Blueberry Bliss

I just recently went blueberry picking with my sister and nephews and was blown away by how enjoyable the whole experience was! I highly recommend it if you have the time. These blueberries were cultivated so it was pretty easy pickins.
I picked three 4 quart baskets in about an hour and half.

When I got home I just laid them out on baking sheets and froze them overnight. The next day I bagged 'em up in zip lock freezer bags and stored them away for those bleak fruitless winter months.

By lying them out on the baking sheet you can guarantee that you won't get a block of blueberries rather individual berries perfect for muffins, pancakes, oatmeal and of course blueberry pie. I freeze most berry like things this way including peas, corn and strawberries. Believe me, the extra work in the beginning really pays off in the end.

Here is a tried and true recipe for those little blue gems:

Blueberry Bread

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple sauce
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups white sugar (you can also play around with 1/2 cup honey as opposed to just white sugar)
2 cups shredded zucchini (perfect and easy to find bc. its in season right now and also easy to save for the winter by simply shredding it, squeezing out access liquid, and freezing 2 cup portions in zip lock bags, I also do this for zucchini bread, lasagna and pasta)
3 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat 2 cups white
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries or frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans or two bread pans or a muffin pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean (25 min for muffins). Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.