Grandma Rusha Belle's Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe

My 1st husband's grandmother, Rusha Belle Faulkenberry, was a sweet little elderly lady. She lived in a small town in Arkansas. She was a warm, caring woman who met me at the door with an oven mitt on one hand and a hot cobbler in the other. The cobbler was delicious smelling and it tasted just as good! She was gracious enough to share the recipe. The best part of my first marriage is the wonderful relationships I gained and carry with me still today. His family is still my family. Grandma Rusha Belle would be glad. I am sure she would love to know I still make this cobbler and remember her fondly every time. One of the best parts of this recipe is the simplicity of it! Of course the few ingredients and the ability to whip it up so quickly are definite pluses as well! My children love it and it is a quick thing to bake when unexpected company shows up for dinner! Rusha Belle, like my mother, would insist that company would need to have a dessert with their dinner! I am thankful for her recipe to accomplish that task! On to the recipe!

You will find this to be the most simple recipe you have ever made and the most delicious! It is perfect for that panic moment when you realize you NEED a dessert, whether it is for company or for a church dinner....it is a definite winner!

Let's begin by gathering together all your supplies and ingredients. There aren't a lot of items, so they are typically on hand in most kitchens. You will need:

• 9" square glass dish
• large mixing bowl
• 1 (29 ounce or larger) can of peaches
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of self-rising flour *
• 1 egg
• 1 stick of butter
• sprinkle of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar for topping after baking

First of all, begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Next, you will lightly coat the bottom of the 9" square glass dish with butter. Yes, butter. It lends a rich flavor and keeps the cobbler from sticking to the dish. Then pour the entire can of peaches into the dish, including the juice. Spread the peaches evenly over the bottom of the dish using the spoon. Sprinkle the peaches with cinnamon, lightly. Cinnamon is a natural sweetner, but too much can be overwhelming. Set aside. Next, in the mixing bowl, blend together the sugar, flour and egg until crumbly using a fork to blend it completely through. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the fruit, spreading it across as evenly as possible. This will create the crust for the cobbler. Next put the stick of butter into a microwave safe coffee mug and heat in microwave on low until melted. Watch the mug carefully as this can take as little as 10 seconds in some brands of microwaves. Finally, pour the melted butter on top of the crumb mixture. If you choose, you can sprinkle cinnamon on the top of this, lightly.

Bake the cobbler for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the juice is bubbly. Immediately upon removing from the oven, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, using a small spoon, over the top of the cobbler.

Serve in small dishes. I have found this to serve approximately 8 servings.

* SPECIAL NOTE: Self rising flour can sometimes be difficult to find. You can make this flour yourself by mixing

• 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

The subtracted amount of flour is replaced by the baking powder and salt. Be sure to thoroughly mix these ingredients together before adding any other ingredients.

This cobbler is easily adapted to other fruits. You can make it with apples, cherries, blueberries...the list goes on. The important part is to make sure that the fruit is already cooked, sweetened to taste and is at least 29 ounces in volume.

This is also a very child friendly recipe! It is easy for children to mix together and something they will be proud to serve! They will need adult assistance for the baking part of the recipe, but should be able to do the remainder completely by themselves as young as 5 years old! Great for a cooking with kids activity!

This cobbler is also great served hot or cold. You can also serve it topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Photo and Text Copyright 2011 Deborah M. Carey Updated 2015.