Just something I cobbled together

Last summer, when Dad and The Lady came to visit, they brought with them a delicious bounty: a shoebox full of peaches.  We ate them every morning for breakfast, but we weren't sure we'd finish them before they got too mushy.  Something had to be done!

Cobbler had to be done.

Fresh Peach Cobbler
1/2 C sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/4 t cinnamon
4 C peeled, sliced peaches
1 t lemon juice
1 C all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t firm butter
1/2 C milk
2 T sugar

1. Heat oven to 400F
2. Mix 1/2 C sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in 2 qt saucepan.  Stir in peaches and lemon juice.cook over medium-high heat 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it's thick and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Pour into ungreased 2 qt casserole.  Keep it hot in the oven.
3. Combine flour, 1 T sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until it looks like fine crumbs.  Stir in milk.  Drop by spoonfuls over hot peaches.  (I worked with the peaches and dough simultaneously, so the peaches didn't rest in the oven.  Still worked.)  Sprinkle 2 T sugar over dough.
4. bake 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.  Serve with whipped cream, or iced cream, or brandy, or something.

something's fishy

Last year, when the Chief Taster finished paying off her school loans and declared herself free, I made her a celebratory dinner.  Popovers (possibly her favorite form of bread), chocolate chess pie (which I grew up eating, and she had never met before, but instantly loved), and this Hearty Seafood Stew.  I was very pleased with myself, and she made lots of happy noises as she shoveled her way into the bowl, so I think it went well.

I cheat a little when I deal with shrimp; you can usually find peeled, deveined shrimp at the grocery (I get mine from the freezer case near the fish).  I still get the raw shrimp, but I save myself a lot of work because... I don't yet know how to peel and devein the little sea bugs in an efficient manner.  I need to work on that.