 cup blueberries; crush. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Lower heat and simmer until mixture is clear. Strain and cool.
Arrange remaining blueberries over top of chilled pie; pour cooked, cooled glaze evenly over berries. Chill. Serve plain or with a dollop of whipped cream.

Streusel Topped Pear and Blueberry Pie
crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter (cut in small pieces)
1 Tbsp. sugar 3 Tbsp. (or more) ice water
1/4 tsp. salt
Blend dry ingredients in processor. Add butter pieces, pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 Tbsp. ice water, pouring through spout and process until moist clumps form - adding more water if dough is too dry. Gather dough into ball, flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 days in advance. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.) Roll out on lightly floured surface and transfer to 9-inch pie dish; crimp edges. Freeze 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust until light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.
filling:
2 lb. firm, ripe pears - peeled, cored, cut pinch of salt
9 Tbsp. sugar - divided 2 1/4 cups blueberries
2 Tbsp. orange juice 6 Tbsp. all purpose flour
Combine pear pieces, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. orange juice and salt in large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until pears are tender but hold shape - approximately 6 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool to room temperature. Add blueberries, flour and remaining 6 Tbsp. sugar to pears; mix gently to blend. Transfer to cooled pie crust, mounding filling slightly in center. Sprinkle with:
walnut-streusel topping: mix all together
1 3/4 cup flour 1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. dark brown sugar 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
Bake pie until juices bubble thickly and topping is golden brown, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Cool to lukewarm or room temperature and serve.

Blueberry Grunt (inelegant but delicious)
3 cups blueberries 2 tsp. orange zest
1 cup water 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup milk
2 tsp. baking powder
In a skillet combine blueberries, water and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture just starts to bubble; lower heat; simmer.
While simmering: mix flour, baking powder, orange zest, nutmeg and salt. Stir in milk until dry ingredients are just moistened. Drop dough by spoonfuls (8 dumplings) on top of simmering berries. Cover skillet and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until dough is puffed. Serve warm - with thick cream if desired.

Peach Blueberry Cobbler
1 cup sugar 1 cup milk
1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 3 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
Combine dry ingredients. Add milk and butter; mix until smooth. Pour into greased 12x8x2 inch glass dish. Spread peaches over top of batter; sprinkle with blueberries. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes. Serve warm or cold.