Peach Cobbler

My mom and dad were visiting with friends who shared with them "the BEST peaches" they have eaten since being in Italy.  I guess there is this man who drives a refrigerated truck filled with peaches and blueberries from Georgia, parks in a parking lot, and sells the fruit right out of his truck.  I am not sure how people find out about the location, but they do.  I guess his business mantra is, "deliver the peaches, and they will come."

Anyway, my parents decided to meet this trucker and buy some of his Georgia peaches and blueberries. My parents are very generous people.  They bought this wonderful fruit and shared it with my brother and his family and me and my family.  There is nothing like spending a wonderful day at the zoo and coming home to a kitchen counter filled with perfectly ripened fruits and a note from your parents explaining the gift that was left for you and the family.  And those are some of the Blessings in my life.
So after eating several of the peaches, the baker in me decided to make something perfectly summer like with them.  Funny thing is, I called my mom to tell her what I was going to do with some of the peaches only to find out that her and my dad did the very same thing the night before. I guess this only stands to reason, I was raised in her kitchen.

The following recipe I am about to share is a variation on a recipe I found online at myrecipes.com.  I looked up many cobbler recipes and the basics of this cobbler recipe can be found all over. Here is the recipe I used with the changes I made.

Peach Cobbler

peach part

7-9 peaches depending on the size or about 5 cups (pealed and sliced)
1/2 - 3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Start by blanching your peaches (quickly boiling your peaches) to get the skin off.  Unless you prefer to keep the skin on the peaches; that is just a personal preference. To blanch your peaches, bring water to a rolling boil.  Use a knife to place an X on the bottom side of your peaches (to help the boiling water loosen the skin).  Place the peaches in the boiling water for about 45 seconds -- to 1 minutes if they are less than perfectly ripe.  Take the peaches out and put them immediately into an ice bath; this stops the cooking process.  Once the peaches are cool, it should be easy to take the skin off.  Now cut the peaches into bite sized pieces.  Place the peaches, sugar, water, and lemon juice into a pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Set aside and cool.

cobbler part

1/2 cup of butter

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons of baking powder
1/2 - 3/4 cup of sugar
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of skim milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
some cinnamon

powdered sugar for garnish
pecans for garnish (toast nuts in a dry pan)


Heat oven to 350 degrees.  This recipe can be made in one 13 x 9 or one 7 x 11 and one loaf pan.  Melt the butter the baking dish with high sides you chose to use.  While butter is melting, make cobbler part.  Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Once blended, slowing add milk and stir making sure you don't get any lumps.  Lastly, add the vanilla.  Once butter is melted, add cobbler mixture to baking dish, but DO NOT stir mixture into butter; just let it sit there.  Lightly, add peaches and liquid on top of cobbler mixture.  As the cobbler bakes it will rise to the top and pass up the peaches .  Trust me it is worth the wait. If you want, this is the point I added a dash of cinnamon. Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Keep checking your cobbler; it should be light brown on the edges.  Take out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

While cobbler is cooling, heat pecans in a dry pan.  Once you smell the pecan, they are done.  Don't warm them for too long or you will burn them.  Serve your cobbler warm, garnish with some powdered sugar and warm pecans.  If you are looking to make this perfect dessert even more perfect, serve it with a bit of vanilla ice cream.

After you make this the first time, don't be surprised when your family starts requesting it -- I know mine did.

Thanks Mom and Dad for your generous gift of the perfect summer peaches -- what a treat!

Buon Appetito! 

My Romantic Anniversary Gift

The most romantic gifts aren't diamonds and emeralds.  Don't get me wrong jewelry is always a big hit, but it doesn't go in the romantic category.  Yesterday was my husband and my 8th wedding Anniversary.  My husband came home from work yesterday with this..........

Now although anyone looking at this flower arrangement may say,"oh that is pretty."  It would end there.  Flowers are always a nice treat, but they usually don't invoke tears.  But this flower arrangement put tears in my eyes.  As I was starring at it speechless, my husband asked, "do you recognize this arrangement?"

