Berry Buckle for 5

A few weeks ago, the kidlets and I went on our first, of what I hope to be many, berry picking walks in the front field. It was an adventure for us - surviving blasting heat, prickers, a run in with poison ivy, and a collapsing stone wall leaving Puckstopper breathless. From our four mighty yet easily dropped containers, we yielded 2 cups of fresh black and rasp berries. The perfect incentive to not eat the precious bounty of our picking, Berry Buckle for dessert.

We had enough for HALF a recipe. So here is a modified berry Buckle, for a family of five. I baked it in a loaf pan.

Ingredients
Fruit
2 cups berries - any variety! (only strawberries need to be cut)
A couple tablespoons of sugar (only really for tarter berries)
A dash of water if needed

Cake
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
grated peel from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
sprinkling of cinnamon

Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly coat a shallow casserole dish with spray.
3. Combine berries, sugar and water in baking dish.

















4. Using electric mixer in another bowl, combine cake ingredients one at a time.

5. Spoon over berry mixture, leaving center uncovered.

6. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean.

8. Remove from over and let cool a bit.































9. Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Fritattas!

I'm making a Fritata tonight, and it is the first of this gardening season, so it looks like it is time to post. This is a family favorite and exceptionally handy tonight with 2 hard working men in the house who also need breakfast bright and early in the morning. This is SO SIMPLE and so versatile for breakfast lunch or dinner!!! You decide the ingredients and don't have to use cheese - or egg yolks. Very versitile and excellent for using up extra veggies from the garden!

Ingredients:
glass pie pan
2 TBS olive oil
6 eggs (lightly scrambled). Start with 6, if not enough to cover at end, make sure you have a few extra on hand.
onions
cheese (shredded, crumbled or even curds)

your choice of hard veggies:
onions, squash, broccoli, beans, etc.

your choice of soft veggies:
peppers
herbs
tomatoes

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 425o.
   
2. Slice or dice your hard veggies and layer on bottom of pan (no more than 1/2 high.) Cook for 25 to 20 min , stirring once, or until browning or caramelizing.
   
3. Remove from oven.
4. Sprinkle with 1/2 cheese, and add 1/2 the 6 eggs. Layer soft veggies on top but not to lip of pan.
   
5. Cover with remaining cheese. Pour eggs over - making sure the contents are covered (wet).
6. Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 min., until browning on edges, and center is solid and not wobbly.

Appletini