Blueberry Crumble - Blueberry Crisp

Blueberry Crumble. Blueberry Crisp. Whatever you call it, it's the quickest and easiest blueberry dessert. Making it with melted butter not only eliminates the more time-consuming cutting in of the butter, it makes the crumble—or crisp—topping even crispier.

I don't bother to refrigerate the leftover crumble if we'll be eating it the next day. I just store it in the cold oven, and the next day the crumble topping is still crispy. Covering it and refrigerating it would, I'm sure, spoil that.

Couldn't resist doing a quick sketch of the groceries before baking them into a crumble!

We like apple crumble and rhubarb crumble, too, though they take a bit more prep than the blueberry. And blueberry pie is wonderful, but a lot more work. So when you need a dessert that comes together quickly, think Blueberry Crumble.

Blueberry Crumble - Blueberry Crisp

(Makes 5 servings)

The Fruit

3 1/2 cups (18 ounces/510 grams) fresh blueberries or frozen* unthawed

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or lime zest

2 tablespoons (0.875 ounces/25 grams) sugar (you might like a bit more)
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

The Crumble

3/4 cup (3.75 ounces/106 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1.75 ounce/50 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounce/50 grams) dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter, melted

* If using frozen, I would get the regular full-sized blueberries rather than the tiny "wild" blueberries. Do not thaw them! Follow the recipe as for fresh, but perhaps add a little extra flour to the berries and a few minutes to the baking time.

1 Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Butter well a 9-inch glass pie plate.

2 To a 1.5-quart mixing bowl, add the blueberries, lemon or lime juice, and lemon or lime zest. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle it over the berries and toss lightly to combine. Transfer to buttered pie plate.

3 Wipe out mixing bowl, no need to wash it. Add flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; mix together with a fork, and then stir in melted butter. With your hand, sprinkle the crumbles—of all different sizes and shapes—over the berries.

4 Bake in preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes (my new favorite ThermoWorks timer—be sure to come back in two weeks for my review and giveaway!), or until the berries are bubbling and the crumble is golden. Frozen berries might add 5 minutes to the cooking time. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow time for the juices to thicken a bit. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or, as we like it, all by itself.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Classic Pot Roast

Why am I blogging about pot roast when everyone else is talking summer dishes? Two reasons.

One: Because, though it's nearly June, many parts of the country/world are still experiencing some cold days that call for traditional comfort food like this Classic Pot Roast.

When you make this satisfying one-pot meal for people, they are transported back to their childhoods when mothers and grandmothers cooked things many people now feel they haven't the time to cook themselves.

Although this recipe takes time, most of it is unattended. There are no tricky techniques, but you'll find that careful browning brings out the fullest flavor of these subtly seasoned simple ingredients.

Two: Another reason for posting this now is the recent social media kerfuffle about a popular food website that had stopped adding beef recipes to the site last year and were now formally announcing it, saying "our shift is solely about sustainability, about not giving airtime to one of the world’s worst climate offenders. We think of this decision as not anti-beef but rather pro-planet."

Well, I don't get involved in the politics of food—and I don't get self-righteous about my food choices or look down on anyone who doesn't feel the same—but I do give consideration to all that putting food on the table involves.

Knowing full well that this is a topic that won't win me any popularity contests—from those who for whatever reason aren't into organic, sustainable, etc, to those who are vegan—I'll repeat here something I wrote years ago:

Though I feel an organic, mostly plant-based diet is more healthful and earth-friendly, I occasionally indulge in a little carefully sourced grass-fed/grass-finished meat from ranches as close to local as possible that practice environmentally friendly agriculture methods and the ethical treatment of animals.

Yes, it is more expensive than conventional supermarket meat, but here are some ways I've found to better afford it:

• By cutting our meat consumption in half. Most Americans eat more meat than is good for them, so I figure eating the good stuff in smaller portions or less frequently is better for us anyway!
• I don't buy many "empty calorie" snacks and convenience foods, so more of the grocery budget can go toward whole ingredients.
• I try very hard not to waste food and have gradually gotten to where I actually waste very little now. And, out of respect for the animals, I make a point to never waste meat.

Anyway ... I'm not here to tell you how or what to eat. You do you, as the saying goes. I'm just here to tell you about what I eat, and how I make it, in case you want to make it too. And if you have me over for dinner, I'm not going to sneer or lecture if you serve me conventional supermarket beef or non-organic imported fruit. You're probably doing other "healthy" or "pro-planet" things that I'm not!