"Of course," I say, "it is my wedding bouquet."  And I continue to stare at the flowers as my heart is rushed filled with memories of that sacred day. My wedding bouquet was a tight ball of red roses with highlights of white stephanotis flowers.  It was beautiful. Here is my bouquet.

The florist told my husband that the stephanotis flowers are used for weddings, but they really don't last for more than one day. So she used some filler flowers in the flower arrangement she made so there would be flowers present when the stephanotis withered.

I am very Blessed to have such a wonderful thoughtful husband.

I live "La bella vita" -- the beautiful life    

Princess Birthday Cake

My little Bambolina (little doll in Italian) wanted to have a Princess birthday party this year, a Sleeping Beauty Aurora party to be precise.  She loves Sleeping Beauty Aurora, she loves pink, and she loves anything princess.  So I knew I had to make the princess cake that Wilton and Betty Crocker have been making since ... well way before I was born.  You know the one.  The one with the little doll sticking out of the top and the cake is the girl's dress.  Yep, that was the one I needed to make.  There are all sorts of You Tubes about this type of cake out there for any baker to watch.  And here is my story about my first princess cake for my daughter's 3rd birthday.

First thing I did was try to figure out what bowl I was going to bake my cake in.  I looked at all my bowls and didn't see the tell tale markings on the bottom that would make me think I could bake safely in any of my bowls.  So I called my dear friend Lene; I knew she would have a baking bowl.  And she did.  She also had a Wilton baking book to help inspire my dress decorating side.  This book as she said was "ancient."  But I have to tell you the cakes in that book are beautiful to look at; and I am not sure if the home baker today attempts cakes like this anymore .... nope I am sure .... most home bakers today do not attempt cakes like this.  The princess cakes in the book were elaborate, and I knew I didn't have that level of expertise.  But the book did give me ideas for some pretty lines of decorations that I could put on Sleeping Beauty's dress.

The next step was making the cakes.  I chose to make a yellow cake in Lene's bowl, which would become the part of the dress closest to the doll's waist.  And two chocolate 9 inch round cakes.  I figured this would give me four layers of cake (the bowl cake gets split into two layers because it the bowl is so deep) and a good sized dress.

Once the cakes were done and cooled, it was time to start stacking the layers.  But first, I needed to create the hole which the princess would stick out of.  So I took a round cookie cutter and cut a hole in both chocolate round cakes.  Then I cut the bowl cake on the horizontal first.

 Lastly I cut the same round cookie hole in both parts of the bowl cake.  Time to start stacking.  I made a butter cream frosting to use between each layer.

Then I put a crumb coat over the whole cake.  This is just a thin layer of frosting used to hold the crumbs down, so that when you put on your final layer of frosting there are no crumbs to be seen.  It makes your cake look more professional.  After putting this crumb coat on, I put the cake in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let the frosting set hard.

This is where I ran into trouble. It was  time to finish the cake.  I took the cake out of the refrigerator, put plastic wrap around the Sleeping Beauty doll I bought my daughter.

I place the doll into the hole I made and........... The cake / dress came up to the doll's mid thigh.  I forgot to measure how much dress I needed.  I just assumed that  four tiers (two 9 inch rounds and 1 bowl cut in half) would be enough.  I clearly needed another 9 inch round.  Since there was nothing I could do to make the cake taller, I used one of my daughter's less expensive knock off Barbie dolls because it was easy to take the doll apart at the waist. Now with only half a doll (from the waist up) I was able to place her in the hole I made and use a couple of  toothpicks to support her floating torso. 

Now it was time to decorate the dress.  I had fun with this part. I made the dress pink with dark pink embellishments and small little pearl candies.

I had to put the doll's hair in an "updo" so it wouldn't get into the cake.

I had to add a lot of dark pink flowers to the back of 

her dress to help hold her floating torso up.

