Blueberry Compote and Whipped Cream

My in-laws have been visiting, and my MIL shows her love by cooking for us. Which is something I completely understand. That's how I show love, too! So that's my perfectly valid excuse for not cooking (or posting) anything in a while. We good, right?

I did get to make some breakfasts, because MIL is a late sleeper (and my two year old is not). Mostly we had eggs and bacon, either in breakfast burrito form or in a biscuit (bacon in a biscuit is the finest thing in this world). But one morning I noticed I had a pint of blueberries in my fridge about 2 seconds away from flat-lining. Quick! Think of something.

Okay, blueberry sauce ("compote" if you're down with that, and IHOP is, which is where I got the idea to try this - an IHOP craving. So many things start out that way for me.) - go!

____________________________________________

Blueberry Compote

• Blueberries (fresh or frozen) - about 3/4 pint is what I was working with here
• 2-4 tbs water (give or take)
• 1 tsp cornstarch (about)
• White and/or brown sugar, to taste
• Drop of vanilla
• Cinnamon, to taste


I didn't actually use any spoons to measure this stuff. I used "generous pinches" and eyeballed it. So...you know. Wee!

Add blueberries to a saucepan with a little water and cornstarch (if using frozen fruit, you may want to use a little less water since more will cook out of the fruit? That's just a theory I have, not a fact). Sprinkle with sugar and stir over medium heat. Add a drop of vanilla and some cinnamon, and let it simmer (like 20 minutes or so) until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Stir it often to keep it heating evenly and so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Taste and adjust for desired sweetness. If it doesn't thicken as much as you'd like, add another pinch of cornstarch and keep cooking. You'll know it's ready when you want to eat it straight out of the pot with a spoon.

____________________________________________

While that was simmering, I made pancakes. From a box mix. That was easy.

Then I decided I needed to try something I've been dying to try for a long time: MAKING WHIPPED CREAM. You and I had recently talked about the difference between homemade whipped cream, and Cool Whip. For any interested parties, here is the difference:

COOL WHIP: water, hydrogenated vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and less than 2% sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, and beta carotene (as a coloring). Original Cool Whip contains skim milk, and light cream - the low fat varieties do not.

WHIPPED CREAM: heavy whipping cream

Now, having said that, there is a bucket of Cool Whip in my fridge. But let's forget about that right now.
____________________________________________

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1-2 tbs powdered sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Chill your bowl and mixer blades (or whisk, if you don't have a mixer) beforehand. I stuck mine in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Pour cold, heavy cream into a cold bowl, and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed (or whip vigorously with a whisk) for 3-4 minutes. Or longer. This can take a while, you probably want to run out and get a mixer for this.

The surface will bubble first, then become foamy, and then will begin to stiffen and form peaks. Just before it stiffens, add in the sugar and vanilla (if using), and continue to whisk until it thickens as much as you need. I definitely used the sweeteners because...well, yum! But you don't have to. Taste it and see for yourself what you're looking for.

I was afraid of over-beating mine (if you overdo it, you'll end up with lumpy stuff that's more like butter than you want - SO I'VE HEARD), and ended up not getting it quite stiff enough. (That's what she said?) But overall, it was a good first experience making my own, and I will definitely do it again.

It will last up to 3 days in the fridge, to be used on whatever you want. And you can re-whip it at any time to get it back into shape.

My suggestion? Make pancakes. Top them with blueberry compote and whipped cream. Eat the pancakes.