I'd love to get your thoughts on any of this or just about pot roast and comfort food in general. What is your favorite comfort food meal? Is it the same as the one when you were a child?

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Classic Pot Roast

(Serves 6 to 8)

1 3- to 4-pound (1.36 to 1.81 kg) boneless chuck roast
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (12 ounces/340 grams) yellow onion, quartered and separated
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) water, wine, or broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketchup

1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon marjoram
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) baby carrots (or 6 carrots, quartered)
6 medium unpeeled potatoes, quartered (or 8 small, halved)
(I used 16 tiny Yukon golds that averaged 2 ounces each)
4 stalks celery, cut in 2-inch diagonal pieces
Optional: Turnips, rutabagas, parsnips in place of some of the potatoes
(I used a 12-ounce rutabaga*, cut into 8 equal pieces)

* Rutabagas are called swedes in England and neeps, I'm told, in Scotland.

1 Heat 5.5-quart (or larger) Dutch oven; heat oil. Pat beef dry and coat beef with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Brown well on all sides in hot oil, taking about 15 to 25 minutes; transfer to plate. Preheat oven to 300F/150C/Gas2. Add the onion to the pan and cook until browned, about 15 minutes. Add broth, other liquid, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste or ketchup, bay leaf, and marjoram; bring to a boil. Put the meat back in the pan.

2 Cover pan with foil and lid, and simmer in preheated oven for 2 hours.

3 Stir in 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and add vegetables. Cover as before and return to oven for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. Remove meat and vegetables to serving platter; cover. Thicken the sauce with a little slurry of water and flour or by just reducing it (boiling it down) to your preferred thickness.

Note: Sometimes I make this several hours or a day ahead so that I can chill the sauce thoroughly until the fat rises to the top, remove most of the fat, and then thicken the sauce. The fat could be used in the baking of Yorkshire Pudding.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Burrito Bowls - Carne Molida Burrito Bowls

This post is thanks to the prodding of my friend, Jo, who is a huge fan of The Bowl. What I like about bowls, besides great flavor, is you can prepare all the components a day or more ahead, then have a wonderful meal on a busy weeknight with no muss no fuss.

It's perfect for make-ahead meals. I put the rice, meat, beans, and corn in microwavable Pyrex 3-cup rectangular storage dishes, put the lid on, and refrigerate until serving time. Put the cold add-ons—avocado, tomato, shredded cheese, sauce, etc—in a separate smaller container.

Couldn't resist doing a little watercolor sketch of the avocados!

I'm thinking ahead to when we might actually be able to have people over again. And the great thing about bowls is they are easily customizable. With everyone eating differently these days, with the right assortment of components you can have something for everyone, whether they're paleo, keto, vegetarian, vegan, pegan, gluten-free, grain-free, whatever.

But this bowl is just rice, beans, corn, ground beef, avocado, tomato, cheese, and a zesty creamy sauce, plus whatever garnishes you like. I chopped the red bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno very finely by hand for the sauce because I prefer that texture; but you could just chop it coarsely if you wanted to throw everything in the blender and make a perfectly smooth sauce.

Are you a fan of The Bowl? I'm pretty particular about tortillas, and unless I'm making my Homemade Flour Tortillas, most of the time I just as soon skip the flour tortillas, so a burrito bowl is perfect for me. What other kinds of bowls do you like?

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Burrito Bowls - Carne Molida Burrito Bowls

(Makes 4 generous servings)

The Sauce

(Makes about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons (0.625 ounces/18 grams) finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons (0.625 ounces/18 grams/1 medium, about 3 inches long) jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup (2.45 ounces/69 grams) mayonnaise
Scant 1/2 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
A bit of water, if needed, to thin the sauce

The Cilantro-Lime Rice

1 cup (6.625 ounces/188 grams) white basmati rice
1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

The Carne Molida

(Makes about 2 2/3 cups)

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon powdered ancho chiles
1/2 teaspoon powdered anaheim chiles
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon crushed red peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) very lean ground beef (or turkey)
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons organic ketchup

The Other Stuff

1 15-ounce (425 grams) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce (425 grams) can organic whole kernel corn, drained
1 1/2 packed cups (6 ounces/170 grams) coarsely shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped tomato, sliced or diced avocado, shredded lettuce, sour cream, white corn tortilla chips

1 In 1-quart saucepan, cook red bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno in olive oil about 8 minutes, until very soft; let cool. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2 In 2-quart saucepan, bring rice, water, salt, and bay leaf to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Let stand off heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover, remove bay leaf, fluff with fork, then stir in cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil.

