Paula Deen's Peach Cobbler

It's peach season, and with that thought I went looking for a cobbler recipe. As usual, Paula Deen came through for me. 

This is simply to die for, so without further ado ~

The Lady and Sons Peach Cobbler

(c) Paula Deen, 2007

Prep Time:  5 min.

Cook time:  1 hour

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

1-1/2 c. sugar

1-1/2 c. self-rising flour

2 c. milk

1 (28-oz) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, undrained*

Cinnamon, for sprinkling, optional

Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Put butter in a 13 x 9" baking dish and place in the oven to melt.

Stir sugar and flour together and mix well. Slowly add milk and continue stirring to prevent lumps.

Being careful not to burn yourself, remove hot baking dish containing melted butter from oven; pour batter directly over butter in baking dish. Do not stir.

Spoon fruit on top of batter, then gently pour syrup on top. Do not stir. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of batter, if using. (Do not stir.)

Bake for 30-45 min. or until golden brown. Your batter will rise above your fruit, producing the most wonderful of crusts. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

*If using fresh peaches: In a saucepan mix 2 c. fresh peach slices with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir often, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Substitute this for the canned peaches.

Simple to make, so delicious you'll be sad when it's gone. Are fresh peaches available in your area? If not, the canned ones work just fine. 


To see the Paula Deen recipe for strawberry trifle, click here.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Between Naps on the Porch
Cozy Little House
Serenity Now

Sunday Morning

"Leave it all in the hands that were wounded for you."

 Elisabeth Eliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

 Have a wonderful Sunday,

 Mary

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

It's that time of year when homeschooling parents scramble to find

Exactly The Right Curriculum 
for the coming school year.

It's not easy, and it's not cheap. Get the credit card ready!

This year we've outsourced our daughter's biology course. She'll
study with a stay-at-home mom/veterinarian who teaches biology. Elizabeth is looking forward to dissection. 
She's really into ... stuff like that.

Last year the Algebra program wasn't working for Elizabeth. During Christmas, I ordered a new curriculum. Elizabeth sailed right through it.

Needless to say, I'm sticking with the same program for Geometry this year.

The happy thing about homeschooling is that you can make changes like this when something's not working for your child. 

Homeschooling's not for everyone, and that's okay. But for our family, at this time, it works. With the right curriculum. Which I need to order right now!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

 Simple Home Life

How's Your Mailbox?

It turns out that mailboxes are a true art form. Come on a tour  - I'll point out styles you may want to consider for your 
future mailbox needs.

A stunning beauty including a light, just
in case the mail is a little late one night ~

Patriotic but needing a trim on top and the sides ~

Come on over ... er, if you can read our house number ~ 

Hide and seek - can't you picture the mail carrier trying to blaze a trail to get through to this? ~

Basic black, every woman needs this for special events ~

Shabby chic!!! You know you want one!

Or how about this? Just barely gettin' by ...

Support your favorite team - Go Hokies!! 

(Especially for Grammy Goodwill)

W is for ...  Wilson? Williams? Could your initial hold up your mailbox? Love the size of the box - all your eBay, Etsy, and Amazon purchases should fit in this thing!

Showing your state flower and bird - twice ~

How's your mailbox? Here's mine - definitely needing a
Redo!

And the dying grass - oh my!


Which sample above is your favorite? 
And how is your mailbox?

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Life Goes On

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: 

it goes on."

Robert Frost

I look back over my life and wonder why I often let the smaller issues get me down. The letter of forgiveness I hoped to receive. 
A phone call. An invitation.

(recent spray paint project, see more here and here) 
 
But as someone once said, this too shall pass, even the more stressful events.


Caregiving.
Job loss.
Loss of a parent.
 

Life is filled with cycles - ups and downs.
Hills and valleys, the occasional mountain.
A mountain you can't climb over, go around, or go under.

But, as Robert Frost said, life goes on. 

And before you know it, you're looking around at some beauty in your day, wondering why you let a blip in the road get you down. 

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

 Savvy Southern Style

Lamp Redo

I've had this little Wal-mart lamp in a corner of the kitchen, and

girl, that thing was ugly.

It started life with a black base and a tan shade. 
(See collage pic below.)

Saturday I whipped out my Rustoleum Antique White 

spray paint (more on that here) and turned it into a 
little white lamp,

which was quite an improvement.
But the tan-colored shade was still ugly!

So I took my 1/2 yard of Hobby Lobby aqua check fabric, 

cut it into 2.5" lengths, ran a gathering row across the top of each strip. Then attached each row with hot glue.

With another 2.5" strip, I ironed under 1/4"

on the top and bottom (long) edges. And hot glued

this piece of fabric around the top. 

