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Sunday, May 6, 2012

Berries - blackberry cobbler and strawberry crepes

Berries, Berries, Berries!

My husband thinks I'm crazy because I LOVE our sticker bushes!  Come Summer, he wants to spray them all back...and he's done this and he now knows not to do this!!  Our front yard is just under an acre and the whole length of it lines with an empty lot of sticker bushes (and bunnies, mice, and all kinds of critters...).  Which is awsome come August, and I have a whole bunch of blackberries to pick! And my kids love picking them with me! I love having my freezer full of blackberries for all year long.   I love berries to make muffins, cobblers, and we all love them on greek yogurt!


I have two different cobbler recipes that I love to make...

This one is from The Pioneer Woman.  It is more like a blackberry cake, but it is super easy to make!!


PIONEER WOMAN BLACKBERRY COBBLER

1 stick butter, melted
1 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup self-rising flour  (or regular flour and add baking powder)
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a baking dish with butter.
Whisk 1 cup sugar with 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour, then add the melted butter. 
Rinse berries and pat to dry. 
Pour batter into the baking dish.  Sprinkle berries on top.  (I like to mash some of the berries and swirl it into the batter.)
Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar all over the top of the berries and batter.
Bake for 45min to 1 hour.  During the last 10 minutes of baking sprinkle the last 2 Tbsp of sugar on top.
YUM!!!!!! 


STRAWBERRY CREPES


I don't actually measure anything in this recipe...so it was actually kinda nice to write it down, taste it, and make sure it was the right amounts!!

First I make a strawberry sauce:
Wash and cut up about 2 cups strawberries and put in saucepan.
Add 1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup sugar (you can substitute splenda too)
Stir then bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about 8 minutes. Then mash up the berries.

If you like pictutes...here you go!
STIR:
 BOIL:
 THEN MASH BERRIES:

Next I make batter for the crepes:

MIX:
1 cup flour
2 eggs

Then add:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter

To make crepes:  Pour about 1/4-1/2 cup mixure onto pan.  I smooth/thin them out with a spoon.
Cook about 2 minutes...flipping to cook each side.


Then for the yummy mixture inside:
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar


Place crepe on plate, smother with some of the cottage cheese mixture, add the strawberry sauce...
 Fold the crepe and sprinkle with powdered sugar and add more sliced berries!

ENJOY!! 

This is one of my 9-year-old, Andrew's, favorite things I make.  When I was trying to get him out of bed for school the other day, I told him I was going to make crepes for dinner.  In his sleepyness, his eyes still closed, he says "YAY!"  I hope he always says this to me!  I love it!




BLACKBERRY COBBLER
1 cup flour
 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter
1/4 cup boiling water

then for the berries.....

2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 cups berries (I like to combine blackberries
and blueberries)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, then mix with the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 

In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  then cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Pour in the boiling water until mixture is moist.

Pour berry mixture into a 9x13 baking pan or large skillet.  Drop dough by spoonfuls over the top of the berries.

Place pan onto a foil covered baking sheet then place in oven and bake about 25 minutes until dough is slightly brown.

Delicious with homemade ice cream!!!!!!!!



My kids have so much fun making homemade ice cream.  My husband and I got this ice cream maker 16 years ago as a wedding gift....we still love it! 


Waiting!!  It takes so long, but so worth it!!  :)



YUM!!

                                 Also delicious with fresh peaches!!








Thursday, May 3, 2012

Birthday boys

Andrew turned 9 on April 30th

Jacob turned 2 on May 2

Andrew and Jacob have birthdays close together... so the last 2 years we have had a combined big family party for them both together.  I know we can always have the family party combined for both boys, but someday I'm probably going to have to have separate friend parties too...  We lucked out with sunshine the day of our party!  If not, we wouldn't have all been able to squeeze into our home and the kids couldn't have enjoyed the bouncy castle!


We had all 16 cousins, plus 2 married-in cousins, and 2 second-cousins!  So much fun!  Of course, we also had parents, aunt/uncles, grandparents...
No one even got hurt in the bouncy castle or playing their wild games of front yard baseball/kickball!






Playing ball!
Jen Jen and kids - Dawson, Haley, Hunter, and Tanner
                                            .


My 9-year-old birthday boy, Andrew!
     Birthday boy Jacob - 2!!
Brock helping Jacob build a tower!  This was Jacobs present
and I needed everyone to help put together the 45 "bricks," then
we had 2 Angry birds to knock them over. 

Brian, Cindy, and kids..Sam and Tyler

Jacob and Sam crashing into "brick" towers!


Time for tee-ball! 




Family, family, family...

Newest member...Brooklyn Perry
Our family - Mike, Andrew, Jacob, Holly, and Matthew

Playing Angry birds!!


The boys are all loving to build towers and crash them down!  Nice bed head/fuzzy hair on Jake!

2-year-old Birthday boy!!  And below his many cute faces!!
Already rolls his eyes at us!




That's our crazy, fun family birthday party!!!  So glad we have most of our family living close enough to enjoy these get-togethers!!


More pallet wood projects!!

I am still loving taking apart pallets and creating unique, rustic shelves and signs!! 


Be Good....quoted by my dad.  This was my dad's advice every time I left the house while in high school; he actually still tells me this!  I realize that I now say it to my kids too.  As I drop them off school I tell them I love 'em and to Be Good!  It's great and simple advice!



Smaller pallet shelf...  Simplify!  Made with free pallet wood, $1 frame that I mod podged craft paper onto with a picture of my baby stomping in mud puddles, and  a mason jar with flowers!



Above and below: Large pallet shelves...Added rustic charm to Brock and Hannah's wedding reception!!




I wanted a Love sign for my home too!  After making all the wedding ones for Brock and Hannah!  Of course, made with pallets again!



Love

Let us love one another,
for love is of God.
1 John 4:7

Love never fails.


And not made on pallets...

RULES..great for home or teachers classroom!!