Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tea & Summer Suppers


One night last week, an old high school friend on Facebook was describing her supper, which consisted of vegetables she'd grown and canned or cooked, all polished off with a glass of sweet tea. I think if I were on death row and asked to order my last meal, a southern summer supper would suit me just fine, and nothing goes with it quite like a glass of iced tea. My tea here is actually unsweetened but flavored with fresh mint, because my friend Deberah has been sharing the bounty of her garden, including gifts of mint as well as cucumbers, zucchini and squash.

One of my favorite summer dishes is this Summer Squash Frittata recipe from Southern Living. The frittata is easy to make, comes out beautifully every time, and is terrific with a little sour cream and salsa on the side.

Speaking of "on the side," my other sides were Jalapeno cornbread muffins from the grocery store and Cucumbers with Vinegar and Olive Oil. I simply slice three or four cucumbers and a small onion, add about 1/4 cup each of apple cider vinegar and olive oil, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and toss. Boy, this is good! DH and I have been eating this dish like crazy.


Finally, I had a few fresh peaches that have been around for a week and decided I would make a small cobbler. Can you believe I consulted five southern cookbooks and did not find a single peach cobbler recipe? That was shocking to me! So, I went online but since I couldn't find anything made with fresh peaches, I made up my own, and here it is.

Easy Fresh Peach Cobbler

4 peaches, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and in a small (8-inch-square) glass baking dish, melt the stick of butter in the oven while it heats.

Toss the chopped peaches with the cinnamon and two tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

Combine flour, the 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and buttermilk. Once the butter in the baking dish has melted, remove dish from oven and pour in the liquid ingredients. Then, spoon in the peaches, spreading them evenly around the pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy with a glass of iced tea. Yum!

10 comments:

  1. Looks yummy! I've enjoyed my herb "garden" this summer. It's basil, parsley and rosemary in small pots, but they do add great flavor to my summer dishes. Can't wait for the tomatoes to come in. I also enjoy getting fresh produce from the local farmers' market.

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  2. Oh, I'm drooling! This looks so good especially that peach pie. I don't have any peaches right now, but I have a fridge full of apples. I think I just may have to make a pie.

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  3. That looks like the perfect summer dinner. Yummy! I will have to try the frittata - I enjoy it much more than quiche. My grandmother used to serve sliced cucumbers and onions all the time, but since she was European, hers were dressed with sour cream.

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  4. I cannot wait to try these recipes. Thank you for posting!

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  5. You've just helped me plan my dinner menu for tonight!

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  6. I don't live in the south, but your summer supper looks very good to me. Yummm!

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  7. Sounds (and looks!) delicious, Angela.


    I make the Lazy Southern Woman's Peach Cobbler. It's a "dump" recipe that my late and former VERY Southern mother-in-law used for years. It was always accepted at her bridge parties, so it must be okay!


    * Dump a large can of sliced peaches (in heavy syrup) into a square glass Pyrex baking dish.
    * Sprinkle the contents of 1 Jiffy yellow cake mix (dry) evenly over the top.
    * Sprinkle cinnamon over the cake mix, and dab with butter pats.
    * Bake in 350 degree oven for ... well, you'll know when it's finished.
    * We love this served with a bit of Cool Whip on the plate!

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