You guys are gonna think I’m the biggest sap ever (I probably am), but I’m going to admit this anyway…
It all started with the floods in Duluth a couple of weeks ago. You see, Duluth is one of my favorite Midwestern cities (right after Chicago, of course) and we spend a lot of time there. The beautiful city on Lake Superior was thoroughly shaken up (and messed up) by flash floods. Then, just as they started to digest it all and began cleaning up, Colorado Springs (where most of Hubby’s family lives) caught on fire. (They’re all ok) And now, the BFF, who lives in northern Virginia, has been without power since Friday night, forcing her and her hubby to face 100 degree+ F days without air conditioning. Mother Nature is clearly reminding us who’s boss, and she’s doing it in places I hold dear to my heart for one reason or another. There wasn’t/isn’t a thing we could/can do about it but watch it all in the news. Frustrating.
Needless to say, the professional worrier side of me has been in overdrive for a good two weeks. On top of fighting some ridiculous sinus infection for three weeks……well, let’s just say my anxiety level was high, bordering on depression.
I don’t know what came over me yesterday morning, but I decided to remove myself from the fetal position on the couch and get back in the kitchen. It was the right thing to do. I had to make something. I decided to take on Ina’s (the Barefoot Contessa’s) Blueberry Streusel Muffins. I barely got into the recipe before I noticed that I started to relax. Boy, did that feel good. I took my time through the entire recipe so I could make that feeling last. It had been a while, you know? When the last muffin came out of the oven, I felt a little peace for the first time in weeks.
Here’s the sappy part I promised you – Once the muffins were cool enough to eat, I put one on a plate and brought it back to the couch to eat while I watched a little of the Food Network. Guess who was on? Yep, Ina. I held the oh so perfect muffin up toward the TV and whispered “cheers” to her. As I sat there and ate her recipe for what is probably the most wonderful muffin ever, tears actually welled up in my eyes. Happy tears, yes, but seriously, how incredibly sappy is that? Was I that stressed, worried and sick that the simplest of recipes by my most favorite cook actually made me so happy I cried? I can assure you, THAT has never happened before my friends, but I assume it has something to do with finding a comfort zone again. I sat there on the couch, with tears rolling down my face, just giggling at it all. It is so not me, but you know what? I am feeling a whole lot better this morning than I have in (literally) 3 weeks. Sappy, right? I could care less if it is, feeling happy again is wonnnnnnderful! I owe it all to these muffins….and Ina 
The moral of the story? If you’re prone to stress and worry, and have been fighting a stupid sinus infection for a while….make these muffins. You will feel better. I promise.
The fantastic thing about these muffins is that they are very simple to put together. All you have to do is mix all the ingredients together (they’re listed below for you) in a large bowl….
….then fold in the fresh blueberries. Feel free to use whatever favorite summer fruit makes you happy. You’ll need two cups of it for muffin perfection.
Then, you’ll mix together a little more flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, kosher salt and a half stick of cold butter in another bowl for your streusel topping.
Fill your paper-lined muffin tins with the batter, almost to the top, spoon 1 tablespoon of the streusel topping onto each muffin, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Mine took the whole 25 minutes. You want them to be golden and the streusel to be a little crunchy. That’s it! Let them cool a little in the muffin pan, before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. The recipe makes a whopping 20 muffins. Hooray! That’s more than enough to feed us both for breakfast for the next several days. All things considered, I wouldn’t want to start my days without them this week. 
Notes: This batch of 20 muffins cost us $2.00, which was for the fresh blueberries. We had everything else in the pantry, and if you do any baking at all, I’m sure you do too. That means the cost per muffin was just 10 cents. I love breakfasts that make you happy and only cost 10 cents, don’t you?
I have to know, have you ever made and/or ate anything that made you that happy?
Blueberry Streusel Muffins Recipe
Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten, in her cookbook: Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups reduced fat buttermilk, shaken
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 XL eggs
- 2 cups blueberries
For the streusel topping:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl and blend with your hands. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, lemon zest and eggs. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork until just blended. DO NOT OVER MIX. Scoop batter into prepared cups, filling them almost full.
For the streusel topping:
1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the butter is in very small pieces. Pour into a bowl and crumble the mixture with your fingers.
2. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the streusel on top of each muffin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the muffin pan half way through, until golden.
P.S. Your site is beautiful!
Sarah, I have been dreaming about blueberry muffins for days, and here I see this post! It’s meant to be.
I am so sorry to hear about all the hardships you’ve been facing of late–it is especially difficult when you feel so powerless. I’m glad to hear that everyone is going to be ok. And it’s helpful to have something physical and meditative to do to destress–like baking–and of course, everyone needs a good cry once in a while, no matter what it is that sets you off:)
Keep smiling my dear!
Oh I’m so very happy to hear you’re doing better! With the heat we’ve been experiencing, I don’t think I’ve really cooked/baked in a good week, and I’m feeling it! I went and bought new ingredients for a delicious looking Buttermilk-Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake, but they just sit on my counter. I have this itch to bake, but can’t bring myself to do it – so so hot.
