Stone Fruit Cobbler

I know we should just munch on the peaches and plums by themselves. But cobbler is so pretty and so good! I put 7-8 cups of fruit in this recipe, and I simply use whatever is on hand. This time it was stone fruit, but strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are also good. Frozen works as well as fresh.

7 cups stone fruit (plums, nectarines, peaches)
1 cup blueberries
juice of one lemon (or 2 T. bottled lemon juice)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar

Stir together and then spread in a 11x7 pan, lightly greased.

I had a white plum, a red plum, a white peach, two regular peaches, and three nectarines. It's pretty.

1 cup oats
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
6 T. butter

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry cutter. Sprinkle on top of fruit. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

I would include an "after" picture, but we ate it pretty quickly. I let my kids eat it for breakfast--it's not that different from a sugary cereal, right?

And it's so pretty!

Dump Cookies

This recipe was a favorite of my mom's when I was a teenager. It's almost good for you. I've noted a few newer options, but it's very flexible and friendly.

1 c. flour
1 c. wheat germ or crisp cereal
2 c. oatmeal
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar (both sugars can be reduced by 1/4 cup)
1 c. shortening (or butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. (heaping) baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
chocolate chips (4-12 oz., you pick)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
3 T. flax seed (honestly, I just dumped some in...optional)
1 T. chia seed (optional)

You can also add raisins or dried cranberries, depending on your family. Now here's the clue to the name: dump all ingredients in a bowl and combine. Drop on baking sheet in desired size and bake at 360 for 12-15 minutes.

When I was a kid, the "360 degrees" made Mom & I snort, but now, with digital ovens, you can actually do it.

By the time my family ate the dough and stole cookies as they came out of the oven, I had two dozen to parcel out in individual baggies and set them at everyone's table spot. Now, we shall not collapse in agony if a hungry teenager raids the cookies at midnight. And, I can take a single bite out of any of my cookies. After all, they're mine (insert evil cackle).