Ma What's For Dinner?

In honor of America’s birthday we decided to get a little  cheeky with breakfast this weekend.  Yes of course we made chocolate chip pancakes, it would hardly be a Fitzpatrick weekend without them…but we also whipped up some dutch babies dressed up 4th of July style with a our red white and blue topping.

Serves: 6  Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 30 minutes

4 T butter

4 eggs

1 c. milk

1 c. flour

¼ sugar

1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine eggs, milk, flour, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk well.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  When butter has melted pour batter into skillet and transfer into oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Sides will be golden brown and puffy.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.  Top with our red white and blue topping…

Red White and Blueberry Topping

1 T butter

1 fuji apple cored and sliced

1/2 t salt

1 T sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1 handful blueberries

1 T powdered sugar

While your dutch baby is cooking in the oven heat a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add the butter and allow it to melt.  Toss in your apples, regular sugar, salt and cinnamon and toss to coat.  Turn heat down to medium and allow to simmer and get all soft and yummy.  After about 10-15 minutes add in your blueberries and turn down to low.  Let it continue to cook while you wait for your dutch babies to finish.

Pour into the center of your dutch babies just before serving and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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So you all know that I went berry picking with the kiddos.  They had a blast and can’t wait for the berry seasons, apple seasons, corn seasons, etc that are upcoming.  But to go with my farm fresh strawberries we went on down to the old town farmer’s market.  I was so excited.  Our town’s first farmer’s market of the season…

Well to say that I was disappointed is an understatement.  I know it’s not a huge town but it apparantly boasts quite a number of farms here and to see three tiny little stalls was, well, heartbreaking.  So I picked up some rhubarb to couple with my berries and some dandelion leaves that you’ll be seeing in a yummy recipe or two upcoming and went home dejected.

Welcome to the small town I guess.  Not like back in LA.  Apparantly there are a boat load of bigger ones around.  We’ll have to check those out…soon!  I did make a yummy pie though.  Check it out.

For the pie crust:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled + 2 T cut into small pieces

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

1 t salt

3 T sugar

8 to 12 tablespoons ice water

2 T cream

1 T sugar in the raw

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Put 2 sticks of butter, flour, salt and sugar in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer dough onto counter and split into two equal portions. Wrap each of them separately in plastic wrap and allow to chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  You can do this the day before if you want.

Remove 1 portion from the fridge to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the pie ingredients.  

For the filling:

3 1/2 cups rhubarb sliced

1 16 oz container strawberries hulled &  halved

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t salt

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to coat well.  Set aside.

Pull the first crust in the pie plate out of the fridge and fill with berry mixture.  Top with remaining cut up butter.  Top with rolled out second pie crust and crimp edges decoratively.  Cut a few slits into the top of your pie to allow the steam to escape.  Brush top dough with cream and sprinkle with sugar in the raw.  Place pie on a baking sheet and slide into your 400 degree oven.  Cook for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 350.  Cook for an additional 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with whip cream or ice cream.  So so good!!

Hey there Tuesday pals.  If you’re here from FMBT and TTA please leave me a note and let me know where I can find you and return the love!

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We’re on our way to go berry picking today.  After moving to such a rural area we’re embracing our farmer neighbors and going out to get our berry on.  Ok, for the record, it’s hardly rural…but when you’ve lived in nothing but big cities, LA, NYC, and Boston, then move to a place where there’s only 4 or 5 streets in town you’re allowed to drive over 25 mph it’s a huge adjustment.  And my house is on an entire acre!  An ACRE!!!  You have any idea what this would cost in LA County????  I don’t even want to think about it.  Anyway, we’re off to pick strawberries today.  I think a strawberry rhubarb pie might be in order shortly but in the meantime you’ll have to check out my blueberry/peach cobbler.  It’s insane.  Yeah, I said it, INSANE!!!  I dare you to make it and not eat the whole thing in one sitting…

4 c                                    blueberries

4                                     peaches, peeled and sliced

2 sticks                        unsalted butter, divided

1 c                                    sugar, divided

2 T                                    corn starch

1 T                                    lemon juice

1 t                                    ground cinnamon

¾ t                                    salt, divided

1 ½ c                                    all purpose flour

2 T                                    baking powder

¾ c                                    heavy cream

1 whole                        egg

1 T                                    water

2 T                                    sugar in the raw

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a large pot melt 4 T butter.  Cut remaining butter into cubes and place in freezer.  Add blueberries, peaches, and ½ cup sugar to the melted butter.  Stir in corn starch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ¼ t salt.  Mix well, and turn off heat.

In your food processor sift in flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and remaining salt.  Pulse quickly to combine.  Add in butter from the freezer and pulse until the flour mixture looks like sand.  Pour in cream and pulse again quickly just until the dough comes together and is slightly sticky.

Beat your egg in a small bowl and add water.  Set aside.

Pour your fruit mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.  Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the fruit mixture, spread it out as it will all cook together in the oven.  Brush the top of the batter with egg wash then sprinkle on sugar.

Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch “bubble over” and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with ice cream or whip cream.  You kids are sure to love this fruit!

Meaty Morsel:  Switch up your fillings with this cobbler.  Try raspberry/nectarine or peach/apple, or mixed berry!  It’s always delicious and a big crowd pleaser.

I’m linking up today to meet some new Thursday friends.  If you’re new here, welcome.  Pull up a chair.  Can I get you a cup of coffee with your cobbler?

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Serves: 6   Prep time:  30 minutes  Cook time: 15 minutes

1 ¾ c  All Purpose Flour

3  1/2 t  Baking Powder

¾ t        Kosher salt

3/4 t     cinnamon

1/2 t     all spice

1/2 t    ground nutmeg

3 T         Granulated sugar

1 1/2  c  Milk

1 large    Egg

1 t            Real Vanilla Extract

3/4 can real pumpkin puree

In a medium size bowl combine the dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center and add in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.

Fold in pumpkin puree being sure not to overmix, this will toughen the pancakes.  Let your batter rest for 15 minutes before you cook them.

Preheat your frying pan to medium heat.  You’ll know it’s hot enough when a drop of water skips along the surface.  Melt a bit of butter on the pan.  Using a ladle drop about 1/3 cup batter onto your buttered pan for each pancake.  When you see bubbles all over the top of the pancake, it’s time to flip.  Flip only once and don’t press down on your pancake or they won’t be light and fluffy.  When the second side is browned pull them off and keep them warm under some tinfoil on a plate.

Top with butter and syrup or sprinkle with powdered sugar.  The kids will devour these!  Mine do!

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Serves:  12 (but if my hubs is involved then it serves 1)

Prep time: 10 minutes  Cook time: 50 minutes

Butter, for greasing pan, plus 2 sticks butter, melted and divided

1 package store bought chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

3 T cocoa powder

1 16 oz box powdered sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 x9 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1^st stick of melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside. In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder.Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

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