CHILE RELLENO TORTA

1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
5 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 2/3 cups half-and-half
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1/4 cup picante sauce


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix grated cheeses and spread evenly in buttered 10-inch deep dish pie plate.  Beat eggs, add flour slowly, and then beat in half-and-half.  If mixture is lumpy, strain it.  Pour egg mixture over cheeses in pie plate.  Carefully spoon chiles over the surface, then spoon picante sauce over all.  Bake about 45 minutes or until center is set.

CILANTRO LIME RICE

1 cup uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice)
1 tsp. butter or margarine or cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz.) chicken broth
1 cup water


1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro


In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime juice, chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender.  Remove from heat.  In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro.  Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

4 cups chicken broth (1 quart container)
2 cups water
3 cups baked chicken breast cubed OR 2 cans chicken breast meat
2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans (white beans), drained and rinsed
2 cups green salsa/mild or medium
1 tsp. cumin


Heat for 5 min. or until hot enough.


Serve with chopped tomato, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, grated Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 package double stuffed Oreos or fudge sandwich cookies (larger pkg for larger batch)
• 1 or 2 cartons mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened
• 1-2 jars fudge sauce, at room temperature
• 1 (8 oz) or (12 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed in fridge

Directions

1. Crush cookies, reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbs.
2. Press remaining crumbs in either a 9"x13" pan or 10"x15" pan.
3. Put pan in freezer for 15 minutes.
4. Slice ice cream and spread over cookie crumbs; cover completely.
5. Put pan back in freezer until ice cream sets up.
6. Spread fudge sauce over ice cream, spreading as evenly as possible.
7. Return pan to freezer until fudge hardens.
8. Spread with Cool Whip, then sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.
9. Store in freezer; remove from freezer 15 minutes prior to serving. 

Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana

Prep Time:  20 min     Total Time:  1 hr 20 min     Servings:  4-6

Ingredients

• 1 lb mild Italian sausage
• 2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in fourths, and then in 1/4 inch slices
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup bacon bits (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups kale or swiss chard, chopped (pack it in)
• 1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
• 1 quart water
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces.
2. Brown sausage in your soup pot.
3. Add chicken broth and water to pot and stir.
4. Place onions, potatoes, and garlic in the pot.
5. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.
6. Add bacon and red pepper flakes.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.  (Instead of salt, I add 1 tsp chicken bouillon granules)
8. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
9. Turn to low heat.
10. Add kale and cream.
11. Heat through and serve.

Mexican Black Beans

1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 large jalapeno seeded and chopped OR one 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp. cumin
2  15 oz. cans black beans drained and rinsed
1  14.5 oz. can chicken broth
fresh lime juice
salt
pepper
Monterey jack cheese, grated (opt.)
fresh cilantro (opt.)

Heat oil in heavy saucepan over med-hi heat.  Add garlic, cumin, and jalapeno and sauté 30 sec.
Add beans and broth.  Cook 5 min. stirring occasionally.  Coarsely mash beans with a potato masher.  Continue boiling until thick, about 20 min.  Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.  Transfer to a bowl.  Garnish with Monterey jack cheese and cilantro.

For a larger batch, double the first 5 ingredients.  1 can of chicken broth will suffice, you just won't have to cook it as long.

Apple Crisp

4 to 5 cups sliced apples, peeled and cored
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix together and put in a 7-inch by 11-inch pan.  Cover with topping.

Topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal


Mix all ingredients (except oatmeal) until crumbly (like coarse cornmeal).  Stir in oatmeal.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour, or at 375 degrees F.  for 45 minutes.

Easy Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream (evaporated milk works, too)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 and 1/2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar (NOT sifted)

Combine the chips, cream and butter in a saucepan.  Melt them together over very low heat, stirring constantly.  When everything is melted, turn off the heat and move the pan to a cold burner.  Stir everything smooth with a wooden spoon or a heat-resistant spatula.  (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate chips with the cream and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on HIGH.  Stir to see if everything's melted and if it's not, heat it in 30-second increments until it is.)

Measure the powdered sugar, packing it down in the cup when you do so.  Place it in a bowl large enough to also hold the chocolate mixture.

Give the chocolate mixture in the saucepan a final stir and then pour it over the powdered sugar.  Do this fast and all at once.  Start stirring immediately and mix until the frosting is smooth.  This frosting will look "runny," but don't worry.  It'll harden up when the butter solidifies.  If it hardens too much, just heat it very gently over low heat on the stove top, or if you made it in the microwave,  heat it again on HIGH for 20 seconds or so.

Yield:  This frosting should frost 2 to 3 dozen cookies, or a small cake.

Raspberry Bar Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middleposition.

