Blueberry Bars

Another blueberry recipe as promised (as requested Jonathan, sorry for the delay).  I've been really into bars latey, and by that I mean blueberry, lemon, brownies...okay brownies don't fit that criteria but I'm also on the lookout for a low sugar brownie recipe. I think I've found a few good ones.  I suppose if you break it down, I've mostly just been interested in rectangularish food lately. Let's not judge, okay?

Well, back to the blueberries.

Blueberry & Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

Cookie Base

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups all purpose flour

For the Blueberries

2 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

2 tbl fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup white sugar

zest of one lemon

1 tbl cornstarch

Toppings

1/4 cup cream cheese

2 tbl white sugar

2 graham crackers 

1. Preheat oven to 350 and start the cookie dough by creaming the softened butter and sugars together in a mixer until light in color, about 3 to 5 minutes

2. Add the egg, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and mix together

3. Add the flour 1 cup at a time and mix until just combined

4. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment, two sheets perpendicular to each other, crossing on top of one another

5. Spread cookie dough into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden 

MEANWHILE....

1. Start the blueberry topping, Put the blueberries over medium low heat until defrosted

2. Add the lemon juice, sugar, and zest to the pot

3. Stir and cook together for about 5 minutes, the mixture should be simmering and start to thicken slightly

4. Sprinkle the cornstarch in and mix thoroughly. Leave on a heat for an additional minute or two and make sure there are no cornstarch chunks

5. Remove from heat

FINALLY...

1. Pule the graham cracker in a food processor to make crumbs, set aside

2. In a mixer whip up the cream cheese and the 2 tbl sugar until creamy

3. Take the dough and make small drops of the cream cheese on the top

4. fill the rest of the area with the blueberries, making sure to use it all

5. Sprinkle the graham crackers in small sections as pictured below

6. Return to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes 

7. Remove and let cool, remove from pan by lifting the parchment paper. If the edges are stuck cut around them with a small knife

8. Cut in small strips of squares and eat up. Good warm or cooled

The above picture shows how I dropped the blueberries and cream cheese on but any way will work.

A lot of photos, I know. But I have more pictures that words for this one so I hope you enjoy either way. And as I slowly work my way into Photoshop, bountiful photo posts like this just seem to happen. Also I will be bombarding you with just one more blueberry recipe tomorrow, and then we'll move on to a new ingredient.  

For more blueberry fun.... http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/

Blueberry & Brie Grilled Cheese

Blueberries, they're pretty great. Usually my favorite way to eat them is in some sort of compote on top of waffles or pancakes.  But I saw some on sale recently and thought it would be a nice challenge to come up with some new recipes.  Spending my mondays off thinking up recipes, testing them out, and setting them up for photographs is really my idea of a great day so it was really more of a perfect excuse. Again, is there anyway I can make this my career?

This one's really basic, I have a few more blueberry recipes coming soon though.

The key to the grilled cheese is to really butter up the outside of the bread, that way it gets nice and crisp on the outside. It's completely necessary and it takes any and all grilled cheeses over the top.

Blueberry & Brie Grilled Cheese

*makes 2 sandwiches

1 cup of fresh blueberries

4 thick slices of whole wheat French bread

10 thin slices of brie

3 basil leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)

Butter, to spread on bread

Honey, to drizzle

salt & pepper

1. Spread one side of each bread generously with butter

2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the bread, butter side down

3. Top two of the slices with three slices of brie, and the others with two

4. Sprinkle the basil on the three slice bread, layer the blueberries on the slice, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with honey

5. Carefully place the two slice pieces of bread on the other bread and smoosh together

6. Place a plate on top of the closed sandwiches and lightly press down to smash the ingredients together

7. Carefully flip the sandwiches once the first side is crispy and browned

8. Repeat with other side until crisp. Cut in half and eat it up!

For more blueberry recipes: http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/