Easy Batter Cobbler

Well, my search continues for pumpkin recipes and I have found a few that I am excited to try. I am going through each one to make sure that I not only have or can easily get all the ingredients but also that the recipe doesn't ask for anything outside my skill level. So, a few weekends ago (while I was still doing my research), I felt like the weather called for baking and I answered with an easy batter cobbler.

I have made this recipe many times over the past few years but never shared it here. It was a lucky find on allrecipes.com. It is called Easy Batter Fruit Cobbler and it is, as the name says, really easy and very versatile. The ingredients are always in my pantry, with special thanks to my grandma who makes sure that I can an extra can of home preserved peaches so that I can make this whenever I like. The recipe really can used with any fruit but I prefer peaches. Ryan's favorite is blackberry which is a delicious (and cheaper if you pick them yourself) option. I really want to see what this is like with bananas, like a variation on bananas foster. You can use any fruit that suits your fancy which means you can make this at any time of year with whatever is in season!

One of the coolest elements of this recipe is that a half stick of butter is added to the pie pan and melted in the oven as it pre-heats. Once melted, the batter is poured in the middle of the plate and the butter creates this amazing thin crust. I next add the fruit around the whole plate. When using peaches, I like to sprinkle the batter with a little nutmeg. Cinnamon is my spice of choice when using blackberries but both work well together.

The whole thing takes about 50 minutes to bake. The clean up is so easy (you don't need an electric mixer). Once golden and bubbly, it's ready! We love this Tillamook's Vanilla Bean ice cream. Serve and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Back to baking

Wow, I can't believe I spent the whole Summer season not blogging! That's not to say I didn't bake at all; I baked like crazy this summer. Chocolate chip cookies, almond cake, many, many loafs of banana bread, and a successful experiment in transforming my Pumkpin Ginger Bundt into a bread loaf.

But, now that we have come to Fall (and the start of my favorite three months of the year), I feel like it is time to get back on the blog. It is my goal this Fall to experiment as much as I can with one ingredient (Almost Iron Chef style but not as intense). The ingredient of choice for this season: Pumpkin! Ah, I am so excited!

To introduce our home to the start of Fall I made what I think is my absolute favorite thing I have ever baked: Pumpkin Ginger Bundt. The desire to bake came to me late in the evening a weekend ago and so I followed my whim and whipped this up. The only issue this time was that I was still in search of a great vanilla glaze. My secondary goal this Fall was to find a vanilla glaze recipe worthy to be paired with my favorite cake and I think Martha Stewart once again came through with a winning recipe (see it here). The trick: sifting the powdered sugar. Whodda thunk?! The texture was ten times better than any other glaze recipe I have tried.

This brings me to my second trick: let the cake cool completely before adding any glaze or icing! I figure that this is a standard Baking 101 tip but I could hardly resist taking a slice once the cake was out of the oven (and I challenge anyone to resist this cake once you smell it). The glaze was not pretty but the whole thing tasted oh-so-good! I can't wait to make this again when I have time to let it completely cool.

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of Fall. Stayed tuned for my adventures with pumpkin!

Happy Baking!

Nutella Mug Cake

Well, it has been too long. I haven't blogged much lately but that does not mean I haven't been baking! I am currently on a banana bread kick. I've made banana bread about three times in the last month or so. I can't help it, it just tastes too good. What I do like is that I have had the chance to make this a few times and get the recipe perfected. I've added one cup of chocolate chips - Amazing addition. Ryan is a big fan. I feel like I have this one down, which is a good feeling. Often I just experiment so it's great to have a solid recipe in my baking arsenal.

One new thing I was able to try was sent to me by a co-worker. She sent me a recipe for Nutella Mug Cake and I was surprised at how simple it was. All the ingredients are mixed together in a coffee mug and then microwaved. I was slightly skeptic at first but I found this so easy and delicious that I actually want to cut this post short and go make some right now. So yummy!

I am not sure where she found it but I am glad it is now in my recipe book. She also sent me the day of her birthday with the recipe; I took the hint. I tried it at home first over the weekend. I felt like it had too much Nutella (I know, not possible right?) so the next time I added just a little less. I've made my adjustment in the recipe below. I am also really tempted to add chocolate chips to this just to give it that little bit of gooeyness.

Nutella Mug Cake


Ingredients
4 tablespoons self rising flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Nutella
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients in a large coffee mug. I mean, really large. It definitely rises a lot so use a big mug. Whisk together until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

This yields a very large portion. I could barely eat half of it when I made it at home. For my next go at it I am going to try dividing the recipe in two and putting it in ramekins. Something simple, quick, and delicious. I like those kinds of recipes!

Happy Baking!

Impossibly Easy Cheesburger Pie

I'm not always one to use box mixes. I have really been trying to make as many things from scratch as I can. However, there are those days where I just don't have the time. All I want to do is get dinner done, and done fast. That is why I love Bisquick. Oh, yes, Bisquick is so much more than a pancake mix.

My mom was inspired years ago to try a recipe she found on the Bisquick box, Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie . It has become a favorite and one that I turn to every once in a while. Of course, my mother had to make some adjustments in order to cater to the more picky family members. I won't say who but I will say that I feel so blessed to be married to a man who loves melted cheese.

The title of the recipe doesn't lie - it really is that easy (fancy shamncy, all typed out recipe below). Ground beef, onion, salt, cheese, and the standard bisquick mix (the dry mix plus milk and eggs). Cook one pound of lean ground beef in a skillet. Add a small onion (chopped) and cook till softened. For the salt, I use smoked sea salt. I found it a Trader Joe's. I also use it on my roasted red potatoes. One word - amazing!

The ground beef and onions go in a pie plate, topped with a cup of shredded cheese. The Bisquick mix is poured over it and then off to the oven to bake! My husband and I like to top ours with sour cream. I think my mom likes barbecue sauce. You could even try ketchup!

There is great potential to experiment with variations of this recipe. Peppers and sausage give you a more brunch type option. Why not give it a try and let me know how it turns out? Google Bisquick easy pie for more ideas!



Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie
from BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt (I used smoked salt and just eyeballed the amount.)

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup Bisquick mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.
2. In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat for about 10 minutes until beef is brown and onions are soft. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate and sprinkle with cheese.
3. In a small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Top with your favorite condiment or leave it plain and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

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Gadgets and Tools - Measuring Cups and Spoons Part 2

Earlier this year I posted about measuring cups and spoons. It was dream (yes, really, my dream) to find a set that included non-standard amounts. Well, folks, I have finally found it!

While on a road trip to Oregon, my husband graciously conceded to an outlet store shopping trip. While there I found a great kitchen supply store. I wandered and day dreamed as I always do in those stores. I made my way to the gadgets section and after staring at foldable funnels for a while and wondering if I would ever need one, a large box caught my eye. I was this close to freaking out inside the store. It was a 19 piece measuring set that included all the unique measuring sizes. 2/3 cups, 1 1/2 cups, 2 cups! There were even little spoons for a smidge, a pinch, and a dash. So cute. The kicker was that they even matched the color scheme in my kitchen. Sealed the deal.

The set is made by Progressive. I find their stuff at all the usual places, Bed Bath and Beyond or Fred Meyer. But I have yet to find something as awesome as this. Here is a link to their website if you want to more information. The picture is from their website.

I also got ramekins and a new pie plate on sale. With my plans to make pies more often this has come in handy. Best. Shopping Trip. Ever.

Having a second set, especially one with unusual sizes, has totally changed the way I bake. I am so beyond excited about this!

Happy Baking!

Pie for Ryan!

Ryan is taking the GRE tomorrow. In honor of the start to his new adventure, I made his favorite: blackberry pie!

I used the crust and filling recipe from when I made this for his birthday. This time around I used less sugar for the topping. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of sugar but I actually used less than a 1/2 tsp. I also sprinkled the top with cinnamon. I still need to perfect my crimping method, but I'll get there. I do love the little star vent I made on this one!

Good luck, husband! So proud of you!

Mom's Meatloaf

Most of my posts have been about dessert baking. Well, not everything that goes into the oven is for dessert. One of my favorite things to bake is meatloaf. There are very few other things as easy and as quick as this recipe. Plus, I love the fact that it comes from the 1969 Betty Crocker cookbook. The flavors have stood the test of time in my family. I grew up with this recipe and it has now become a part of my dinner repertoire. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

All of the ingredients are things I normally stock in my pantry so I find this to be something that is really easy to whip up if I feel like it. I find it best to start with fresh ground beef. I often buy ground beef and freeze it but last night I bought some from the grocery store and it was just so much easier. I also use Panko breadcrumbs. I haven't experimented much with different breadcrumbs but Panko has treated me pretty well.

There are several different spices in this recipe. You can see the suggested measurements below. I prefer to add a 1/2 tsp instead of just a 1/4 tsp of each spice. I really want to play around with different measurements and maybe different spices at some point but I like this recipe so much I have yet to experiment with it.

My favorite side dishes to this meatloaf are mashed potatoes (made with light sour cream and butter. Yum!) and green beans. And of course, a nice tall glass of milk. I sure do love my comfort food! 

Mom's Meatloaf

1969 Betty Crocker Cookbook 

(with Kara's notes)

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I use Panko)

2/3 cup milk (skim milk offers a healthier option)

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp minced onion (something I always have in my pantry!)

1/2 tsp salt (I am tempted to try my smoked sea salt next time. Got it at Trader Joe's and it's amazing!)

1/2 to 1/2 tsp of each:

Black pepper

Dry mustard

Celery salt

Garlic salt (I love using a 1/2 tsp of each. You can always revise the measurements depending on what flavors you want to go for and even play around with adding other spices.)

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

ketchup for "glaze"

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. (getting your hands dirty is so much fun! Be sure to wash well with soap afterwards. Raw beef - eww.)

Shape into loaf in shallow pan. (I also line my pan with tin foil. Makes for a super easy clean up. Spray with a cooking spray to keep the meatloaf from sticking to the foil.)

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread with ketchup. (I always eyeball this.)

Return loaf to oven and bake for an additional 45 minutes to an hour.

Happy Baking!