1 cup cold butter (2 sticks)
2 cups flour (don't sift--pack it down in the cup when you measure it) 
1/2 cup powdered sugar (not sifted)
____________________________

4 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
2 cups granulated sugaar
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup flour (don't sift--pack it down when you measure it)
____________________________

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with PAM.

The Shortbread Crust:  Cut each stick of butter into eight pieces.  Process them with the flour and the powdered sugar in the food processor, using an on and off motion, with the steel blade until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.  Spread it out in the bottom of the cake pan.  Pat the crumbly mixture down with your freshly washed hands.

Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges.  Remove the pan from the oven, set it on a wire rack or a cold stove top burner, BUT DON'T SHUT OFF THE OVEN.

While the crust is baking, make the filling so it's ready to pour on top of the crust when it comes out of the oven.

The Raspberry Filling:

With an electric hand mixer, mix the eggs with the sugar until they're nice and fluffy.

Melt the 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam in a microwave-safe cup on HIGH in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir the jam for another 30 seconds to cool it and then beat it into the egg and sugar mixture.

Add the salt and baking powder.  Mix them in thoroughly.

Mix in the flour and beat until everything is combined.  This filling will be runny.

When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the filling over the top.  Stick the pan back into the oven and bake it at 350 degrees F. for another 30 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and set it on a cold burner.  Let it cool for 10 minutes.  Then make the Raspberry Glaze.

The Raspberry Glaze:

Measure out 1/4 cup of seedless raspberry jam and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir it until it's smooth.  Using a pastry brush, brush the melted jam over the top of the bar cookies.  This very thin layer of jam will be the glaze.

Place the pan in the refrigerator so that the jam will cool and solidify--about 30 minutes.

The Chocolate Frosting:

Make the frosting by placing the butter, sugar, and cream into a medium-size saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil at MEDIUM-HIGH heat, stirring constantly.  Then lower the heat to MEDIUM and cook for exactly 2 minutes.

Add the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, stir them in until melted, and then remove the saucepan from the heat and slide it onto a cold burner.

Stir in the vanilla extract.  (Be careful--it may sputter.)

Pour the frosting over the cookie bars, grab the cake pan, and tip it so that the frosting covers the whole top.

Stick the pan back into the refrigerator for at least an hour before you attempt to cut and serve the cookie bars.

To serve, cut the cookie bars into brownie-sized pieces and place them on a pretty platter.

Raspberry Brownies

For the Brownies

Make a double batch of your own favorite brownie recipe in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan OR use the shortcut below:

1 family size box of brownie mix (enough to make a 9-inch by 13-inch pan of brownies) and the rest of the ingredients listed on the box of brownie mix you bought

For the Glaze

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

For the Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cream (evaporated milk works)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to whatever it says on the box of brownie mix you bought.

Spray the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with PAM or another non-stick cooking spray.  Alternatively, you can line the pan with aluminum foil and spray that.

Mix the brownies according to the package directions.

Bake the brownies 2 minutes longer than it says on the package directions.

After the brownies have baked, let them cool on a cold stovetop burner or on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

After the brownies have cooled for 10 minutes, put the jam in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until it liquifies.

Pour the jam over the top of the brownies and quickly spread it out with a rubber spatula.

Refrigerate the brownies and jam glaze for at least 30 minutes. An hour is even better.  Overnight is fine, too.

Take the pan out of the refrigerator and place it on the counter close to the stovetop.

Make the frosting by placing the butter, sugar, and cream into a medium-size saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil at MEDIUM HIGH heat, stirring constantly.  Then lower the heat to MEDIUM and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the half-cup chocolate chips, stir them in until melted, and then remove the saucepan from the heat and slide it onto a cold burner.

Stir in the vanilla extract.  (Be careful--it may sputter.)

Pour the frosting over the glaze, grab the cake pan, and tip it so that the frosting covers the whole top.

Stick the pan back into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before you attempt to cut and serve them.

Sharon's Orange Rolls

The night before...

2 Tablespoons regular yeast or 2 packets
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm (almost hot) water

In a 1 or 2 cup glass measuring cup, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water--not too hot or it will kill the yeast.  "Proof " the yeast by letting it double in volume.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup HOT water
3 eggs, beaten well
5 (+) cups flour

In a separate (microwaveable) bowl, dissolve the sugar, butter, and salt in the HOT water; if it doesn't dissolve completely, you can heat it in the microwave, in 30 second intervals, until dissolved.

Add eggs to hot mixture.

Add yeast and half of the flour to the mixture (if it's too hot it will kill the yeast) in a large bowl.

Mix well with an electric hand mixer.

Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, and stir in by hand with a wooden spoon after each addition.  Add enough flour so, when you stir with a wooden spoon, the dough "follows" the spoon around in a large ball.  (At this point, you aren't really stirring or mixing anything, you are just using the spoon to move the dough around the bowl.)  We used about 5 and 1/2 to 5 and 3/4 cups of flour.

Cover with a damp towel.  Let it rise 1 hour then stir it down.

Cover tightly with saran wrap, refrigerate over night.

Next day--3 and 1/2 hours before baking...

Filling--mix together
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest from 1 large or 2 medium oranges

Divide dough in half.

Roll out on a floured surface 3/8" to 1/2" thick into a rectangle about 8" to 10" wide and 18" long.

Spread on half of the filling, leaving 1/2" on the long sides to seal.

Roll up long way.

Using a knife, mark sections in dough about 1" apart making 18 sections.

Use thread to cut the dough by sliding it under to the desired spot, then bringing it up, crossing the two ends over the top and pulling tight.

Spray 3 muffin pans with PAM; place roll slices in pans with cut side up.

Let rise for about 2 and 1/2 hours before baking.  To prevent rolls from drying out, spray 1 side of wax paper with PAM and place over rolls.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown.

Yield:  3 dozen orange rolls

Frosting for Pink Lemonade Cookies

2 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar (no need to sift unless it's got big lumps)
2 teaspoons frozen pink  or regular lemonade concentrate, thawed
3 to 4 teaspoons milk (water will also work for a less creamy frosting)
2 drops red food coloring

Beat the butter and powdered sugar together.

Mix in the lemonade concentrate.

Beat in the milk, a bit at a time, until the frosting is almost thin enough to spread, but not quite.

Mix in the 2 drops of red food coloring.  Stir until the color is uniform.

If your frosting is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.  If your frosting is too thick, add a bit more milk or water.

Frost the completely cooled cookies.  When the frosting has hardened, you can store them in layers with waxed paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.

Yield:  Approximately 2 and 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies, depending on cookie size.

Pink Lemonade Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, rack in the middle position.

1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup white (granulated) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup frozen pink or regular lemonade concentrate, thawed
3 drops of liquid red food coloring
1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Mix in the baking powder and the baking soda.  Beat until they are well combined.

Mix in the beaten egg and the lemonade concentrate.

Add 3 drops of red food coloring.

Add the flour a half-cup or so at a time, beating after each addition.

If the resulting cookie dough is too sticky to work with, refrigerate it for an hour or so.  Drop the cookies by teaspoonful, 2 inches apart, on an UNGREASED cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies at  350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Then use a metal spatula to remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mini Macaroon Cookies

Preheat oven to325 degrees; rack in middle position.

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 7-ounce packages flaked coconut
2 cups mini chocolate chips (12 ounce package)

Chop coconut flakes finer in food processor with an on/off pulsing motion.

Prepare pans:
     Mini baking cups in mini muffin pans OR
     Mini muffin pans sprayed with PAM with flour OR
     Baking sheets lined with heavy duty foil and sprayed with PAM with flour

Empty sweetened condensed milk into a large mixing bowl. 
Add vanilla and stir in well.
Add coconut to bowl 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Add mini chocolate chips.  Stir in thoroughly.

Baking cups -- drop some cookie dough inside with a teaspoon.  Press it down lightly with a wet fingertip.  Fill baking cups close to the top.

Baking sheet --  drop some cookie dough by rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheet. They'll look best if they're a little mounded on top.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  (Mine took 20 minutes.)  They're done when the coconut is toasted to a nice golden color on top.  Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in layers of wax paper in a storage container.  Make sure the cookies don't touch each other if they are not in mini baking cups.  They can be frozen.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Toasted Pecans

1 cup pecan halves
1 T butter -- melted
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Toss pecans in butter to coat.
Spread pecans out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Bake for 10 minutes.  Stir.  Bake another 10 minutes.  Watch carefully -- do not over brown.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with salt, and allow to cool.

FUDGY FROSTING

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (a 12-ounce package)

1/4 teaspoon salt
14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
2 Tablespoons salted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fill the bottom part of a double boiler with water.  Make sure the water doesn't touch the under side of the top.

Put the chocolate chips and the salt in the top of the double boiler, set it over the bottom, and place the double boiler on the stove top at medium heat. Stir occasionally until the chocolate chips are melted.

Stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk and cook approximately 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the frosting is shiny and of spreading consistency.

Shut off the heat, remove the top of the double boiler to a cold burner, and quickly stir in the vanilla.  (It may sputter a bit, so be careful.)  Then add the butter and stir it in until it melts.

Your frosting is ready to use.  Once it cools, it's just like fudge.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

1/3 cup boiling water
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powered milk

Using an electric mixer set on LOW, blend together the boiling water and butter; a 4 cup measuring cup works for the bowl.  You can also use a blender.

