Strawberry Blueberry Cobbler

 I wanted something with strawberries that was easy. I saw this recipe and made a few minor modifications and this is what I came up with. Rather than putting the cobbler batter on top of the strawberries and then baking, the fruit is placed on top of the batter and it puffs up around it.

Strawberry Blueberry Cobbler

4 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sugar

Zest from one lemon

3/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup milk

 1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 lb clamshell of strawberries, about 4 cups  

1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen and thawed, optional

You can make this without the blueberries.  The fresh ones I had weren’t the greatest so I set out some frozen on a plate and let them thaw. Then I spooned them up leaving the juice behind so I didn’t color the batter blue.

Preheat the oven to 350°. While it is heating wash and cut the strawberries into quarters.

Place the butter in an 8X8 baking dish and pop in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter, about 4 minutes.

In a medium bowl mix the sugar and the lemon zest.  Rub with your fingers to release the lemon oils.

Add the flour, salt and baking powder and whisk to mix.  Then add the milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.

By this time the butter should have melted.  Remove the baking dish from the oven and place on a heat proof surface  it will be hot!

Pour the batter into the butter and then add the strawberries.  Remove the thawed blueberries with a slotted spoon, if using frozen, and sprinkle them evenly over the strawberries.  

Bake until the batter is golden and set in the middle, about 45- 50 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Warm is best!

Serve with whipped cream, or even better, ice cream!

This was a fast and easy cobbler. There is no fussing to plop cobbler batter evenly on top of the fruit. The lemon zest added a brightness to the flavor.

A perfect summer dessert.

Bran Muffins with Prunes

 I'm currently using Tirzepatide to lose weight with the hope that I can get off some of the medications that have slowly creeped up on me.  I have lost weight a whole bunch of times, but I always gain it back eventually.  My Primary Care Practitioner has assured me I can keep it off with microdosing after I get to my desired weight.  I don't really have a number so much as getting off meds, so I guess we will see.

GLP-1's work by slowing down digestion. This gives you the feeling of being full sooner so you stop eating and then it keeps you feeling full so you don't want to snack in between meals.  It's working for me.

But here is the major downside for me, other than most of my new clothes no longer fitting well. Digestion slows down all along the way. I decided to make some bran muffins in aid of better digestion.  

I didn't have a recipe in mind, but I bought some Kellogg's All-Bran and a package of prunes.

I took a tour around the recipes online and didn't see what I had I mind.  I took a little from Column A and some from Column B and came up with this recipe.

    

Bran Muffins with Prunes

2 cups Kellogg's All-Bran

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

1/2 cup prunes, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Mapleine, or 2 teaspoons maple flavoring

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Put paper muffin cups in a muffin tin.  Spray with Pam.  Set aside.

Place the 2 cups of All-Bran in a large bowl. Pour the milk over the it and stir to combine.  Let it soak while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

In a medium bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir to combine.

Chop the prunes and walnuts.  

Add the prunes, egg, oil and Mapleine to the All-Bran mixture and stir it in.

Add the flour mixture to the moist ingredients with the chopped walnuts.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.

Fill the muffin cups.  I used a large ice cream scoop.

Bake for 20. minutes.  Test for doneness with a skewer that comes out clean.

Cool to just warm and serve with butter.

These muffins were tasty and had a just crispy enough top with a moist crumb.  I served them with a smear of butter.  

After they are completely cool put the muffins in an air tight container.  The next day I had one and heated it up in a 350° toaster oven for a few minutes. It was just as good as the first one.  

The digestion aid is yet to be determined.  Whether that is the result or not, it is still a delicious muffin