Fruit Cobbler in a Box

It's the Peach Fest at our local, super-expensive boutique grocery store (let's just call it Metro Mark-Up) and all things peach are being promoted in the store: pies, chutneys, jams, cakes.

I mostly ignore this stuff, but I was at the check out counter and couldn't help but notice "Cobbler in a Box" or was it crisp? All I remember was that is was a small box, enough to make one tiny cobbler, and it retailed for $4.99! And you still had to add your own peaches and dairy products.

Let me explain my horror; it was a box of flour, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, and dry powdered milk. Those ingredients would cost less than $1 if you made it at home, more like 50 cents. I went on a little tirade and my husband pointed out that some people don't like to cook like I do. I am sorry, but crisp is the easiest thing on the planet to make! I was making crisp when I was 9! It was settled, I was making crisp that evening.


Fruit Crisp
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens (I have been using this recipe almost 20 years)

5 cups assorted sliced fruit: For this one I used farmers market peaches and apricots with blackberries picked from our alley. (In the fall I love apples and pears with a little chopped ginger thrown in.)
4 Tablespoons sugar
heaping 1/2 cup rolled oats
heaping 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
5 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)--pine nuts are good too.

Start by mixing together brown sugar, oats, flour, and spices. Add chopped butter and cut in until is all gooey and crumbly. Mix in coconut and nuts if you are using.


In a glass pie plate, I mixed my peaches and apricots with 2 Tablespoons of sugar and then pushed the fruit to the rim to form a ring. Then I placed the blackberries in the center and mixed them with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar. I like the look of the fruit unmixed.


Sprinkle topping all over filling. Bake 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
I really wished I had some whipped cream when this came out of the oven!