Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Connie kept saying this one antique mall downtown was calling his name.  He and his ex used to shop antique malls.  Me, well, I think antique mall is another way to say high-priced junque.  But, because part of being married is humoring your partner, I went to the antique mall with him.  We left with only a cookbook:  The Best American Recipes, 2002-2003.  He shrugged his shoulders and announced that perhaps the mall hadn't been calling to him.  Indeed.  Then, on the way to our next stop, I read a lot of the recipes to my sweetie.  In fact, Bloody Mary Grape Tomatoes were the first one that popped for me.  When I got to the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins, Connie started reminiscing.  His mom wasn't much of a cook.  She was great at opening cans and putting jarred pasta sauce on pasta but for her, food was just what you had to do.  Rather the opposite of me - I live to eat.  I get done with one meal and I'm already thinking about the next one - or the one after that!  Needless to say, Connie doesn't have many childhood food memories.  Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins are his fondest.  He went into great detail about how the muffins had a sugar topping and they'd lop over the muffin tins and they were SO very good.  I finally looked at him and suggested that maybe the mall was indeed calling his name - it was just all wrapped up in a kidhood memory!  Oh, he said, I think you're right. 

Since that day, he's talked about these muffins.  Now, you know I'm not much of a baker.  And, if I'm making muffins, I really want my lemon lavender blueberry muffins.  On our Saturday morning shopping trip, we found some lovely blueberries at one of the markets.  Connie put his arm around me and whispered, "Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins" in my ear.  So, what am I supposed to do?  Ignore him?  Highly unlikely :-)  Sunday morning I made the muffins. 

What did I think?  (We know what Connie thought - these were just like the ones he remembered and he quickly inhaled two of them.)  These were just a large blueberry with some dough.  I loved them.  I've always used the cute little cupcake papers.  That may have ended with these.  You spray the muffin tins really well with Pam and they pop right out. I loved the browned sides.  I'll make these any day!

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

8 T butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar plus 2 T for topping
2 large eggs
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 1/2 c blueberries

Directions:

Heat your oven to 375.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.  Measure the milk out.  Add the flour mixture alternatively with the milk.  Mix just until the ingredients are combined.  Put 1/2 cup of the blueberries in a small bowl.  Crush them with a fork.  Mix them into the batter by hand then gently fold in the rest of the blueberries. 

Spray a large muffin pan with cooking spray.  Be sure you spray the top of the pan too.  Fill the muffin pan with the batter and sprinkle the tops with the remaining sugar.  Bake for about 30 minutes.  The tops of the muffins will be golden brown and will spring back when touched lightly.  These are best served warm but trust me, they're still great cold - I'm finishing up one as I'm typing...