The BEST PART .... my son made my daughter close her eyes, so she could be surprised when she saw the cake for the first time.  And was she surprised? YOU BET SHE WAS!  I will always remember her face and that beautiful smile.  The first thing she said was," oh.... thank you Mama!"

Happy 3rd Birthday my Little Princess.  I love you. Mama

Madeleine Cookies

Madeleine cookies for my little girl Madeleine.

When I was a kid my mom used to make Madeleine cookies.  They were such a special treat.  Instead of simply dropping cookies on a cookie sheet, these cookies required their own special pans.  They look like small individual sized cakes in the shape of an elegant shell that has been lightly dusted with powdered sugar.  They are a French treat.  Little did I know then that I would be making those cookies with my mom's pans for my daughter, Madeleine.

Madeleine turns three this week.  I love remembering significant events by reliving and telling the stories of that day.  I do this with special days like birthdays and vacations.  But just ask my husband and kids, I also do this with a random Thursday.  I love remembering, appreciating, and celebrating the special in the everyday.

This week leading up to Madeleine's birthday, I have been telling baby Madeleine stories to the kids.  It is fun to watch their expressions and excitement when learning about themselves in the past --- the very close past -- like within the last three years.  To us adults, it seems like yesterday.  And yet in the short lives of our babies, these are memories that are so far in their past that they don't even remember. So reliving their beginnings with them is like telling them a wondrous story with very special characters (themselves).

I told Madeleine that the first time I made these cookies in her honor she was not able to enjoy them because it was for her Baptism party, and she wasn't eating cookies yet.  She said that makes her sad because she missed out on eating them.  I told her that she would make up for it this year for her third birthday; she can eat all the cookies she wants.

So this is my mom's recipe for the elegant Madeleine cookies from my childhood (there are a few changes I made).

10 Tablespoons of butter (melted and cooled)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar (I used 2/3 of a cup)
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
(this time around I added a little lemon zest ... it turned out great ... that is the fun part...making a recipe your own)


Melt butter and allow it to cool.  Heat eggs and sugar in a double boiler until lukewarm, remember to stir it constantly over low heat --- you don't want to scramble your eggs. Remove from heat and beat slowly until creaming and frothy.

When cooled, add flour gradually.  Then melted butter, rum, and vanilla. This is where I added the lemon zest.  Stirring constantly.

Spray Madeleine pans then scoop a teaspoon or so of the batter into each shell (about 3/4 full).

Bake at 375 degrees for 11 - 15 minutes.  When they come out of the oven use a small pairing knife to gently cut around the edges to help the delicate cookies pop out when you turn the pan over.  Lightly dust with powdered sugar while cookies are still hot.

Trust me ..... when you eat your first bite....you will be transported to a small cafe in Paris.  Until you hear your three year old in the background yelling at your other child.  Oooppps!  That is my story ... not yours. Bon Appetit!

Salmon Non-Salmon Eaters will LOVE

The first time I made this meal, my husband told me it was "restaurant quality."  Now that is not a review that I often hear from him.  My husband always gives his review at the end of the meal.  And although he enjoys my cooking, I don't always take home the Gold medal when I make dinner.  Because I don't just get rave reviews, I believe he is honest and I feel that I can always trust his reviews.

This salmon is a bit sweet, a bit Asian, and totally easy to make.  I have adapted it from Great Food Fast a recipe book written by The Martha Stewart. I have made it for my family and served it with white rice and green beans.  My four year old and two year old only make yummy sounds when eating it.  My son ALWAYS says, " Oh, thank you Mommy ... I love this" when I place his salmon filled plate on the table for dinner.  I am telling you if you love salmon, you will love this .... and if you don't like salmon, it is possible you might not hate this salmon.  It is pretty darn good.  And the best part is it is so easy to make.



