We had friends over for dessert this weekend. We sat in the backyard and enjoyed the beautiful summer weather we are FINALLY having. We had been to the farmer’s market the day before so I had a refrigerator full of fresh berries and some ripe strawberries in the garden so I was having a hard time deciding what to make for dessert – so many choices.

I decided on Marionberry Cobbler. I had just made it the week before and I don’t usually repeat a recipe quite so soon but I was still dreaming about this cobbler. Warm and soft on the inside and crisp and sweet on the top – yum!

The recipe, which is in her cookbook, is from the ever wonderful Pioneer Women. I found that her recipes rarely disappoint.

The cobbler is an easy one to make. Just a mixture of sugar, flour, milk, butter and berries. My favorite part is the sugar you sprinkle over the top right before baking and right before it comes out – it gives it that extra sweetness and crispness that I love.

The recipe calls for blackberries. I used marionberries which we grow here in Oregon. A combination of a raspberry and a blackberry. Or you could use raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or any wonderful combination there of.

Of course, at our house, cobbler MUST be eaten with ice cream. Vanilla ice cream. I just happened to have some homemade ice cream in the freezer but any good vanilla ice cream will do.

Just in case you are wondering – here’s a marionberry, ripening on the vine…

Marionberry Cobbler

ala Pioneer Women

• 1 stick butter
• 1-¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup mMilk
• 2 cups blackberries, marionberries,raspberries or blueberries or a combination (frozen or fresh)

Melt butter in a dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.

Now rinse and pat dry the berries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle berries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done. I desire.

One of our families favorite things to throw on the grill is  pork tenderloin.  It is so easy to grill and always comes out tender and moist.

In fact, pork tenderloin is our go to Sunday meal.  I just put it in some marinade the night before and when we get home from church it is ready to throw on the grill.  I like to buy the smaller tenderloins.  I usually pick up the double pack at Costco.  You actually end up with four smaller tenderloins, two in each package.  I usually just throw one pack in the freezer and cook up the other.

This week I marinaded it in some pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar and soy sauce which helps make the meat tender.  But the best and easiest part of the whole thing was I basted it (rather my husband basted it as he is the grillmaster at our house) with orange marmalade.  I just heated it up in a sauce pan to thin it out and make it easier to work with.  Baste it 4-5 times during the cooking process and you end up with a sweet, lovely coating on your tenderloin.  You could also use some type of pepper jelly or jalapeno jelly for a different twist!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Orange Marmalade

1 C pineapple juice

1/4 C apple cider veingar

1/4 C soy sauce

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin

1 12 oz. jar of orange marmalade

Combine juice, vinegar and soy sauce and marinade pork for at least one hour or over night in the refrigerator.

Warm marmalade in a small pan over medium heat until melted.  Reserve 1/4 cup for basting.

Grill pork until it reaches 160 degrees basting with reserved marmalade for the last 5-10 minutes.  Slice pork and serve with remaining warmed marmalade on top.

Two of my personal favorite are Beaverton Farmer’s Market and the Portland Farmer’s Market.  You will usually find us at one or the other every Saturday morning during the spring/summer.  I love buying and cooking with fresh local produce.  Eating real food not only is better for you, it just tastes better!

For the last few weeks I have been picking up a bunch of these beauties every week!

We LOVE asparagus at our house.  I usually just roast it in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt just until tender.  There is nothing worse than over cooked asparagus – yuck!  Depending on the size of your asparagus it doesn’t take long.  I heat my oven up to 400 degrees, drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and a dash of salt and then pop it in, usually for only 5 minutes since I tend to buy my asparagus fairly thin when possible.  After you pull it out just give it a sprinkle of some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Heaven!  For more specific directions check out my recipe for Parmesan roasted asparagus!

This weekend, after our trip to the market to pick up another fresh bunch of asparagus along with a few other items, I decided to try something  a little different.  I roasted it in the oven just like normal but after I pulled it out I covered it with a little browned butter, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.  It turned out to be a perfect combination.

If you are in the Portland metro area and looking for a Farmer’s Market in your neighborhood check out this great list of Portland metro area Farmer’s Markets.

Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter, Balsamic Vinegar and Soy Sauce

1 bunch (about 20-25) spears of asparagus,  trim off white, woody ends

olive oil

sea salt or kosher salt

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place asparagus on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt.  Roast in oven just until tender.  Time will vary depending on size of asparagus, 5-10 minutes.

While roasting melt butter in a sauce pan.  Cook until the butter turns brown.  Do not let it burn!  Add balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.

Remove asparagus from oven and place on serving dish.  Drizzle with browned butter mixture and eat immediately.

I now have a new one to add to the list.  Today’s recipe – Garlic Chicken Farfalle.

This recipe make a lot, in fact it makes enough to feed our family and have plenty to take to another family.  The recipe was given to me by my friend Sherra but she got it from a favorite blog of ours that has lots of amazing free fonts to download.  We are both self proclaimed “font junkies!”

