Blueberry Peach Cobbler

I love fruit deserts!  Cobblers are one of my favorites because they are so easy.  Just a few steps and you are rewarded with something warm and bubbly that reminds you of home.  That's how I feel about them, anyway.

Here's a recipe for a Blueberry Peach Cobbler that is out of this world!  Make it on a Sunday morning so your kitchen will smell like blueberry pie all day.  Fact. It's a win-win situation!

(recipe adapted from cooks.com)

You will need:

3 c. sliced peaches (5 or 6 med.)
2 c. blueberries
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
3 tbsp. milk
1 egg

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the peaches and blueberries in ungreased 8x8 inch baking dish.

Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix 2/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp. flour and cinnamon; sprinkle over fruit.

Dot with butter.

Mix 1 cup flour, 2 tbsp. sugar, the baking powder and salt, cut in shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

 

 

 

Blend together milk and egg, and then add it to the flour mixture until a dough forms.

Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto fruit mixture.

Bake uncovered until topping is golden brown 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve warm with whip cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Left overs are delicious cold, right from the fridge.  Two spoons, one bowl - Go for it! : )

Happy 1st day of Summer!!!  Celebrate and make a cobbler.  It's so worth it!


Danielle xo

Simple Pleasure = Melon Mint Salad

Have you ever noticed that the things in life that bring us the most joy are the simplest?  The easiest things are the best. I think so.  No fuss, no muss. 

We all experience joy in different ways.  Here are a few of what I consider simple pleasures.

Brownies with walnuts, flip-flops, pink carnations...

Hot fudge sundaes, Lego's, starry nights...

Sandcastles, toasted marshmallows, The Walton's...

Yes, I did just mention the Walton's. Have I ever told you how much I love them? They had nothing but each other and the land they lived on, yet they showed more love than any other TV family in history.  I can't get through an episode with crying (sometimes sobbing!).  John-boy gets me every time. 

Crying during The Walton's...definitely a simple pleasure (and also a dirty little secret : )

Ok, now that I have that off my chest, I'll continue.

Love's Baby Soft,  Frank Sinatra, vanilla lattes...

apple pie ala mode, yard sales, my kitchen on a Sunday morning...

 

All easy, breezy, and carefree. 

 Here is a recipe for a mint melon salad that will surly become one of your simplest pleasures.  It's definitely one of mine.  You only need four ingredients to make this salad.  That in itself is a pleasure!  

  

You will need 1 cantaloupe, 1 honeydew melon, 1 lime, and some fresh mint leaves.

Cut melons into halves and remove the seeds.  Use a melon baller or cut into bite sized chunks.

 Or in my case I improvised and used an ice cream scoop....shhhh, don't tell anyone! I ended up with melon "ribbons" instead of balls, but nobody seemed to mind. 

 

Squeeze the juicy-juice of one whole lime onto the fruit.

 
Sprinkle with a handful of slivered mint leaves and toss gently.

Chill until ice cold and serve!

The mixture of lime and mint makes this salad very refreshing. A perfect ending to a summer barbecue meal!

I haven't done this yet, but I was thinking how incredible this fruit salad would be with a scoop of lime sherbet on it! 

Doesn't that sound like perfection on a hot day?!  And so simple.

 

Speaking of hot days, the temperatures here have been rising.  Today was in the mid 80's and absolutely beautiful.  The roses sure do think so! 

Pretty in pink!

Here are my Mother's Day roses.  See how much they've grow!   I'm happy they are adjusting.

Yellow balls of sunshine out my window!

 

Yes indeed, the simplest pleasures in life are certainly the best.  As I type this post I have a cup of hot tea in my favorite strawberry mug with a chip on the rim, and The Walton's are playing in the background (true).  I have my tissues all ready and my heart is full.  I can hear the sound of my son snoring.  He's exhausted from a day of sprinkler jumping!  We love the simple life~!

Good night John-Boy xo

Danielle

{PS recipe adapted from shutterbean.com.  Check out this website for lots of other yummy, simple treats!}

Welcoming summer with a road trip!

Hello!  I'm back from vacation and wanted to share with you some of the highlights.  Last Sunday we packed up our car and traveled three and a half hours to New Hamphire. The husband and I are no strangers to road trips.  In the past we have driven all the way to Florida and back, so three and a half hours to New Hampshire is no biggie.  As long as we have food, a loaded IPod, and a charged up DVD player for our third passenger, we are A-OK.

We usually do this trip a little bit later in the summer, but we decided to go early this year.  I said goodbye to my peonies knowing that when I return they all would be open, blooming in the sun.  I was right : )

This year we got a condo with my parents.  It was so much better than being in a regular hotel room because it gave us much more space (essential when traveling with a kid). We each had our own bedroom and bathroom, a living room, plus a laundry room and full kitchen. We cooked most of our own meals and ate together just like at home.  The first night I made pizza.  It felt so good after that long drive to have real food and not take out.  I enjoyed cooking in a new kitchen too.  Over the course of the week we had pasta, sausages, corn on the cob, and salad - just to give you an idea.  My Dad cooked us eggs in the morning with bagels and coffee.  It was the best!

We spent the first two days "theme parking".  This worked out great because our best weather days happened to be the first two.  We went to Santa's Village and Storyland (both in New Hampshire).  Both are like mini Disney World's to a four year old.  We've been to both places before but this year was our best year ever!  My son loved every single thing!!!!  Especially anything to do with water! 

 Our little fish!

We made sure to take time out for snacks. We break for Donuts!

We have learned that my son is a little dare devil.  He went on the roller coaster 10 times!!! After that he discovered that he can go fast and get wet at the same time on the log flume ride. 

There they go...

This was my son's first time on the flume ride.  He got completely soaked and loved it!  They did it three times after that!

