Easy Blackberry Cobbler

 The Blackberries are on!!!  So, what to do with all of them.......I made 4 of these yesterday!!  

Easy Blackberry Cobbler
4 c. fresh blackberries
1 T. lemon juice
1 large egg
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 t cinnamon
5 T. butter, melted

Place blackberries in a  sprayed 8-inch round or square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle melted butter over topping. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired.   Bake at 375° for 45 to 50 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with  ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. 

For a  6 inch round bake for 35 minutes.  For 2 - 6 inch pans I used 2 eggs and added a bit more sugar and flour....kept everything else the same.  

For individual servings, bake for 30 to 35 minutes 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

EASY ANY PIE FILLING COBBLER

Last summer I canned lots of Blackberry Pie Filling......this winter I have been making lots of Cobbler!!  

Easy Any Pie Filling Cobbler

 ½ c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
¾ c. flour
½ t. salt
2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. cinnamon (optional)
¾ c. milk
1 pint pie filling

Melt butter in a 9x9 baking dish.  
Mix sugar, flour, salt and baking powder.
Add milk and mix well.
Pour batter into melted butter – do not stir.
Drop pie filling into batter by spoonsful – do not stir.  
Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown. 
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 

 
For instant pot:  Add 2 cups water and trivet and put cobbler in a round pan that will fit inside on the trivet. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.  Natural release for 10 minutes then release pressure.

For individual servings:  Make in 6 to 8, 4 inch ramekins or mason jars.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Or Cook in the instant pot for 15 minutes and don’t forget to add 2 c. water and a trivet.  

Blackberry Cobbler

I adapted this recipe from a Taste of Home Recipe to use clear jel along with a few other changes.  Served it at Garden Club tonight.  Everyone loved it.  

Blackberry Cobbler
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. Instant clear jel or Tapioca
1/2 t. cinnamon
5 c. fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed
1/4 c. orange juice
DOUGH:
1 c. flour
1/3 c.sugar + 1 T. for topping, divided
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. sour cream or vanilla yogurt
1/2 t. vanilla
1/3 c. milk
3 T. butter, melted
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, clear jel and cinnamon. Add blackberries and orange juice; toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Spoon into a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking soda and salt. Combine the sour cream, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients until smooth. Spread over the berry mixture.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 T. sugar. Bake 20 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Can use with other berries or even peaches.

Dutch Oven Cobbler......Idaho History Pioneer Day

In May, Kasey and I went to Carberry Elementary to help out with their Idaho History Pioneer Day. Tanner & Brody have been studying Idaho History this year in 4th grade.  This was a big activity for all the 4th graders.  It was a big day!  We had lots of fun with 94 - 4th graders and they devoured 7 cobblers and some chocolate chip bars and homemade rolls.

We had a little pretend display showing how the Pioneers would use a tripod and fire to cook.....>>>>>>





Kasey's Dutch Oven Cobbler
2 - 21 oz. cans fruit or pie filling (whatever you like)

1 cake mix, any flavor (white, yellow, chocolate, whatever you like)

1 cube butter, cut into pieces

Dump fruit (juice & all) or pie filling into a 12 inch dutch oven.  Sprinkle evenly with dry cake mix.  Dot with pieces of butter.  Place lid on dutch oven.  Place 8 briquettes on bottom and 16 on top.  Cook until done, about 40 to  60 minutes.  Peek inside occasionally until done. 

You can double this recipe or adapt it to fit any size dutch oven.  Just layer the ingredients to fill your dutch oven and cook until done.  

Since we were doing so many we cheated and baked them in the oven at 350 for 1 hour.  

We made several flavors.

Cherry with Chocolate Cake (2)

Cherry with Vanilla Cake

Apple with Vanilla Cake

Peach with Yellow Cake (2)

We also made some great chocolate chip pan cookies in cast iron skillets.  I doubled the recipe and filled 2 skookie pans  and 2-12" skillets full.  The skookies ran over in the oven!  ugh!!  what a mess that was!!  I prefer to use skillets with sides on them.  

Cast Iron Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. vanilla 

2 c. flour, divided 

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips, divided

Place in mixing bowl:  eggs, both sugars, vanilla, and butter beat well.
Add half the flour into the wet ingredients and mix well.
Add the baking soda, salt & the rest of the flour and mix well.
Add 1 c. chocolate chips and mix in.
Spread mixture evenly in a lightly sprayed cast iron skillet.
Spread the remaining 1/2 c. chocolate chips on the top of the mixture and gently push them in.
Bake at 375 for 13 to 15 minutes.  Don’t overbake as the cast iron pan stays hot and they continue to cook after coming out of the oven.
*** in 2017 a Double batch made enough for 3 – 10”, 1 – 12” & 2 – 5” frying pans.  I baked them all at once on convection bake at 375 for 13 minutes.

We also made a batch of roll dough and actually baked them with briquettes so the kids could see how that is done.  They were beautiful and yummy!!  

A few things we taught them.....

Dutch ovens are made of cast iron.  They are durable, versatile, and economical.  The biggest obstacle is that they are heavy.  But that is a good thing too because they will last forever!   If properly cared for a Dutch Oven will last for 100 years or more.  In fact it will get better and better with lots of use. 

Benefits of cast iron:

• Cooks evenly & keeps food hot for a long time
• Can be used in the oven, on the stove top, with briquettes and over a campfire
• When well-seasoned, the surface is black and is a natural nonstick surface
• The more you use it the better it gets

Caring for your cast iron:

• Soon after using, wash with hot water, do NOT USE SOAP, scrape with a plastic scraper or brush and dry with a paper towel
• Rub with vegetable oil after each use & place a clean paper towel inside & store in a dry place
• If you have not used your dutch oven for several months you will want to heat it up before using it as the oil goes rancid when stored for a long time

How many briquettes do I need to cook at 350 degrees?  Here are 2 rules that will work for any size dutch oven.  Pick the one that is easiest to remember & use it. 

(1)     Take the size of the oven, double it, and then put 1/3 of the coals on the bottom and 2/3 on the top.  Each additional charcoal adds 10-15º to the cooking temperature. 

(2)     There is also the “Rule of 4”.  Take the Dutch oven diameter and add 4, that is the number of briquettes for the lid.  Take the Dutch oven diameter and subtract 4 and that is the number of briquettes for the bottom.  For example, a 12-inch oven will have 16 on top and 8 on the bottom.

You may need to add or subtract depending on the weather conditions.  If it is cold, windy, high humidity or high elevation, it might take more coals to get the same temperature.  If it is hot and sunny, it might take less.

If your food needs to cook longer than 30-45 minutes you may need to add a few more fresh coals. 

Keep your lid on tight and try to reduce the number of times you peak inside, because each time the lid is opened, it will take a little longer to cook.

All in all it was a great day!!!  The twins loved having their DAD at school with them.  

Best Berry Cobbler

Best Berry Cobbler                        Taste of Home
6 c. fresh or frozen blackberries (or berry of Choice)
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1 t. grated lime peel
SOUR CREAM PASTRY:
1-1/3 c. all-purpose flour
3 T. sugar, divided
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
7 T. cold butter, divided
1/2 c. our cream
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

Place the blackberries in a large bowl. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and lime peel; sprinkle over berries and gently toss to coat. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda; cut in 5 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Combine sour cream and heavy cream; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until mixture forms a ball.
Roll out to fit top of baking dish; place pastry over filling. Trim and seal edges; cut slits in top. Melt remaining butter; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.