Blueberry Muffins, aka Why Canola Oil is the Bane of My Baking Existence

My obsession with blueberries this summer knows no limits.
But, just look at that gorgeous berry, bursting with goodness? How could I resist?

While this story ended happily with these delicious blueberry muffins,
there was darkness before there was light.

And the villain? Canola oil.

I will not mince words here: I think canola oil ruins baked goods. There, I said it. But, I can back it up. I made two batches of these blueberry muffins. The first ones were with canola oil and as soon as I bit into one, I had this gross vegetably taste in my mouth. And, as I was spitting the muffin out, I flashed back to another bad muffin I once made that had an equally vegetably taste: pumpkin muffins too gross to blog about. I rushed to compare recipes, and I soon discovered the culprit, with its insidious vegetably-muffin-ruining-flavor: canola oil.

To test my theory that canola oil is the devil, I made a second batch of these blueberry muffins, swapping out canola oil for safflower oil. And the second batch was delightful. Everything you want a blueberry muffin to be.

The scientific conclusion from this test:
Okay, now that I have ranted, time to tell you about this gorgeous blueberry muffins. They are really lovely little muffins: not too sweet, and with a slightly cake-y texture. But the lemon, oh the lemon, makes them perfect.
(Just looking at them you know they are best friends)

These muffins are a cinch to make. You don't even need two bowls: just one bowl and a liquid measuring come. How great is that? To start, combine your dry ingredients with the zest of one lemon.
Next, in a large measuring cup, mix together your not-canola oil (I used safflower), buttermilk, vanilla, and egg. Set aside.
Now, add those wonderful blueberries to the dry ingredients.
And fold them in lightly.
Then, make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in your liquid ingredients. The well helps you make sure all the dry ingredients, even the pesky ones on the bottom, get incorporated.
Fold everything until just incorporated. As ever, no overmixing unless you like tough muffins.
Now, bust out your muffin tin's best friend: the ice cream scoop.
Scoop the batter into the muffin tins, so each tin is full.
Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes.
And!
Get ready to love what you just made!

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins (from joyofbaking.com)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of one lemon or orange
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup safflower oil (not canola oil)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries*

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.** Position rack in center of oven. Butter or spray a muffin tin. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Set aside.

In another large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Gently fold in the berries. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula fold in the wet ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are combined.

Fill each muffin cup almost full of batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in oven and bake until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clear, about 20 minutes.*** Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.

*Raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries would also do.
**Since I have a non-stick muffin tin, I lowered the temperature to 350 on the first batch. But, this was a bad idea, as the muffins didn't get very golden on top. So, for the second batch, I had it at 375, and they turned out much better.
***If you are using frozen berries, it might take a little longer.

Granola Trials: Why you should add butter or oil to your granola

One of my absolute favorite things to eat during the summer has to be vanilla yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola. Blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines: you name it, and I pile it on to yogurt and granola, and eat until my heart's content.
This desire, however, has left me needing granola around my house all the time. While you can certainly buy some gorgeous all-natural granola in the stores these days, I figured it was about time I nailed down a home-made granola recipe I loved.

Hence, the 'Granola Trials'.

In my research on granola recipes, I was struck by the difference in the amounts of butter or oil used in recipes. At one extreme, Mark Bittman offers us a recipe that calls for no oil or butter whatsoever. While other recipes call for sticks upon sticks of butter. So, there I was, left wondering: should I add butter or oil to my granola?
And the answer...
Yes! Butter or oil are essential to making granola.

The granola I made without the butter/oil simply was not granola. It tasted like toasted Muesli. Which, if you are into that sort of thing, I have the perfect recipe for you. If, however, you want something that tastes like granola, you need to add the butter/oil.

'Why?' you ask. Well, the butter/oil component is essential to giving your granola crunch. And, I'll be honest with you, 99% of the reason I eat granola is because I adore that crunch. Muesli, even toasted Muesli, simply will not do.

So, here's how to make granola that tastes like granola.

Start by mixing together your dry ingredients: oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
In the meantime: embrace the butter. Add the butter and honey to a small sauce pan.
(I mean, come on! Just looking at this, you know whatever it is added to is going to taste better!)

Melt over low heat.
Now, add that honey-butter to your dry ingredients. And stir it up.Bake at 300 for about 40 minutes until golden brown. You'll want to stir occasionally.Remove from oven and cool completely.
Once its cool, feel free to mix in dry fruit. But, what I prefer to do is add fruit on a case by case basis to suit my mood. And since it is summer, and summer fruit is glorious, I have abandoned dry fruit all together in favor of scrumptious blueberries and peaches.

Homemade Granola (adapted from epicurious.com)
Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds, or any mix of nuts you like
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (slightly heaping)
a dash of salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup dried fruit (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 310. Mix together oats, nuts, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan over low heat, melt the butter with the honey. Pour over oat mixture and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. If using dried fruit, mix in once granola has cooled.

