The Roanoker - March/April 2020 - 17

BECKY ELLIS is a freelance writer specializing in champagne and
food. Her motto is "Don't wait to celebrate! Pop the cork now!" She
loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative
recipes and champagne tasting notes on her blog bubblybee.net
and Instagram at bubblybeeboop.

Blueberry Mix
*	 1 generous cup blueberries
*	 Sugar and flour to coat berries

MIMOSA ASPARAGUS

For champagne vinaigrette:
*	 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed
orange juice
*	 4 tablespoons olive oil
*	 1 tablespoon minced shallot
*	 ½ teaspoon Zen Fire Roasted Poblano
Pepper Sauce (available at Mr. Bill's
Wine Cellar or Roanoke Natural Foods
Co-op)
*	 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
*	 ¼ teaspoon salt
*	 Good grind freshly ground black pepper
*	 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest for
garnish
Trim asparagus and steam it until just
tender (do not overcook; spears should be
slightly firm to the touch). Drain asparagus
and place ice cubes in the pan to stop
the cooking process. Once the asparagus
has cooled, remove any ice cubes, drain
asparagus, cover and refrigerate.
Put the breadcrumbs on a sheet
pan. Toast breadcrumbs in 350-degree
Fahrenheit oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove
from oven and cool. Toss Parmesan cheese
with the cooled breadcrumbs.
Make the vinaigrette. Place orange
juice, olive oil, shallot, pepper sauce,
Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a mixing
bowl. Whisk to combine all ingredients.
Remove asparagus from refrigerator
and place in a serving dish. Pour the
vinaigrette over the asparagus. Toss to
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cover the asparagus with vinaigrette.
Cover and place in refrigerator until
service. When ready to serve, sprinkle
the parmesan breadcrumbs over the
asparagus. Garnish with orange zest.

Mary Ellen's Blueberry
Coffee Cake and Becky's
Blueberry Butter

This delicious coffee cake recipe was
given to me by my sweet friend Mary Ellen
Stokes who also happens to be a fabulous
southern cook. Makes one tube cake or
two loaf pan cakes. Preheat oven to 350
degrees Fahrenheit.
*	 1 cup butter (2 sticks at room
temperature)
*	 2 cups sugar
*	 2 eggs (room temperature)
*	 1 cup sour cream
*	 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*	 1 teaspoon almond extract
*	 2 cups all-purpose flour
*	 1 teaspoon baking powder
*	 1 teaspoon salt
Topping
*	 1 cup pecans, hand-chopped
*	 ¹/³ cup white sugar
*	 ¹/³ cup brown sugar
*	 1½ to 2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon

Place blueberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with
sugar and flour. Toss to coat blueberries.
Cream butter, sugars and sour cream.
Add eggs and whip until mixture is light
and fluffy. Add flavorings and mix. Mix
together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add flour mixture to the butter mixture
and beat approximately 1 minute.
Layering for a tube cake pan: Oil
pan with either butter or PAM. Spread
approximately ¼ of nut mixture. Add
blueberries. Spread with remainder of
batter. Top with remainder of nut mix. Bake
at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Do
not remove from oven any sooner.
Layering for two loaf pans: Because
this makes a large cake, I usually make
two smaller loaf cakes. It's always nice
to have one on hand. Follow the same
process, except dividing batter/nut mix/
blueberries between the two loaf pans.
The first time you try this it might be a bit
of a learning curve. Second time will be a
piece of cake...figuratively and literally!
Becky's Blueberry Butter
*	 8 ounces butter, softened
*	 4 tablespoons blueberry jam
Place butter in bowl of electric mixer.
Add blueberry jam and mix until all
ingredients are combined. Cover and chill
until service.

Raspberry Mimosas

Place a fresh raspberry in each
compartment of an ice cube tray. Cover
the raspberries with Mionetto Prosecco
(available at Target). Freeze ice cubes.
To make each cocktail: Fill a
champagne flute with prosecco ice
cubes. Pour prosecco over the ice cubes
to fill the flute about ¼ full and top with
Orangina (available at Fresh Market).
Garnish with fresh raspberries on a
cocktail pick and a sprig of fresh mint. As
the prosecco ice cubes melt, they will not
water down your mimosa! -BECKY ELLIS
MARCH/APRIL 2020

17
http://www.bubblybee.net http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker - March/April 2020

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