It’s peach season in North Texas!  Living in Mesquite, we are fortunate to be close enough to enjoy the bounty of Ham Orchard & Roadside Market on the eastern outskirts of Terrell, Texas.  This is the 29^th year for Dale and Judy Ham to grow and sell fresh fruit to the public.  Their orchard has had a bumper crop of peaches and other fruits this year.  Not only will they sell you freshly picked peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, plumcots, and blackberries, but they also sell homemade cobblers and ice cream, fresh vegetables, fudge, jams, and jellies.  You can also pick your own blackberries, if you’re so inclined. 

The Hams also generously share a couple of their favorite dessert recipes.  One is Easy Cobbler and the second is Ham’s Peach Dessert.  After getting some of their freshly picked peaches, I had to give their Easy Cobbler recipe a try.  I found it to be the easiest cobbler recipe I’ve ever made.  Extremely tasty, too. 

 

My changes included using Splenda instead of sugar in the dry ingredients.  (Use sugar if you desire in place of the Splenda.)  However, I did use sugar for macerating the peaches.  I also used unsalted butter in place of margarine because I prefer the richer flavor of butter.

 

EASY COBBLER

Recipe adapted from Ham Orchards & Roadside Market, owned and operated by Dale and Judy Ham

 

Ingredients

3 cups peaches, sliced (about 6 peaches)

Boiling water for blanching the peaches

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup Splenda

1 cup flour

1½ tsp baking powder

3/4 cup milk

Dash salt

Dash cinnamon

1 stick unsalted butter

 

Other Items Needed

Large bowl to hold peaches to blanch

Large pot to boil water

Pot holders

Cutting board

Paring knife

Measuring cups and spoons

Two large spoons

Large bowl to macerate peaches with sugar

Large bowl for dry ingredients

9x11 baking pan

Cooking spray

 

Place peaches in a large bowl.  Bring water to boil and pour over peaches to blanch them.  It will only take a few minutes for the skins to loosen.  Peel the peaches using the paring knife.  Slice the peaches and place the slices in a large bowl.  Cover the peaches with one cup sugar and set aside.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined. 

 

Spray baking pan with cooking spray.  Place stick of butter in it and put the pan in the oven.  When butter melts, add 3/4 cup of milk to the dry ingredients and mix well. 

 

Pour batter over butter.  Add peaches to batter and DO NOT STIR.  Bake 1 hour.  Simply delicious!

 

 

Ham Orchards & Roadside Market is on Hwy 80 at CR 309, 11939 CR 309, Terrell, Texas 75161.  It is located three miles east of Terrell.  They are open seven days a week from May 15 through August 15.  Operating hours are 9-5.  Contact information is:  website www.hamorchard.com; e-mail dhampeach@hamorchard.com; telephone 972-524-2028; and fax 972-524-5515.

 

Kathryn’s Texas Kitchen’s will next share with y’all our favorite Caldo de Res, or Beef Soup.  Y’all will really love this one.

 

Until next time…

 

 

Bon appétit!