Monday, October 13, 2014

The Kitchen Is My Playground


 I am attempting to get my self back on schedule and settle back into daily life. It isn't as easy as it sounds. After Mom's last fall it is apparent that even for short periods of time she can't be left alone even for a minute. It was my habit to get Mom up and ready for the day and then I would run my errands like picking up prescriptions, getting yarn, books, and puzzle books as well as paying bills and other mundane day to day chores. I can't do that anymore, I have to stay with her at all times even when she is sleeping. I or someone and at this point in time there isn't anyone but me all week long. I can't even tend to my garden. So settling into a regular daily pattern isn't as easy as it would seem. I am fighting as hard as I can not to become a couch potato. Which by the way is easier to become then you might think. I started noticing very quickly that I was staying in my robe longer and it was taking all my effort just to get the basics done. With all this extra time at home my house should shine like a Windex commercial instead there was just a dull shine that said I was just getting by. Once I realized I was quickly becoming stuck in a rut I stood up and got dressed and started doing anything and everything that kept me off the couch.
  You know that with all that movement I would eventually find myself in the kitchen. A room I love more then any other room in the house. After I cleaned every little corner I looked around and decided it was just to clean, I also had the strangest urge to bake something.As you may know I am not a baker by any stretch of the word but every now and again I get the urge.I chose to use one of my many cook books rather then the computer. I closed my eyes and reached on the shelf and grabbed a book. I pulled out the Betty Crocker Bisquick cook book. I was going to put it back but then thought what the heck. I started reading and found 2 recipes that looked pretty good. 1 was a familiar and a true comfort food. Well it should be any way. I had all the ingredients on hand,the 2nd recipe looked spicy and different and I needed to get a few ingredients for it so the familiar one it was.

 I happily walked into the kitchen re reading the recipe directions. It is such a simple recipe the re read was not really needed. As I moved around the kitchen gathering everything together and measuring it all out the usual calm and sense of well being settled over me and I knew where my new play ground would be. 
 My first recipe was just so so and I have seen and had better recipes for peach cobbler, but we enjoyed it just the same. 

 Bisquick Peach Cobbler
1 can 29 oz sliced peaches
3 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Bisquick
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Heat oven to 400
 1) Combine peaches with syrup cornstarch and cinnamon in a large sauce pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.Boil and stir one minute more.Pour into ungreased 1 1/2 quart casserole. 
2) Stir remaining ingredients to a soft dough.
3) Drop dough by spoonfuls on to peach mixture.
4) Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is light brown.
 Serve warm with a scope of Vanilla ice cream.( that isn't in the recipe just my idea to dress it up)

 The peach mixture is good and flavorful but it could use a little more flavor. I would add more cinnamon and even some sugar. The topping while good was more biscuit like and I prefer a more cake like texture in my cobblers. Not exactly sure how to fix that other then using flour rather then Bisquick.
 The kitchen has kept me entertained everyday sense then, and I am happy to say the things coming out of my oven and off my stove top are getting better and better.
 Well I am off to blind grab another cook book and see what goodness I come up with today.
 Have a cheery Monday! Thank you for stopping by.   

2 comments:

  1. Glad to see you back into the cookin' groove.

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    Replies
    1. Yes thank you, finding the kitchen and my cookin' groove has made my heart sing again.

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