Fig "newtons" Bars

Bought some frozen figs and didnt know what to do so ...fig newtons it is!

The recipe I got from here: Fig newtons

Filling:
1 cup finely chopped dried Black Mission figs
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup apple juice (I used a little more apple juice and a little less water)
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon grated orange zest

Cookie Dough:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 large egg white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

(If I were you, I’d make a batch and a half of dough to go with a single batch of filling…otherwise, you’re going to have leftover filling…which you could use as a spread…kind of similar to apple butter…but with figs.)

1. Make the filling: Combine the figs, water, apple juice and sugar in a medium sauceapan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer for 1-2 hours until the figs are so soft that they’re spreadable.

2. Transfer to a food processor or blender, add the orange zest and process until smooth. Remove from the food processor and allow to cool. (I made it the night before.)

3. Make the dough: Cream together the butter, sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Add the egg white and vanilla and beat in. Scrape down the bowl and paddle again. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. (I refrigerated it overnight…it was easier to work with that way!)

4. Place racks in middle and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12 x 16 rectangle. Cut into 4 equal strips, each 12 x 4 inches. Spoon a line of filling down the center of each strip. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down. (Don’t roll the dough into a rectangle this large if you want your job to be easy…I rolled the dough a little smaller and a little thicker and it worked great!)

6. Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the diagonal into 10 cookies. (I popped them in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing them.) Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins

I wanted to get to my blueberries before the birds did so I hunted and found this recipe. I added lemon juice to the milk! :♥)

Streusel Topped Blueberry Muffins 
recipe by just another day in paradise

Streusel Topping
3 Tablespoons white sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
4 Tablespoons melted butter

Muffins
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/8 cups sugar, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon water
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 425 with rack in the middle.

First make the streusel topping. Combine sugars and flour. Then slowly pour in the butter. You may or may not need all of it. Slowly combine with a fork until it comes together in a crumb mixture. Set the topping aside.

Place 1 cup of the blueberries into a small sauce pan. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and the water.
Heat over med high heat and mash potato masher (or a fork). Stir and cook for until mixture reduces and thickens. About 6 minutes. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Whisk sugar and eggs together in mixer. Combine until thick completely mixed. Slowly mix in butter and oil until combined. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla. Using a spatula, carefully fold egg mixture and remaining cup of blueberries into the flour mixture until the batter is just moistened. The batter will be lumpy, there will be some flour spots in there AND it is okay, that is how it supposed to look. Take your muffin pan filled with paper liners and fill up each muffin cup. 

Next, grab the blueberry sauce made earlier. Dollop about a teaspoon in the middle of every muffin. Then swirl it through. Now it is time to top delightful with more delightful. Generously top each muffin with the streusel topping.

Bake muffins at 425 degrees for 17-19 minutes until tops are golden brown. Cool muffins for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack and let them cool slightly longer before serving.

That is if you can wait that slightly longer. If you can't...not my fault if you burn your tongue!