Good Enough for Violet Beauregard

Just in case you didn't get the reference, Violet Beauregard is a character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that chews Blueberry gum and fills up with juice. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the 1971 version, is one of my favorite movies. Don't get me wrong I love the new Tim Burton version but nothing beats what you loved as a kid. That goes for the original Star Wars too, before they added scenes and E.T. before they took out "penis breath"and changed the guns to walkie talkies. Wow this is quickly turning into a completely different post than I set out to write. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is my lead into a post about the best blueberry quick bread. Hard to say where my mom got the recipe for this one but based on one of the ingredients I think a 1970's issue of Better Homes and Gardens might be a good guess. That same surprising ingredient is also used in my mother-in-laws carrot cake, so who knows. Wherever these recipes came from they are both delicious because of one tiny little canned good. When I heard about the carrot cake being the best ever I knew it would be good but kind of figured every son must love their mom's carrot cake and maybe they do but he is right, it is amazing. A lot of that has to do with it being so moist. I couldn't figure it out when I ate it but when I got the recipe from one of his sisters it all became suddenly clear.

Crushed Pineapple! I knew it the minute I read it because my mom's blueberry bread was always so good and it also has crushed pineapple. It seems to give it a sweet taste without being overpowering and it makes the finished product really moist. I could be wrong and maybe there is some other science behind it but I would try any recipe with crushed pineapple as an ingredient. As a matter of fact if anyone has any they want to share we would be happy to have them at our house. 

If you want to try a recipe for yourself here is the blueberry quick bread that I loved growing up.

Blueberry Quick Bread

Makes 2 loaves of bread or approx. 24 muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 

grease 2 9x5 loaf pans or grease 2 muffin tins

2/3 cup butter

1 1/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 cup crushed pineapple 

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 Tblsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

2 cups blueberries 

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat. Add pineapple, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix. Stir in dry ingredients alternating with milk.  Fold in blueberries and nuts (if using).

 Fold the berries in gently so you don't break the skin. If you do no big deal some of them will break when they cook. It will just tint the bread a little blue, but it will still taste delicious.

Divide batter evenly between two loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.  Adjust cooking time if making muffins. Usually about half the time but check it at about 10 minutes to be sure.