SUMMER IN JERSEY - BLUEBERRIES - BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE COFFEECAKE

When I was a little girl, my mother would make tea and toast for my siblings and me for breakfast. Today, that doesn't sound like a healthy breakfast. But back then, there were a lot of kids who ate similar breakfasts, and we just loved our tea and toast. When I was just four or five years old, during the warm months, I would take my breakfast outside to sit on the step, or on the swings. But my favorite thing to do was to visit the horses that were in back of our property. I just loved going out there in the early morning hours and seeing those beautiful animals. There is something so serene and so relaxing about watching horses graze. 

Actual house I lived in with horses in the back in Monroeville, NJ

Our neighbors barn across the street in Monroeville, NJ

Speaking of horses, did you know that New Jersey's state animal is the horse? As a matter of fact, our newest Governor, Governor Phil Murphy, has declared June the month of the horse in New Jersey. That stands to reason, considering there are 96,000 acres solely devoted to the equine industry in our state. We also boast approximately 42,500 horses. We also have many top equine facilities, events, and centers. In addition, the United States Equestrian Team is head quartered in Gladstone. An interesting fact, is that we have more horses per square mile than any other state! And because the horse is our state's animal, it is included in our state seal. The founding fathers of our state, thought very highly of the animal, so included a picture in our state seal. 

There are so many beautiful horse farms in our state, and many farms that offer horseback riding and lessons.

Well, now back to my story. When I outgrew my tea and toast breakfasts, special times spent with my mom were going for coffee and pastries in the mornings at our local diner. I was a young teen then, and that was always an enjoyable time for me, as it was time I spent with my mom, just her and I. Our outings included coffee, (yes, I outgrew tea, and moved on to coffee, I loved it 😃) and lots of different pastries, coffee cake (my favorite), danish, and muffins. I told this story, because whenever I make this blueberry coffee cake, those memories come flooding back. These days, I no longer have coffee cake or danish for breakfast, my breakfast usually consists of a blueberry smoothie. But on weekends and lazy summer days, and on days that I want to remember the good ole days, I turn to this blueberry cream cheese coffee cake. So put on a pot of coffee, make this delicious coffee cake, and maybe invite some friends over to share it with. You will be so glad you did. 

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE COFFEECAKE

What you will need:

Filling: 12 ounces of cream cheese, softened - 1/3 cup of sugar - 1 egg - 1 Tbsp. of fresh lemon juice - 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Streusel: 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened - 1 cup of sugar - 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 tsps. of cinnamon - 1/4 tsp. of salt

Batter: 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened - 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar - 2 eggs - 2 tsps. of vanilla extract - 4 cups of all-purpose flour - 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. of baking powder - 1 tsp. of salt - 1 cup of whole milk - 3 cups of blueberries

To make: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Do not use a metal baking pan. To make filling: With an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Add egg, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. 

To make streusel: In a small bowl blend together streusel ingredients until crumbly. 

To make batter: In another mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg has been added. Add vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture in batches alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Fold in blueberries, gently but thoroughly.

To assemble cake: Spread 2 and 1/2 cups of batter in bottom of baking dish and spread filling evenly on top. Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter on filling and spread evenly, being careful not to mix layers. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter. Bake cake in middle of oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool coffeecake completely before cutting. 

SUMMER IN JERSEY - OLD FASHIONED BLUEBERRY PIE

Who doesn't like an old fashioned pie of any kind? The kind that makes you think of the old fashioned county fair that has been a part of America's history for many years. I remember going to the County Fair as a child. My parents took my siblings and I every year, and it was something that we always looked forward to every 4th of July week. I remember the first time I went to a show there in a tent that had the head of a woman on a table with no body. I kept looking under the table trying to find it. My mother assured me that it was all done with mirrors. Then there were always the rides, the ferris wheel, the twister, the big slide and such. We always had so much fun riding those rides, until one of us got sick from too much riding! There were always the 4H animals and shows including horses, pigs, and goats. And the best part of these fairs were the food contests and eating contests. The blue ribbons that were won for all kinds of fruit pies, jams and jellies, cakes and even barbecue. That is why I want to share with you my recipe for old fashioned fresh blueberry pie. I have been making this pie for many years, because it is another favorite of my family and friends. Every time I make this pie, it brings back all of those wonderful and fond memories of days gone by at the county fair with my mom and dad and siblings. 

