Peach Cobbler

For those of you that know me well you know that I am a foodie at heart. I may not be the most adventurous of cooks, but I love connecting the food our family eats with the great memories of collecting it.

With that said, perhaps one of my favorite dishes is my down home recipe for the simple but tasty peach cobbler. Although the recipe itself is wonderful it is the memories of travelling to Goldendale, Washington year after year in the fall to visit my good friend and fellow foodie Paulette Holbrook.

Each year is a bit different as I always seem to drag a new partner in crime with me to experience Paulette's great hospitality, but then again each year is the same as we generally visit the local winery and pick-up our peaches from Gunkel's Peach Orchard located just across the river from Bigg's Junction on I-84.

Our visits generally include a few farm chores ranging from shearing sheep to picking plums as well as an exquisitely prepared lunch made primarily from ingredients picked directly from Paulette's wonderful gardens and served on her family's homemade craftsman style bread. A treat by itself.

So today it is with great fondness I am thinking of my wonderful friend and fellow leader in the sheep industry as I use my frozen peaches to make one my favorite recipes--peach cobbler.

Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk ( I have substituted cream to make it richer)

3 cups peeled and sliced peaches with their juices (I use frozen peaches this time of year)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*F

2. Put the butter in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and put the dish in the preheating oven. While the butter is melting, mix up the batter by combining the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and milk.

3. When the butter is completely melted, remove the pan and pour the batter in to the melted butter. Then carefully spoon the peaches and juice evenly over the batter. Return dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

4. As the cobbler cooks, the batter will rise up and around the peaches.

I found this recipe on the web at texascooking.com the first year I brought peaches back from Goldendale and I have used it ever since. I generally serve it warm with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream.

In addition to making it for my family, I also often times measure out the dry ingredients into a ziplock baggie and give with a package of home frozen peaches to friends to make an easy dessert for their family. Either way it is tremendous way for me to enjoy my wonderful visits to see a great friend and share the bounty of the harvest with all.

Shepherd's Pie

With snow forecast to arrive at any minute and the threat of below zero temperatures on tap for later this week, my mind is turning to the comforts of home. There is nothing better than returning from chores, opening the front door and being greeted by the wonderful aroma of dinner in the oven and a warm fire. With that said, I have decided to use Wednesday to start a new thread...What's for dinner Wednesdays. What's for dinner Wednesdays will feature some of my favorite lamb recipes and hopefully give readers a little bit of inspiration to try new recipes featuring lamb. So What's for your dinner tonight?

When one is talking comfort food, it doesn't get much better than a good old-fashioned shepherd's pie. Who can argue with the savory flavors of a rich and meaty casserole combined with the smooth and hearty texture of fluffy mashed potatoes?

Growing up in a genetic line of cooks who thinks a measuring cup is merely a suggestion, I took it upon myself to put my own spin on this casserole. Feel free to do the same and make this wonderful dish your own. It is quick, easy and simple to make.

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb

1 onion chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

1 t. minced garlic

1-2 cups of chopped mixed vegetables (frozen carrots, corn green beans and peas)

4-6 medium/large potatoes

1-2 cans of tomato soup

Handful of Brown Sugar

1-2 T. of Worcestershire Sauce

Butter/Sour Cream/Milk for mashed potatoes

Salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Brown lamb burger with chopped onions, peppers, and garlic. Drain excess juices at the end of the process.

2. In a casserole dish, place browned burger, onions, peppers, and garlic. Add in frozen veggies (feel free to add or delete to suit your taste). Stir in tomato soup to desired consistency. Add brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and Pepper to taste.

3. While the lamburger is browning, boil water and cook potatoes to desired consistency for thick mashed potatoes. Mash potatoes, adding butter, sour cream and milk to suit your tastes. Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Once you have assembled meat, soup and seasonings in the casserole dish, top the mixture with about 1-1 1/2 inches of mashed potatoes.

5. Cover dish with lid or tin foil and place in oven to cook at 350* F. Cook for approximately 45 minutes-1 hour removing the lid part way through the process to let the potatoes brown. Basically all ingredients are cooked in the casserole so the baking process is just to achieve the desired warmth and consistency preferred by the cook.

Serve this dish with steamed cauliflower topped with shredded cheddar cheese and a cut-up mango or other fruit and a glass of cold milk. Mmmm.....