Summer = Peaches

I've spent the last few evenings working on a little side gift for my future cousin, Bethany, who is getting married this Saturday in Naperville, IL. We're all making the trek to the wedding, and I'm looking forward to seeing the whole family together. My gift (aside from the check they'll get) is a collection of good, classic recipes that Bethany can use - she is a self-proclaimed NON cook, so I figured I would pass along some of our favorites/best ones that she may want someday. It's actually quite time-consuming to write them all out (just don't want to type AND printer is down) and I keep adding more to the pile of my favorites! If I typed them, I could always print them out for all the future newlyweds...hmm...maybe that's an idea.

Anyway, after a morning of tutoring and taking the Jeep in for some maintenance, I decided to take advantage of the super lovely peaches that I found at the store...and make some peach cobbler. It's tart and sweet at the same time, and is EXCELLENT with whipped cream flavored with vanilla and cinnamon...a great summer dessert. Unfortunately, a lot of it will go to waste in our house - we are one-serving dessert people...so my parents will most likely get the rest. I always seem to do that to them! I thought I'd share the recipe - I am not sure where it came from, but I've had it for several years. It's been popular in the past...so enjoy!

**Oh yeah - and how about strawberry shortcake and blueberry pie for other classic summer desserts?? The pie recipe I have is great, and I'll share it during blueberry season, but the shortcake recipe I'm keeping secret a little longer. :-)

Peach Cobbler
Filling:
6 large peaches, cut into medium slices (not too thin)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cornstarch

Biscuit Topping:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss peaches with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch i a 2-qt. nonreactive baking dish. Bake in middle of oven for 10 minutes.

While peaches bake, make the biscuit topping...stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender or 2 forks, until mixture resembles coarse meal. If it gets too thick or hard to do, pop it in the fridge for 20 min. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven (keep oven on) and drop spoonfulls of topping over them. Sprinkle a little sugar over the topping. Bake in the middle of the oven until topping is golden, about 25 minutes. (Topping will spread as it bakes.) Serve with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream - serves approx. 4-6.