Super Simple: Strawberry Cobbler

I love cobbler. Pure and simple. Love it. It is super simple and awesome. It's pretty hard to screw up too. This is the simplest version yet. Incredibly moist, sweet and delicious. Not for the faint of heart carb-wise, but once in awhile you just have to have what you have to have!

Ina's Best: Chocolate Chunk Cookies or Blondies

 

I love the "Barefoot Contessa" Ina Garten.  Love her.  She did this recipe recently on her show and I thought, "Wow.  Cookies or blondies using the same recipe."  I love both and this one is awesome.  I did tweak one thing.  The first time I made them I followed the recipe exactly.  Well, almost.  They were amazing, but even for me, a confirmed chocoholic, there were too many chocolate chips.  I guess that was because her recipe called for chocolate chunks.  My bad.  Round II I used half as many chocolate chips and substituted toasted pecans. Dear Lord.  They are awesome.  Try em.

Note:  The original oven temp and timing are in the recipe below.  Try one or two and see how your oven works.  I had to adjust mine to 12 minutes instead of 15. I use half sheet pans with a Silpat liner.  I also rotate my sheet pans half way through and since I use two at a time, I also switch racks. Compulsive I know, but they are all even and perfectly uniform.  Try this one folks.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 1/4 pounds semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions for cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter with the mixer on low speed, mixing only until combined. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chunks.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

For Blondies:

Grease and flour an 8 x 12 x 2 inch baking pan.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes exactly. Don't over bake! A toothpick may not come out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into bars.

Eat This: Oatmeal & Fruit Bars

Raspberry Preserve Bars

Ingredients

1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter softened (but not melted)
1 Cup packed brown sugar (I use light brown)
1 Cup All purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1 Cup Rolled Oats (I use Quaker Oats Quick Oats)
1 Tsp. Flavored Extract (I used Almond, but you can use Lemon or vanilla, etc.)
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 Cup Fruit - Jam, Marmalade, Preserves, Curd (Lemon or Lime Curd is AWESOME)
      (don't use jelly because it gets way too runny)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  The first time I did this I set the oven to 400 and, well, not so good. Lightly spray one 8 inch square pan (I use glass because it really seems to work well and it cleans up better) with no-stick cooking spray or use butter (even better);

I use a stand mixer, not required, but it really makes life easier.  So in the bowl of the mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy and then quickly add in the extract;

Add the flour, baking powder and oatsl to the butter and sugar and mix until it is a "pea sized"  crumbly mixture.;

Reserve 1/2 Cup of the crumb mixture for the top; gently pat the remainder of the mixture into the prepared pan;

Spread the fruit (This time I used raspberry preserves)almost to the edge. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top;

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven - check it at 30 minutes and if your oven is like mine, pu tit back for 5 (..or until lightly browned.) 

Allow to cool completely before cutting into bar or square shapes.  This recipe yielded 12 bars for me.  I like them cold, but easiest to cut at room temp.  Enjoy.

Saturday Eats: Lemon Buttermilk Cake

I love lemon cake.  I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten and really like it.  Next time, I will do it 5 minutes less, but, this is delicious.  You can also do the glaze (see recipe at the end.)

Delicious Still Warm From The Oven

Ingredients

Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest

Two 8" x 4" Loaf Pans

The Surface: Golden and Moist

Cooling on the rack

Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe:

Lemon Buttermilk Cake Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup grated lemon zest (4 to 6 large lemons)
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract (orange works too, and you can use Grand Marnier in the final glaze for a delicious change of pace)

For the glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or orange, or try Grand Marnier for a more "grownup" taste.)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired. I cut it to almost fit the bottom and it works great.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest. (You can also use orange in place of lemon in this recipe and it turns out really well too!)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Be sure not to over do it or it will be drier than you want.

THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT:  Skip the final glaze if you want, but don't skip this one:  Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Eat Fresh: Peach and Raspberry Cobbler

This is my favorite time of year: peaches are abundant. So many types, sizes, colors.  But nothing beats a Georgia peach for sweetness an texture.  I like a little bit of a twist on classic peach cobbler - it's just sometimes called for!  Kick it up a bit, make it a little better, whatever works, just do it (with all due respect to Nike.)  This recipe I adapted from Paula Deen the Butter Queen. I reduced the amount of butter and sugar and added a little kick with Chipotle powder and cinnamon in the peaches as they cook and added cinnamon and ground ginger to the batter.  I also opted to put in a pint of fresh, beautiful raspberries.  Tart. Textural. Delicious.  The aroma as it cooks is unbelievable.

