Pear Cobbler

I'm sure Kay's recipe for Fruit Cobbler has now circled the globe, but in case you missed it she's enlarged on it with a fresh Pear Cobbler. She needed to use up some pears she'd bought that wouldn't seem to ripen and I'd just torn a recipe out of the Sunday newspaper's magazine and helped her out. She made it, brought some to my house and it's soooooo good. The original recipe she's used for many years came from her great-grandmother, Carrie Smith, on Tom Smith Road.

PEAR COBBLER

4 1/2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk (can use cream for a richer taste)
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
8 small pears (some soft, some harder, about cups), peeled and sliced or diced.

Cut butter into chunks and place in a Pyrex dish. Place in a 350 oven 5-8 min., till butter is melted. Whisk together dry ingredients in bowl. Add milk and vanilla and whisk till smooth. Pour batter over hot butter, top with pears. Do not stir. Bake 45 minutes or until top is browned and a toothpick poked into center comes out clean. As they bake pears will sink to bottom. Serve slightly warm from the dish.

Brunswick Stew

2 (2 1/2- lb.) chickens (A large baking hen works well; has more taste )
1 (3-lb.) Boston butt pork roast
3 (14-oz) cans diced tomatoes (or equal amt. fresh tomatoes)
1 (16-oz.) packages frozen whole kernel corn
2 (16-oz.) packages frozen butterbeans
2 med. onions, chopped
32-oz. chicken broth (use broth from cooking chicken)
1 (24-oz.) bottle ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons (or to taste) hot sauce

Cook chicken in pressure cooker. Remove meat from bones and chop (or use a food grinder). Save broth. Cook Boston butt in same pan. This meat chops or grinds best when cold. Refrigerate. In same pan pre-cook the butterbeans, then the corn. Combine everything in a LARGE pan and cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 hours. Makes about 8-10 quarts. Freezes well. (A note: Be careful when cooling a large amount in a pan. Can spoil if not handled properly. May have to ladle out into smaller bowls or pans to cool for freezing) Hint: Boston Butt pork goes on sale often; this week you can find it for $1.29 a lb.

Scalloped Potatoes

I have an easy and delicious recipe for scalloped potatoes.

8 medium potatoes, thinly sliced in food processor or mandolin

In saucepan: Melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add 1 small onion, minced. Cook 4 minutes, then add 2 cloves garlic, minced. Cook 30 seconds,
Add 3 cups heavy cream 4 sprigs thyme and 2 bay leaves. Bring to boil, add sliced potatoes, cover pan and slow simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into baking dish, remove bay leaves (can't leave them in your food). Sprinkle 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese over top, bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Brunswick Stew

I made Brunswick Stew today, homemade and from scratch. Some things you just can't make a small amount; can't do it. So I have about 10 quarts. But then it takes so long to make you'd want to make a bunch at the time. If you want the recipe let me know and I'll print it for you - or you can buy the Yellow River cookbook and the recipe is in there. Excuse me now, I have to go get another bowl of Brunswick stew.