August 22nd, 2011 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
I have a confession to make: I’m not a cook. I have about four go-to dishes that I make pretty well: pork enchiladas, lasagna, crispy rice treats and fruit cobbler. (Chances are anyone who ever has attended the same potluck as I has had one of these four “signature” dishes.)
The secret to these four dishes is that they are all incredibly easy, as in 100% fool-proof. Simple ingredients, plus ample baking time, equal a quick homemade treat that is easy to prepare.
In celebration of blackberry season, which is winding down here in northern Oregon, I’m divulging one of my recipes that found its way in the repertoire, via a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend. This cake-like cobbler is a great way to showcase the fresh blackberries (or any other seasonal fruit) that can be found at any of Washington County’s farmers’ markets.
Blackberry “Qwick” Cobbler
PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees (F)
BOIL 2 cups fresh blackberries (other fresh fruit or canned fruit can be substituted)
(Optional: Add ¼ cup of sugar to fresh berries to sweeten)
MELT 1 cube (3 tablespoons) of butter in an 8×8 or 9×9 non-stick baking dish
MIX 1 cup of flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoons of vanilla (to taste)
POUR mixture into baking dish on top of the melted butter
TOP with berry mixture
BAKE @ 375 until golden brown (approximately 20- 25 minutes)
SERVE warm with dollops of whipped cream or ice cream
This recipe serves 6-8, and can be easily modified for larger (or smaller) servings. It keeps well and is even better the next day, warmed up in the micro.
Bon appétit!
Tags: berry cobbler, farmers markets, Oregon, recipe, washington county
Posted in Food & Drink | No Comments »
November 24th, 2009 by Birgitte
After living in Hawaii for the past three years, I looked forward to having a real Oregon fall. While I enjoyed warm weather and fresh papaya, banana and pineapple, I did miss my fall favorites; the squash, pears, carrots and potatoes so readily available in Oregon.
To fulfill my fall needs I went to the Beaverton Farmer’s Holiday Market this past Saturday. The majority of the vendors were the summer regulars, with a few vendors selling holiday products. Smelling fresh pine greens from the vendor who sold holiday wreaths put me in the holiday spirit. Last Saturday was the final day for this year’s Beaverton Farmers Market, but the Hillsboro Winter Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through December 12th and is located on Main Street between the Civic Center Plaza and the Courthouse.
There were so many varieties of squash available: Spaghetti, Carnival, Heart of Gold, Sweet Dumpling, Buttercup and Delicata–but I couldn’t bypass the butternut squash I needed to make my new favorite soup. This soup has great anti-inflammatory benefits and tastes great! Try it for yourself:
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
This recipe can be altered; the smaller amounts will yield a more mild soup.
1 T. olive oil
2 T-1/2 C onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 med. carrots, peeled and diced
2 t-1 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 -3 t yellow curry powder
1 Large Butternut squash, peeled and cubed (3 large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, can be substituted)
1 t salt or to taste
1 qt. chicken broth
1 can lite coconut milk
Put the olive oil in a large pot and add the onions, garlic, carrots and ginger. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions become translucent and the carrots are softened. Stir occasionally.
Add the cubed butternut squash, salt, curry powder and chicken broth, adding water if necessary to cover the squash. Bring to a moderate boil, then reduce and simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer, covered, until squash is tender, about 15-25 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Puree the soup with a hand-held immersion blender, or ladle the soup into a blender and puree in small batches. Use caution when pureeing hot soup—cover the blender lid with a towel, and push firmly on the lid.
Leftovers freeze well in Ziplock bags.
Tags: beaverton, farmers markets, recipe, squash
Posted in Holiday, Seasonal Fun | No Comments »
I have a confession to make: I’m not a cook. I have about four go-to dishes that I make pretty well: pork enchiladas, lasagna, crispy rice treats and fruit cobbler. (Chances are anyone who ever has attended the same potluck as I has had one of these four “signature” dishes.)