Mama Shirley had a knack for putting a few simple ingredients together that would bring everyone into the kitchen in no time. While this recipe wasn't exactly a dessert, it was a treat that appeared like microwave popcorn does now.
It was for T.V.-watching when the Wizard of Oz came on (once a year back then), for snowy days when we were chilled to the bone hours before we actually came in the house, and for days when we'd walk in the door from school needing a little bit of a lift for whatever reason.
You can use frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries; she made it both ways and there really wasn't a difference in taste. Just don't thaw the frozen berries first, use them right from the freezer.
Snowy Day Stormy Night Blueberry Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3 Tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
¾ cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon cinnamon mixed with 3 Tablespoons sugar (optional, for topping)
>Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable spray or lightly coat it with butter.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until it is pea-sized. Set the mixture aside.
4. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then beat in the milk. Set aside.
5. Add the blueberries to the dry mixture, then quickly add the egg mixture to this, stirring until just moistened (it will be sticky).
6. Pat the dough out to ½ inch thickness on the baking sheet (about a 9×12 inch rectangle). Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar topping if using.
7. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until slightly risen and browned, about 10-12 minutes. Break apart and serve hot, spread with a little bit of butter if desired.
Other Delicious Breads to Try
There are so many different varieties of bread out there to try! With so many different options, it can be hard to pick which one you're going to make next. If your stomach isn't leading you to a particular option, we'll help you here by narrowing down your choices to just three.
First, we'll suggest a cheese bread. Cheese bread is more savory than a lot of other specialty breads. Some cheese breads are made with garlic; it's up to you which one you pick! You can make a cheese bread with virtually any kind of cheese, but we personally recommend cheddar.
If you want a bread that's on the sweeter side, we suggest cinnamon raisin bread. This one might actually appeal more to kids than you think! The cinnamon aspect of this bread gives it a sweetness that it would otherwise be lacking. This is a great bread to eat on its own, or as toast.
We think pumpernickel bread is often overlooked as a great bread choice. This type of bread is quite versatile, although it's commonly used as a sandwich bread. Many families are looking for alternatives to white bread, which is largely agreed to be the least healthy sandwich bread. Pumpernickel is a great alternative.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©MShev/Shutterstock.com.