Blackberry Cobbler Bread

5 c Fresh blackberries
1 1/4 c Sugar
3 1/2 tb Sifted flour
Butter

Dough:
2 c Flour
2 tb Sugar
4 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 c Butter
1/2 c Milk

Toss 5 cups fresh blackberries with 1 1/4 cups sugar and pour them into a well buttered 1 1/2 quart oblong baking dish. Sprinkle 3 1/2 tablespoons sifted flour pver the berries, dot them with butter, and set them aside.

Into a bowl, sift 2 cups flour with two tablespoons sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and cream of tartar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. With a fork, stir in 1/2 cup milk and form the mixture into a ball. Roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick on a floured board. Cover the blackberries with the dough and trim the edges. Cut a vent in the center of the dough and sprinkle the top generously with sugar. Bake the cobbler in a hot oven (400F.) for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Drizzle a little heavy cream across the top, and enjoy.

Sweet Potato & Noodle Soup

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover vegetables.

Ingredients
sweet potatoes (3 large potatoes)
onion (1 medium or half a large onion)
garlic (1 or 2 cloves)
celery (4 or 5 stalks)
carrots (3 large or 5 small)
water (enough to cover vegetables plus about a cup extra)
noodles (I use Country Pantry – Homemade Style Egg Noodles. You want a thicker noodle, so regular egg noodles won’t work well and will be mushy.)
basil
oregano
sage
salt
pepper
butter
cinnamon

cream

Peel carrots and potatoes. Slice into even sized pieces. Slice celery. Chop onion and finely mince garlic. In a small sauce pan melt butter, and add onion and garlic. Season with a dash of salt and pepper and cook until onions are translucent, and you get some browning on the bottom of the pan. In a large stew pot add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Fill with water to completely submerge vegetables and then add another cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic and bring to a slow boil. After boiling add basil, oregano, and sage. I have no clue how much I add. Maybe a teaspoon of each. Let simmer until potatoes are falling apart and carrots are softened. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and about a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Add noodles and let simmer until noodles are softened. Now, this is where the recipes can get a bit dicey. If the soup hasn’t thickened, add roughly a 1/2 cup to 3/4 of a cup cream and simmer for a few minutes longer. This should thicken the soup and make it rich and creamy. However, if your soup has thickened enough due the the potatoes and noodles absorbing the water you can choose to leave the cream out if you’d like a bit of a healthier version. Or, add the cream in even if it’s thickened.

Garnish with several triangles of Havarti cheese and avocado. You can garnish with bread croutons or eat this with a grilled chicken breast and a slice of crusty bread.

Good evening ladies. Enjoy your Starbucks latte in the mornings? Why not save a few pennies, and try this one at home.

This recipe is just a guideline. I don’t usually follow these exact measurements or combinations.
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup eggnog
1.5 fluid ounce jigger brewed espresso, or regular brewed coffee or instant coffee
1 pinch ground nutmeg or cinnamon or a little of both

Warm milk and eggnong slightly. Add hot coffee and pinch of nutmeg. Stir briskly! Enjoy.

As I said above, I’ve messed with this recipe to suit my tastes. I love strong coffee with a just a slight bit of cream, so I use less milk and eggnog. I’ve also made this recipe with strong instant coffee. Not my favorite way to enjoy a latte, but it works well when you want a “Faux-tte”. (And yes, that’s my word!)

Have a fabulous evening.