Old Fashioned Fresh Blueberry Pie

What you will need: 2 (9 inch) pie crusts (I prefer homemade) - 2 pints of fresh blueberries - 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice - 1 cup of sugar - 1/4 cup of all purpose flour - 1/4 tsp. cinnamon - 1/8 tsp. nutmeg - dash of ground cloves - 2 Tbsps. of butter - 1 egg yolk

How to make it: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Gently wash blueberries, drain well, and blot dry with a paper towel. Place in large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add this mixture to berries, toss lightly to combine. Turn into pie shell, mounding in the center. Dot with butter. Top with second pie crust. Beat egg yolk really well, and brush onto top crust. This will give you a beautiful golden brown crust. Make several slits near the center for steam to escape. Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Cool at least 1 hour before cutting. Delicious served just as is, or topped with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. 

SUMMER IN JERSEY - START OF THE BLUEBERRY

The blueberry is the official state fruit of the state of New Jersey. It was first cultivated in Whitesbog. Whitesbog is a historical town in South Jersey, located in the Pine Barrens, that got its start in the 18th century when iron furnaces were a booming business. However, the industry's production had destructive effects on the Pinelands. But these same effects were great for growing cranberries, because it created an environment conducive to cranberry growing. At that time, almost 500 acres of land were purchased by James A. Fenwick, including the canal ponds that were used by Hanover Furnace. Fenwick then started growing cranberries. His efforts were very successful, and in the 1860's the cranberry boom began. Fenwick had a son in law by the name of Joseph White, who was also an up and coming cranberry farmer. White took control of Fenwick's cranberry operation upon Fenwick's death. Hence the name Whitesbog. Joseph then began to purchase properties that were adjacent to his now deceased father in law's farm, and used the land to grow cranberries. Joseph's eldest daughter, Elizabeth Coleman White, also had an interest in farming, so she helped her father, which began her career at Whitesbog in 1893. She was a young and enterprising woman who was also interested in the idea of growing blueberries, on the land in between the cranberry bogs.

Elizabeth Coleman White

Before Elizabeth White, there had been many attempts by other farmers to grow blueberries, but all were failures. Elizabeth White incorporated the help of Dr. Frederick V. Coville for his scientific background. This was a success, and by the year 1916, they produced a blueberry crop that they could sell. Besides the farmers, and the White family, the village of Whitesbog consisted of a post office, a general store, a paymaster's office, a schoolhouse, and cranberry processing facilities. The historic village of Whitesbog still stands to this day, and is a beautiful place to visit. They hold a blueberry festival annually. 

Whitesbog is a very important part of New Jersey's history with the cranberry and blueberry culture of the United States. It is listed on both the state and National Registers of Historic Sites. The historic village is open 365 days a year, and consists of 25 historic buildings, hiking trails, streams, cranberry bogs, blueberry farm fields, a picnic grove, and the Elizabeth White gardens. If you ever find yourself in South Jersey, I hope you will visit this beautiful and historic place. info available at www.whitesbog.org 

SUMMER IN JERSEY - BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE 

Blueberry wine, blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, blueberry pie. No matter how you like your blueberries, we got em! One town in New Jersey, Hammonton, is known as the blueberry capital of the world! This town is located in Atlantic County, and 80% of our blueberries come from farms in that county. Hammonton actually has a festival every year dedicated to the blueberry, known as the Red, White and Blueberry Festival! 

How fitting, since we are not only Jersey proud, but American proud. This is the festival that won me a blue ribbon for my blueberry cream cheese pie. 

