Apple Berry Cobbler

Here's one for the other man in my life!

I tried this cobbler almost eight years ago and my son - the picky eater member of the family who at that time was existing on peanut butter, mac-n-cheese, and chicken nuggets - absolutely loved it.

And he has mentioned it several times over the past few months, so I decided it had to be found and baked again.  This one came from a 2004 issue of Southern Living.

Apple-Berry Cobbler
1 (16-ounce) package frozen blueberries, unthawed
1 (16-ounce) package frozen cherries, unthawed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 slices white sandwich bread
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar

Stir together frozen blueberries, frozen cherries, chopped apple, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour.  Place in an 8-inch, lightly greased baking dish.

Trim crusts from bread and cut each slice into five strips.

Melt butter in small saucepan and stir in 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Add small amount of mixture to the beaten egg to temper then add the egg to butter mixture, mixing well.

Arrange bread strips evenly over fruit mixture, pressing down lightly.  Pour butter mixture over bread strips and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly.

The cobbler juice is incredibly rich and the bread strips make the most delicious topping!  I think it just speaks red, white and blue, especially if you add a good-sized scoop of vanilla ice cream, so this one needs to reappear on the table for the 4th celebration.   

Linking up at ...
Trick or Treat Tuesday at Inside BruCrew Life 
Patriotic Potluck 
Six Sisters' Strut Your Stuff Saturday
A Bushel and a Peck Recipe Roundup

Key Lime Pie

When my husband wants a dessert he usually wants something fruity.  For Father's Day he requested a Key Lime Pie, more specifically a "thick" Key Lime Pie - none of that thin sliver of filling kind of stuff.  This recipe is a basic key lime, baked in a deep dish pie pan, and stands well over an inch thick.  

Perfect!

Key Lime Pie

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 (14-oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

6 egg yolks

2 teaspoons key lime or lime zest

1 cup key lime juice

1 cup whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter together and press evenly into a lightly greased 10-inch deep dish pie pan, up the sides and slightly over the lip of the dish.  Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.  Place on a wire rack and cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Whisk together sweetened condensed milk and next three ingredients.  Carefully pour into prepared pie crust.  Return to oven and bake about 25 minutes until almost set, the center will not be completely firm.  Cool about one hour then cover and refrigerate four hours before serving.  Pie will set up as it chills.

Before serving, beat whipping cream on high speed while gradually adding powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form.  Snip the end off of a small plastic bag, insert a cake decorating tip of your choice, and fill bag with whipped cream.  Pipe onto pie and finish with slices of lime, if desired.

Linked to Trick or Treat Tuesday at BruCrew Life and Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round-Up and Weekend Potluck #23 and also Six Sisters' Strut Your Stuff Saturday !!  Check out all the wonderful posts there!
  

No Cooking This Week

In fact, I'm sitting on my favorite motel balcony and enjoying a Chocolate Cruller and coffee from the Donut Friar and I think my blood pressure has dropped a good 10 points.  For those who aren't familiar with the Donut Friar, go to a little nook at the back of The Village in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and enjoy!  The Donut Friar has been making the best donuts in this area since the early 60's.

We're at the end of a week full of travel and relaxation.  We took our daughter north five days ago to her summer internship and will cap off the week tomorrow taking our son on a college visit.  The empty nest is getting closer and closer.

Sigh ...

So no cooking happening this week but I have been enjoying a lot (maybe too much) of other folks food.  The best meal without a doubt though was our traditional picnic at the Cove. 

I see meat and I see dairy and I see fruit and I'm quite sure there's some grains in those chips and crackers ... sounds like a well-rounded meal to me!

I've been doing a little knitting and doing a little clearing out of old magazines which means I'm adding to my stack of recipe clippings while lounging on this aforementioned balcony.

And the closest I've come to cooking this week is preparing this sandwich of classic beef bologna and muenster cheese tucked neatly between two Ritz crackers.

And that's some fine eating.

Citrus Bars

It was the last week of school and a teacher treat was in order.  My teacher husband requested something fruity.  After shuffling through several recipe clippings we settled on this recipe for Citrus Bars.  It is reminiscent of the traditional lemon bars but with an extra twist and a little different take on the crust.  We love lemon bars, but these are a nice variation that will go in the keeper file.

It's okay to play with your food!

Citrus Bars

1 cup butter, softened

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind

4 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy.  Add 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.  Continue beating until mixture forms a soft dough.  Stir in chopped pecans.  Press evenly in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until just lightly browned.

While crust is cooling, whisk together the final 1/4 cup of flour and the granulated sugar.  Stir in remaining ingredients until smooth and pour over crust. Return to 350 degree oven and bake 30-35 minutes until set.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar.

And going ...

going ...

almost gone ...

Linked to Trick or Treat Tuesdays at Inside BruCrew Life and at Weekend Potluck #21 and at Six Sisters' Stuff Strut Your Stuff Saturdays!