CK'S KITCHEN: Win over the in-laws with Pioneer Woman's blackberry cobbler

The stakes are always high when you've volunteered to bring dessert to your boyfriend's parent's house for Easter dinner, especially when it's the first time you've shared a major holiday with them. Add in that it's a new recipe and you may be questioning whether I want this relationship to work. This is when I turn to the famous, the tried and true, the Southern cooks who up the ante with whatever-it-takes amounts of sugar and butter. How could a blackberry cobbler from Ree Drummond, the best-selling cookbook author who stars on the Food Network show "The Pioneer Woman," possibly disappoint?! To be honest, no matter how it turned out, it felt better making this new recipe rather than the one I normally followed from my ex-husband's mother. All-purpose to rise As an avid and experienced baker, I can honestly say I've never encountered a recipe that requested self-rising flour. I was perplexed but learned that this varies from typical all-purpose flour because it includes a leavening agent (think baking powder) and sometimes salt. So the homemade recipe is simple: for each cup of flour, add 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I was super excited about the main ingredient: fresh blackberries. Costco was selling its 12-ounce packages of plump berries for less than $3, making them not only delicious but also affordable! I assigned the berry-picking to Erik (my BF) and he was very particular in the selection process. Whole shebang Two quick things I should mention: I chose to use whole milk, because again, when you're making cobbler, you do as the Southerners do and you don't worry about things like calories and fat. I also doubled the recipe since it was the only dessert for the holiday and I have a special white stone 9-by-13 baking dish that is perfect for taking along to special events. With five ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare, this cobbler was truly a seasonal delight and easy to make on a harried holiday schedule that included a three-course breakfast for our crew. Topped with vanilla ice cream, this cake-like cobbler is a crowd-pleaser. His entire family loved it and my daughter's partner declared it "the best cobbler he has ever eaten" after they had a piece for breakfast the next day. Sweet, bursting with berries and baked to a golden brown, this cobbler is special and would be great with any of your favorite berries! Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. The Pioneer Woman's blackberry cobbler 1¼ cups + 2 tablespoons sugar, separated 1 cup self-rising flour (easy homemade version included below) 1 cup milk, any kind, whole is best ½ stick butter, melted (equal to 4 tablespoons) 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, rinsed and patted dry Vanilla ice cream, for serving 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of flour in a large bowl. 3. Stir in the milk, then the melted butter. Mix until well-combined. 4. Pour onto the bottom of a greased 9x9-inch baking dish. 5. Distribute the berries throughout the top. They'll sink in further as they bake. 6. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top, reserving 2 tablespoons for later. 7. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar on top. 8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. 9. Serve immediately, (with ice cream of course)! Note: If using frozen berries, be sure to add them when they're frozen. If you let them thaw, they'll be mushy, and the consistency will be off. Nutrition: Calories: 424 calories; Carbohydrates: 97 grams; Protein: 6 grams; Fat: 3 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 gram; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 grams; Monounsaturated Fat: 1 gram; Trans Fat: 0.02 grams; Cholesterol: 7 milligrams; Sodium: 318 milligrams; Potassium: 394 milligrams; Fiber: 5 grams; Sugar: 69 grams; Vitamin A: 253IU; Vitamin C: 15 milligrams; Calcium: 166 milligrams; Iron: 2 milligrams. SOURCE: thecozycook.com