Just Peachy

Just pulled this little beauty out of the oven, baked especially for Father’s Day/Kyle’s birthday tomorrow. (If I can’t keep the hungry sisters away, there may not be any left by lunchtime!) How to make homemade cobbler even better? Even ones baked the night before? Amy’s ice cream of course! Oh yes, we are still working on the graduation-party ice cream.
I confess to making this recipe with canned peaches, and it does work…. but really. It’s not so hard to peel a few now is it? You can do it!
Texas Peach Cobbler
10-12 ripe peaches
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. powdered ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Mix above ingredients in a bowl and set aside. It’s  a pretty juicy mixture but that’s what you want in a cobbler! Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350. Get out a 9x13 casserole dish and melt into it:
1 stick butter
Make your batter out of these ingredients:
1 1/4 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
pinch salt
2 t. baking powder
Pour the batter over the melted butter. Don’t stir! This is what makes the crispy edges. Pour the peaches and juice over this. Bake for 45 minutes.
Happy Father’s Day everyone! May you be blessed with a hug, a phone call, or a precious memory of your dad.
-Renee

Truffle Salt & Possums

A possum is roaming my suburban neighborhood. Last night I traded recipes with my neighbor as a joke, then felt the need to redeem myself by posting what we actually ate for dinner.
Granny Clampett can have her country critters – this meal was a summertime winner!
Cedar Plank Salmon
We found the planks on sale at the Williams Sonoma Outlet Mall (now there’s a subject for another post!) in San Marcos. Recommended by my friend Suzanne, who isn’t called “Southern Inspiration” for nothing, we also grabbed the Potlatch Seasoning.
Method: Soak the plank for 2 hours in water. Season the salmon filet. Preheat the grill and place the wet board on there until it begins to smoke. Put the fish on the plank (skin side down), close the lid for 8 minutes, and that’s all folks! My friend Bet gets her cedar from a lumberyard and has them cut it to fit her grill. Brilliant (and cheaper!).
While the fish is cooking, wash and trim a bunch of asparagus. (I’m not using the word as slang – I literally mean one of those little rubber band wrapped bunches). Place in a nonstick skillet with 2 or 3 T. water. Cover and steam until bright green. Drain any remaining water and add some butter. Finish by topping with a sprinkle of truffle salt.
Ahhh….the truffle salt. What does it taste like? It’s earthy, mushroomy, dark, and deep. (I’m starting to feel a need to quote Robert Frost. Must refrain.)
I found it at HEB for around $11/bottle and it has lasted a long time. You don’t need much!