Christmas Notebook

For years, I’ve used a recipe from the August/September 1998, Taste of Home magazine, called “South Carolina Cobbler.” But it didn’t take long to know the recipe called for too much sugar for our tastes. I’ve revised it over the years until it fits a 9×13 baking dish and uses less sugar. I also added some spices.

Here’s the recipe at Taste of Home online…South Carolina Cobbler. Interestingly, as I compared my magazine page to the online page, the amount of sugar was reduced online as well as the amount of butter. The recipes are for an 8×8 pan. Here’s my version for a 9×13 pan.

1/2 c. (1 stick) margarine or butter, melted

6 c. fresh, sliced peaches (or canned peaches in light syrup, drained)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (original recipe did not call for this)
pinch of freshly granted nutmeg (original recipe did not call for this)

1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350*.

Melt the butter and pour it into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Combine the peaches, sugar, almond extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well. Set aside.

Combine the milk, sugar, baking powder, salt, and flour. Stir to mix well. Batter will be runny. Pour over the butter. Do not stir.

Top with the peach mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Here it is before the cinnamon was added to the top.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown.

Delicious served warm with ice cream! Also good cold for breakfast…ask me how I know…

The peach measurement doesn’t have to be exactly as given above. When I make this from peaches I’ve canned myself, I use two quart jars, drained. If you use store-bought, probably three large cans (are they about 29 oz.?) of sliced peaches in light syrup would be about right. And use ground nutmeg if you don’t have whole nutmeg to grate yourself. The taste of the two are not the same, but close enough. Freshly ground is better in my opinion, though. A brighter, fresher taste. I don’t measure it, just grate some in. Doesn’t take much.

~~Rhonda