I'm really loving ruffles (here and here). 
They're simple to make and add a big cuteness factor.

Here's the before and after.
Imagine the left picture with a black base, and you
will know what I mean when I say ugly.

 Better? I think it only had one way to go and
that was UP!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Between Naps on the Porch
The Shabby Creek Cottage

Redo the Wooden CD Holder

I painted outside Saturday afternoon in spite of the drizzle.

And completed lots of small projects.

When I announced my intent to paint, Mr. Redo:

1. Mentioned it was raining, then followed me outside to watch me set up my painting station.

2. Suggested I paint on the patio table under the umbrella 

to cover my work space.

3. Went back in the house, shaking his head. I love that man!

I'm really tickled with the redo from unfinished wooden CD holder (thrift store, $2.50) to white shelf holding two recipe boxes (free from a yard sale). 

 I'll show you other paint projects each day this week ... one has to do with this ~  

What'd you do this weekend? Did you get rain? Hope so, I know many in our country desperately need it.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Etsy Cottage Style
Keeping It Simple

 

Sunday Morning

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. 

May your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Psalm 143:10 NIV

Hugs ~ Mary

Three Bags, Three Ways

So I bought these three canvas bags in a pack at Wal-mart and 
studied on what I might use to decorate them. 

Since they were plain canvas and all.

I found an idea on Pinterest and copied it. I use this bag to tote my Bible and notebook to church.

 I chose bunting for this next one, which my daughter can. not. stand. She's 16, and she knows everything. Trust me. 

Everything. I did, too, when I was 16. I sure
wish I could get back my 16-year-old mind, but that's
a topic for another day.

 

The third idea was a single ruffle; my daughter thinks it needs 

something more. She's not sure what, but something.
Hey, maybe she doesn't know everything, after all.

 So it's your turn to vote. 

1. Which is your favorite?

2. What's your take on the bunting bag?

3. Does the single-ruffle bag need something more, and if so, what do you suggest?

I really can't wait to read y'all's ideas!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

 2805
Simple Home Life
The Cottage Market

Lighting the House

Is y'all's house as dark as mine? My house has 20 windows and two sets of French doors ... not to mention a front door with glass in the top ... and in spite of all that, this place is just dark!

I reckon part of it is the windows, being tall but narrow. Once you put blinds on them (I'm kind of into privacy here in the burbs), you get even less light.

Add the ton of trees the previous owner so graciously planted right up against the house 30 years ago, and you get darkness.

Last winter we decided to save money. We kept the lights

off during the day. Can I just tell you something? It was dreary. And depressing. Something I do. not. need.

Well, we're not doing that again, I'm turning the lights on every day because leaving them off did not save us one penny on the electric bill. Not one. Nothing.

And just to be sure, I've stocked up on lamps. 

I've shopped yard sales and thrift stores,

and now I've got lots of lamps.

Floor lamps, table lamps, lamps with nice shades, lamps without ...

 

I've done what I had to do to spice things up - 

added fabric, adding dangling things,

whatever it takes. 

How's the lighting situation over at your house? What kind of light do you have - natural or store bought? 

Tell me about your light.

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Kristen's Creations
 Shabby Creek Cottage
No Minimalist Here

Adult Kids Still Home

Got to talking to somebody the other day about adult kids still living at home. It set me to remembering, way back in my own life ...

Mama and Daddy took me back in my twenties - when my first roommate got in some trouble. Yep, they took me back, fast.

Later they took me back again. I was in my thirties and still waiting for Mr. Perfect. Perfect sure is hard to find, don't you think?

I was active in our church, out there in the country, and it was easier to stay with Mama and Daddy so I didn't have to drive 

back to town in the dark, after church services, and all.

Mama always had dinner on the table when I got there. 

It was nice, real nice.

Of course I eventually met Mr. Redo, who wasn't exactly perfect but pretty close. Of the 36 items on my "must have in a man" list, he had at least ... well, he had at least some of them.

Mama and Daddy were sort of glad to give me away at my wedding when I was 39. Well, Daddy was. He probably felt Mama had been feeding me long enough. Mama, on the other hand, told Mr. Redo that she was never giving me away, to nobody ... never. 

She added: "But we love you, and are glad to 

have you in the family." 

What a lady, wasn't that nice?

A few years later, Mr. Redo and I took care of them 

in our house til they passed away. That was seven years of pay-back for all the times they took me in. It wasn't easy but, we'd do it again, if we had to. 

It's not for everybody, and it's sure not for

every situation, I understand that. But it worked

out fine for us.

Food for thought, if you're wondering how long your 

adult kids might be staying around.

Just sayin'. ;)

 

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style