My Blueberry Nights

I realize it has been quite a bit since I’ve last posted. This week just flew by and I’ve found myself quite busy. I did manage however, to sneak into the kitchen last night and bake up a batch of blueberry muffins. Another simple, yet satisfying recipe.
Recently, I watched My Blueberry Nights with Norah Jones and Natalie Portman. The story follows a lonely young woman who departs upon an unpredictable journey as she searches to find what she feels is missing in her life. In the end, she learns that everything she ever needed was right at home waiting for her- true love, happiness, and a presumably scrumptious blueberry pie. The movie made me rather quixotic and since I’ve seen it, I have been pretty obsessed with blueberries.
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On another note, we have been having some beautiful evenings here in New York. The air has been fresh, free from that bitter winter sting, and the sky has been clear. The ground is cold, but softening. Already outside my front door, the tulips are poking their heads through. I am ecstatic that spring is on its way! I must admit, I have spring fever!! But aside from the beautiful, blossoming weather, I love spring mostly because of one very important day- My mom’s birthday!

Mom's birthday is this weekend and I’m baking the cake! (Hurray!) Yes, it will be lots of fun! So, I will be posting over the weekend showing everyone the birthday cake, once Mama has decided what she wants me to bake for her (everyday, it’s something different).

Until then, I have a yummy blueberry muffin recipe that should hold you over! :)

Blueberry Muffins
(Semi-adapted from WeightWatchers Annual Recipes for Success, 2009)

Prep Time: 16 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes 20* (I doubled the batter)

For muffins you will need:

1 cup AP flour, plus 1 tablespoon
½ teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons butter
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup milk
¾ cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium bowl combine flour and baking soda, mix together well.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with sugar until creamy (I beat the butter first before adding sugar to avoid butter clumps in my mixture).
Add egg and egg whites beat until well blended. Mix in vanilla.

Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixtures. Toss blueberries and remaining tablespoon of flour into bowl, and fold into mixture with spatula.

Spoon batter into cupcake trays and bake for about 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

These muffins are perfect with some cream cheese and a cup of tea! This recipe is super healthy and delicious!

For an extra special treat, you can always make a cream cheese frosting.
Just mix together ½ of cream cheese, ½ teaspoon vanilla and 1½ cups of confectioner’s sugar. Spread frosting over cooled muffins.

xx,
Tammy