Eating on the run.

I hate eating on the run. But, sometimes, it can't be helped. When we leave town to visit doctors in Eugene, three plus hours away, we take a small cooler of goodies I can assemble quickly.

Besides cheese and fruit, we pack these beauties made with blueberries and yogurt.
The recipe comes from Alton Brown. The blueberries, from my orchard. The yogurt, Greek yogurt, preferably home-made too.

Enjoy them hot or cold, with a glass of milk, or a cup of tea.

Ingredients
1 1/2 C cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C Splenda
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 egg
1 C yogurt
1 1/2 C blueberries
Vegetable spray for the muffin tins.

Preheat oven to 380 F.
Sift together first  four ingredients and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, egg and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients reserving 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture to toss with the blueberries.

Stir the mixture for a count of 10. Add 1 Cup of blueberries and stir again a couple of times. Reserve the 1/2 cup of blueberries.

Fill the muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c of berries on top and press down lightly.
Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking.
Remove from oven and turn out, upside down on tea towels to cool completely. Serve warm or store in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Make your own yogurt.

Yes, there is a beautiful world out there for you to enjoy.  You just have to get out of your car.  It is the same thing with making your own products to eat. Yes, you have to try and fail; but if you don't try you don't know what you are missing.

Making your own yogurt needs no special equipment, except a candy thermometer. If you don't have one, it's o.k. You won't ruin the product.

Make it in the evening, before you go to bed. In the morning, the yogurt will be ready for you.

Ingredients:
One quart of whole milk
2Tablespoons of commercial yogurt with live culture
2T milk

Heat the milk to boiling point and pour it out in an non-metal container.
Cool it to 105F (a candy thermometer helps!)
Mix the yogurt with the 2 T of milk and add to the lukewarm mixture. The mixture will have formed a creamy film; so, pour your yogurt mix at the edge, not disturbing the film.
Cover and wrap in a towel.
Place in a cooler to keep warm overnight. 8-12 hours is optimal.

Chill and flavor as you wish.
I flavor 1/2 of the mixture with honey and the other half, I strain in a cheesecloth for a good four hours, so the result is a thick, cream-cheese consistency.  I keep this unflavored, for using on toast or over a  potato, or...

Don't forget to save 2T to start your next batch!


This makes 2-3 cups of yogurt.