Baked Ricotta with Blackberry-Thyme Smash

Boise is surrounded by golden hills, many of them charred by grass fires. But don’t be deceived: just and hour north, you’ll be among the trees, an hour further and the grass turns green, and just thirty minutes more, you’ll come around the bend into McCall and spot Payette lake, backdropped by Brundage Mountain. This is where we spent the end of August— in a cabin with family. 

We visited just two weeks after the annual huckleberry festival, but there were plenty of wild blackberries at the farmers market still, something you don’t see much of in the front range of Colorado! So of course, I had to take that inspiration and run with it— creating a massive list of things to make (yes, I do seem to have a thing for lists). And perhaps I’ll plant some berries in my yard next spring... blackberries, blueberries, and gooseberries too. 

Between blackberries, we hit the trails, exploring the Payette Lake peninsula and Bear Basin on mountain bikes. On the hottest day, we rented a paddle board and kayak— the river north of town is breathtaking. 

McCall is truly a gem of a mountain town! Outdoor enthusiasts— put this on your list. You get the strangest feeling riding your bike through the woods, like you’ve been transported to the Red Wood Forest, minus the heat! I'll be sharing a few pictures in my monthly newsletter in just a few days -- sign up here! 

Baked Ricotta with Blackberry-Thyme Smash

Published September 6, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6-8   |    Active Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients:

Baked Ricotta:

2 cups of full fat ricotta

1 egg

1/4 cup tablespoons Parmesan (divided in 2 parts)

Zest of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

A few cracks pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Blackberry-Thyme Smash:

1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, divided

3 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon honey

For serving: crackers, crostinis, and/or crudités of choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 50-ounce capacity (about 3 cups) ramekin, baking dish, or cheese baker with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, egg, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Using a spatula, transfer the cheese mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan. (Note: Do not over fill your baking dish. Make the cheese level or below the top rim of the baking dish (if needed, divide the cheese between two baking dishes. This will prevent overflow and a mess in your oven!).
4. Place in oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Parmesan on top should begin to turn golden.
5. While the cheese is cooking, make the Blackberry-Thyme Smash: place 1 cup black berries, leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme, juice of 1/2 lemon, pinch of salt, and honey in a bowl and mash with a fork until a saucy, jammy mixture is created. Add in remaining 1/2 cup whole berries (for texture).
6. Spoon Blackberry Smash mixture over baked cheese, and top with a sprig of thyme as garnish. Serve while cheese is still warm with crackers, crostinis, or crudités.

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

This cinnamon, berry and pecan oatmeal will fill your house with the smell of toasting nuts and maple.

Even if you don’t usually like oatmeal (I don’t) you should give baked oatmeal a try. The edges are crispy, almost like the topping on a crumble, and the middle is custardy. It doesn't have the same texture as a bowl of porridge--and to me, that's a plus. Baked oatmeal is almost like a breakfast cake (one you can feel good about) and it's super adaptable: you can add pretty much anything that suits your fancy, like bananas, peanut butter, or even chocolate chips. This version calls for pecans, which are one of my favorite nuts when toasted. Here, they add little bites of crunch between bursts of berry.

The full recipe serves about eight, six if the crowd is really hungry.

I would say this is a brunch recipe, good for any holiday, but I made it on Monday morning. What away to start the week! We topped to each slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt, but for a special occasion, whip cream sure would dress it up nice. The mint leaf on top is optional, but I love how it freshens it up.

Looking for more brunch recipes to serve a crowd? 

• Caramelized sweet potatoes are a great side dish
• This Denver Omelet Breakfast Casserole is grain-free and stuffed with peppers, cheese, and potatoes
• Try these Banana Nut Waffles made with almond flour!
• Get more ideas in the Foraged Breakfast eCookbook

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Published March 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• To serve: yogurt & a spring of mint

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
3. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to bowl, and stir until a loose batter forms.
4. Fold in 1/3 cup of pecans (reserving the rest for the next step) and 1 cup berries. Stir as briefly as possible — the berries may turn batter purple if over mixed.
5. Scrape batter into a 9 inch x 9 inch glass baking dish and smooth into even layer. Arrange remaining pecans on the top of the oatmeal.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until edges are set and top is golden. Center will still be soft. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve on plates with a dollop of yogurt and mint leaves.

Crustless Peach & Blackberry Bakewell Tart (Gluten-Free & Paleo)

It is 8pm, and I am just walking out of the climbing gym. My tummy has been rumbling for the last 30 minutes. It is Tuesday, but it feels like Thursday and exhaustion sinks in. I can only blame myself; I stayed up late last night finished season two of the Great British Bake Off (GBBO). 

A soft breeze picks up and that's when it finds me, wraps around me, and gives me a hug: the smell of cinnamon rolls as they bake. Our climbing gym is no more than one block from an industrial bakery, and this happens more than once a week. It's not always cinnamon rolls, though that's what I smell most often. Some days a batch of sourdough fills the air with it's toasty aroma instead, and occasionally I catch a whiff of something I can't quite place. 

My stomach whines again. Can you blame it? Between the GBBO marathons and the ill-timed smell of cinnamon rolls, my subconscious mind wants nothing more than to bake. It will take everything in me to make something "real" for dinner, instead of something cinnamon-y and sweet. 

That was last week (and I did manage to make a real dinner that night!). This week, I'm dealing with the issue at hand: I'm baking! It is a holiday weekend after all. This Bakewell tart is inspired by the famous Mary Berry (host of the GBBO), who is so well known for her Bakewell tart. This version has a few twists, however: I use coconut sugar instead of white sugar, and bake the whole thing with out a crust. For a final touch, fresh fruit is baked right into the tart, giving it color and a summery vibe. Mary Berry probably wouldn't even call this a Bakewell tart, but I'm in love with it. Bring on the seconds (and thirds and fourths!) 

Crustless Peach & Blackberry Bakewell Tart (Gluten-Free & Paleo)

Published July 4, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 150 grams butter, softened
• 100 grams coconut sugar ground fine
• 150 grams almond flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 peach
• 1/4 cup blackberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed sauce pan. Once fully melted, remove from the heat and stir in the coconut sugar. Then, add the almond flour, a pinch of salt, the egg and almond extract, and stir until combined. Pour into pie plate or tart pan.
3. Slice the peach in half, and then cut each half into 10 thin slices. Pick up 5 slices at a time and fan them. Place on top of batter, and repeat with the remaining three sets of five slices. Then, place the blackberries around the peaches.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, until the tart is golden on top. It still make jiggle in the center a small amount. (Tip: check on the tart after 20 minutes, and cover the outside edges with foil is they are browning too fast. This will help it bake more evenly). Allow tart to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. (Ice cream is a definitely yes!)

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