Hammonton has great soil, geographic location, and great weather to grow blueberries. Berries love acidic soil, and Atlantic County has it. New Jersey has approximately a 79 million dollar blueberry industry! Not bad for our little state!

Blueberry season begins around mid June and lasts till about August. There are plenty of areas that grow blueberries here, but Atlantic County produces the most.

The best way to store your blueberries after bringing them home is in the refrigerator, but not in any of your crisper drawers. Air does not circulate enough and they will go bad. You might be able to keep them up to a week in the refrigerator once picked. But the best way to keep them as long as possible, is to give them a bath in a vinegar and water solution as soon as you get them home. Dry them completely. Then put them in a new container lined with paper towels. You can also flash freeze them singly on a cookie sheet, then store them in the freezer. If you are picking your own blueberries, they must be completely blue. If the berries have red or green near the stem end, do not pick them. 

And now I want to share with you my blue ribbon, blueberry cream cheese pie. This pie one me a blue ribbon at the Red, White and Blueberry festival in Hammonton. I was so proud. My family loves this pie. I make it every year. It is well worth the effort to make. 

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie 

What you will need: 1 (8 oz.) package of Philadelphia cream cheese, softened - 1/4 cup of sugar - 1/4 cup of sour cream - 1/2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract - 1 baked 9" pastry shell - 1 cup of fresh blueberries - 1/2 cup of water - 1/2 cup of sugar - 2 Tbsps. of cornstarch - 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice - 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries - powdered sugar - dash of cinnamon - dash of nutmeg

How to make: Combine first 4 ingredients, and beat at medium speed of an electric mixer, 1 minute or until smooth. Spread mixture into baked pastry shell, cover and chill for 1 hour. Place 1 cup of the blueberries in a saucepan, add water, and bring to a boil. Mash the blueberries with a potato masher. Reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and the cornstarch, then stir into the cooked berry mixture. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in lemon juice, cool. Place 1 1/2 cups blueberries over the cream cheese mixture, then pour the glaze over top. Chill 2 to 3 hours. To serve: sprinkle powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg over pie. And last but not least, sit and enjoy this beautiful piece of summer!

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS AND A BURGER

SPRING IN JERSEY - TOM'S TURKEY BURGER 

The arrival of asparagus at our house is a big to do. That's how much we love our asparagus! We are constantly finding new ways to enjoy this spring vegetable. Because of my husband's love of garlic AND asparagus, I decided to combine the two with a turkey burger, since he also LOVES burgers! Anyone else have a husband like this? So I created the Tom's Turkey Burger. It is very simple, there wasn't much to create, but if you like all of those flavors, you will love this burger as much as we do. I simply use frozen turkey burgers, (but you could make your own, using fresh ground turkey), a few stalks of freshly steamed asparagus, muenster cheese slices, garlic aioli (recipe follows), and sesame seed hamburger buns. You need about 3 stalks of cooked asparagus cut in half for each burger. Cook your turkey burgers however you like, on the grill or in a pan, put it on the hamburger bun, top with muenster cheese, then asparagus, then the garlic aioli and finally top with the second half of the bun. Note: Garlic aioli has a strong taste, so if you really want to taste the asparagus, only use a small amount. I make my garlic aioli fresh, and it will last in your refrigerator for quite some time, as long as it is covered.  I also like to use muenster cheese for its mellow taste and nice melting qualities, but feel free to use any cheese you might like better. 

GARLIC AIOLI:

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 3/4 cup Hellman's mayonnaise  (or any mayonnaise of your choice. This is just my preference)  - 3 cloves of garlic, minced - 2 1/2 Tbsps. lemon juice - about 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste. Just mix all in a bowl and enjoy.

SPRING IN JERSEY - STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE SHORTCAKE

SPRING IN JERSEY - STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE SHORTCAKE  

I love strawberry time of year here in Jersey because the temperatures are so nice on most days, and it hasn't gotten very humid yet. Not too hot, mostly sunny days, and the evenings are just beautiful. Great porch rocking weather. 