Store in an air-tight container.

My Mama's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I am pretty sure that these
are the world's, and most likely the universe's, best oatmeal raisin cookies.

And I am lucky enough to be the daughter of a woman who has the recipe.

The secret to these perfect cookies: giving the raisins a little extra love and care.
If you just stirred in plain old raisins, these cookies would be okay. If you, instead, soak the raisins for an hour in a mixture of beaten eggs and vanilla...
now you're talking divine.

For the rest of these cookies, you should start by toasting some pecans, as toasting nuts, and especially pecans, makes them way better.
After this point, these cookies precede as cookies normally do. Make sure your butter is at room temperature, and combine it with brown and white sugar. I've ramped up the brown sugar in these cookies, because I have found it makes them extra chewy.
Beat for three minutes, until light and fluffy.
Next, incorporate your flour a little bit at a time.
Next, stir in the raisin-mix, oats, and chopped toasted pecans.
The dough will be somewhat stiff.
Now, roll pieces of the dough into generous 1 1/2 inch balls.
And, flatten slightly.
If you are responsible, you should leave 2 inches between each cookie.
If you are like me, your first batch will probably spread into each other.

Let them cool on the sheet briefly, and then remove to a wire rack.
Here's to you, Mama!

My Mama's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (adapted from Colorado Cache Cookbook and Joy of Cooking)
Ingredients:
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups flours
1 tsp salt
1 slightly heaping tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts*

Directions:
Combine the eggs, raisins, and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, and mix well. Blend in the egg-raisin mixture, oats, and chopped nuts. Dough will be stiff.

Shape the dough into generous 1 1/2 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten the balls slightly. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.

*To toast the nuts: Put the nuts in a dry skillet over medium/medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until they become fragrant. Remove immediately, as nuts have a tendency to burn if they are left on too long.

Grilled Opah with Mango-Avocado Salsa

I recently went to Maui.
Jealous?

One of my favorite activities was trying new fish, like gorgeous thick cuts of Mahi Mahi (who knew it came in versions other than thin, boring fillets?), Opakapaka, Walu, Hawaiian Butter Fish, Monchong, and Opah (aka Moonfish).

While they were all delicious, one of my favorite meals was this grilled opah with mango-avocado salsa.
Opah is a nice fish because although it has a fairly delicate, mild flavor, it is a sturdy fish, i.e. when you grill it, you don't have to worry that more of it will stick to the grill than will get on your plate.

I love making salsas for fish. One, they are so easy. Two, they are so delicious. And, three, they require no extra cooking, which during the summer is a must. All you have to do is let them sit there, and they will yum up on their own.

Here are the basics for this salsa: mangoes, avocado, a Serrano chili, orange, and parsley.
Please note, there is NO cilantro on this board. For those of us who feel like cilantro should be renamed 'soap-lantro', as so aptly put by a dear friend, parsley is a lovely substitute. It is fresh, zippy, a little lemony, and it does not taste like soap. (And for those cilantro-lovers out there, don't hate me for hating cilantro: it's genetic).

To prep the salsa: get your mango chopped up.
Next your avocado.
Since mangoes love orange, I think adding in some orange zest and orange juice is delightful. Now, you may want to also add some lemon juice, but that depends on how sweet your mangoes are and how acidic you like your salsas. This is entirely up to you.
Next, add in some finely chopped Serrano chili. Again, it is up to you whether you want to seed and vein it to reduce the heat.
Stir in some chopped parsley.
Add in a splash of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Taste it, adjust it as you see fit, and you are done with the salsa.
For the fish, look at this gorgeous 1 2/3 pound fillet of Opah.
To grill it, add olive oil, salt, and pepper to both sides. Heat up your grill for 10 minutes on high, reduce the heat to medium-high and grill for 6 minutes on both sides. If you have a smaller cut, reduce the time to 4-5 minutes each side.
Lovely, no?

Cover it in mango salsa, serve it with a slice of lemon, and enjoy a taste of Maui!
Grilled Opah with Mango-Avocado Salsa
Mango-Avocado Salsa
Ingredients:
2 Mangoes, chopped
1 Avocado, chopped
1-2 Serrano chilis or jalapenos, finely minced
1 orange
1 lemon (optional)
a handful of parsley, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper*

Directions:
Add together the mangoes, avocado, chili, orange zest, juice from half an orange, lemon juice (if using), parsley, a splash of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix together.

This salsa keeps for up to 1 day if covered in the refrigerator.

Grilled Opah
Ingredients:
1 2/3 lb piece of opah
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
Rub both sides of the fish with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Heat the grill to high for 10 minutes. Reduce to medium-high heat and add the opah. Grill for 6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.**

Top with a generous portion of salsa and add a slice of lemon on the side.

*You can also add finely chopped red onion or finely minced garlic to this recipe.
**If using smaller cuts of opah, reduce grill time to 4-5 minutes per side