This recipe calls for you to cook the chicken in a crock pot which gives you a nice moist and tender shredded chicken.  If you don’t have a crockpot you can cook it in your oven at 200 degrees for 6 hours.  The mesquite lime marinade gives the chicken an amazing flavor.  Combine that flavor with the bacon and cheese and you have a winner.

Our family loved this recipe and I can’t wait to make it again!  Don’t wait until someone has a baby or gets sick to give this recipe a try.

Becky Higgins’ Garlic Chicken Farfalle

16 oz. Farfalle pasta ( I used penne pasta, it really doesn’t matter)
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper (I used about half of this)
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

Place chicken in crock pot with bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.  Enjoy!

I’m not a huge fan of the mall food court but if I find myself starving or the kids are starving during a trip to the mall my first choice is always the food booth with the orange chicken!

I love taking my favorite “eating out” foods and trying to create them at home.  One day I was over at Tasty Kitchen Blog, one of my favorite recipe sites and  I found a recipe for Orange Chicken.  This version is better than the mall version.  The flavor is perfect but there is less breading and more chicken.  There is nothing worse then biting into a piece of orange chicken and all you find is breading – no chicken!

This version is lightly breaded in flour and then fried in oil quickly. Even though it is fried it does not have a heavy, greasy taste or feel to it.

The sauce which uses orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and various seasonings has a nice sweet tangyness to it.

So next time you’re craving mall food, no need to head to the mall.  Just stay home and enjoy!

Orange Chicken

Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1 ½ C all purpose flour
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Oil (for frying)
Orange Sauce-
1 ½ C water
2 Tbsps orange juice
¼ C lemon juice
1/3 C rice vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp orange zest (grated)
1 C packed brown sugar
½ tsp ginger root (minced)
½ tsp garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp green onion (chopped)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions

I don’t think so.  I love chocolate but chocolate  combined with caramel is pure heaven.

When I first saw this recipe in my mom’s new Southern Living Cookbook I knew I would be making them – soon!

They did not disappoint!  The brownie is full of chocolate and topped with a creamy caramel frosting.

They are a perfect addition to any upcoming summertime picnic or just because.  They are guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate craving you may have.

You need a candy thermometer to make the frosting.  If you don’t have one, borrow one from a friend or go buy yourself one.  You’ll be glad you did!

Double Chocolate Brownie with Caramel Frosting

2 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

2 (1-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking squares

1 C butter, softened

2 C sugar

4 large eggs

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C chopped, toasted pecans, divided  (I didn’t use)

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Caramel Frosting

Microwave chocolate squares in a small bowl at medium heat until melted.  Stir chocolate until smooth.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.  Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Add flour and salt, beating at low speed just until blended.  Stir in vanilla, 1/2 C pecans, and 1/2 C chocolate chips.  Spread batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C pecans and 1/4 C chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  Frost evenly with Caramel Frosting.

Caramel Frosting

3/4 C butter

2 C sugar

1/2 C buttermilk

12 large marshmallows

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp baking soda

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat.  Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234 degrees (soft boil stage)  Remove from heat.  Beat at high speed for 5-7 minutes or until frosting thickens and begins to lose its gloss.

We love nice, hearty, healthy pancakes like these oatmeal pancakes.

And we love a nice light, delicate pancake like today’s recipe for Swedish Pancakes.

I used my trusty old cast iron skillet to make them but any nice frying pan will do. There is just something about cooking in cast iron that I think makes food taste better!

The trick to getting a nice smooth batter without a lot of lumps is to use your blender – just toss the ingredients in and blend!

We like to serve Swedish Pancakes with fresh, yummy strawberries, real maple syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

They are just as yummy with powdered sugar sprinkled on top and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice!  Swedish Pancakes are more crepe like than pancake like.  I am thinking they would also be good with some Nutella and bananas on top!

We actually enjoy Swedish Pancakes for dinner as much as we do for breakfast!

What’s your favorite pancake topping??

Swedish Pancakes

8 Tbsp butter

1 C flour

1 3/4 C whole milk

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Powdered sugar, lemon juice, maple syrup, strawberries for topping.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 10 inch nonstick or cast iron skillet.  Combine the flour, milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.

Heat oven to 200 to keep cooked pancakes warm while you continue cooking additional ones.

Heat skillet over medium heat or until a drop of water sizzles in the pan.

Add 1 tsp butter, coat the pan with melted butter.  Pour a scant 1/3 cup of batter and quickly swirl the pan to evenly coat the bottom.

Cook until the pancake sets, about 1-2 minutes.  Using a spatula, lift the pancake by the edge and turn;  cook until lightly golden on the other side, about 15-30 seconds.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm in oven while making the others.  Repeat with butter and batter – will make about 12 pancakes (depending on the size of your pan)  If the batter seems too thick, thin it with a bit of warm water.

You can serve the pancakes, flat and open or I like to fold them into fourths – they look prettier that way!

When you think of strawberries and dessert I bet the first thing that comes to mind is strawberry shortcake.  A very worthy use of strawberries but I have to admit not my favorite.  I have yet to find a shortcake that I’m really crazy about.  Most of the ones I have tried have been fairly dry.

