Monday, August 1, 2011

Cup-A Cup-A Cobbler

This time last year, I could never have guessed what a gift this blog would be in my life.  Started on a whim, as a way to find some creative outlet in my busy, duty-filled life, with very limited knowledge of blogging and sparse skills in the realm of technology.  Last August,  I was facing the beginning of another school year, and the end to another summer where I didn’t get to paint, or learn how to sew, or quilt, or print-make.   After reading The Homemade Life I was inspired.  I thought it would be a fun creative outlet to merge my love of sharing yummy recipes,  telling stories and connecting with people.  I took a risk, asked Dave if he would partner with me to help with the technology of it, and see if we could give it a try.  He said, "Yes!" and before you know it we were securing a blogspot and trying to come up with a name for this unknown adventure.
The name, Cup-a Cup-a, came to me as I was pondering my intention of swapping ideas, recipes and finds with friends. I was inspired by the recipe sharing that was done in the film Steel Magnolias of the cake recipe. Clairee, my favorite, asks Truvy for the recipe for her Cup-a Cup-a Cup-a. She told her she didn’t need a recipe it was just “a cup of flour, a cup of sugar and a cup of fruit cocktail with the syrup, stir and bake in a hot oven ‘til golden brown and bubbly. I serve it with ice cream to cut the sweetness.” And though I’m not a big fan of canned fruit cocktail,  I am a fan of southern women and sharing what you know.  Thus this blog began.
A few months ago someone asked me for the recipe for the cup-a cup-a cobbler that I like to make and I realized that I have never posted about it. Kind of ridiculous!  So I decided to post it today in celebration of the 1 year anniversary of this blog.  And the Peach version was in order since they are at the peak of the season and my blog began with peaches this time last year.
Cup-A Cup-A Cobbler (Dump Cobbler)
This is the easiest cobbler. It is magical because the crust rises to the top while baking.  It is the very simplest cobbler and it is so very yummy. You pour in the batter, top with the fruit and during the cooking time, the batter seeps through to the top and forms a buttery, lovely crust with the cooked fruit below.  And as my friend Amy, reports that what makes it so yummy, as the batter leaves some of its gooey breadiness in the filling so that it thickens it.
It is embarrassingly simple, from-scratch, and a crowd pleaser. And, you really must serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or "banilla", as my 3 year old, Lucy, calls it).

1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 cups fruit; Berries, Peaches, a combo (frozen fruit is great... unthawed)

(The sequence of the addition of each ingredient is important.)
Whisk 1 cup sugar with flour.
Add milk just until blended.  
Add melted butter.  
Place in greased pie plate or small pyrex dish.


Sprinkle fruit with remaining ¼ cup sugar in a bowl.  
Dump on top of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes to 1 hour (until golden and bubbly and no liquid remains in the center). 

I doubled the recipe to make a larger batch.  Just make sure you put it in a big enough dish.
I make it year round with frozen fruit and it works great.

a single batch version with berries








So, thank you for reading,  trying the recipes, giving your ideas, and cheering me on.  It has been such a fun, therapeutic outlet for me and I am so honored and amazed that you continue to stop by!

My peachy keen niece!


I'm getting excited about all the recipes and ideas I want to share with you this year and look forward to the inspiring seasonal foods that are around the corner!  Here's to another year of cup-a cup-a fun! 

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your one year Blog-a-versary. I've read every post and invited friends to read along with me. We are all enjoying your way with words and your way with food. Thanks for sharing some of yourself with us.

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  2. this cobbler really is the easiest. and SO good. a must for everyone's recipe book. i'm glad you're blogging, too, julie!

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  3. I love your blog and use it more than any cookbook I own! I don't know what Rich and I would do without it. :) Right this minute, I am baking a peach cobbler using this recipe and I can't wait . . . it is the easiest and yummiest recipe! I can't wait for it to come out of the oven!

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  4. i LOVE this cobbler and you! congrats on one year. so glad you are sharing your recipes and ideas! xo larissa

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  5. Congrats on your one-year blogaversary! I love your blog--the design, the photos, the recipes, your fun writing! Thanks for putting it out there and for letting us get to know you through your cooking! You've inspired me all year long (gave my BIL a Dessert-of-the-month certificate for Christmas and have gotten some of the recipes for it from your blog). :-)

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  6. Jules!
    Your blog is a gift to us, too. I too use it all the time more than the many cookbooks I often consult. All "my" best recipes--the ones that people ooh and ahh over are your recipes! Thank you for sharing the recipes and the sweet stories behind the yumminess.

    Keep blogging!
    xo,
    Amy

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  7. Congratulations and this cobbler was delicious!! I made it tonight with peaches and blueberries. I feel like we should be related :)

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  8. Congratulations!!! I echo what everyone else said...thank you so much for taking the time to share. Your recipes and stories are just wonderful!
    Trying your mom's hot fudge recipe tomorrow for an ice cream social! :)

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  9. Oh, and making your brownies on Sunday for out of town guests! When you say something is the best, it truly is! What did I ever do before you started blogging?!

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  10. Wow! Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement! What a gift! I wanted to give you a thought about the cobbler made with peaches. When I made it with peaches I found that it was breadier than when I make it with frozen berries (which is what I normally use). My friend called and told me the same thing about when she made it this week. I am not sure if it is the size or texture of the fruit that made it different, but I might recommend chopping the peaches smaller and maybe adding more that the recipe calls for. I'll work on this and see what I can discover. (Ironically, one of my daughters asked the other night if we could make a pan of it without fruit at all. I told her "that would be poundcake"!

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  11. Do you bake this covered or un covered?

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  12. I gotta say, this is the one recipe I can't seem to get right from your site. It is a fail for me every time! :( The first time (with frozen peaches) it was too bready. Then a few times since I used fresh berries and it was overly runny after after 80 minutes it still didn't seem to cook all the way. I don't know what it is... But every other recipe I have made from here has been a 10! Love, love, love you and this blog.

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    1. Jess, What a disappointment! I hate that you haven't had success with this recipe, especially since it's such a simple one. I think maybe it's been the fruit's fault? I will say, my favorite way is using frozen mixed berries. It yields a nice consistency and takes less than an hour. We should try making it together!
      I'm glad you have had success with other things from my blog so you don't give up on reading and trying recipes!

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