Strawberry Cobbler

Cobblers are an easy dessert and we make many of them at our house. This Strawberry Cobbler uses frozen strawberries. I use frozen fruit whenever I can in the winter. The selection at the grocery store isn’t always the best. It has plenty of nutritional value. The nutrients are locked in and frozen fruit is as nutritional as fresh. Frozen fruits and vegetables help us get our daily servings of fruits and vegetables as outlined by the food guide.

I lived in Iqlauit, Nunavut for sixteen years and that is where I started to use frozen fruit. When my grandson was little we would thaw out blueberries and he called them “blue balls” and it was messy, but good. Don’t be afraid to use frozen fruit. Of course you have to gently fold in when making muffins. I usually dust frozen with a little flour to mix in. This recipe just layers the fruit, and it was delicious.

Cobblers come in all different shapes and sizes. This cobbler has a thick crust, almost like a deep dish pie. We mostly see cobblers with fruit on the bottom and biscuits on top. I like it this way, it is almost like a cake and you can slice it up and put it in lunches.

For more nutrtional benefits read this article https://www.health.com/nutrition/reasons-nutritionist-buys-frozen-fruits-veggies

Another good way to use frozen fruit https://recipesatmytable.com/fruit-crumble/

Ingredients for the Batter

• 1/4 cup butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp amaretto liqueur
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups strawberries ( I used frozen)

Ingredients for the topping

• 1/4 cup each of oat four, granulated sugar and butter
• 1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 350F In a bowl add the egg, amaretto and sugars and cream together.

In another bowl I whisk together the flour and the baking powder.

Take half of the flour mixture and add it to the butter mixture. Mix and pour in half the milk. Repeat this step. You are alternating the dry and wet ingredients.

Now put in the melted butter and give it a quick mix.

Grease and 8 X 8 pan and put in your batter.In a bowl whisk together the oat flour and sugar for the topping. Then cut in the butter.

Place the strawberries over the batter.

Then sprinkle the crumbly mixture over this.

Now sprinkle on the almonds.

Bake for 40 minutes and let it cool.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and Enjoy!!

Lemon Coconut Bars

Coconut appears in so many Christmas cookies. Lemon Coconut Bars are perfect in small bites.  The tangy lemon juice enhances the flavour of the coconut. Lemons are my go-to in sweet and savoury cooking.   It all comes together quite easily for a large pan of YUM!!

My favourite lemons are from the Amalfi region of Italy and this takes me back there.  These lemons are very particular  in shape; they are long and tapered and are double the size of our North American lemons.  What I remember most, is their perfume.  One of my favourite appetizers on the Amalfi is the use of the flesh of lemon dressed with a little salt, olive oil and fresh mint.  Life is simple when you use lemons.  Of course, being half Sicilian, lemons always adorned our table.

I also like these little drop coconut cookies on my blog https://recipesatmytable.com/glazed-fruit-coconut-drops/

Here is a beautiful article about the Amalfi lemon coast https://italialiving.com/articles/travel/savor-the-sweetness-of-the-amalfi-lemon-groves/

Here I am on the Amalfi Coast with the luscious lemons and hot peppers. 

One of the many lemon carts on the Amalfi Coast. 

Ingredients

Base

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 cup cold cubed butter
• 2 large eggs

Topping

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup of cornstarch
• 2 cups water
• the juice of a whole lemon
• the zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Process

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9 X 13 pan. I prepare the cookie base.  Mix together the flour, both sugars, and baking powder.  Stir in your lemon zest.  

  I placed everything in a food processor and I put in the butter and pulsed until it formed coarse crumbs. 

Beat the eggs slightly and add to the food processor until a ball forms.

Press this dough evenly over the baking pan and cook for 12 minutes in the oven.  Take it out and let it cool for about 15 minutes.

While it is cooking, take a small saucepan.  In the pan place the cornstarch and the sugar and mix.  Continue mixing with a whisk and slowly pour in the water.  Place over low heat and stir until it thickens.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice and zest.

Spread over the cookie base and use a spatula or icing knife to cover the base.

Sprinkle with the coconut and press it in lightly to the sauce.  Return to the oven for 30 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting.