With publication of AMONG THE FAIR MAGNOLIAS just around the corner, my co authors and I have been experimenting with beloved Southern recipes. Last week I made spoon bread. This week, even though the peach crop is still weeks away, I’m making peach cobbler using canned peaches.  The recipe is known among Southern cooks as a “cuppa, cuppa, cuppa” recipe, because it calls for a cup of several ingredients. It reminded me of one of my favorite fictional characters, the plainspoken and hilarious Ouiser Boudreaux, from Steel Magnolias,  as portrayed by Shirley Maclaine.

Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 11 by 17 baking dish and add 4 cups of fresh sliced peaches. Combine a cup of milk, a cup of self rising flour, a cup of granulated sugar, and a half cup of melted butter. (If you are using all purpose flour, just add 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt to the flour). Pour this batter over the peaches and bake until done, about 35-40 minutes. Some cooks like to add cinnamon but this one allows the peach flavor to take center stage. You can use this batter to make any kind of cobbler–just pour it over 4 cups of your favorite summer fruit.

What’s your favorite summertime dessert?