Blueberry Bonanza!

So, Dungeness Meadow Farm finally opened its doors (okay, netted gate) for blueberry u-pick on Saturday morning at 8:30 am. Justin and I showed up at 8:45. We were there past noon. We couldn't stop. We envisioned enjoying organic blueberries the size of grapes well into the darkness of winter--a little something summery to go with all of the winter squash that we will, likely, be enjoying for every other meal.

We picked 50 lbs. Shortly after, we bought our first appliance--a deep freeze to house our bounty.


Of course, there are still plenty to enjoy fresh. We've been eating them by the handful, in pancakes, in breakfast bars, and in a blueberry swirl loaf that was baked in our solar oven! Oh, my! Yeah for late-summer blueberries!

Blueberry Breakfast Bars
adapted from Local Vegetarian Cooking by Debra Daniels-Zeller

crust:
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. honey
1.5 c. whole wheat flour
1.25 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

filling:
2 c. blueberries
2 TBS. brown sugar
2 TBS arrowroot powder
2 TBS lemon juice

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter and honey. Add remaining crust ingredients and mix well.
2. Pat half of the mixture into a 9x9 pan and set aside.
3. Combine blueberries and sugar in a saucepan with 1/4 c. water and heat over medium. Cook and stir until blueberries are broken.
4. Combine arrowroot powder with 1 TBS of water--mix well. Add it to the blueberry mix and cook on low until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
5. Spread filling evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the rest of the crust over the filling. Sprinkle an additional handful of of rolled oats on top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top. Cool before cutting.

sun-baked blueberry swirl loaf