Blueberry Muffins (Bob Red Mill Recipe)

 I'm going to share a delicious recipe that my family loves for homemade blueberry muffins.  I got it off a bag of Bob Red Mill's Gluten Free 1:1 Flour and have attached the link here.  I do recommend using fresh blueberries, if possible, for a melt in your mouth taste, but I have used frozen and it still tastes good.

Ingredients:

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (NOTE: you will need to reduce heat to 375 degrees F once muffins are placed in oven - mentioned later after recipe is prepared).  Grease a muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with baking cups.  

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add half the flour mixture and beat until just blended. Beat in buttermilk, then addd remaining flour mixture and beat until blended.  Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.  Place pan in oven and IMMEDIATELY REDUCE HEAT TO 375 DEGREES F. Bake for 30 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Move to wire rack to cool completely.  

Makes 12 muffins. Enjoy!

P.S. This is an easy recipe to double and make 24 muffins to share some with others!

Homemade Chicken Soup

All Ingredients:

*whole chicken

*3-4 - 32 oz. low sodium chicken broth

*1 Tbsp minced garlic

*3 medium sweet onions, chopped

*1 bag of carrots, peeled and diced

*1 bag of celery, chopped

*1 tsp thyme

*3 bay leaves

*zucchini, for zoodles -- or gf soup noodles of your choice

Step 1:

*whole chicken

*3 or 4 - 32 oz. low sodium chicken broth

*1 Tbsp minced garlic

*1 tsp thyme

*3 bay leaves

Take whole chicken and rinse well.  Soak in mixing bowl using 1/4 c white vinegar and fill the rest of bowl with water to cover chicken for 30 minutes. 

After soaking rinse well and place in medium stockpot with chicken broth.  Make sure chicken is covered by broth, if not, add water until it's covered.  Add minced garlic.  Bring to low rolling boil.  Cover stockpot and cook for 45 min- 1 hour.  While soup is cooking begin chopping onions, carrots, and celery. 

When soup is done, check meat to see if white on inside, should pull apart easy.  Once chicken is cooked, remove and place in separate bowl.  

Step 2:

*2 Tbsp olive oil

*3 medium onions, chopped

*1 bag of carrots, diced

*1 bag of celery, chopped

*1 medium zucchini

*salt

*white pepper

In a different stockpot heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and sauté onions on low heat until transparent (about 10 minutes).  Add diced carrots and celery to stockpot. Continue to cook for another 5 or so minutes to release the flavor.  

Strain broth from initial stockpot into vegetables. Cook for 30 minutes on rolling boil.  

Step 3:

While vegetables are cooking, debone and shred chicken.  Take zucchini and spiral to create zoodles, keep separate from soup so it won't be soggy.

Step 4:

When soup is done, in a bowl place handful of shredded chicken, some zoodles, topped with soup.  Enjoy!

Note: One reason we keep the chicken separate is our leftovers become chicken tacos the following night so the kids love when I cook chicken soup now because it always means tacos soon to follow!