Blackberry Lemon Cheesecake

Hello everybody!  I love those facebook cooking videos. You know, those videos where you're looking at the food from a bird's eye perspective, or the cook's view? I LOVE THEM. I could watch them all day. everything looks so delicious!

 So I think I belong to more cooking groups than any other facebook group, and now I've passed my obsession with cooking on to my children. Behold... Meyer lemons just waiting for a delicious recipe.
Just a day after I bought a bag, I saw a recipe on facebook for blackberry lemon cheesecake. We knew we had to try it.

 The original recipe had a blackberry puree but we had blueberries, blackberries, and some strawberries left over from the summer.

Berry puree:
1 1/2 berries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Mix in a pan over medium heat, bring to a boil and crush gently. I strained mine because one of my kids wasn't thrilled with the idea of lots of seeds in her cheesecake.

 For the crust, the original called for 12 graham cracker sheets, 1/4 cup sugar, and 5 TBS butter. We upped the butter to 6TBS because it always seems dry, and added a dash of cinnamon.

Cheesecake:

2 packages of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1/4 tsp lemon juice

So, the verdict? It was good. I don't think cheesecake can be NOT good. But it wasn't my favorite recipe. Maybe because I was yearning more for a pound cake than a cheesecake. Maybe because the lemon wasn't that strong. If I made it again, I'd up the zest to 2 tsp, or even 1 TBS. For the amount of cheesecake, it didn't seem very lemon-y.

                                                        
One more shot of those delightful lemons!

 

Cherry Blackberry Jelly and a Flashback!

Hi everybody! Weve been having some wonderful fall fun! 

Here's a shot of my little guy (five years old!) on the dirt bike track. I brought a book, but I did more praying that reading. It was SCARY. But everyone survived and had a wonderful time! *whew*

                                       

This is a random picture of the super moon. I didn't even use the zoom. It was JUST THAT BIG.

Here's Mr. Edward at my desk back in 2010. My sister had given me a computer and I spent every nap time writing. I didn't have an office chair so I sat on an old toy box. The desk we got at a yard sale for $10. A steal, even if the drawers didn't really work!  I was finishing up Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits while my sixth baby nursed or slept in my arms and the older kids rested in the afternoons. Sometimes I think, "Why did it take me two years to write my first book?" Huh. This is why...
Anyway, I found my then 20 month old "talking" on my mouse. HAHAHA! Kids are hilarious.

Anyway, this post is really about blackberry jelly. If you've ever made it, then you know it's pretty straightforward. Cooking the blackberries with sugar, strain them, add the pectin, maybe boil again if it didn't dissolve enough. Well, my friend in Texas said she always adds about a cup of Bing cherries! She said it adds zip and zing.

                                       
I am here to tell you... I have never had jelly disappear so fast. I think there's only one of these little jars left. I'm going to have to make a much bigger batch next time!
  So, if you're a jelly/jam maker, consider adding some Bing cherries to the mix of your fruit. It's a winning combination!

  Take care and I'll see you all in October!!

Blackberry Cobbler

Helllooo, everybody!  I was recently forced out of my cave. Well, I was lured by a large mocha and the promise of some company in the kitchen. A friend told me she was coming. Just like that. I had no choice about the matter. I was going to have to actually brush my hair and put on a shirt without stains.
 (Okay, that's a slight exaggeration. I brushed my hair that morning.)
                                          
 Since we were out of bread and milk and peanut butter and all the other food that children live on, I went to the grocery store before she arrived. And there, I saw blackberries on sale! Score!
 When my college roommate visited a few years ago, she made Pioneer Woman Cooks blackberry cobbler and it lives in my memory as a dish of sugar-crusted perfection. She also gave me her cookbook, along with a picture of them together! Whoohooo! She's met Pioneer Woman!
Since we had everything we needed, we decided to throw it together while her boys and my kids were chasing each other around the house with mini laser guns. (Thanks, Christalee. I'll get even with you someday...)

 Ok, doubling this recipe because... you know... lots of people.
2 sticks (1/2 lb) of butter
2 1/2 cups sugar, and 4 TBS extra
2 cups self rising flour (or normal flour plus 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder per cup)
2 cups milk
2 cups fresh blackberries

 Mmmm. Sweet cocaine.

 Melt the butter and whisk in the flour and the sugar.

 Add the blackberries and sprinkle with sugar.

 Into the oven they go at 350F for one hour!

 This is about 30 minutes in, and they're starting to puff.

 This is about 45 minutes in to the cooking. About now, you can sprinkle the remaining 2 TBS sugar over each one. Or you can misread the directions and do it before they start cooking, like I did. Apparently it doesn't make much difference.

 MMMMM.

 The picture is fuzzy. Probably because I was elbowing kids out of the way so I could take the shot. Suddenly, everybody was in the kitchen!

 After it's cooled about 10-15 minutes you can dish some out and add any leftover berries. It was plenty sweet enough that it didn't need any vanilla ice cream, but PWC says you can add any toppings you so desire.

Closer, closer... YUM. This is probably the easiest recipe I know for a dessert and next time I'd like to try a peach version. Not sure how it will be but I'll keep you updated!

 

Blackberry Zucchini Bread

 So, a few weeks ago I mentioned blackberry zucchini bread. Here it is! Easy peasy. We got this shredded zucchini from a neighbor, so it doesn't have the skin. (We usually leave the skin on. But the skinless looks prettier in this loaf anyway so...)

 Blackberries from along the river. There weren't many this year. SO SAD.

Now, the recipe is something written down on a stained notecard so I'm not exactly sure where it's from. It looks like my friend Eleanor's handwriting so I'm assuming it's a family recipe. She didn't really work from cookbooks. 

 Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup blackberries

 Mmmmmmm. Fresh from the oven.

I love the moistness that the zucchini gives the bread. Of course, that might be the 3 eggs and cup of oil, too. :D But anyway, it was a delicious combination and now on our rotation of baking favorites! I'm curious if it would be as good in banana bread, but I'll have to wait until next year because our blackberries are gone. 

Until next time!