She owned a flower shop in downtown Seattle, and used her skill to turn her backyard into an English garden. On top of all that, she was the neighborhood craft queen! My children always enjoyed it when she would invite them over to play in her hot tub and have what called a guppy party.
She was one of my contact people at my children's school. On one occasion when I came home from work, I found the sick patient next door with a large slice of pizza in her hand watching a children's movie! Needless to say she loved my children, and they loved her.
One Saturday afternoon she invited all the girls and their mothers in our neighborhood for a tea party. On her beautiful tiered china serving dishes were exquisite sandwiches cut in triangles, muffins, cookies, and other mouth watering creations plus fruit and vegetable platters.
When she died of a brain tumor, it crushed our whole family. Before her death she gave my three girls some of her cookbooks. She also told me to go into her backyard and take any of the plants and herbs that I wanted. Most of the plants are still growing in my front and back yard. Her daisies and lemon balm come up each year reminding me of her.
And over the course of my friendship with her she gave me some of her special recipes. Today I am sharing her coffee cake recipe.
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free)
1. Prepare dry ingredients - In a medium sized mixing bowl put:
(1) 2 cups gluten free flour - 2/3 cup each of brown rice flour, sorghum flour, and tapioca flour.
(2) Stir in leavening & salt: 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. of salt.
2. Cream butter & sugar - In a large mixing bowl put:
(1) 1 stick of softened butter and beat for a minute or two.
(2) Gradually add 1 cup of sugar (I put 3/4 cup) and beat for 3-5 minutes.
(3) Add 2 eggs ONE at a time, beating well after each.
3. Combine creamed mixture and flour:
Add a part of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with 1 cup sour cream/yogurt that has been mixed with 1 tsp. of vanilla, and beat well after each addition.
4. Stir in 1+ cup of blueberries. (You can add chopped apples or any other fruit of your choice.)
5. Prepare topping - In a small bowl mix together:
(1) 1/3 cup of brown sugar
(2) 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
(3) 1 cup of chopped walnuts
(4) Sprinkle topping over the top of the coffee cake.
6. Put the batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Other breakfast recipes on this blog:
Pancakes
Fantastic Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Gluten Free Banana Split Pancakes (Another recipe from my daughter-in-law's family!)
Outstanding Gluten Free Oatmeal Pancakes (From my Heritage School Cookbook, where I worked 3 1/2 years)
Family Favorite Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancakes (From my daughter's home ec teacher)
Yummy Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes (From About Gluten Free Cooking)
Crunchy & Delicious Potato Latkes (From a flier in my sweet potato bag)
Tasty Gluten Free Swedish Pancakes (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Protein Packed Gluten Free Ricotta Cheese Pancakes (From my daughter-in-law's family)
Waffles, Crepes, Fritters & Dutch Babies
Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Spice Waffles Made Gluten Free & Dairy Free (This is one I adapted from Rachel Ray)
Easy to Make Gluten Free Waffles (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Incredible Gluten Free Crepes (Mix of 2 recipes)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Fritters (My grandmother's recipe!)
Amazing Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby (From an Internet search)
Egg Dishes
Sweet Potato Hash With Poached Eggs (From my daughter's Internet search)
Hash Brown Egg Casserole (From my friend Lisa)
Mexican Migas Breakfast Casserole (Modified from a recipe from an airport cookbook)
Baked Zucchini Frittata (I picked this up from a Whidbey Island farmer's market)
Jan's Sausage & Vegetable Frittata (From a friend who was a home ec teacher)
Huevos Rancheros - A Fantastic South of the Border Breakfast (I learned this years ago!)
Beautiful Eggs Florentine (Adapted from an Internet search)
Gluten Free Crustless Zucchini & Spinach Quiche (From my Syre School Cookbook)
Cereals
Honey Almond Granola (From the Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Breakfast Muffins
Banana Nutty Muffins (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins (From the Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Scrumptious Gluten Free Blueberry Scones (From Heritage School Cookbook)
Thanksgiving Gluten Free Pumpkin Scones (From an Internet search)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Claudia's Blueberry Coffee Cake (Made Gluten Free!) (From a neighbor)