You know what…I’m tired.
Our family has been on the road. We’ve been out of the house, off of our normal schedule, and without routine or normalcy for weeks. Obviously, it wears you down and works you out (but not in that good-for-you-look-at-me-I'm-fit kinda way).
Exhaustion always comes as a surprise to me—as if kryptonite were slipped under my pillow.
'Oh no! What is happening to me? I can’t fly anymore and my X-ray vision is blurred!'
First of all, I am permanently grounded. I also believe that reading glasses are a drugstore's gift to humanity. So, this lack of power is not really a shocker.
Secondly, my outrage is ridiculous because I am a slow person. In the tortoise and hare scenario, I will be cast in a large, green shell and pulling up the rear. You can count on that, death and taxes.
So, being a little extra sluggish is not a huge stretch for this gal. It’s to be expected.
And still, I remain steadfast in my stupefaction.
This week, I am going to try something unprecedented—I am willingly surrendering to this lack of energy. I give in. I will cancel a couple commitments. I will make way for healing. With minimal (or less) effort, I will recover and recommit myself to my blind, flightless pursuits once again.
The question: What would be a lovely, lazy dish to share with you? Something utterly simply, that you just pour into a pan and let it bake itself to perfection.
The answer: A cobbler. Yes, that would be just peachy. In fact, let’s make it a Peach Cobbler.
Done. Now, it’s time for a nap.
Sugar and spice make everything nice.
Plump peaches.
Cut into a peachy pile.
Ah, our palace is perfumed!
Add milk, a bedtime favorite.
Round up your peaches.
A bed of butter and batter.
A blanket of brown sugar.
Ah, bedtime.
Sleep tight, sweet peaches!
Don't they look cozy?
The fruit falls to sleep under the crust.
The cake is incredibly sweet and tender.
Just like a dream.
Served up warm.
from Joy the Baker
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup milk (low fat milk will work fine)
3 cups sliced nectarines or peaches, skins left on
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a medium saute pan set over medium high heat until it bubbles and turns a nut brown color. Watch the butter closely, as it can go from browned to burnt in just a few seconds. The butter will have all sorts of browned bits in it. That’s good!
Pour the butter into an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish. Do not try a pie baking dish. I did. Overflow!
In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and spices. Add milk and stir.
Pour the mixture on top of the melted butter. Here’s the hard part: do not stir! Without mixing, arrange the fruit evenly over the top of the batter. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake the cobbler for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top turns golden brown. Amazingly, the batter will migrate from the bottom of the pan to cover the fruit. Yum! Serve warm with slightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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