One Last HOORAH! {day 1}

We saw summer letting go of us, but we just couldn't turn loose quite yet.  When the opportunity arose for us to spend Labor Day weekend in Idaho at J's childhood stomping grounds, Hills Resort on Priest Lake, we did a little happy dance and thumbed our noses at the waning season!

We ate lunch in the lodge when we arrived.  The food here is prepared by J's friend (and the owner's son), Scott Hill.  It was DELISH! 

Then it was off to Pickleball and some friendly family competition.

I prepped for dinner while the others wandered.    

It's a tradition to have a clambake our first night at the campsite, and we were all anxiously awaiting it!

Ending the day with a sunset on the water 

and

homemade, fresh blackberry cobbler

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Recipes:

Clambake

2 # fresh clams, washed to remove what sand you can

1.5 cubes butter

1 head of garlic

1/4 c. water

salt & pepper

Shallots (optional)

aluminum foil

Line a bowl (deep enough to hold all the clams) with foil, leaving 2 -3 inches of overhang.

Place a couple pats of butter on the bottom.

Pour in clams, and top with all other ingredients.  Cover with another piece of foil that reaches the edges of the overhanging bottom piece.  Roll and crimp edges together to form a packet that will hold in the steam.

If you have coals rather than flame, you can put the packet directly into the coals.  We had flame this time, so I put an iron skillet on the grate (borrowed from the BBQ) and put the packet in it.  They take very little time.  Too long and they will get dry!  It's basically long enough to let the butter melt and seep into them, & let the steam heat enough to pop them open.  Ours took 6-7 minutes.  In coals it could be 10.

Cobbler~

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted margarine
•  
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water 

Preheat an oven to 350. Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar together with the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Stir in the milk and margarine until a batter forms. Scrape into the prepared baking dish. Add the blackberries, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar. Pour in the water.
Bake in the preheated oven until the batter has risen and the top is brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool before serving.