Recipe Tuesday - Blueberries & Pancakes

It's hard to believe that I used to swear up and down that "Yes, I had tried blueberries" and "no, I did not like them."  I don't actually recall ever actually having tried them I just always had this firm sense and almost religious belief that there was no way that I would like them. 

What's more it is incredible that this belief held until I was in my thirties. That's right.  Thank goodness for me that my children are fruit fiends.  My kids do not scream for cookies in the cookie aisle, they scream for strawberries, blueberries and all things fruity.  It's also a good thing  I can't help sampling a few of their fruity treats here and there or I would never have known how delicious these nutritious little berries are. 

Lately I had been curious about making my own berry syrup.  I bought a large cart of blueberries on the weekend (they were on sale) and so I began my search for a recipe.  Only it seemed like all the recipes I could find used frozen blueberries until I stumbled across the blog of The Well Seasoned Cook.  There it was, a recipe for fresh blueberry syrup along with a recipe for healthy pancakes from her husband. (note I did not make the healthy pancakes as I didn't have the ingredients on hand)

Even if you don't try the healthier version of pancakes, you can't go wrong using this fresh blueberry syrup recipe.  Did I tell the kids to hold back on the syrup? No way, they could pour away to their hearts content.  It was nice knowing that they were actually putting something extremely healthy into their bodies instead of the usual Aunt Jemima butter flavored brand we typically buy. 

Here is the recipe exactly as written on The Well Seasoned Cook. 

Fresh Blueberry Syrup - Susan's Recipe


Ingredients
3 cups fresh blueberries, washed and sorted to remove any wrinkled fruit
2 cups water
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown or white sugar (optional)


Method
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer the berries until they break open and are completely soft (about 10 minutes). The berries will turn a dark reddish violet. Pour the berries into a large metal strainer positioned above a large bowl. With a large, sturdy spoon, rub the berry solids through the strainer. There will be very little waste. The skins thicken the syrup and provide the maximum amount of antioxidant benefits blueberries are known for. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 2 cups. --

 

My take:  I followed the recipe exactly as is.  The syrup was not quite thick enough for my taste and so the only change I'd make the next time I make this is to add a wee bit of cornstarch to the berries when they are boiling.  Other than that, it was fantastic and my kids really enjoyed it. 

I still had lots of left over syrup and so you'll have to wait until next Tuesday to find out what I did with it.

BTW.. if you have a chance check out The Well Seasoned Cook.  She has a ton of great recipes and her photos of her food are works of art in themselves.