May I suggest an alternative to shortcake – buttermilk cake!

Buttermilk cake is a nice light, moist cake with a whip cream frosting.  The perfect topping for it is of course, fresh strawberries!

Made in a spring form cake pan there is no need to mess with layers and filling in between.  The recipe calls for cake flour which makes for a nice light cake but it also gives a cake a tendency to fall.  I didn’t have that problem with this cake but have had in the past.  If the cake does fall just fill in the hole with lots of the whip cream frosting – yum!

One tip to prevent a cake from falling is DO NOT open the oven during baking!

After you remove the cake from the oven you will poke holes in the cake (I used a bamboo skewer), be sure and poke lots of holes – you want the simple syrup to have lots of places to ooze down into – the more the better!  This is what makes the cake so nice and moist.  Be sure and poke holes around the outside edges too and be sure the cake is warm when you pour the syrup over the holes.  Let the cake sit for a few minutes after so that liquid has plenty of time to be absorbed into the cake.

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Cake

2 C cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 tsp  vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 C buttermilk

Turn oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a 9 inch round of parchment paper. Spray the paper.

In a medium bowl  sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a another medium bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk ending with flour.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden, about 40-45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. With the cake still in the pan, poke holes all over the top with a toothpick or bamboo skewer. Slowly and evenly pour the simple syrup over the top of the cake. Let cake sit for an additional 20 minutes to be sure all the syrup gets soaked in.

Remove cake from pan and invert onto a cake plate. Spread whipped cream all over the tops and sides of the cake. Refrigerate until serving time.

For the simple syrup:
1/2 C water
1/2 C sugar

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Sugar should be dissolved. Pour clear syrup into a small pitcher and set aside to cool completely.

For the whipped cream:
2 C heavy whipping cream
1/2 C powdered sugar

In a large bowl, pour in heavy cream. With mixer on medium high, beat cream until frothy.Add in powdered sugar and continue to beat until cream is thickened and holds a stiff peak. Spread whipped cream around the sides and on top of the cake. Keep refrigerated until serving.

They freeze really well so be sure and put any leftover waffles into the freezer for a quick and easy, last minute breakfast or snack.  Just pop them into the toaster and you are good to go!

We enjoyed them with maple syrup and strawberries but they would be yummy with jam or just plain butter.

Made exclusively with whole wheat flour and old fashioned oatmeal you would expect a heavy and dense waffle but they aren’t – they make a nice crisp, light waffle.

Another fun trick we like to use with our waffles is to fry up some bacon and break into pieces and then add that to the waffler batter  – so good!

Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Waffles

1 C whole wheat flour

1 C old fashioned oats

1 Tbsp and 1 tsp baking powder

3 Tbsp sugar or honey

3 Tbsp canola oil

1 1/4 C buttermilk

1/2 C water

1 egg

Combine dry ingredients.  Whisk together wet ingredients.  Pour wet into dry and stir until combined.  Heat waffle iron and spray with non-stick spray.  Pour in about 1/2 cup batter and cook until brown and crisp.

Enjoy!

Another one of my favorite things to do is to try and recreate at home an amazing dish I have had at a restaurant.

I recently enjoyed lunch with a friend at the Hands on Cafe, a fun little student run cafe at the School of Arts & Crafts on the west side of Portland.  The menu is limited but always amazing using fresh, local ingredients.

The day we were there they served a yummy lemon pound cake with lemon curd and whip cream.  My friend had to stop me from licking the plate!  We had decided to split a piece and did I regret that decision! The cake was delicious but the addition of the lemon curd was truly amazing.

I rushed right home to try and recreate this amazing dessert.  The only problem with the Hands on Cafe is their menu changes on a daily basis and you never know when they might offer that lemon pound cake again.

Now I don’t have to worry because I can make it anytime I want – at home!

Remember – this cake MUST be served with the lemon curd and whipped cream.  Making lemon curd is a little bit of work but so worth it!!

Lemon Pound Cake

2 C sugar

1 C butter, softened

4 eggs

3 C flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C buttermilk

1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon peel

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Glaze

1 1/4 C powdered sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

1-2 Tbsp. milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine sugar and butter in large bowl.  Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.  Continue beating, adding eggs one at a time until well mixed.  Reduce speed to low.  Beat, gradually adding flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt alternately with buttermilk and scraping bowl often, until well mixed.  Add lemon peel and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.  Continue beating until well mixed.

Spread batter into a greased and flour 12 cup Bundt pan or a 10 inch angel food cake pan.  Bake for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely.

Stir together powdered sugar, 2 tsp lemon juice and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl.  Drizzle over cooled cake.

Lemon Curd

4 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Fill a medium pot 1/3 full of water and bring to a very low boil.

In a medium heatproof bowl or double broiler whisk together egg yolks, egg, sugar.  Whisk in 1/2 cup lemon juice.

Set the bowl or double boiler over the pot of water making sure water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.  Strain the curd into a bowl.  Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.  Chill curd until ready to use.

Whipped cream sweetened with a little powdered sugar and vanilla to top off the cake!