Guest Post by The Better Baker

Marsha

I am pleased to bring to Lark's Country Heart, not only a very talented "baker/cook" ....also a wonderful, giving, kind friend of mine. Marsha and I have never meet face to face. And that does not make a single bit of difference. We have talked on the phone along with sending many, many emails back and fourth. Marsha is also one of the Country Cooks Across America. We share the love of food, friends, family and freedom.

Marsha has her own Cook Book printed,  which one lucky follower will be winning! **To enter: be a follower of Lark's Country Heart, Be a follower of The Better Baker and leave a comment on Face Book.

Please do yourself a HUGE favor and follow her blog!

I want to thank Lark for inviting me to do this guest post.  It's only my second and very

exciting!  Lark and I crossed paths just a few months ago, and immediately hit it off.

Within a week, I knew we were sisters of the heart.  We laugh because often we make

similar dishes on the same day, even though we live across the country from each other.

She has been terrific in bringing us together in the Country Cooks Across America project.

 

I love blogging and getting to know other bloggers is a huge part of the fun.  I'm the oldest

and only girl in my family, with 3 younger brothers, so my girlfriends are very important to me.

 

I had my own cookbook published last August 1st. It contains 300 recipes using every day ingredients

from your pantry. I love simple, delicious and healthy dishes.  My hubby of 43 years is 100% disabled, with numerous health issues,  so I try to 'lighten' things for both of us.

 

Lark asked me to share some 'unknown' things about myself.  I

decided I would tell you that I have had surgery to remove a (benign) brain tumor.  That was

in 1987. I have some paralysis on the left side of my face, and am very thankful for the few

'issues' I deal with now. I'm totally deaf in my left ear. I have always cried easily...I use to complain

to God that He must have  put my tearducts too close to my eyes.  Well, He heard that 'cry' and now

I can say I cry exactly half as much as I use to...only one eye tears when I cry.  Pretty tricky huh? 

 

I also do public speaking.  I share my encouragement ministry (I mail about 50+ cards a month),

and also the story (HIS-story) God is writing with our lives. I love to tell the ladies that I'm not a

professional speaker, but I am a professional talker. *-* I really enjoy & LOVE telling funny stories -

mostly from the Reader's Digest, as I am fond of the true stories.

 

 

I LOVE BLUEBERRIES!


They're sooo good for you! They're loaded with vitamins and are high in fiber and low in fat. Recent studies tell us that of all fresh fruits and vegetables, blueberries provide the most health-protecting antioxidants, those valuable elements which prevent cancer-causing cell damage and may limit the changes wrought by age related diseases.

When a friend served me this dish, warm from the oven, topped with ice cream no less!, I knew I had to have the recipe. It's one among many delicious recipes in my cookbook "Recipes & Recollections from The Better Baker".

I think the marriage of peaches with blueberries results in the perfect match. Peaches are also great for your skin. 

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

PEACH-BLUEBERRY CRISP

 3 - 4 peaches, about 1-1/2#, peeled and sliced into wedges
2 c. blueberries, cleaned
1 heap. TB. cornstarch
2 TB. lemon juice
1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. light brown sugar
5 TB. (unsalted) butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 2.5 qt. baking dish. In a large bowl, combine peaches, blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar; set aside. In small bowl, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; stir in brown sugar, then butter, mixing by hand until blended and crumbly. Spread fruit mixture in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with oatmeal mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

It's deliciously wonderful.  If you choose, you can make these sugar free/fat free...no one will guess. They are healthy nibbles of yumminess!

I began making this next recipe many years ago. 

I found it in a Taste of Home magazine.

It's deliciously wonderful.  If you choose, you can make these sugar free/fat free...no one will guess. They are healthy nibbles of yumminess!

Lemon and blueberry make a delightful combination...and that result is expressed beautifully in this biscuit.

Oh...another thing that I adore about this recipe is that you stir it by hand. No need to get out the mixer and dirty the beaters. 

It's easy to make and very tasty.

LEMON BLUEBERRY BISCUITS

(From The Better Baker)

2 c. all purpose flour (I replaced 1/3 c. with whole wheat)

1/3 c. sugar (I used Splenda)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 carton (8 ozs) lemon yogurt

(I only had vanilla yogurt, so I added a tsp. of lemon flavoring to yogurt)

1 egg, lightly beaten (or 2 egg whites)

1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

(I've substituted liquid Butter Buds to make this totally fat free)

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

(I like a little more lemon 'zing', so I add a little more lemon flavoring even when I use lemon yogurt)

GLAZE:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 Tb. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine yogurt, egg, butter and lemon peel; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in blueberries. Drop by tablespoon full onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned. (Remember the Splenda 'rule'...if using it in this recipe, it bakes faster). Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm biscuits.