Since they were wet already, they headed for another water ride.  Notice how I take all the pictures.  This keeps me dry and also keeps my stomach in check when they go on the roller coasters and spinning rides. 

"To overlook the little things in life is to miss the biggest part of life itself. "

View from our walk out patio.  It felt like we were up in the clouds.

Sunrise on the mountain.  For this I don't mind getting up early.

One of the highlights of the trip had to be seeing my Dad swimming in the pool with my son.  I haven't seen my Dad swim since I was 10 years old.  He's just not a pool person.  For this trip he actually went out and bought a new bathing suit!  They had a fun time swimming and playing in the pool for hours! 

 

I loved the flags hanging from the balconies overlooking the pool.  They gave the atmosphere a homey feel. 

While the guys went out for ice cream us girls took some time to shop!  No one does a country store like New Hampshire! Candles and crafts galore! 

I'm obsessed with these old fashion stoves.  I would love to own one someday. 

Ahh, the Christmas corner.  I knew I would find you! I bought an ornament like I do every year (on every vacation : ).

This is Pollard Brook located directly beside our hotel.  At night we could hear it running.  It sounded like rain. 

With the windows cracked, it's a nice peaceful way to fall asleep.  

We had a wonderful vacation!  Thanks to Nana and Grampy for all you did for us! We can't wait to do it again next year!!!! 

Going away is always fun, but nothing compares to coming home and sleeping in your own bed.  I do miss the sound of the babbling brook out my window though.  At least I know it will be there waiting for me next year.   

*Life is good *

Danielle xo

Sunday Favorites

Look who woke up to officially welcome Summer!  Hello beautiful! I've been watching this peony plant every day waiting for it to pop and today is finally the day.  They only bloom for a few short weeks and I wait for it every year : )

 It's a beautiful Memorial Day weekend and what a way to kick off summer!

 Here are just a few things I've been adoring, doing, and thinking about on this gorgeous Sunday morning.....

One of my all time favorite Summer fragrances is Philosophy's Amazing Grace.  This is the cleanest and most feminine scent you could imagine.  It's a beautiful summer day in a bottle.  I have the shower gel too.  I layer both and it's not overpowering at all. 

A state of grace is a peaceful place to be.  This fragrance puts you in that place.  Like when your four year old bursts into the bathroom while you are taking a shower to frantically ask you if you have his Cars DVD.  This is real life.  Take a deep breath and pass me the shower gel. 

 I found this recipe at A Little Loveliness for pink lemonade cupcakes that I can't wait to try.  They will be perfect for a friends birthday party we are having next month.  I love how she decorated them with the paper straws and lemon wedges.  So fun! I'm sensing a theme to this party already.

I had a pedicure the other night. What is it about a pedi that makes a girl feel so good?  Is it because afterwards our toes look so cute?  Or are we in it for the foot massage?  For me it's the fact that I can actually relax in a reclining, vibrating chair for a hour while I get my feet pampered - an no one in my family knows where to find me.  Dinner will be a little late tonight, guys.....

I selected my favorite summer color - Japanese Rose Garden....Love, love, love....  

It goes great with this new lip color from American Beauty that I am adoring right now - Serendipity. Yes it is!

Is this not the cutest bike ever?  I've been thinking about getting a new one and this little Pashley number is right up my alley.  The basket had me at hello.  I can imagine myself riding down to the bakery on a Sunday morning and filling it up with croissants and baguettes, like I'm staring in a 1960's french film.  I'm totally kidding.  Seriously.  Maybe.

I've had hair issues all my life.  Anyone that knows me, knows this.  It's a fact.  I'm picky, afraid of change, and use way too much hair spray.  I cringe when my hubby uses the term "high maintenance" but in this case I'm afraid he might be right.  What would surprise him is the fact that all I really want is hair long enough to be able to put into a messy ponytail, look like I've done nothing to it, and look great.  That's all I want.  A messy ponytail.  Why is it so hard to achieve a messy ponytail? 

I have a  heart shaped candy mold buried in my pantry that would work perfectly for making these sugar cubes.  Wouldn't they be adorable in a pink sugar bowl at the breakfast table?  I don't know if the husband would appreciate this or even notice...but I would!
 

And speaking of breakfast, I must learn how to make my coffee do this!  What a way to start the day.  If only this were real life... : )

Thanks to the Style Network and E! I've been obsessed with reruns of Sex and the City. Ever since 1999 I've been trying to figure out, style wise, if I am a Carrie or a Charlotte???

 I think I'm probably more of a Charlotte but secretly wish I could be a Carrie?  Or is it the other way around?  I'm still not sure.  Maybe I'm just a little bit of everybody.... 

This could take years more of rerun watching to figure out.  That's okay by me.  This show never gets old.  I love the humor in it, but come on - who are we kidding? We girls really just watch it for the fashion ~

So excited to see my first cherry tomato of the season.  Is there anything better than fresh tomatoes growing in the hot, summer sun?!  Many more to come...fingers crossed! xo

I just downloaded Cherry Menlove's Easy Jubilee on my kindle.  I've been following Cherry Menlove's blog forever and I can't tell you how much I love her.  She's so talented and downright adorable!  Do any of you follow her?  If not please check out her blog www.cherrymenlove.com. 

It's full of so many ideas from cooking and baking, to sewing, gardening, housekeeping, parenting, and fashion.  This is the first of many to come from Cherry.  I can't wait to read this!!!!!!

And we're off!  Our car is packed (or should I say stuffed!) and we are about to embark on a little road trip this week.  It will be nice to get away for a few days and enjoy a change of scenery.  We'll be swimming and enjoying the summer sun with family this week.  There will be sightseeing and lots of ice cream I guarentee.  I'll tell you all about it when we get back. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!!!


Danielle xo