Cobbler!

When it is cold and rainy, I want to bake!  When it is cold and rainy, I want to stay home.  When it is cold and rainy, I do not want to go to the grocery store for ingredients needed to bake.  Sooooo...I make do with what we have at home.

I have mentioned my love of cobbler before, but I was on a quest for one with multiple fruits, more specifically the fruits I had at home, so I didn't have to go shopping.  At any given time, I usually have at least three bags of frozen fruits in our freezer....either for smoothies, desserts, or just because they were on sale.  This time, I had peaches, blueberries, and rhubarb.

Normally, I think of cobbler as a summer treat, but sometimes nothing tastes better when I just cannot seem to get warm and when I have a freezer stocked with frozen fruit, than a warm pile of cobbler.  I guess this is technically more of a fruit crisp (since the title of the recipe was 'Fruit Crisp,' but I prefer the word 'cobbler.')    I made it on Monday and since it was so dark in the house, I couldn't get great pictures.  These photos are from when I first made this back in July and had planned to post, but I forgot.

I used a recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, but made a few changes.  I completely omitted the butter (Sorry, Paula Deen) and used oil.  I feel better about eating treats when I know at least I am eating good fats (ha ha), so I used vegetable oil.

Fruit Crisp

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Ingredients:
5 cups sliced, peeled cooking apples, pears, peaches, or apricots, or frozen unsweetened peaches  (I used a mix of peaches, blueberries, and rhubarb.)
2-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon  (I used a little of each.)
1/4 cup butter or margarine (I used vegetable oil.)
1/4 cup chopped nuts or coconut  ( I omitted this.)

1.  For fruit filling, thaw  fruit if frozen.  Do not drain.  Place fruit in a 2-quart baking dish.  Stir in granulated sugar.

2.  For topping, in a medium bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg.  Cit in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in the nuts.  Sprinkle over fruit.

3.  Bake in a 375-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes (40 minutes for thawed fruit) or until fruit is tender and topping is golden.

A few notes included with the recipe:

Blueberry Crisp:  Prepare filling as above, except use 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries for the fruit.  Use 4 tablespoons granulated sugar and add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

Rhubarb Crisp:  Prepare filling as above, except use 5 cups fresh or frozen sliced rhubarb for the fruit.  (If rhubarb is frozen, thaw, but do not drain.)  Increase granulated sugar to 3/4 cup and add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

Yummy!

I hope your week has been great!

Cupcake Friday! (It's back)

I want to get back to Cupcake Friday because if nothing else, it makes ME happy and is a great start to the weekend! :)

It is summer and I always crave cobbler during the summer months....peach cobbler! A few weeks ago a friend posted her completed blueberry/peach cobbler on Facebook and it made me had to have it that day, so as soon as my son awoke from his nap we were off to the grocery store for ingredients. I made it and here it is:It was from Cooking Light, so it was not quite as buttery and rich as I normally expect from a cobbler, but it was still good.

Then I got to thinking and want to make peach cobbler cupcakes....today. I wondered if such a thing even existed and went on a search. I found something that might fulfill the craving and they sure do look adorable! Perhaps I will attempt them today since I am in a baking mood. Check them out:


You can view the story, the recipe, and more images here at Smitten Kitchen!

I may try to doctor up a recipe to make them more cobbler-like...if I do, I will report back. :) Have a great weekend!