Impossible Cherry Berry Cobbler

World Baking Day 2019...
making the impossible, possible!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups coconut
1  1/2 cups frozen cherries and berries
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Butter a deep dish 9" pie shell.
In a blender combine milk, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, butter, salt and vanilla. Mix well.
Add the coconut, lemon juice and zest and blend.

Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cherries and berries on top.

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes. The center will be a little jiggly but will set.
Sorry for the poor quality pictures. They were taken on a very dull day : (

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Meatball Parm Bake

Oven baked meatballs means no stove top splatter!
Serve them with pasta or rice. Or you could use them in a meatball sub!

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

2-28 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 - 2 tbsps olive oil
1 small onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
1 tsp oregano
pinch of fennel seeds
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp sugar
some red wine if you have it ; )
1 or 2 carrots

For the meatballs:
1 lb medium ground beef
3 or 4 tbsps fresh baguette, torn in small pieces
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar or red wine
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp olive oil

1  1/2 - 2 cups pizza mozzarella, shredded

Start the sauce in a large pot...lightly brown onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 1 hour or until the carrots are cooked. Remove the carrots to a plate and purée the sauce with an immersion blender.

For the meatballs, crumble the baguette and soak in 2 tbsps balsamic or red wine for about 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, onion, garlic and parmesan. Combine the eggs, milk and olive oil and add to the meat.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil and spray with cooking oil. Take large heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture, form into balls and place on the baking sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of a baking dish, nestle the meatballs in and cover with more sauce.

Top with cheese and you could add some parsley or oregano.

Bake covered at 375 F for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20 minutes. Broil the top for 2-3 minutes to get it good and golden!

There's enough sauce left for some pasta on the side.
And don't forget to serve those carrots!

Serves 4-6
Makes a dozen large meatballs

Banana Butterscotch Coffee Cake

When you just need a little something to satisfy your sweet tooth....

This coffee cake could be made topped with a light frosting or drizzled glaze, but I prefer it with a smear of butter.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butterscotch chips

Cream the butter and brown sugar together then add the eggs, banana and vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the wet ingredients. Fold in the butterscotch chips.

Spread the batter in a greased 8 X 8" baking dish. It's a little thick as you can see below.

Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Chocolate Raisin Bread Pudding

Presentation of bread pudding when baked in a loaf pan is much more appetizing than the usual bread pudding blob!

Ingredients:
4 cups stale bread, cubed
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsps cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins

I keep a bag in the freezer to collect bread crusts, heels and stale pieces (any kind of bread) until I've accumulated enough for a bread pudding. Then I'm ready to cut it in chunks.

Place half the cubed bread in a greased 9 X 5" loaf pan followed by half the chocolate chips and raisins. Add the remaining bread, then the remaining chips and raisins.

Mix the milk, sugars, cocoa, eggs and vanilla together, then whisk in the melted butter. 

Ladle this mixture into the loaf pan slowly letting it seep down in between the bread. Let it sit 15 minutes. (Sorry for the blurry picture)

Cover with foil and bake on a cookie sheet (because it's pretty full!) at 375 F for 50 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Once cooled it slices perfectly!

No need for pudding sauce as it is sweet enough on it's own.

Mediterranean Garlic Spinach

So simple, yet so darn satisfying!

Ingredients:
3 cups spinach, packed
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp capers with their juice
black olives, about 12
salt and pepper

In a large pan heat the olive oil then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the capers and black olives along with the spinach. Toss and cook 1-2 minutes until the spinach just begins to wilt.

Finish with the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. 

Serves 2

Had it alongside some leftover cooked spaghetti. Warmed the pasta and some cooked chicken in a pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Some of the spaghetti got a little crispy which I thought was yummy...my husband didn't think so though. He did however eat all his spinach!

Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole

Made this a few days after Easter but just got around to posting it now. Don't worry I haven't had leftover ham hanging around this long!

Ingredients:

2 - 3 cups cooked ham, roughly chopped
3 large potatoes (Russet, Yukon Gold) thinly sliced
1 medium sweet potato, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
pinch black pepper
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss)
paprika

Butter a 9" baking dish and layer the potatoes and onions, but not the sweet potato. Next layer the ham on top.

Final layer is the sweet potato.

Now make the sauce...melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook 1 minute more. Add the salt and pepper and pour into the casserole.

Top with cheese and a few sprinkles of paprika and bake at 375 F for 1 hour uncovered or until beautifully golden. The potatoes should be tender, if not pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

Add a quick kale salad to the plate and you have a complete meal!

Serves 4

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Upgrade your beef and broccoli with all the goodies found in this stir fry! Way better than takeout!

Ingredients:

3/4 lb sirloin steak, thinly sliced

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
pinch baking soda
salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 garlic, sliced
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 broccoli, cut in florets
1 large red pepper, sliced
2 small onions, sliced
3 large radishes, sliced
2 cups kale/spinach
3 pineapple rings, cut in chunks 
sesame seeds

Sauce:
1/4 cup water
4 tsps cornstarch
1/2 cup hoisin
3 tbsps brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
pepper to taste

Mix the marinade together...soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and pepper. Add the beef, stir to coat and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup water to a large skillet, add broccoli, cover and bring to a boil for 1 minute, then remove to a plate.

Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in large skillet or wok. Add beef and cook 1 minute, then add the onion, garlic and radishes. Cook 2 minutes.

Stir in the rest of the prepared vegetables and pineapple and cover for 2 minutes.

Make a well in the center and whisk in the sauce, then stir and coat everything for 1 minute.

Look at that glaze!

Serve with rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Serves 4