Homemade Made Easy: Blackberry Cobbler

Work. Kids. Laundry. Who has time to host dinner guests on a week night?!  With a little advanced prepping and simple recipes, it's easy and enjoyable.  Have one thing on your menu that shines and the rest of your menu can be standard dinner items.  For dinner with some friends this week I bought filet mignon already seasoned and wrapped in bacon from Costco and corn on the cob from my local grocery store.  When my husband walked in the door he started the grill and we waited to put the steaks and corn on until our guests arrived, because they don't take more than 10 - 15 minutes.  I baked some potatoes earlier in the day and just warmed them back up in the oven while the steaks and corn were grilling.  The homemade touch was individual blackberry cobblers.  Here's how to make them and make dessert easy.

Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (or more if you like) chopped pecans
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving

Prep Ahead of Time - you can do this the night before or earlier in the day, whenever you have time

Line a baking sheet with foil and place 6 ramekins on it.  Wash and rinse the blackberries, then distribute evenly into the ramekins. In a bowl combine the egg, sugar, and flour until it resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle the flour mixture over the blackberries.  Sprinkle pecans on top of the flour mixture, as many or as little as you like.  Cover the tray or ramekins and store in the refrigerator. 

50 Minutes Before You're Ready to Eat
Remove tray of ramekins from the refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 375.  Melt 6 tablespoons of butter.  Drizzle the butter over each mixture.  Bake for 35 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.  Let stand for 10 minutes before eating.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.