Disney in December: Hollywood Studios

The family and I headed to Florida this past week for our (almost) annual trip to Disney World! The six of us started our first day at Hollywood Studios. We rode some of our favorite rides, did some shopping, and of course spent quite a bit of time at our favorite, The Osborne Family Lights! It always puts me in the Christmas spirit year after year.

Cast Iron Blueberry Cobbler

Ever since my childhood pastor, Art, gave us a cast iron skillet for our wedding I've been finding all kinds of recipes that specifically tell you to use one. You can use it on the stove top or oven, so it's definitely a nice pan to have in your cabinet. My favorite cookbook currently is One Pan, Two Plates that uses a cast iron skillet in every recipe!

Here's Jake and my current favorite dessert using our old faithful skillet.

Cast Iron Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon minced dried lavender 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

• 1 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 scraped vanilla bean
• 2 cups blueberries
• Vanilla Bean ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving, optional

Note: I couldn't find it in time, so I did not use the dried lavender. I also substituted 1 tsp of vanilla extract for the vanilla bean and it worked fine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the butter in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet and transfer to the preheated oven to melt.

Meanwhile, mix together the flour, baking powder, lavender and salt in a bowl. Stir in the milk, 1 cup sugar, the lemon juice, zest and vanilla to combine. Mix together the remaining tablespoon sugar and the blueberries in another bowl. Remove the hot skillet with the melted butter from the oven and pour in the batter. Top with the sugared blueberries. Bake until brown and the batter has risen up and around the fruit, about 30 minutes.

Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream. 

Enjoy! :)

Bits and Pieces of Fall

Now that December is here, I realize what a wonderful fall we have had. Full of trips and fall activities that always add up to this being my favorite season.

Beautiful trees in our yard and on our drives .

 


Sharing apples and conversation with good friends.

 

Enjoying multiple concerts, including an amazing one by The Lone Bellow.

Watching the Bengals vs. Browns in great seats, then outrunning a tornado to get home.

 

Enjoying a chicken dinner with my favorite vet on Veteran's Day.

...and cheering on the #1 Pacers during multiple games since October.