How’s your summer going, everyone!? I hope you’re all eating and drinking and growing (veggies- not your waistline) and swimming and beaching your way through the season. I haven’t had much time to bake, plus it’s been hot. But after having some peaches left after my first foray into the 2016 peach/nectarine portion of my Canbassadorship, I really needed to bake up somethin’ a lil bit traditional. But yet not traditional. ‘Cause you know how I am.

What ELSE do you do when you get 26 lbs. of fresh Northwest grown peaches and nectarines from Yakima, Washington?

Well, first you make peach jam and stuff. Then you make peach cobbler. ‘Cause duh.

Are these not the hugest, most gorgeous peaches EVER? OMGYASSSSS.

Okay, anyway.

Peach cobbler. It’s like a summer staple.

I’m all about shortcuts, or making things easier for myself. If I can make a delicious three layer cake from scratch and have it not take two hours, then that’s the path I’ll take. It’s not that I don’t enjoy baking. I love it. But I have a life to live, and I’d rather get to the eating part, if you catch my drift.

 This one takes no time at all. The worst part is peeling the peaches. And peel them you must. I mean, MUST. You don’t want fuzz in your cobbler. I know it looks and feels so cute on the actual peach… but it doesn’t feel so good in your mouth while eating a nice hot cobbler with cold whipped cream.

I promise you, it’s easy. And its very, very, very delicious.

QUICK PEACH COBBLER

Ingredients:

• 5-8 (depending on size) fresh ripe peaches, peeled and pitted and sliced into fairly thin slices
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract OR the caviar of one vanilla bean
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• whipped cream or vanilla ice cream *OPTIONAL

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the peaches with sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir well to combine. Arrange the peach slices in the bottom of a baking dish, the largest size you should use would be 9×14. Pour any syrup from the bowl over the peaches. Bake peaches for 10 minutes, then remove from oven.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the flour, butter, baking powder and salt together until smooth and thick. Pour over baked peaches.
4. Bake again, this time for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown (or dark brown, like mine ’cause I didn’t hear the timer). Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
5. Serve in bowls with whipped cream, ice cream or plain. Fresh mint sprig optional.

FYI, how to peel peaches: wash peaches, cut an X on the bottoms & then dip ’em in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drop in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes to loosen skins. Remove skins. Cut in half; remove the pits, and continue with life. Voila! Also works with tomatoes.

And yes, the cobbler came out a little bit well done and did not look so attractive. Until I piled the whipped cream on. *wink*

Soundtrack: “Who Gon Stop Me” – Jay Z and Kanye West

Sources & Credits: Pink “Gooseberry” Pyrex bowl; vintage, bright patterned tea towel; Ikea.