Blueberry Scones with Vanilla Bean Glaze

 

I just want to start by saying, these are not your average scone.  I think scones get a bad rep for being dry and, well, boring... but this is not the case when they are done right!  After you make these, you'll never think of scones the same -- I promise.

These are so cakey that they melt in your mouth.  And then there is the glaze...  the vanilla bean glaze.  It lends just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the buttery flavor of the scone.  I brought all of these to work and immediately regretted only saving one for myself because they were gone instantly.  They were actually the talk of the office all day.

I already have plans to make these scones again and can't wait to try other variations!

Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas

I thought I'd take a break from all of the sweet treats to share a simple breakfast idea with you. 

 

I love oatmeal.  This has not always been the case.  I used to be an oatmeal hater.  I forced myself to suck it down during my first job in Chicago, when the easiest thing to do was grab a pack of the Quaker instant (super sweet) stuff on my way out the door -- maple and brown sugar was my go-to. 

 

Then I discovered overnight oats.  Yogurt, almond milk, rolled oats and naturally sweetened with bananas or berries -- my new go-to!  However, on the weekends, baking is my preferred prep method.  The banana bread baked oatmeal still takes the cake but I love the addition of berries in Gina's version!  If you're feeding a larger group, follow her recipe for baking the oatmeal in a larger pan.        

Lemon and Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

I received a very special treat from my mom last week... an ICE CREAM MAKER!!!  I don't know how I didn't have one before -- ice cream is my favorite treat and all.   Even though summer is coming to a close, no worries because I eat ice cream year round.  I can guarantee you will see many fall and winter flavors in the coming months.  I already have about 100 different flavor combinations that I can't wait to make.  Any suggestions??

The flavors in this yogurt were inspired by my absolute favorite ice cream shop in Columbus, OH, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.  I frequent Jeni's at least once each time I visit my hometown and each flavor is better than the next.  This is a bit of a healthier take on Jeni's version but it was just what I wanted -- tangy and tart lemon yogurt swirled with a sweet blueberry sauce.

Note:  If you really want to treat yourself, Jeni's accepts on-line orders.  Make sure the Salty Caramel makes it into your shopping basket.

Very Blueberry Muffins

Maggie has posted two versions of blueberry muffins but these muffins I'm sharing with you today are not your standard blueberry muffins.  They are very "blueberry-y" and are made in a way I had never heard of until I discovered this recipe in Cooks Illustrated...and they're so summery and perfect!!

To put it simply, half of the blueberries in this recipe are cooked down to make a "jam" while the other half are left as fresh blueberries.  The fresh blueberries are folded into the batter just like any other recipe would call for, but the "jam" is then swirled into the batter to make them amaaazing!!!

These would make for a festive breakfast to serve to guests this weekend to celebrate the 4th of July.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Coconut Crumb Bars

Blueberries have never really been my berry of choice -- until this year.  I have been buying blueberries non-stop.  Eating them straight from the carton.  So not like me.  Finally, I got to the point where I had purchased way too many.  How convenient that I had just bookmarked this recipe?  

The coconut in the recipe caught my eye.  I was intrigued because I had never thought to pair blueberries with coconut.  These turned out so good.  So good that I will definitely be making them again -- next time, with more coconut!  

One more thing, mine turned out pretty crumbly but I didn't mind.  They would be perfect served with vanilla ice cream.  If only I had vanilla ice cream?  

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

My almost-10-year-old neighbor, Ivy, helped me bake these bars.  She made all of the filling and is quite the little baker!

Please do yourself a favor and make these ASAP!  These are rich and light at the same time and the flavors are perfect for the summer.  The graham cracker crust has a touch of cinnamon in it, which gives these an extra bite of flavor.  These bars will definitely be made again soon!

Family Reunion

The whole Schlater clan was reunited (minus a few and we missed you!!) a few weekends ago in Columbus for a little summer family reunion.  This is quite a feat considering some traveled from as far as Hawaii, Florida, Atlanta and South Carolina.  Since my parents' were kind enough to host this gathering, we felt it was our responsibility to make sure everyone enjoyed some good food and drink :)  We put ourselves in charge of desserts (of course) and thought we'd also add an appetizer and drink to the menu.

All of these recipes will be posted in the coming weeks.

First, we mixed up a refreshing vodka lemonade mixer.

Next, we thought this Peanut Snack Mix would be great for people to snack on before dinner was served.

These Tomato and Cucumber Bruschetta Cups caught my eye on Brown Eyed Baker.  They are such an EASY appetizer to throw together and great for summer (as long as you have a place to refrigerate them before serving!).  

I think half of these Lemon Drop Cookies were gone before we even started dinner.  As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I would love them but they exceeded my expectations.  I'm trying to find an excuse to make them again.

My mom insisted we make something with chocolate.  It is a good thing I made these Brownie Peanut Butter Cups because everyone raved about them.  Everyone always seems to be impressed by these little treats but I promise, they are so easy!

Molly made her favorite Lemon-Scented Blueberry Cupcakes.  Aren't they adorable?  I finally had the opportunity to try these for the first time and LOVED.

Watch for these recipes in the next few weeks.  If you have any favorite appetizer or dessert recipes to serve at summer gatherings, we'd love to hear from you!

Blueberry Muffins: Two Ways

**Blueberry Streusel Muffins

I bought enough blueberries at the farmer's market to make two different blueberry muffin recipes -- Old-Fashioned Blueberry Muffins and Blueberry Streusel Muffins.  I preferred the Streusel recipe, which is actually the healthier of the two.

**Old-Fashioned Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry "Boy Bait"

I went a little overboard with the blueberries at the farmer's market last weekend.  I have a number of blueberry recipes coming your way.  First up -- Blueberry Boy Bait.  I've been wanting to make it since I saw the recipe on Brown Eyed Baker.  You're probably wondering why its called blueberry boy bait -- check out her blog for the background behind the name. 
 

In case you're wondering if I snagged any men with the cake -- I brought it over to my friend and her boyfriend so I'll never know.  I'll just have to make it again.