Two more pot holder sets, and my favorite fruit cobbler

July went by in a blur.  Some part of me wonders if I will ever quilt again!  It took me a month to finally tack back the binding on these last two sets of scrappy pot holders: 

The backs are from tenugui that I bought over ten years ago, the first time we lived in Tokyo.   It's really high time I use the things I've been saving!  Yes I am counting these pot holders as a "mini" for July.  Look at all the minis linked by Wendy at The Constant Quilter! 

Kaela and family have moved into their dream home.  Many hands have made lighter work for them but it is still overwhelmingly exhausting.  Everyone is focused on helping them get settled before the twins arrive.  I am humbled by how tiring it is to keep up with a two year old! 

Lots of family have come around to help.  I love seeing my two girls working and laughing together! 

Scorching hot days.  I lasted 30 minutes at the park with Charlotte the other day - 

Our sea shipment arrived from Japan!  But, since we are moving so soon, we asked the crew to just stack the boxes in the garage.  When we are finally able to move into our "new" townhome in September,  we will open everything up and TRY to find a "place for everything".   Downsizing isn't for the faint of heart but I do believe in it!   We have already moved an entire bedroom set over to Kaela's home for one of their guest rooms. 

Yesterday my niece Alyssa joined us for Sunday dinner and brought these cheerful flowers - loved looking at these as I set up "August" in my bullet journal today: 

Lastly I just want to share a wonderful recipe with you.  This is a fruit cobbler I've been making for over twenty years.  I make it all the time in the summer.  Last night I used blueberries and blackberries.  Peaches are amazing in this cobbler too.  You can use any fresh fruit.  

I love getting everything ready for it while I am making dinner.  From this "mis en place" setup, I can very quickly get it into the oven right as we sit down to dinner.  

Batter Fruit Cobbler 

serves 4-5 

This is from The Perfect Recipe by Pam Anderson, and it is adapted from a recipe from Nathalie DuPree, a very well known southern cook from the 80's.  

4 T butter

3/4 C flour

3/4 C sugar (reserve about 1 T for sprinkling) 

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 C milk

2 C fresh or frozen cut fruit or berries (not sweetened or thickened) 

1.  Preheat oven to 350.   While oven is preheating, put butter into a pan  (8 inch square, or 9 inch round, or deep dish pie plate, or cast iron skillet) in the oven to melt.  

2.  Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, and then add the milk.  Whisk just long enough to incorporate the ingredients. 

3.  Remove hot pan from the oven.  Poor batter into the pan over the butter (don't stir).  Arrange or sprinkle fruit over the batter.  Sprinkle with the reserved 1T sugar.   Do all of this quickly and get the pan right back into the hot oven. 

4.  Bake until batter browns, 40-50 min (sometimes longer).  Just make sure the middle is done.  Cool slightly and serve with good vanilla ice cream.  YUM. 

xo 

Cynthia