Getting ready for easy breakfasts and vacation brunches.

One of our best getaways ever was a couple of years ago when we rented a fabulous house at the lake.   I packed up lots of clothes for our three night getaway and LOTS of shoes (because that is what I do).  I was hoping to check out some local restaurants while we were there.

Once we arrived, we loved our rental house with its two decks and its view of the water.  We never left the place and our only real activity was moving from the upper deck to the lower deck when it got too hot.  I never even put on a pair of shoes once we got there!

It was the most relaxing weekend ever.  We read, researched a few things on the internet, talked, and RELAXED.

Remembering all of this, we jumped at the chance to house sit for some friends at this same lake later this month.  Really, who is doing who a favor here?

I had a day off on Friday, so I thought I ought to start preparing a few food items to take with us.  I wanted things that I could make in bulk and that would freeze easily.  I also was looking for easy breakfast items that we could enjoy with coffee as we watched the sunrise from our adopted deck.

I had a bag of lemons that needed used and I still had blueberries in the freezer.  (I really need to use up this final bag before we reorder with Bithell Farms.)

I found a Blueberry Lemon Bread recipe in one of my Junior League Cookbooks and I thought I could adapt it into muffins.

Blueberry Lemon Spice Muffins

8 oz. cream cheese softened (I used the 1/3 Less Fat variety.)
2 sticks butter, softened
3 c. sugar
8 eggs
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. lemon zest
1 t. vanilla extract
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 c. frozen blueberries
1/4 c. raw cane sugar (or sanding sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together cheese and butter until very soft and velvety.  Add sugar and continue to mix.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.  Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon).  Once whisked, carefully add to creamed mixture and beat until just incorporated.

Remove bowl from mixer stand and carefully fold in blueberries.Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full and sprinkle sanding sugar on top.Bake for 20-25 minutes until peaked and golden brown.   Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes.Remove from pan and put some in the freezer so you won’t consume them all at once!

This recipe yielded two dozen regular size muffins and one dozen jumbo muffins.

Serve with coffee or tea.

These will be great for those mornings we get up early.  But what about sleeping in?  I think I will take ingredients for my Garden Harvest Frittata  (that I recently won a second prize for in a cooking contest).  Since it calls for okra and I just picked some from the garden (I think it is even too hot for okra this year, but I picked a “mess”), I will whip this up for a Sunday morning brunch while we are there.

If I get really energetic today, I may whip up so more muffins so we can have some variety to choose from.  Maybe some Morning Glory Muffins or even some great banana or choco-cherry muffins.

I can’t wait until we go!