Carolyn's Oh-So-Easy Cherry Cobbler

My husband's birthday was last month, and I asked him what he wanted for his "birthday dessert." He requested the cheesecake I've made for him for the last few years, and he also asked for cherry cobbler. One of his aunts makes a killer cherry cobbler (memo to self: I need to get that recipe) every year for their family's Christmas gathering, and he wanted a taste of home.

We were attending a party the week before his actual birthday, so I told him I'd bake the desserts for that party - there is no sense in us having two full desserts to eat when it just him and I (and the baby, but she's not quite ready for cheesecake just yet). The party was billed as a holiday party, hosted by some friends, but it was actually a surprise birthday/poker party for my husband. I was very excited about the party, and I was quite pleased with myself for keeping such a secret, and then he found out that the party was for him ... nine hours before the party was to begin. Sigh.

But the party went on, and it was a blast, full of good friends, good times, and of course, good food. I was baking a lot that week for Christmas gifts and gatherings, so I wanted something fool-proof, cheap and simple. I found what I was looking for with this recipe.

I'm not a cobbler expert, but the buttermilk baking mix of this dish definitely came through. I think I was prepared for something sweeter, like a cherry pie, but after I had a few bites, it really started to grow on me. We served it cold, but I imagine it would be absolutely delicious served warm.

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pitted tart red cherries, drained with liquid reserved
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup buttermilk baking mix
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Stir the liquid from the cherries and 1/2 cup sugar together in a small glass bowl; heat in the microwave until the sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

3. Stir the baking mix, 1/2 cup sugar, and milk together in a separate small bowl; mix until you get a moist batter. Spread the mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the cherries evenly over the batter. Slowly pour the cherry juice over the cherries.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
Amount Per Serving:  Calories: 231 | Total Fat: 0.7g | Cholesterol: 2mg

Source: allrecipes.com

A call for help

Fellow bakers,

I have a plea, request, challenge for you all. Call it whatever you want, but I need some help.

I used to bake all the time. For special events. For no reason at all. For my coworkers. For my husband's coworkers. But since I had my daughter, time is tight and baking just isn't something I've had much time to do.

But two of my coworkers have birthdays coming up in the next few weeks (one right before Thanksgiving, the other right before Christmas). I've promised them that I'll bake to observe their special days. One coworker is the least picky person ever. The other isn't picky but is partial to all things pie-like.

I have been combing some of my favorite recipe sites and cookbooks but just haven't been struck by a recipe that screams "Make me! Make me!"

So I'm turning to you for inspiration and direction, faithful readers: What should I make for the birthday baking? I'm hoping to find something easy, delicious and it needs to feed at least 15-25 people (we share our food here). Do you have a tried-and-true recipe? Or a Web site bookmarked with something that you have been dying to make?

Leave a comment or e-mail me at easttowestbakers@gmail.com.

Happy birthday to Meg!

Thursday was Meg's birthday, and because of an uncooperative Blackberry and the fact that I was out of town, I was unable to post this in a timely manner, but ...

Happy birthday, Meg!
Hope it was sugar-filled! :)

I made some fun cookies for Meghan's birthday treat, which I will blog about in the next few weeks.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Kristin and I have a new tradition of sending each other baked goods for special occasions, so as her birthday approached, I asked her whether the baby was craving anything in particular. She said chocolate and sugar were high on the list these days.

Chocolate and sugar? Oh, I can certainly work within those parameters!

I went home and poured over some recipe books. I wanted to try something new, but I wanted to make something from scratch (no cake mix this time - I wanted to mix some good, old-fashioned batter!). And it had to be something that would travel well and withstand some potential heat in either AZ or FL.

I wasn't having much luck until I came upon a recipe that I had printed out and saved years ago but never got around to making: Chocolate Sugar Cookies.

Uh, chocolate? Check. Sugar? Check. Perfect!

These are sort of a chocolate version of Mike's Nana's roll-out cookies. They're a thinner, crispier sugar cookie. They're very light, and a nice summer treat when you want something chocolaty but not too heavy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, sugar, and egg. Stir in syrup and melted chocolate. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon; add to creamed mixture. Chill 1 hour.
3. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on a well-floured pastry cloth. Cut into shapes.
4. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

Source: allrecipes.com

My notes:

1. While I think these are good, I personally prefer a thicker, chewier sugar cookie. Mike prefers them like this. To each their own! If you're a thin, crispy kind of cookie person, these are definitely for you. Next time, I might try to make them a little thicker and cook them the same amount of time to see if they come out a little chewy.

2. The recipe says to bake them for 10-12 minutes. I found that 9 minutes was plenty in my oven. They get overdone very easily, so keep a close eye on them.

3. Kristin informed me that these traveled very well! I lined a container with wax paper, layered the cookies in and stuck paper napkins between each pile, so they wouldn't bump into each other and break too much. Then I topped it off with a couple of paper towels to cushion the top, and sent them off.

4. This batch of cookies made me realize that I really need to invest in some non-holiday cookie cutters. My only two options were stars and cats. Pretty pathetic.

A baker's birthday

Happy birthday to my fellow baker! Kris turns 22 today! (Right, Kris?) ;)

I have baked her a birthday treat, which should be arriving on her doorstep today or tomorrow. As soon as she gets it, I'll be sure to blog all about it. I will give you a hint, though. It involves two of her latest cravings: chocolate and sugar.

Birthday cupcakes

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite coworkers asked me to do him a favor, and it was a favor I could not refuse. His son works in our office, too, and was turning 18 the next day, so the coworker asked if I would mind making something for Ben's birthday. After a few semi-teasing exchanges demanding that this coworker make deadline or stop filing long stories, I agreed to make cupcakes. (Don't hate - I'm a sucker for baking!) I didn't have a ton of time, but I thought I had enough basic ingredients so that I could avoid a trip to the store.

I wanted to try a new recipe, so I searched the internet and found a basic cupcake recipe. I usually make the Wilton buttercream recipe but wanted to try something a bit different without the Wilton meringue powder, too (because I *knew* was out of that).

To me, the cupcakes themselves seemed to lack much of a sweet flavor, but the frosting helped bring that balance back. I might try substituting a different flavor for the vanilla or adding a bit more vanilla next time I try these to give them more of a cake flavor.

Ben loved having a baked surprise at work - he thought no one would even know it was his birthday - and he got a lot of attention once people knew the cupcakes were to celebrate his big day. (He did annoy a few of us with his "I'm so old! I'm working on my birthday" comments - cuz c'mon, kid, you're EIGHTEEN.) Ben shared his birthday treats and left me a super sweet note thanking me for them.

Easy Cupcake

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.

Add eggs to the mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape bowl again. Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.

Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with your favorite frosting recipe or decorate as you desire.

Buttercream frosting

Ingredients

* 1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature (use vegetable shortening when pure white icing is needed)
* 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons vanilla or other desired flavoring
* 2 pounds confectioners' sugar

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix at slow speed until smooth. If stiffer icing is needed, or if the weather is very warm, add a little extra sugar. This recipe is enough to cover and fill a 9 by 13-inch sheet cake or 2 (9-inch) layers.

Sources: cupcakerecipes.com (cupcakes), Food Network (buttercream)

It's a baker's birthday!

My fellow baking blogger is celebrating a birthday today!
If we lived in the same state, I would bake her a cake like the one on the left. Since we live on opposite sides of the country, she gets this pretty picture of a cake instead.
I know, it's so not the same. But it's the thought that counts.
Happy birthday, Kris!