Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook Part 70

teaspoon cinnamon

cup melted b.u.t.ter (1 stick, 4 ounces, pound)

Measure out ten cups of peaches and put them in a large mixing bowl. Let them sit on the counter and thaw for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle them with lemon juice and toss so that they're all coated.

In another smaller bowl combine the white sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon. Mix them together with a fork until they're evenly combined.

Pour the dry mixture over the peaches and toss them a second time. (This works best if you use your impeccably clean hands.) Once most of the dry mixture is clinging to the peaches, dump them into the cake pan you've prepared. If there is any dry mixture left in the bowl, sprinkle it on top of the peaches in the pan.

Melt the b.u.t.ter. Drizzle it over the peaches. Then cover the cake pan tightly with foil.

Bake the peach mixture at 350 degrees F., for 40 minutes. Take it out of the oven and set it on a heatproof surface, but DON'T TURN OFF THE OVEN!

TOP CRUST:.

1 cup flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

1 cup white (granulated) sugar

1 and teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon cinnamon

teaspoon salt

stick softened b.u.t.ter ( cup, 2 ounces, pound)

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in the smaller bowl you used earlier. Cut in the softened b.u.t.ter with a couple of forks until the mixture looks like coa.r.s.e cornmeal. Add the beaten eggs and mix them in with a fork. For those of you who remember your school library with fondness, the result will resemble library paste but it'll smell a whole lot better! (If you have a food processor, you can also make the crust using the steel blade and chilled b.u.t.ter cut into 4 chunks. You'll take the dry mixture out of the food processor and add the beaten eggs by hand.) Remove the foil cover from the peaches and drop on spoonfuls of the topping. Because the topping is thick, you'll have to do this in little dibs and dabs sc.r.a.ped from the spoon with another spoon, a rubber spatula, or with your freshly washed finger. Dab on the topping until the whole pan is polka-dotted. (Don't worry if some spots aren't covered very well - the batter will spread out and fill in as it bakes and result in a crunchy crust.) Bake at 350 degrees F., uncovered, for an additional 50 minutes.

Hannah's 2nd Note: Minnesota Peach Cobbler can be eaten hot, warm, room temperature, or chilled. It can be served by itself in a bowl, or topped with cream, sweetened whipped cream, or ice cream.

STRAWBERRY CUSTARD SQUARES.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 cup flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

teaspoon salt

cup chilled b.u.t.ter (1 stick, 4 ounces, pound)

2 Tablespoons whipping cream ( cup)

cup flour (NOT A MISPRINT you'll use 1 and cups in

this part of the recipe)

cup white (granulated) sugar

3 cups sliced strawberries69

TOPPING:.

cup white (granulated) sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

2 eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)

1 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or strawberry extract if you have it)

Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup flour and the salt. Cut in the half cup of b.u.t.ter until the resulting mixture looks like coa.r.s.e sand. (You can do this in the food processor with the steel blade if you like.) Stir in the cream and pat the dough into the bottom of your cake pan.

Combine the cup flour and the sugar. Sprinkle it over the crust in the pan and put the sliced strawberries (or other fruit) on top.

For the topping, mix the cup white sugar and the Tablespoon of flour. Stir in the eggs, cream, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over the top of the fruit in the pan.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Cool on a rack, and then refrigerate in the pan.

Serve warm or chilled with sweetened whipped cream or ice cream. You can also serve this plain or with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Yield: 10 to 12 dessert squares.

RUBY'S DEEP-FRIED CANDY BARS oil for deep-frying (I used Canola)

6 or more a.s.sorted chocolate-covered candy bars70

Buy the candy bars the day before you intend to make these, and chill them in their wrappers in your refrigerator overnight.

Hannah's 1st Note: If the kids are around, hide the candy bars in your vegetable crisper - they'll never look there.

An hour and a half before you want to serve, mix up the batter from the following ingredients: 1 and cups all-purpose flour (not sifted pack it down