Blueberry Muffins

6 Tb butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
2 large eggs
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp bk powder
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C blueberries
2 tsp sugar

-Cream butter and sugar well.
-Add eggs and beat well.
-Mix dry ingreds. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with milk.
-Chop1/2 C berries.
-Mix into batter.
-Fold in remaining berries.
-Pour into greased muffin cups and sprinkle with sugar.
-Bake at 375 for ~25 min (until golden).

Y: 12 regular & 12 mini-muffins

Recipe adapted from Beverly Farms Bed & Breakfast Inn

Note: I just adapted this recipe by dropping the sugar way down and chopping instead of crushing the berries. Really good! No need for the original 1 1/2 C sugar!

Sweet, Simple Cherry Pie

Filling:
4 C. Sour Cherries, pitted (if fresh - drain excess juice)
1 1/8 C. Sugar
1/4 C. Cornstarch
-Mix in a bowl and allow to sit 10 min, stirring occasionally.
Crust:
2 C. Flour
3/4 C. Shortening
1-2 pinch Salt (1/2 tsp?)
1/3-1/2 C. Cold Water (can add a little ice to make really cold)

-Mix flour, salt and shortening with a fork. Add in cold water until dough sticks together well to form a ball but is not too wet.
-Roll 2/3 dough into pie shape and form into pie crust to fit your pan.
-Roll remaining dough into pie shape.

Pie:
-Pour cherry mixture into pie shell.
-Cut remaining dough into 1/2 inch diameter thin strips.
-Top pie filling with 1/2 of strips. Fold alternating strips back onto themselves.
-Weave remaining strips in...see here for better instructions!:)
-Pinch edges of lattice to bottom crust.
-Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
-Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (see here for a great way to make this)!

Homemade Tortillas & Pia-Mato Sauce

I learned to make these tortillas in Guinea, West Africa. They are sooo good, and remarkably easy - even I could do it! Ha! (I am not so great with bread:)). They do take a bit of time though, but once made you can freeze the extras if desired.

Flour Tortillas ( from Wycliffe Int. Cookbook)
Combine:
-4 C flour
-2 tsp salt
Cut in:
-6 Tb oil ( or shortening)
Add
-1 C water
-Form a ball. Add more water if necessary, until bowl is clear of all dough. Knead well on floured board 20-25 times, then make balls the size of eggs. Let stand 15 min. Roll very thin with rolling pin on lightly floured surface to size of salad plate. Place on hot, ungreased skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes on one side (until starts to bubble). Turn and cook approx 1 min longer. Watch closely, as second side will cook fast!
-Keep warm on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees in the oven, stacked, covered with a light towel if desired.
-Serve with fried ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper, and Pia-Mato Sauce, and Cheese!
Y: 2 doz.
Variations:
Cornmeal: Replace 1 C flour with cornmeal
Whole Wheat: Use 2 C whole wheat, 2 C white flour

Pia-Mato Sauce:
2-4 Tomatoes, diced
1 Avacado, diced
Onions, diced (optional)
Green Pepper, diced (optional)
1 pkg Italian dressing dry mix, mixed per instructions or Italian Salad Dressing to cover

-Combine shortly before serving!

This is an impromptu recipe:) nostalgic of the wonderful food we had in Guinea. Our missionary friends there called it their own special Guacamole, and it was made with fresh local veggies and imported Italian dressing!:) For those with sensitive tummies, just leave out the peppers and onions. I made up the name for fun and for memories...the Pular (a Guinean dialect) word for Avacado is Pia!

Crock-Pot Bean Soup

2 C. dry navy beans, washed (can soak overnight if desired - not necessary though)
4 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato or a few carrots, peeled and diced
1 tsp Dried onions or 1 diced onion
1-2 Tb Parsley, dried
Salt (to taste - can use plain, Lawry's, or Zender's chicken seasoning (my fave))
Pepper to taste (I'm generous with this:))
Water

-Mix all together in crock-pot ( I use a 3 Qt crock-pot). Cover with water to one inch below lid.
-Cook on high until softened (~4 hours), then low until soft enough to mash a bit. Continue on low until mushy soft!
-Mash with potato masher. Add more water if needed. Also may cook on low for ~8 hours.

Yumm-o on a rainy day with some fresh warm bread! This is a variation of my Mom's Bean Soup, which is great! Her recipe calls for celery and carrots rather than sweet potato. I've also tried half navy/half red beans and liked that.