Artichoke? No Pears? Yes

After getting my haircut I decided to stop at Brennan's to get some artichokes for tonight's dinner. I have been totally craving them since creating the family cookbook. I looked around and found out they are not in season. I guess I will crave them a little longer. I did discover that Brennan's places recipes by the different fruits and veggies they go with. Great sales tool on their part. I start wandering the aisles and pick up the recipes that sound good. By the pears I discover a recipe for pear cobbler. hmmm sounds really good. I get all the ingredients I need and off I go with my purchases. The cobbler is delicious. Here's the recipe. The main thing I would change is double the dough part.

Easy Pear Cobbler

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

6 very ripe pears, cored, and halved lengthwise (about 2 1/4 lbs)

1 cup flour

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1/4 brandy

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Drizzle the bottom of a 13 X 9 inch baking dish with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Arrange pear halves in 3 rows, cut sides down, over butter. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, milk and brandy; stir until well-blended. Spoon the batter around the pear halves. Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and lemon rind; sprinkle over pear halves. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Don't want to use brandy, substitute 1/4 cup apple cider and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Be sure the pears are ripe or they will end up very firm.

Serves 9.

Too much!

When is too much, too much. I think it happened yesterday. I hope it was a day never to repeat. Actually I hope the last 3 weeks never repeat. Stress, stress and more stress. Let's see, death, heart, possible cancer, surgery, ER and doctors and more doctors. All in the family. It's enough.

Frankie :(

Random thoughts of Frankie the wonderful black cat.
8-15-1998 - 3-17 2009

The first time I saw Frankie was shopping at the Hilldale farmer's market with Mom. We were walking along when a father and his two young children entered the market pulling a wagon with an adorable sign written by the children. The sign read free kitten to a good home. Yes, it was little Frankie. I looked at mom and she she looked at me and it was love at first sight. We had decided no more pets after losing Snickers. I asked if I could hold him. He was ours. He snuggled right in.

Russ was Up North with Melissa. Now how do I tell him about the cat. He fell in love with him and asked if he could be called Frankie.

Frankie kept us on our toes. We opened the oven one night to put supper in and before we knew it Frankie had jumped in the hot oven. He jumped out just as quickly. Thankfully he was fine. Frankie did not enjoy the dogs that we tried having. I think he prefered the quiet home.

Almost time!

Only two more sleeps until we leave on our road trip to see Aunt Rochelle. It seemed so far away and here it is time to go! Russ has been planning and packing for over a month. Me, I am a last minute packer. My clothes are packed because it was stressing Russ that I had not done it. I will do anything to keep my sweetie happy, cause if he's happy I'm happy. Caitlin is getting ready to go too. We are going to have such a wonderful time. What could be better than sharing over a week with your granddaughter.
This is our third time driving to Sarasota. The first trip I snuck a journal into the car. I was not sure what Russ would think about keeping one. To my surprise he enjoyed it. We now read it and chuckle about our fun times. The first thing he asked me when we decided on this trip is do you know where the journal is!!