Sweet Salmon that makes Non-Salmon Eaters say," Ohhhhhhh
Maybe I do like Salmon"

The ingredients you will need:

salmon
orange juice
Hoisin sauce (you find this in the Asian section of your store)
honey
sesame seeds

Place your salmon in a baking dish that just fits your salmon (in other words you don't want there to be too much room in the dish because you want the sauce you make to really sit on and around the salmon)

In a small bowl mix

3 Tablespoons of orange juice
2 Tablespoons of Hoisin sauce
1 - 2 teaspoons of honey (the truth is I am not sure about the measurement; I just squeeze some in)


And that is it!  Pour the mixture over the salmon.  Put it under the broiler for 5 - 8 minutes (400 or 450 degrees) depending on the thickness of the salmon pieces.  Sometimes if I am not ready to serve my salmon right away, I turn the oven down to 300 degrees and leave it in there another 2 minutes and then shut the oven off.

I serve the salmon with rice and green beans.  And just before I serve the salmon, I sprinkle it with sesame seeds.  It gives it that restaurant look. Buon Appetito!

Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

So we have been sick at home for awhile now.  It is time to make cookies.  I need a cookie recipe where I have all the ingredients in the house, as I haven't been out of the house in .... what day is it again? So you see what I mean.  My two year old daughter and I eat Quaker oatmeal for breakfast about five days a week.  We love it.  And it is super easy.  Here is how we make it.






Quaker Oatmeal -- quick 1 minute oats

use a microwave safe bowl

1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup skim milk
splash of maple syrup (real maple syrup not pancake fake stuff)
sprinkle of cinnamon (the spice not cinnamon sugar)
Microwave for 1 and half minutes (90 seconds)

"YUMMY" and that is a direct quote from my daughter Madeleine.

Since we eat this almost everyday, I see this Vanishing cookie recipe all the time.  I have also notice that I have all the ingredients on hand.

This is Quaker's recipe; I just added honey.  They turned out great so I thought I would share.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup plus 6 tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quaker oats (quick or old fashion uncooked)
1 cup raisins
I added some honey

Preheat oven 350.  Cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet.  Then add oats and raisins.  This is where I added some honey.  Drop small rounded tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 - 10 minutes.  I cooked mine for 10 minutes.  They turn a light golden color.  Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet.  Cool completely on a wire rake.  Store in a covered container.  Makes about 4 dozen.



I have to say they were easy to make, and the kids loved making them --
but they loved eating them even more.

Pink Eye and Toddlers

I am not saying it is the worst childhood illness.  I am not even saying it ranks in the top ten worst childhood illnesses.  I understand and am able to keep thing in perspective.  I have healthy children, but that being said.  Wow!   Eye drops are hard to use on a toddler.  Is hard the right word?  I am not sure.  Almost impossible might be a better word.  I know the nurse told me to drop some of the medicine into the corner of my son's eye and have him move his head to the side and the drop will just roll gracefully into his eye all by itself.  When she described it, I thought great idea -- I can do that.  I tried her way a few times, but my son kept his eye closed with a vise like closure.  There were no drops getting past those beautiful drawbridge lashes. I have never seen him close his eyes tighter.

So quickly realized I had to physically open his eye myself and get those drops in there.  It is my job; I am his mom.  I felt like I was at the carnival playing some awful water gun game where the target moves back and forth and up and down. This is not to mention the eight arms my child clearly must have.  I never knew my kid was this strong.  If he is this strong, why does her still ask me to carry him. As person administering the medicine, you have to hold the arms -- all eight of them -- down, gently pry the target (eye) open with your two free fingers, while you hold the medicine bottle in the other hand and carefully drop a small amount of liquid into the MOVING target. All the while listening to your child say "NO Mommy don't, NO!"  Nothing like trying to preform a difficult task with your own child yelling at you to stop.  Best part --- after you are finished, you remember you have to do this four times a day for seven days.  That was just the first dose.

Forty-eight hours later...eight doses in... 20 doses left.  My other child, my youngest, Madeleine wakes up with pink eye too. I do the quick math and .... 48 doses left.  Today is a pajama day.