3 In small bowl, stir together sugar, salt and spices. Heat skillet (I use this All-Clad stainless steel 12-inch fry pan), and add oil. If you like, cook a little chopped onion before adding beef to the skillet. Add the beef, breaking it up quite finely and browning it well. (Really well. I mean, I think ground beef that is merely "grayed" rather than browned is seriously unappetizing!)

Note: If using ground beef or turkey with more fat, you will need to drain off the fat once the meat is thoroughly browned.

4 Stir in the seasoning mixture, cooking for a minute to bloom the spices. Stir in the flour, mixing it in well with the meat, cooking for a minute. Stir in the water and ketchup, and cook until water is nearly gone. (This little touch of ketchup is not enough to make the meat taste "ketchup-y;" it's just enough to add a certain something.)

5 Get "the other stuff" ready. Divide ingredients among four bowls or glass storage dishes that hold 3 to 4 cups. You can just eyeball it, but these are the approximate measurements:

The Rice: About 2/3 cup per bowl
The Meat: About 2/3 cup per bowl
The Beans: About 3/8 cup per bowl
The Corn: About 3/8 cup per bowl
*The Cheese: About 3/8 cup per bowl
The Sauce: About 1/4 cup per bowl, at the most

Garnish with: cilantro, tomato, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, pico de gallo, red bell pepper, whatever you like.

* I just use regular cheddar cheese, but a good brand of non-dairy vegan cheese is Miyoko's Creamery cultured vegan farmhouse cheddar.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Fresh Strawberry Scones

Fresh strawberry scones popped into my head when I realized it was nearly May, the official, or traditional, start of Strawberry Season in the UK.

It will soon be time for tea in the garden, and these will be on the menu often. I'm dreaming of afternoon tea parties when we're able to do that once again.

Don't use frozen strawberries for this as there is too much liquid, and don't put any sugar on the fresh berries as that will draw out the juices.

If your strawberries seem especially juicy, place the diced berries between two layers of paper towels for about 20 minutes to prevent soggy scones.

If you're one of those people who like a glaze on their scones, you're on your own for that because I am one of those people who don't!

You may or may not want to put a bit of strawberry jam on your Fresh Strawberry Scones—for me, that would be "gilding the lily," as Jacques Pepin would say—but a little Clotted Cream is always in order!

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Fresh Strawberry Scones

(Makes 16 scones)

1 to 1 1/2 cups (5.75 to 8.625 ounces/163 to 245 grams) diced fresh strawberries (1/4-inch dice)
Finely grated zest of a medium orange
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces/177 ml) milk
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (12.5 ounces/354 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (2.33 ounces/66 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 grams) cold unsalted butter, coarsely shredded or cut into little cubes
1 large egg (medium, if you're in the UK)*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Pay attention to step 3 if you don't want to be one of those people who wastes an egg for the egg wash.

1 Wash and dice the strawberries. Zest the orange. Preheat oven to 500F/260C/Gas10.

2 In 1-cup glass measuring cup stir together milk and cider vinegar; let stand to thicken a bit for 5 minutes or so as you proceed. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle a bit of flour lightly in two 6-inch circles.

Tip: My OXO Good Grips bench scraper has a 6-inch ruler on the edge of its stainless steel blade, making it a perfect multi-use tool for making scones.

3 In medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With your fingers, rub the butter (shredded with the Microplane extra coarse grater) into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal or fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the orange zest and diced strawberries to coat and separate. Add the egg to the soured milk and whisk together; remove 1 tablespoon of the mixture to use as an egg wash. Add the vanilla extract to the measuring cup.

Tip: It’s best to keep ingredients cool. If it’s a hot day, or your hot little hands are making the butter melt, pop your mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.

4 With a large fork stir the wet mixture, a little at a time, into the dry mixture and gently mix until just combined. You may not need to use all of it (or you might need to add a bit more milk); use just enough to make a soft, but not wet or sticky, dough. Do the final mixing with your hand; the dough should not be sticking to your hand or the bowl. Do not knead; there's no need to knead!

