Picnic meals and breakfast CAKE

We get out a lot here as a family.  It's been one week and we haven't missed a day yet.  They're usually late afternoon or evening walks with a stroller or two or a kid in a backpack.  Often, they kids get out and walk a kilometre or two, depends on where we are.  There are so many parks with short trails (1-3 km) that we stop and do them and see something pretty, turn around and come home. 

This afternoon I was enjoying the wee ones taking a nap and got ahead of the gang and made a casserole for supper and a cake for dessert.  When The Man came home and we all wanted to get out for another walk, I threw the casserole in the van with plastic cutlery and plates and a jug of water and away we went!  Love impromptu outings when I'm ready for them!

The casserole was "meh", everyone ate it and enjoyed it and even asked for seconds.  I think I'll make it again or at least use this recipe as a template for various meats and add some frozen veggies and mix up the spices.

The breakfast cake was not served for breakfast, we ate it as soon as we got back from the park and before the bath.  The family loved it!  It's so funny feeding a big family of good eaters - when you take something out of the oven like this you have to remove the portions you plan to put in lunches for the "away" people and then serve the dessert until there is none left!  One meal!  HA!  Seconds all around.  The only thing missing was some cream to pour on top or ice cream.

I love my microplane.  It makes zesting so much easier and quick.

This is my first recipe using this year's blackberries that my neighbour gave to me already frozen a few days ago.  We have only been here one week and I have lots of berries and apples in the freezer.  Today's find, by the way, was chestnuts.  We will roast them tomorrow morning.  We took nine home tonight.

Here is the recipe for the CAKE!  YUMMY!  I feel certain any berry can be used, be sure to fold in the frozen berries while frozen, do not thaw them.  I baked it in a glass 9" casserole dish and it took a full 55 minutes.  Next time, I'll use a 9" square and it may take less time.  I loved the crust that was formed from the glass pan and the sprinkle of sugar on top before you bake it.

Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake

from Alexandra's Kitchen
Serves 6-8
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour (set aside 1/4 cup of this to toss with the berries)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh berries (whatever is in the freezer)
½ cup buttermilk
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with 1 Tbsp of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness.  (Note: Baking for as long as 25 minutes more might be necessary, in 10 minute increments.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.