A Blue Breakfast

We love our garden and we often eat in the garden -- and some days breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A table for two in the garden.

On a small table under the rose branches.    A table for two.

The breakfast tray.

 For breakfast in the garden, everything needs to fit on one tray -- no trips back and forth.    It is supposed to be a relaxing breakfast!     My beloved blue and white, of course!

Our favorite garden breakfast -- eggs, seasonal fruit and freshly baked muffins.    A pitcher of cream for the coffee and the fruit!

Blueberry muffins for we've been to the blueberry farm.    Blueberry "doughnut" muffins for they are dipped in a tasty glaze (and I'm a glutton -- I dip them not once but twice!)

Our little table for two is made from a grate.    A practice item made into a practical table.    Not by us, for we bought it that way.    But we feel it makes a perfect table for two in the garden.

The garden, a peaceful place for a quiet breakfast.  

The blueberry muffin recipe?    It's a simple recipe but the glaze makes it spectacular.   You can single dip or double dip (I prefer the double) and I baked them in my popover pans for thinner, taller muffins.   I like the look and may bake my muffins in those pans again.

BLUEBERRY DOUGHNUT MUFFINS

zest of 2 lemons

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 2/3 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

1 c. milk

1 1/3 c. fresh blueberries

For the Glaze:

3 T. butter, melted

1 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 t. vanilla

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T. warm water

Preheat the oven to 425.   Lightly grease a standard muffin tin or line with 12 paper muffin cups (I used a popover pan, used muffin cups but greased above them).

In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest and sugars.   Use your fingertips to incorporate the zest into the sugars until it is moist and fragrant.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream together but butter, oil and sugars until smooth.    Add the eggs and vanilla, beating to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.    Stir the flour mixture into the batter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.    Fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling the cups nearly full.

Bake the muffins for 15 to 17 minutes or until they're a pale golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

In a medium bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing together the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and water.    Whisk until smooth.

When the muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden.    At this point you can leave them as is or go for the double dip!    I went for the double dip!

Serve warm or cool on a rack and wrap airtight.    Muffins will keep at room temperature for about a day.

(But we needn't have worried -- we finished off all 6 before we went inside!)

I found this delightful recipe on My Baking Addition and in my opinion it is a winner!

It's Thursday and I'm joining Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen, Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and Bernideen for Tea In the Garden.