Blueberry Blintz Bake with a Farmhouse Scramble- Easy & Fancy!

I trust Ina Garten. 

Really. Everything I have made from her recipes...perfection!'

I remember the first time I saw her show on the Food Network: The Barefoot Contessa. 

I loved the name. It really seemed to fit me. I love being barefoot. I will wear flip fops or sandles, but I do not like having to wear closed-toed shoes (or the cold that usually accompanies them). 

And Contessa...I think I'm a Disney Princess at heart. 

It just seems to fit!

Blueberry Blintz Bake- Ina Garten...Farmhouse Scramble- something of Tracy's own creation.

There is an ease about Ina. She moves with such grace around her kitchen; and when she is finished cooking, and is ready to enjoy her beautiful meal with her guests...they have her undivided attention.

She has never let me down either.

When I need a good recipe...one that will impress, but that is easy enough for me to handle...one that will taste really, really, really great...that's when I turn to Ina...The Barefoot Contessa!

Love this Ninja food processor/blender!!!

My grandmother's birthday is on February 8th and my mom's is February 9th.

This year, I wanted to do a very nice brunch to honor them. So, of course, I looked at an Ina Garten recipe...Baked Blintzes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce!

I mixed 1 1/4 cups milk, 2 Tbsp sour cream, 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 large eggs, 1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp of sugar, and 1 Tbsp of baking powder in my Ninja blender.

I poured 1/2 of the batter in a 13 x 9 pan and baked at 250 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, I mixed the cheese filling, whisking together: 3 cups of ricotta cheese, 8  oz mascarpone cheese, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cups sugar, 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (I used 2 lemons), 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp kosher salt.

I spread the cheese mixture over the top of the baked batter, then I covered the filling with the remaining batter.

I finished baking it at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.
(Ina suggests letting it set for 10 to 15 minutes after baking.)

Now for the sauce!
I combined: 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (I used 3 oranges), 2/3 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch. I Brought this mix to a boil and allowed it to thicken.
Then, I added 4 half-pints of  blueberries!

I let it simmer for about 4 minutes, until some of the blueberries burst, but most remained whole.
I added 1 tsp of lemon zest and 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice, and then allowed it to cool.

Now to the Scramble...

I browned and drained 1 lb of hot turkey sausage.

I sauteed shallots and mushrooms in the turkey grease and 1 Tbsp of butter until tender.
I added halved cherry tomatoes and cooked until they softened.

I whisked 10 large eggs and about 1/2 cup milk with 1 Tbsp of Herbs De Provence.

I poured the egg mix over the veggies and scrambled the eggs.

I then poured the scrambled mixture over the drained sausage in a bowl and stirred in 1/3 cup cheddar cheese.

Baked Blintz and Farmhouse Scramble!

It went over so well that everyone had seconds and my grandmother asked me for recipe!

This would be a great Valentines brunch! It really is no-fail!!!

I pray you all enjoy Valentines Day. Sweethearts come in so many ways...moms, dads, children, spouses, old friends...

Love comes to me from my family, dear friends, the Hubs, my cats...but it comes to me daily in Jesus!

"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3b AMP

I'm thankful that: "He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]" Hebrews 13: 5b AMP

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3: 16-19 NIV

Je te aime, mes amis! 

(I love you, my friends!)

La Bonne Vie Y'all!!!

Blueberries, Burgers And Haricot Verts- A Fresh Weeknight Meal.

Blueberry Turkey Burgers, Tater Tots (you know we love them) & Lemon- Rosemary Scented Haricot Verts.

In this month's Southern Living blueberries are the star!

This is a simple one, but the flavor is so fresh and light. This is a really great one for weeknight grilling.

1 lb of ground turkey, blueberries, parsley & shallots.

I mixed 1 lb of ground turkey with torn parsley, torn basil, minced shallots, chopped blueberries & salt and pepper to taste.

I used a food processor to chop blueberries and herbs.

I formed 4 patties from the turkey mixture.

In the meantime, I cooked the haricot verts in boiling water, then (once bright green) I submerged them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. I drained them and patted them dry. I then heated lemon zest, olive oil and a sprig of rosemary in a skillet for approximately 3 minutes. I tossed the rosemary sprig and then tossed the green beans until coated and heated through. I set them aside on some paper towels to soak up remaining oil.

Lemon zest, olive oil & rosemary sprig.

Be sure to spray your grill, the sugar from the berries will cause them to stick a bit. 

We topped our burgers with crumbled goat cheese- delicious!

We enjoyed this fairly fancy burger, with very little effort.

La Bonne Vie Y'all!