Great-Grandma's Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

I've said this before, Sunday's are family day. Sunday's are also the day I find myself searching for a favorite old recipe. That recipe usually elicits a stream of memories from my childhood. This recipe is no different. My childhood memories of Sunday's include church with my grandparents followed by Entemann's coffee cake, Ball Park hot dogs on the stove top, a glass of coke, and playing on my great-grandfather's farm with my cousins (it was the 80's and 90's we didn't know about processed foods back then). I remember the flowering mimosa tree by the back tractor barn and knowing that as soon as the flowers came to full bloom, a trip from my cousins Tim, Chris, and Stephen was not far off. They would travel from upstate NY to the island each summer for a visit.  Stephen could be found in my great-grandfather's blueberry patch just sitting for hours eating the juicy berries. As kids, we would sell the excess strawberries in a make shift farm stand on the small farm road, praying a tourist would stop and purchase our goods. My sister and I would even result to doing gymnastics to catch their attention. Summer's on Long Island will forever be a part of me and I look forward to my visits each year.

Beautiful surprise along the trail--Mimosa Tree 

This Sunday was no different for me. I had a wonderful weekend soaking up the beautiful weather. First, with a run around Roosevelt Island and pool time with my amazing friend Sarah. Second, dinner and mini-golf with my great friends Kristen, Steve, and Jay. And lastly, spending Sunday morning hiking the Billy Goat trail in Great Falls, MD again with my girl Sarah. Bless her for listening to me ramble on about my newest obsession and providing me with countless hours of advice. If I haven't told you lately, I have the best friends in the world! And after a long hike, followed by a rather large lunch from the Italian Store (yes, they make authentic chicken parmigiana subs thank the lord!), I decided it was time to break out the family cookbook and put my oven to use. My great-granmother's blueberry crumb coffee cake was the perfect solution to my recipe finding quest. 

Family cookbook hand written by my mother

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt 

1/4 cup softened butter

1/2 cup milk

1 egg (room temperature)

3/4 cup white sugar 

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and stems removed 

For crumb topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup softened butter

1 tsp. cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl combine sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another medium bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add egg and milk to combine. Slowing fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Carefully fold in blueberries. Fill an 8x8 or 9x9 prepared pan (cooking spray OR greased/floured) with batter. 

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for crumb topping. Use a fork or your hands, work the butter into the flour and sugar. Small crumbs should form. Crumble topping over batter. Cook for 30-35 minutes at 375 or until a toothpick comes out clean (if you're using an 8x8 pan it will take a little longer to cook through since it will be a thicker cake, this is what I used and it took about 40 minutes). Allow to cool for at least a half an hour or as long as your will power holds out. 

This is the perfect coffee cake to serve warm for breakfast or as an afternoon treat with a cup of tea. My mother would make this as soon as blueberries came into season each year. The smell brings me back to those summer Sunday's at home with my family.  

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

So I'm sitting in my apartment and it is Day 1 of a three day detox juice cleanse, compliments of Dr. Oz. Let me tell you, it.is.not.easy! I'm hungry and I'm day dreaming of real food. Now to be honest this is a pretty hefty cleanse. It consists of four substantial smoothies chock full of veggies, fruits, and healthy fats. But for me this is an extreme decrease in my normal caloric intake. I mean I work out for a living, so I eat a substantial amount during the week. What do I decide to do in my light headed, slightly crazed state? I blog about the most amazing pie I've ever made. No seriously, I think it is the best pie I have ever baked from scratch in my entire 27 1/2 years on this planet. Thank god I had somewhere to bring it (shout out to the Crandall's for hosting yet another awesome cook out) or else I may have consumed the entire thing in one sitting!!!! As it was, I sliced myself a handsome sized piece served up with melt in your mouth vanilla ice cream. I think I'm doing this to torture myself, because the memories are making my stomach growl (it couldn't be the fact that I've only had smoothies and water all day, no definitely not).

In late spring, early summer dreaming of rhubarb is a weekly occurrence. Add strawberries into the mix and my day has been made. There is nothing better then the sweet of the strawberries and the savory of the rhubarb coming together to make something magnificent. Then add in a homemade buttermilk crust and coconut crumble, for real?! Yes, for real. I'm not sure any description of this pie will bring full justice to its outcome.

The recipe was found on one of my favorite cooking blogs Joy The Baker. Her instructions are spot on and I don't even want to try and replicate them for fear I will mess it up! Check out the recipe here: Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

I will continue to dream about strawberry and rhubarb and this heavenly pie will be what I picture. Give it a try, but only if you want something tasty and completely satisfying!