Pies – The Top “Ate”

Posted on February 25, 2016 by empirewriter

by Heather Harris Brady

Since we’re on the eve of the Oscars, and in the interest of giving you a way to quickly find some of the most popular recipes on this site I’m going to start doing some “Top Ate” posts every once in a while. I’m using the number of reader likes as the rating system. Today’s category – pies!

8. Key Lime

7. Peach Melba

The next three are in a three-way tie:

6. Fresh Peach

5. Mixed Berry

4. Rhubarb Streusel

3. Sweet Potato Pumpkin

This one’s a little bit of a stretch, but these were really popular and some places call them hand-pies, so…

2. Quick Fruit Turnovers

And the ~~Oscar~~ award for most popular pie goes to:

Apricot Crostata!

My grandpa would be so proud, apricots were his favorite fruit and we always had a tree in our yard throughout my childhood 😉

Three years ago: Buttermilk Biscuits
Two years ago: Chocolate Cupcakes (Vegan, Lactose Free)
One year ago: Steamed Custard Buns

Double Berry Cookies

Posted on August 5, 2015 by empirewriter

by Heather Harris Brady

Judging by the amount of pie searches on this site it looks like a lot of you are baking, so rock on! As long as you have the oven on you might think about throwing in a batch of these cookies. They are based on one I grabbed from a local coffee shop. I wasn’t expecting much, because it was obviously a scoop-and-bake, but it turned out to be amazing. Soft, and chuck full of oatmeal and yummy berries. It was probably also chuck full of sugar, so I decided to recreate them my own way.

These are still soft, bursting with oatmeal and berries, but they have lots of other good things as well – like a granola bar merged with a thick oatmeal cookie. I used dried cranberries and fresh blueberries, but you could sub in most any berry that strikes your fancy. With all the whole grains and berry goodness here, you might even be able to justify having cookies for breakfast!

Double Berry Cookies, Makes about 12 4″ cookies

1/2 stick of butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. milled flax seed (optional)
1/3 c. milk
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375. Cream the butter and sugar together well, then add the egg. Beat for one minute on high, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients, beat on medium until well combined.

Then beat in the milk and continue beating on high for one minute, until the batter is thick and fluffy. Fold in the berries by hand.

Drop the batter onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cool on racks and store covered in an air-tight container.

Two years ago: Cheesecake Ice Cream with Cherries Jubilee
One year ago: Fresh Raspberry Cake Roll

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Berry Crumb Cake

Posted on September 2, 2013 by empirewriter

by Heather Harris Brady

I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend! This cake is a fabulous way to celebrate the fruit of summer. I’ve used a mixture of blueberries and raspberries, but it would work with peaches, blackberries, and just about any other soft, juicy fruit. The cake is muffin-like in texture, and with a pretty yellow crumb that sets off the colors of the fruits.

Berry Crumb Cake, Makes One 8″ Square Cake

6 T. soft butter
2/3 c. sugar
Zest from one lime
2 eggs
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. semolina pastry flour
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/3 c. buttermilk (or 1/3 c. regular milk with 1/2 t. vinegar added)
1 c. blueberries
1 c. raspberries

For the crumb topping:
2 T. butter
1/3 c. rolled oats
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 T. flour
1 T. oat bran
2 T. brown sugar

Toss the berries with 2 T. of flour and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350.

Put the 2/3 c. sugar in a mixing bowl and work the zest into it with your fingers.

Cream in the butter, and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.

Combine the flours, baking soda and baking powder. Stir one half of the flour mixture into the batter, stir in the milk, then stir in the rest of the flour.