I don’t know how I’ve been so lucky, but the blackberries in my farmers market and grocery store have been HUGE. Sweet. Juicy. GIGANTIC.

A farmer explained to me that the unseasonably cool temperatures allowed the berries to stay on the vine longer, giving them more time to grow and get sweeter and plumper from the sun (when it chose to shine).

I swear to goodness, I found one berry that was almost as big as my thumb. I probably should have taken a picture, but… well, I ate it. But look at the blackberries in my muffins… ginormous, right? These aren’t mini-muffins either… they’re normal size!

Blackberries are really high in fiber (all those little seeds, you know), but low in calories. A one-cup serving is only 60-calories! They are also full of Vitamin C.

Look for blackberries that are firm, plump and glossy. Blackberries that have a deep, dark color tend to be riper and sweeter. Wash them just before you eat them, otherwise they’ll get moldy. I know this won’t be a problem, but eat your berries within a day or two.

Oh, and even though the weather blessed us with a slightly longer blackberry season, that time is almost up… so make sure you get some this weekend!

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Like this recipe? You’ll love Unbelievably Moist Mini-Pumpkin Muffins

Went a little Hatch Chile-wild this weekend… but these delicate Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins completely explain my madness.

Hatch Chiles are in season NOW, so you need to buy them while you can. Like I said, I went a little crazy and bought 25 lbs. to freeze. GP thought I was nuts… but we’ll see what he says in November when I thaw some of these babies and make his favorite Chili before a big football game.

If you see Hatch Chilies in your supermarket… buy them! Many supermarkets are partnering with Melissa’s Produce and holding roasting events: you buy the chiles and they roast them right there at the store… how easy is that? If onsite roasting is not an option, it’s pretty easy to do it at home… click here.

These Hatch Chile Mini Cornbread Muffins are a great way to venture into Hatch Chileland if you are a newbie. The muffins are sweet, but have just the right of heat from the chiles to keep things interesting. Have you cooked with Hatch Chiles? What’s your favorite recipe?

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Like this recipe? Then try Unbelievably Moist Pumpkin Muffins.

Leftovers don’t bother me… I always look at it like this: “Well, dinner is half-way made, I just need to figure out the rest.”

What DOES make Mama a little high strung is having just a little bit left of something. Too little to feed everyone, too much to throw away.

So… 2 cups of leftover cooked elbow macaroni became a terrific after school snack in the guise of these cute Bacon Crusted Mac and Cheese Cups.

It helps that I always have cheese in the fridge  and that I had leftover panko (Japanese breadcrumbs from a recipe I made last week. You can use regular breadcrumbs, too.

No, leftovers don’t bother me… it’s just that with the crowd at my table, we rarely have them!

Bacon Crusted Mac and Cheese Cups

prep: 15 minutes
cook: 10 to 15 minutes

you’ll need…
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 strips cooked bacon, chopped or crumbled

let’s get to it…
Move oven rack to the center of oven. Spray 6 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Heat oven to 425°F.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet. Add panko and stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or just until panko begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in chopped bacon; set aside.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat; whisk in the flour and salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Add the cheese and continue to whisk until melted. Remove from heat. Add beaten egg to sauce and whisk until blended; stir in cooked macaroni.
Spoon Mac and Cheese evenly into muffin cups. Top each with a little panko-bacon mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes or until panko is golden brown. Cool 5 to 7 minutes or until set. Carefully lift out with a spatula and serve.

Winter is hanging on with an icy grip, refusing to concede that its season is nearly over… even though the calendar tells us so.

For comfort, warm muffins filled with blueberries to make the morning just a little bit brighter.

These may be gluten-free… but they’re still sweet and flavorful and filled with warmth and happiness.

Just like the promise of spring.

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