Add the sugar and let it run for a few seconds.

Add the pure vanilla extract and let it run for several additional seconds.

Shut off the mixer, pour in the powdered milk, and then mix on LOW until the resulting mixture is thick.

Use immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator.  This homemade version of sweetened condensed milk will last for up to one week in the refrigerator.

Yield: This recipe makes the equivalent of one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk that can be used in pies, cakes, cookie bars and flans.

Oven-Baked Brown Rice with Parmesan, Lemon, and Herbs

Avoid using dried herbs, as fresh herbs really make this dish.  To double the recipe, use a 13 by 9 inch baking dish; the baking time need not be increased.

1 ½ cups long-, medium-, or short-grain brown rice

1 small onion, minced (about ½ cup)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

2 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

¼ cup minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1.     Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spread the rice in an 8-inch-square glass baking dish.

2.     Combine the onion, oil, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Cover and cook over medium–low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, covered.  Once the broth is boiling, immediately pour it over the rice.  Cover the baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil and bake until the rice is tender, about 1 hour.

3.     Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and fluff the rice with a fork.  Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pepper.  Cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes.  Uncover and let the rice stand for 5 minutes longer before serving.

Sharon's Turtle Bars

Regular Batch                                       

1 bag Kraft Caramels  (about 48 caramels)                                          

½ cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 
1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)                                     

Crust

1 ½ cups flour                                                        
1 ½ cups quick oats                                              
¼ tsp. salt                                                                 
2/3 tsp. baking soda                                             
1 1/8 cups brown sugar                                      
2 cubes melted butter                                         

Large Batch

1 1/2 bags Kraft Caramels (about 72 caramels)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 - 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Crust

2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups quick oats
3/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 cubes melted butter

Melt caramels in milk.  Mix crust ingredients together.  Pat ½ crust mixture into 9” X 13” pan (for regular batch) or 11 ½” X 16 ½” jelly roll pan/cookie sheet with 1”sides (for large batch).  Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Pour caramel mixture over crust.  Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chips.  Crumble rest of crust mixture over the top.  Lightly press toppings into caramel mixture with fingers. This will help hold the toppings on the cookie bars after they are baked.  Bake 15 minutes more. 

Cool.  Cut into bars.  Store in Tupperware- type container.                     

 

Blue Blueberry Muffins

(Note: This recipe is from the book BLUEBERRY MUFFIN MURDER by Joanne Fluke.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F,

rack in the middle position

3/4 cup melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 cup sugar

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (no need to thaw if they're frozen)

1/2 cup blueberry pie filling

2 cups plus one tablespoon flour (no need to sift)

1/2 cup milk

Grease the bottoms only of a 12-cup muffin pan (or line the cups with cupcake papers). Melt the butter. Mix in the sugar. Then add the beaten eggs, baking powder, and salt, and mix thoroughly.

Put one tablespoon of the flour in a plastic bag with your cup of fresh or frozen blueberries. Shake it gently to coat the blueberries, and leave them in the bag for now.

Add half the remaining two cups flour to your bowl and mix it in with half the milk. Then add the rest of the flour and milk and mix thoroughly.

Add 1/2 cup blueberry pie filling to your bowl and mix it in. (Your dough will turn a shade of blue, but don't let that stop you--once the muffins are baked, they'll look just fine.) When your dough is thoroughly mixed, fold in the flour-coated fresh or frozen blueberries.

Fill the muffin tins three-quarters full and set them aside. If you have dough left over, grease the bottom of a small tea-bread loaf pan and fill it with your remaining dough.

(The following toppings can be used on the muffins. The first recipe came from the book as the topping for the muffins. The second recipe is from a Betty Crocker cookbook--which is also my preference.)

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup softened butter (1/2 stick)

Mix the sugar and the flour in a small bowl. Add the softened butter and cut it in until it's crumbly. (You can also to this in a food processor with hard butter using the steel blade.)

OR

Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons firm butter

Mix the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix until crumbly.

Sprinkle the crumb topping over your muffins and bake them in a 375 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. (The tea-bread should bake about 10 minutes longer than the muffins.)

While your muffins are baking, divide the rest of your blueberry pie filling into 1/2 cup portions and pop it in the freezer. I use paper cups to hold it and freeze them inside a freezer bag. All you have to do is thaw a cup the next time you want to make a batch of Blue Blueberry Muffins.

When your muffins are baked, set the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.

With a plastic knife, go around the inside edge of each muffin to loosen it then gently lift it out.

These are wonderful when they're slightly warm, but the blueberry flavor will intensify if you store them in a covered container overnight.