MAGIC Peach Cobbler

Magic Peach Cobbler - by Jane

I realize that there has been quite a dessert streak on the blog, but who doesn't love dessert? Here's another one! I promise to try and get more variety very soon.

My mom purchased the What’s Cookin’ in Washington County Cookbook in 1993 when the county was celebrating its 175^th anniversary. In her words...."I just thought it would be a good reference since there were so many recipes in it from people I knew. Why I didn’t contribute at the time, I don’t know…lazy, I guess. Anyway, there are so many good basic and not so basic recipes in it! I have been using the above recipe every fresh peach season since 1993, and my family loves it. As with other favorites, the girls now make it, too. We have also tried other seasonal fruits in place of the peaches, and it works great. Canned fruit works as well if you do not have fresh."

The photos below were take at my Aunt Sandy and Uncle Lou's river house; mom and Aunt Sandy even used her vintage bakeware and mixing bowls...and now those bowls have been gifted to Lula and me to make our own memories with!

And, I just made this recipe again last week with peaches and blackberries - delish! Love when a recipe is both simple and versatile!

Magic Peach Cobbler

9x9 pan recipe                                                                          9 x 13 pan recipe

1 stick butter                                                                            1 stick butter

1 cup sugar                                                                               1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup flour                                                                                1 ½ cup flour

1 ½ tsps. baking powder                                                           2 ¼ tsps. baking powder

1 ¾ -2 cups sliced peaches                                                       2-2 ¼ cup peaches

¾ cup milk                                                                                1 ½ cups milk

1 cup sugar                                                                                1 cup sugar

Melt butter in pan. Mix together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and milk; pour over the butter. DO NOT STIR. Arrange the peaches over this, and then sprinkle the last cup of sugar over the peaches as evenly as possible. Bake for 30-40 minutes depending on pan used at 350*. The mixture forms a delicious crust on the top of the fruit that is mouthwatering.

Serve with ice cream or a little half and half over it, or, eat it as is! Any way you choose is yummy!

You know how we do it, simple, simple, simple!

Melt butter, then poor the batter over-top. Do. NOT. Mix.....it's MAGIC.

Gently place the fruit in the pan with the butter and batter...
again, don't mix it!

Tick-tock, tick-tock...

The batter bakes up and around the fruit to make the cobbler. Magically.

Could be a photo IN the cookbook! So cute in the Vintage Kitchen!!

Bruce's Beloved Banana Cake (and icing)

Bruce's Beloved Banana Cake - by Jane

Bruce loves anything banana!! When I purchased the "What's Cooking in Washington County" cookbook in the 90's, I found this quick, easy, and delicious banana cake recipe. I have been making it ever since. The funny thing to me is that the recipe was entered in the cookbook by one of my first students. Mary was in one of my first classes when I started teaching at Johannisburg Grade School on the western side of Washington County way back in 1973. Just goes to prove that teachers can learn from their students as well as the other way around! 

As with so many recipes, I have changed it a little here and there. I sometimes add walnuts or pecans which were not on the original recipe. When I do that, then I do not always ice it. I leave it more like bread. This cake is dense and very moist, and although the icing is good; the cake does not always need it. This cake gets better the day or two after you make it. So if you want to take it somewhere, make it a day ahead of time for the best flavor of the bananas!

As always, simple ingredients!

Quick Banana Cake

From: What’s Cooking in Washington County

Entered by:  Mary Ann (Wienstroer) Klein

1 box yellow cake mix

1 c  buttermilk or  1 c sour milk (1 c milk with 1 tsp white vinegar)

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed

1 c walnuts(optional)

Mix together and pour into 9x13 greased pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes

When cool, frost with the following:

Cream Cheese Icing

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature

½ stick butter

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¾ c powdered sugar

½ c nuts, sprinkled on top

Mash 'em up!

Nuts, or no nuts? You decide!