Courtney Cosby

September 14, 2020

Crumbly Blackberry Pie

This is a recipe I took from my late paternal grandmother and adjusted it to my preferred taste. It definitely is a lot unhealthier and a lot richer since I started making it on my own. I loved visiting her house in the summer and when I saw the pints of fresh blackberries I knew we were making blackberry pie – which ended up being my favorite pie. All of my grandparents grew up during the Great Depression and lived through World War II. From them, I learned the importance of using what is on-hand and creating dishes with food that will not keep as long as we had wished. They taught me that recipes don’t have to be followed precisely, and make do with what you do have in the pantry. I haven’t tried this pie with other berries yet, but next summer when I have fresh-off-the-bush blueberries I think I am going to turn this into a blueberry pie. Now, my mother’s mom would not be happy that I am using a store bought pie shell. I will never make my own pie shell. I do not have the patience nor the desire to ever do so, but if you would rather make your own I encourage you to do that!
September 14, 2020

Yummy Triple Berry Crisp

My maternal grandmother made the best apple crisp growing up. Sadly, I do not have the time nor the patience to peel cut and cook the apples before even starting on the crisp. So I dedicated myself to finding a recipe that gave the same satisfaction as a crisp, but was a lot less labor intensive…and thus came to be my favorite crisp that goes delightfully well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My maternal grandparents were Italian and with that basil was always in the garden growing. I’ve learned through my love of sweet basil that it goes wonderfully with just about anything – so yes, you can have a dessert and a savory herb at the same time. My newest secret to the perfect grilled cheese is assembling the sandwich and then wrapping it tightly in foil to cook on my flattop stove. It is perfect every time.
September 14, 2020

Savory Berry Jam Flatbread

I love my bad carbs: tacos, pizza, sandwiches, and the list goes on, but I’ve learned eating those can have a hefty price on health if we do not include fruits and veggies and proteins. I love smoked salmon “lox” ever since I was young. Lox and bagels was a staple in my house on Christmas morning and New Year’s day. With that breakfast we always had a big bowl of berries and fruit. As I got older and started cooking for myself I played with flavors…and just about anything is possible. . I really want to try this flatbread with shrimp. It just seems like that would be a great option. If I ate chicken or turkey I bet that would be just as delightful on a flatbread. If you want to try this recipe for meal prep, I would leave out the smoked salmon on the whole thing and just put it on the piece you’re about to eat. Throughout the week interchange the proteins for a meal that’s versatile. Don’t be afraid of a recipe because it has one ingredient you don’t like. Experiment with food – that’s how I have come to love cooking and eating healthy portions of greens and berries with most of my meals. My newest secret to the perfect grilled cheese is assembling the sandwich and then wrapping it tightly in foil to cook on my flattop stove. It is perfect every time.
September 14, 2020

Creamy Blueberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I personally do not like to make grilled cheese in a pan or skillet because I always burn one side of the bread waiting for the cheese to melt. I have yet to find a solution to this, though I do know adding just a little bit of water to the skillet helps prevent browning of bread too fast. My newest secret to the perfect grilled cheese is assembling the sandwich and then wrapping it tightly in foil to cook on my flattop stove. It is perfect every time.