Peach Cobbler

Common sense tells me I need to be taking advantage of these locally-grown summer beauties. I think I'll try to make a trip to the farmers market this weekend. Maybe make some yummy cobbler :)

Image Via Little Brown Pen

I pulled this recipe from Cuisine at Home years ago. It has lots of yummy flavors but is still very classic and rustic. Jeanette and I first made it in summer of 2006 right around fourth of July... It's just divine topped with Blue Bell Vanilla ice cream.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

Filling

8 cup Peaches

1 cup Sugar

2 T Cornstarch

1 t. Lemon Juice

Pinch of Salt

Crust

1 Cup flour

3/4 Sugar

1/2 Cup sweetened coconut

1/2 Cup Pecans, chopped coarsely

1/2 t. Baking powder

1/4 t. Salt

1/2 Cup (One Stick) butter, cold, cubed

1 Egg, beaten

Directions

Toss the peaches together with all the ingredients in the filling: sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

For the topping, combine the flour, sugar, coconut, pecans, baking powder, salt and butter and moosh together with a pastry cutter or with two knives. Mixture will begin to look like peas and sand (similar to making an apple pie crust)

Next add one beaten egg-- mix until it's well incorporated.

Add the peaches to a 2qt baking dish then top with blobs of the topping mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and peaches are bubbly. (I find it best to place the baking dish on a cookie sheet to catch fruity sugary bubbly overflow.) Let the cobble cool for about an hour allowing the filling to thicken and the temperature to come down from it's lethally hot level.

Top with, my favorite, Blue Bell Vanilla ice cream if desired. Or Homemade whipped cream -- always a solid choice.

Outrageous Brownies

I plan on making these delicious little delights tomorrow afternoon to take to Wednesday's Chapman Leaders Meeting.

How could they not be fabulous.. they have a whole pound of butter in them. 

Prep Time:30 minInactive Prep Time: hr minCook Time:30 min
Level:
Difficult
Serves:
20 large brownies 

Ingredients
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Outrageous Brownies
Copyright 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

***UPDATE: These brownies are not only difficult but expensive. Not recommended. BUT! The boxed version -- of course Barefoot Contessa has capitalized on that opportunity-- are much simpler. Mix and bake... and definitely not worth 6.50. Betty Crocker never let me down. Plus.. she makes a reduced fat version that's still delightful. 

Lemon Half Pound Cake

Absolutely fantastic "Lemon Yogurt Cake" from The Barefoot Contessa At Home.

I made a few minor adjustments... and I'd definitely make a few more next time I made it...but overall this is definitely one of my new favorite late spring/ early summer desserts.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper (wax paper works too!). Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup of sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cook in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. (I poked lots of little holes in the top of the cake with the cake tester to make sure that the lemon-sugar mixture would soak in)

Let Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

It's really sweet, so small portions are fine. (I'd say one loaf yields 8-10 servings) Also, serves well with fresh blueberries and blueberry sauce and whipped cream.

PS. I'm absolutely ham-handed when it comes to baking.. so If I can do this cake, anyone can.