Spring always brings back great childhood memories. I can remember playing outside as a child, this time of the year, on the front lawn with my siblings, usually catching lightning bugs and turning their tails into rings on our fingers, storing them in jars, or doing the hokey pokey, while my mom and dad sat on the steps watching us play. Such great memories. 

Strawberries are the first fruits to ripen each spring in New Jersey. The best way to buy them is in season and local. If berries come from far away, they have to be picked before they are ripe, which means less flavor. Look for bright red color, as color is more important than size. If there is white around the stem, that means it was picked before being fully ripe. The best way to store them is in a paper bag, in the refrigerator, but not for long after they have been picked. 

 I haven't picked a lot of strawberries, but I sure have eaten a lot of them. And one of my favorite ways to eat them, of course is in the beloved strawberry shortcake. A lot of people today, probably because of lack of time, buy those packaged little cakes, then cut up some strawberries, throw them on, and then pile on whipped cream. But believe me, that is no way to make or eat strawberry shortcake. My absolute favorite type of strawberry shortcake, is the drier kind, that really soaks up that luscious strawberry syrup that you get after cutting up those beauties, and putting on some sugar, and then letting them set while they make their own syrup. I guarantee once you try this Strawberry Shortcake, you will never want those little store bought cakes again. This cake is beautiful and oh so delicious!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Shortcake: 

You will need: 3 cups of original Bisquick baking mix - 1 cup of sugar - 1/4 cup of butter, softened - 1 cup of Organic Valley whole milk (or any whole milk, this is just my preference)  - 2 teaspoons of McCormick (my preference for brand) pure vanilla extract - 2 eggs - all at room temperature. Topping: 1 cup of Organic Valley heavy cream - 1 (8 oz.) package of Philadelphia cream cheese, regular (not light) softened - 1/3 cup of powdered sugar - 1 teaspoon of McCormick pure vanilla extract - 6 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced, and added sugar to them

Directions: Heat oven to 350* degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9x2 " pan, and then lightly flour. In a large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well blended. Fold in whipped cream. Frost top of cake with whipped cream mixture. Cut into squares and top each serving with strawberries. Makes 15 servings. 

                                                
             

                                                  

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA

   SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA 

When you think of bruschetta, you probably don't think of asparagus. But I will tell you, asparagus adds a touch of elegance to the bruschetta, besides being an epic taste! Also, this is a wonderful appetizer if you are throwing a small dinner party. If you are having guests over for dinner,  it is best to have an appetizer and cocktails ready when your guests arrive, so they can get comfortable while you finish up last minute dinner details. It will buy you some time for sure, if you are running behind. And even if you aren't, it just starts the evening off right. One of the best ways to do this, is to serve something that you can make up ahead of time, looks pretty, and is easy to eat. That is where this dish, asparagus bruschetta comes in. It is easy to prepare, easy to eat, and beautiful to look at. Served up on rustic Italian bread slices, it is sure to be a winner with your dinner guests. I guarantee it. The prep time is only 25 minutes. Cook time is only 5 minutes. This recipe is good for about 6 servings. 

ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA:

What you will need: 3 cups of water - 2 cups of grape tomatoes - 1/2 pound of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces - 1/4 cup of minced fresh basil - 3 green onions, chopped - 3 Tbsps. of lime juice - 1 Tbsp. of olive oil - 3 garlic cloves, minced - 1 1/2 tsps. of grated lime peel - 1/4 tsp. of salt - 1/4 tsp. of pepper - 12 slices of rustic Italian bread, toasted - 1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese

To Prepare: In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the asparagus; cover and boil for 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. In a bowl, combine the asparagus, tomatoes, basil, onions, lime juice, oil, garlic, lime peel, salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the asparagus mixture onto the toasted bread. Sprinkle with blue cheese. Enjoy. This pairs well with a glass of chardonnay. Salute' my friends.