Jean's Blueberry Coffee Cake

My knitting friend, Jean, brings this coffee cake to our winter knitting get-togethers. It's always such a hit that she brings along copies of the recipe to hand out.

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups blueberries (if frozen, thaw and drain)

Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder together.

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugars and oil, then add the eggs and beat well. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9" x 13" pan.

In another bowl, mix all the topping ingredients together and spoon on top of the batter.

Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon, and Asparagus

My friend, Jean, tells me that this is her favorite chicken recipe ever. It comes from Martha Stewart, and this version (with photos) can be seen on Cooking San Francisco.

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (about 3 pounds)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
4 cloves garlic, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Toss potatoes with the olive oil in a roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

3. Scatter asparagus, lemon, and garlic around chicken. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables, and lemon drizzled with pan juices.

Serves: 4

Kilian's Bread and Butter Pickles

Kilian is married to Maura, who is the daughter of my half-sister. We love his pickles, which are kind of a hobby for him, as he is a professional restaurant chef in Boston.

6 cups loosely packed pickling cukes, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
1 red or green pepper, sliced
A few cauliflower florets
1/4 cup salt

Mix all together in a large pot. Let stand for three hours.

Combine in a sauce pan and boil for 5 minutes:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tbl. pickling spices
1 tsp. celery seed
2 cups apple cider or malt vinegar

Rinse the cucumber mixture thoroughly, with several changes of water. Let soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and return to the large pot. Add the boiling syrup mixture.

Heat slowly to just below boiling point, stirring occasionally. Place in sterilized jars and cover immediately.

Note: If you increase the recipe, increase the salt just slightly.