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (I dice them into 3/4" dice)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries (or blueberries, or blackberries... see where I am going?)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and water in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the Chipotle. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. I use a covered casserole because it makes it easier to store when finished.

Mix remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and milk, whisking slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.  This is the result:

You can also opt to do the batter on top (as I did in a previous post).  Just do what makes you happy.  this crust is very "cakelike".  I like to turn all the fruit mixture and then serve. To serve, scoop into a bowl and serve with your choice of toppings, or go completely naked and enjoy it as is.

You can also add a pint of any type of fresh berries when you spoon the peaches into the batter and it really turns out equally well each time.  ENJOY!

Healthier Eats: Chocolate Chip Cookies

We are all trying to help out a little with regard to dietary restraint, right?  But hey, I like a cookie now and then.  So as a compromise, I adapted this recipe from egglesscooking.com.  These are not eggless - there was one adaptation.  I didn't use wheat. I wanted to experiment with other natural grains and these were the result.  The texture is a little different, a little more "grainy" but the flavor is delicious, and healthier than the usual variety.

Oat & Brown Rice Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Prep time: 15 Mins     Cook time: 10 Mins

Yields: Approximately 30 cookies

 

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cups Oat Flour
• 1 and 1/4 cups Brown Rice Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar (I used Spelda Brown Sugar Blend)
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter Chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Canola Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 large egg
  

Assemble!

1. Preheat the oven to 375F/190C. Grease (use shortening/butter/non-stick spray) the baking sheet (I use a Silpat silicone sheet on a half sheet pan myself);
2. Beat the egg;
3. In a large bowl combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix well;
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the sheet before removing to a cooling rack (this is why I use two sheet pans at a time).

Delicious: Peach, Blackberry and Raspberry Cobbler

Once in awhile I just get the urge for something decadent, satisfying and seasonally appropriate.  Thus tonight's cobbler. It is so good, you will have to really resist the urge to immediately dig in when it comes out of the oven.  But wait.  15 minutes won't kill you and it's worth the wait.  Serve it up with some frozen vanilla yogurt or vanilla ice cream.. delicious.

Peach, Blackberry and Raspberry Cobbler
(adapted from Cooking Light 2008)

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• Cooking spray
• 2 fresh peaches peeled and diced into "berry sized" piece
• 6oz. fresh blackberries (one container)
• 6oz. fresh raspberries (one container)
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk 
•  

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Pour 1/4c melted butter into the bottom of a 2-3 quart dish coated with cooking spray. Combine peaches, blackberries, raspberries, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 tablespoon flour in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar and toss to combine. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Combine 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; mix with a whisk. Add remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter and milk, stirring with a whisk. Pour batter evenly over fruit mixture. Bake at 350° for about an hour until golden brown. Let sit for 15 minutes before you dig in.

Adapted: Ginger Pecan, Peanut & Pistachio Blondies

I love brownies. I love blondies. Today I surfed past a recipe for Ginger Walnut Chocolate Blondies from Joy The Baker.  I didn't have candied ginger and I love multiple nut desserts (ask my family and friends). I also like the juxtaposition of sweet and salty, so I use salted roasted nuts. I revised JTB's recipe and made these.

This should make 9 individual blondies.

Here is the adapted recipe:

Pecan, Peanut & Pistachio Blondies
makes 9 servings
recipe adapted from Joy The Baker


1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup chocolate chips ( like dark chocolate best)


Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking sheet.  Line with parchment paper, leaving two flaps hanging over the edges of the pan. Grease and flour the parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar. Whisk in egg and beat by hand until mixture is slightly pale, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, and salt.  Add all at once to the butter, sugar and egg mixture.  Stir until just incorporated.  Mixture will be fairly thick.  Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center   comes out clean.  They will be golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting.

I like blondies COLD, as in refrigerated COLD.  Try these and let me know how you like them!