What's for Brunch: Blueberry Muffins and Eggplant and White Bean Dip

So glad summer is here, the weather is great and boating season has arrived.  As the weekend approaches I will not be cooking big meals. I do however like to bring breakfast items aboard along with appetizers for the weekend.

Blueberry Muffins

Sometimes I make muffins other times I make coffee cakes.  This weekend I’m bringing homemade Blueberry Muffins aboard.  Have had this recipe for a long time and not sure where I got it, but it’s a keeper.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup softened butter
• 1 cup plus 1Tbsp sugar divided
• 2 Large eggs
• ½ cup Milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 ½ cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Heat oven to 375. Line 16 muffin tins with muffin cups.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a mixing bowl cream butter and 1 cup of sugar together, then add eggs, one at a time till well blended. 

Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk and vanilla beginning and ending with the dry. Mix thoroughly. Crush ½ cup of blueberries add to mix and fold in remaining 2 cups of blueberries. Scoop into muffin tins and sprinkle the top of each muffin with remaining sugar.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Hope you enjoy!

Growing up my mom always use to make blueberry muffins after we picked them fresh but she put a twist on the muffin. She would take the muffin recipe and instead of using muffin cups, she’d spray an 8x8 baking pan, then would place half the muffin mix down then top it off with canned drained sliced peaches then the remaining muffin mix, sprinkle the top with sugar and bake, came out so good.  Love the combination of blueberries and peaches. 

Eggplant and White Bean Dip

Here is an appetizer that I brought along with us and served with Pita Chips is an Eggplant and White bean dip.  It’s kind of a guy dip, they like the hardiness of it, not too light but tastes really good.  This can be made well in advance and actually tastes better the next day so I always make it on a Friday to have for the weekend.

Ingredients

• 1 Large Eggplant roasted

Directions 

In a sheet pan take the whole eggplant, poke holes in it and cover it with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, wrap in tin foil and place on a baking sheet into a 450 degree oven for 40 mins till the eggplant is soft. Let cool, cut off the end, and cut into chunks, place Eggplant (along with the juices) into a food processor and add the following:

• 4-5 Cloves garlic
• 1 Can white kidney beans (cannellini beans) rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup of fresh parsley
• Juice of one lemon
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Olive oil just a drizzle to make it less thick (eyeball it)

Whirl till smooth in a food processor and store in refrigerator. I love that you can make this the day before you serve it. All the ingredients come together over night.  Serve with Crispy Pita Chips or Bagel Chips. Hope you enjoy!