5 Divide the dough into two roughly equal smooth balls (no need to weigh, but I love my food scale and know that each half weighs a pound!) and place them on the floured circles and gently pat the dough, dusting with flour as needed, into two 6- to 6.25-inch (15 to 16 cm) rounds. Take a moment to make sure your discs are smooth and flat, almost 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick, and have smooth, straight edges. With a bench scraper or long sharp knife, cut each round into 8 wedges. Pull the wedges out and space them an inch or two apart.

Tip: Again, if it’s a hot day, or the heat of your hands has softened the dough, pop your baking sheet in the fridge to cool the discs off before cutting them into wedges.

6 With silicone pastry brush, brush tops only with the reserved tablespoon of milk-egg mixture. Place in oven, and immediately reduce oven temperature to 400F/205C/Gas6. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve with Clotted Cream (or Clotted Cream - Stovetop Method) and Strawberry Jam.

Note: If you are one who prefers your tea in a mug, I recommend a mug with a lid and stainless steel infuser. Makes using loose leaf tea just as easy and convenient as using tea bags.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Chicken Noodle Soup - ThermoWorks Wand Review and Giveaway

Chicken Noodle Soup is the favorite of one of my friends, so when she became ill last month that's what I made for her. It's my go-to soup to deliver to sick friends or to enjoy myself when perfectly well. You'll find the recipe below. 

But speaking of illness, let me tell you about my new thermometer. I love it so much I'm telling you about it and giving one away, which makes sense in the middle of all this this that's been going on for more than a year now.

At my very first inkling of the pandemic I began checking my first aid kit and making sure I had everything we would need to care for ourselves at home. The one item I was not happy with was my thermometer.

Over the years I've tried a number of digital oral thermometers. Without exception, they've made me wish I still had an old-fashioned mercury thermometer. My first complaint is the probe covers. They never work well. "Just insert the thermometer and peel back the strip." No! I always rip up a couple of them trying that then give up on peeling back the paper strip and just use it that way. Not pleasant.

If you have a child, you know how difficult it can be to place the thermometer correctly under the tongue and then get the little squirmer to keep his or her mouth closed for 30 seconds. I feel sorry for those having two sick kids at once and dealing with that and the pesky probe covers. No thanks.

ThermoWorks Wand
non-contact digital forehead thermometer
Giveaway

So 13 months into the pandemic I decided it was time to upgrade to a non-contact digital forehead thermometer. I had been looking at various ones for several months, then I realized that ThermoWorks made one (actually, two—this one, Wand, and a Bluetooth version, Wand Blue, which you techie people can read about for yourselves). Knowing what quality products they make, I had to have their ThermoWorks Wand.

Love it! Turn it on, hold it about an inch from center of forehead, press and hold the Start button until you hear a beep, about 1 second, read the temperature, then turn it off or let it turn itself off in 60 seconds. I had fun playing with it, then took out the batteries for storage until such time as one of us gets sick. 

But back to the soup. I made it with ingredients on hand, which meant boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can also use bone-in skin-on chicken breasts or thighs. And, of course, you can increase the amount of ginger, crushed red pepper, and turmeric—all thought to have health benefits—to suit your own taste.

Tell me your favorite thing to eat when you're sick. Or well. And, if you (or a gift recipient) are in the US, enter the giveaway below. Stay safe and well.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

(Makes about 3 1/2 quarts)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) boneless skinless chicken breast
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) peeled and diced carrots
1 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) diced celery
Some of the celery leaves, chopped
1 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) diced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
5 cups (40 fluid ounces/1.18 liters) water
4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 milliliter) lower-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) mini farfalle

1 In large pot (I use a 5.5-quart Dutch/French oven), heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook the chicken until done, salting and peppering* lightly. Remove to a plate to cool.

* I measure out the salt and pepper into two tiny prep bowls and use them throughout the recipe.

2 Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and cook the onion, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper, adding a bit of the salt and pepper, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped celery leaves, thyme, marjoram, ginger, crushed red pepper, and turmeric.

3 Stir in chicken broth, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and remaining salt and pepper (or to taste), and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. Stir in mini farfalle, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

ThermoWorks Wand Giveaway

This giveaway is open to readers in the US* who are 18 years of age or older. To enter, leave a comment below (one entry per person). Tell me why you want a Wand. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. If your name is drawn and I have no way to contact you, you will be disqualified. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday April 28.

* If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone you know in the US (you would have to send them a gift card separately on your own), go ahead and enter!

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday April 29. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Saturday May 1, a new winner will be selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: ThermoWorks provided a Wand for review purposes and one for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean