Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Fresh Raspberry Peach Cobbler Recipe

IMG_8451

There are serious perks to working at a Berry Patch during fruit season! With the bounty of peaches and raspberries in the fridge and a pantry shelf full of jams, I decided it was finally time to use those fruits for something delicious and DESSERT. This cobbler was the first I've ever made and I will certainly be revisiting this simple, yet irresistible dish.

For years I've avoided cobbler, mostly because I have only experienced poorly made cobbler (mostly mass-produced), which is just a travesty. I didn't like that "raw" dough on the top, too similar to dumplings. But baked correctly, there was not rubbery batter. In fact, this reminded me of upside down shortcake!

You simply MUST try it!
IMG_8454

Fresh Raspberry Peach Cobbler
adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter, firm/cold
1/2 cup milk
---
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups sliced fresh peaches
2 cups fresh raspberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Be sure to wash and slice fruit prior to beginning.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in milk. Set aside.

In a 2 quart stock pot, stir together sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Fold in peaches and raspberries and cook on medium heat, stirring continually. The mixture should thicken. Once the mixture comes to a full rolling boil, boil for one full minute and pour into an ungreased 9x9 inch (2 quart) baking dish. Using a large spoon and/or spatula, scoop 6 tablespoons of dough evenly across the top of the hot fruit mixture.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Let cool for 15 or 20 minutes. Serve warm.



Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes Follow on Facebook. Find me on Pinterest

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Irish Brown Bread Recipe

IMG_8424


A friend of mine recently took a trip to Ireland and mentioned wanting to find a recipe for Irish Brown Bread. I was very excited to find a recipe in my new favorite garage sale find - Bread Winners by Mel London. It's a cookbook filled with over 200 bread recipes that was compiled in 1979. I haven't found a recipe I didn't love!

This Irish Brown Bread is no exception. It's easy to make because there's no rising involved, which means no "scary" kneading or yeast necessary, and no need to plan your day around the first or second long rise of your bread. Just take about 30 minutes to put the dough together, bake and enjoy!

----

Irish Brown Bread Recipe
recipe adapted from Mel London's Bread Winners
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
3-1/2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup caraway seeds (I omitted)
1/2 Tbsp honey
2 cups buttermilk*, room temperature

*make your own buttermilk by adding 2 Tbsp lemon juice to the milk to equal 2 cups. Let set to room temperature.

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add in raisins and toss to coat. Stir in caraway seeds.

Add in honey and then stir while adding in buttermilk, slowly. Dough should be sticky, but able to be handled. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour and stir, repeating until sticky, but dough has come together.

Shape dough into an oval or a round and transfer to a baking sheet covered with silicone baking mat OR grease and flour a cookie sheet. Cut deeply into the top of the loaf in the shape of a cross and dust lightly with additional flour.

Bake for 45 minutes. Dough should sound hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing.

Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes   Follow on Facebook.   Find me on Pinterest

Sunday, July 21, 2013

English Muffins Recipe

IMG_7562

I can't believe I waited so long to make homemade English Muffins. These are BY FAR the easiest yeast bread to make! There is only one rise and no need for cranking on the hot oven in the middle of warm summer months. The dough comes together in under 5 minutes, you wait an hour for the muffins to rise and they bake them on a hot skillet or griddle! 

These English Muffins are great toasted and spread with butter and jam, drizzled with honey, or covered in peanut butter. We love to use the moist, dense, perfectly sized muffins as a substitute for hamburger buns or sandwich bread or as a delicious snack.  


English Muffins Recipe
Recipe adapted from Bread Winners by Mel London
Makes 10-12 English Muffins

Ingredients
2-1/2 tsp dry yeast (1 package)
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
3 cups unbleached white flour
cornmeal

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Measure the oil in a liquid measuring cup and add to the yeast mixture. Using that now-oiled measuring cup, measure 2 Tbsp (1/8 cup) honey. The honey will now pour easily into the yeast mixture! Stir in salt. Then add in flour and stir until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the edges. 

Flour a clean surface (I use a large wooden cutting board) and flour your hands before transferring the dough to the floured surface. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and use a biscuit cutter (or any round shape, such as a drinking glass) to cut the muffins. 

Sprinkle cornmeal generously onto a cookie sheet and arrange the muffins an inch or two apart. Sprinkle additional cornmeal on top of the muffins and cover with a light towel. Let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. 

Heat a large skillet (or a pancake griddle works great!) to medium-high. Muffins can be cooked closely together. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until bottoms are medium to dark brown. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes. The sides of the muffins should be set, not at all doughy, and both sides dark golden brown. 

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

Friday, July 5, 2013

Red Raspberry Pie Recipe

IMG_7935

One of the biggest, most beautiful benefits of working at a Berry Patch is getting to pick as many berries as I desire. A.MAZING. I picked a quart of Red Raspberries to bring home to my dad, and when i mentioned this to him, he quickly requested a Raspberry Pie. "I don't have enough berries for that, Dad, sorry," I said.

But then I decided it wouldn't hurt to see how many cups of raspberries were in a quart. There was just under 6 cups - perfect (maybe a few too few ;)) for a pie.

I LOVE baking pies, so this was a perfect 4th of July afternoon activity for me.

Red Raspberry Pie Recipe
recipe adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook
Makes 9 inch pie (8 servings)

Ingredients
2 crusts (1/2 recipe) Never Fail Pie Crust
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
6 cups red raspberries
1 Tbsp butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make Never Fail Pie Crust. Line the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate with 1 pie crust.

In large bowl stir together sugar and flour. Pour over raspberries and stir gently so as to keep berries in tact.

Pour berry mixture into bottom crust. Dot with butter. Cut slits in the 2nd crust and place on top of berries. Seal edges.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until crust is golden brown and juices begin to bubble through the slits in the crust.

Allow to cool at least 2 hours on a wire rack.



Subscribe to The Adorkable Recipes | Follow on Facebook. | Find me on Pinterest