It sounds like I just need to do it, though. Powerful stuff cooking is
These muffins look as amazing as you described. Seriously. My mouth is imagining taking a bite.
I’m excited to have your posts to read again!
Sorry to hear that things have not been going well, but SO GLAD to see this yummy recipe! Hope things start to turn around.
Aww I’m so glad you feel better, Sarah! Sometimes the best thing we can do is forget about everything going on in our heads and focus on what’s right in front of us. It’s easy to get lost in worries, but they’re *worries* — the simple things we have in life can bring us back to happiness
These look AMAZING, btw.
Thank you for everything today Stephanie!!! I could hug you for making my day like you did. It really cheered me up and gave me a second wind. You’re such a sweetheart, and I appreciate you so much!
YES! I love that: “the simple things we have in life can bring us back to happiness”. Exactly! Seriously, you should be a writer
Hugs to you PA! Thank you!!!
Oh, Sarah.. I’m so sorry to hear these few weeks have been so tough for you. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to read in the news that your friends and their neighbors have suffered through these unimaginable disasters. I believe that I, too, bake because it’s therapeutic.. it has it’s own rhythm and I think Ina “gets” that, don’t you? Whenever I watch her show I think to myself, now if only I could live the life she does. I think she’s got a shop where she sells all of her baking as well? Just think if you could have a little Sarah’s Place shop.. I’d be lined up first at the door before you opened in the morning.. for a cup of coffee and one of these muffins… and you could teach me to knit! xoxo Smidge
You’re right Barb! Ina does get it, doesn’t she? I’m so grateful for her “way” with things. I think part of it is her calming personality, on top of her amazing food. I wish I was more like her in that sense – calm. Oh, I’d love her life too – A nice little shop/cafe, close to a beach, yeah, that’s my version of paradise. My friend Patty, on the North Shore of Minnesota has one of those places you can go to eat good pastries, drink fantastic coffee, and even knit! Or sew! It’s a great place, across the road from Lake Superior. Perfect. I’d love to teach you to knit!! And you can teach me how to make the perfect pastries! YAY US!
Sounds like you’ve been a bit stressed, Sarah, not only being under the weather but hearing that friends and family have been hit — and hit hard — by Mother Nature very recently. It’s your own Perfect Storm and your kind heart took the brunt of it. I’m glad you found an activity — a tasty activity, no less — to help you find balance again.
I bought and froze pounds of blueberries and was planning on making muffins with some. I like the crumb on yours better than the one on mine (there wasn’t any). I think I’ll give your recipe a try one of these days when the temp is below 90˚, sometime in October, presumably.
I might have to go to Michigan a little later this summer and stock up on some of their fabulous blueberries John. I’ve never tried freezing them, but they are the perfect candidates for that
If you like blueberry muffins, and I know you do, you hafta give these a shot John. They really are the best I’ve had. And the streusel topping is a must! Warning though: these will make you very, very happy.
Thank you so much John, I appreciate your visit
If you are sappy, Sarie, then I want to be sappy too!!! If being sappy makes us happy, how can it be wrong!!!
I’m soooo sorry that you’ve been suffering and soooo glad you found peace by doing something you love.
You are such a compassionate person that you hurt deeply when you know others are suffering. Bless your heart!! God knows all about your empathy and will reward you in ways you’ll never expect.
Have a great Monday, Sarie!!!!
LOL!! Sappy it is!! You’re so funny Shaddy
Ohhhhh, you know me…worry, worry, worry. A habit I’ve yet to break. One step at a time, right? I did get a text from my wonderful friend in VA – the power came back on this afternoon. Hooray! One thing off the list of worries…whew…
Thank you so much Shaddy! I hope your Monday was nice and COOL!
Hugs!
They look lovely – and anything by Ina G. is bound to be amazing. Blueberries are on sale right now and I had already planned to pick some up. How serendipitous that you posted this!
Heidi! I hope all is well with you….
Yay! The muffins are your fate
They’re pretty special, I promise. Ina would be happy you’re gonna enjoy them too I’ll bet. She is the best…
Happy Sunday! I’m off to fix the WordPress notification email setting for Lightly Crunchy…They all reset themselves a few weeks back somehow and I thought I fixed them all, I’m so sorry I haven’t been by lately!
Sarah, these look delicious! Few things make me more happy and comforted than blueberry muffins. I love how you were comforted and relaxed from making these – reading this post just made my day!
YAY! I’m glad I could return the favor for the Chess Squares. Oh myyyyyy those look so gooooooooood. Hubby has been sent to the grocery store as we speak
Thank you so much Bill!
And as I read your post, I too, had tears in my eyes. Bless you and thinking of you and the people of Colorado suffering and the people out East suffering and counting my blessing right now. Muffins looks fabulous my dear!!! I hope you have a better day today. Love to you!!!
You’re so sweet Donna. Bless you for making my morning
I know! The things that are going on…..wow. Me too, counting our blessings right now. I just can’t imagine what they’re all going through. I feel helpless….
I hope you guys are ok in the heat and having a great weekend. Happy 4th week!! xoxo