Books, blueberries, and Bermuda...that's what's on my mind these days!
First, a confession. I have a been a complete and total failure at keeping my family fed this summer. I have no real excuse. Yes, our schedule has been crazy and a little unpredictable. And yes, with kids out of school I'm not driving by my favorite grocery store as often (conveniently located right next to their school). But the real problem is that not one single time this summer have I sat down on Sunday and planned out the week's meals. Have dinner fixin's on hand isn't so tough - between a well stocked pantry, a weekly farmbox delivery, and a babysitter who doesn't mind making a grocery store run, I have at least something on hand all the time. It's the thinking time that I've been lacking, because it doesn't matter how many fabulous things I have in the pantry and fridge; I absolutely cannot come up with how to put them together when it's 5pm, we're all standing around in dripping bathing suits, tired and STARVING. I really need that list on the side of the fridge telling me what to make so I can just do it on autopilot. Without it, we've either been eating sandwiches at the pool, or DH has been grabbing take out on the way home from work. I am vowing to change my ways when school starts back in 2 weeks.
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But between now and then, I am going from being barefoot in Savannah to being barefoot in Bermuda...DH and I are heading out sans enfants to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.
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In the meantime, I leave you with this fabulous recipe for blueberry cobbler from my friend Stacy, who started our book club (where we talk about our books for approximately 37 seconds and then move on to a month's worth of chatting and gossip). Stacy brought this cobbler to our last book club and it was fabulous, fabulous, fabulous. I emailed her afterwards and asked her for the recipe. Here's what she said:
I'm almost embarrassed to send the recipe b/c it is so easy to make, but not so healthy to eat. But if you're only enjoying it a couple times a month, I mean year, then it can't hurt, right?
I've been making this cobbler (without a recipe) since I was probably 5 years old. I will do my best to put it into a recipe format for you. This is probably the basic cobbler recipe that every Southern cook follows.
True Southern Blueberry Cobbler
1 cup self-rising flour (has to be self-rising, NOT all-purpose b/c it contains the leavening agents)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 stick butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the stick of butter in a 13x9x2 dish and melt in the oven.
While the butter is melting, mix the flour, milk, and sugar together with a whisk just until it is combined. After the butter is completely melted, spread the berries in the pan. Then add the milk, flour, sugar mixture on top. The butter may rise to the top, but it will be ok after it bakes. It usually takes about 20-30 minutes to bake, but it will vary depending on what size recipe you are making. Sorry I can't give you an exact time. It is ready when the top is golden brown and (like other baked goods) a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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Enjoy!
