Some weekends are hectic, filled with hustle and bustle as you dash from one errand and commitment to the next.
Others are cozy and quiet, filled with happy things that inspire and comfort. I had one of those this weekend and it was just what I needed after a stress-filled week.
I only went online for pleasure, looking at beautiful pictures, reading soul-nourishing things, chatting with people who make my heart happy.
Bear and I worked on fun projects. He built a gorgeous medieval bench and painted it with a luscious dark stain. We designed a linen tarp to keep me protected from sun and rain when I give my medieval medicine talks. It’s a bright cheery red and really sets off the poles I wood-burned. I did some personal sewing too, updating some favorite sundresses that were a bit worse for wear after getting snagged on barbed wire and torn by eager dogs leaping up for a cuddle. They’re now looking spiffy again with all the tears mended and holes covered with fun flower patches that make me smile.
We went out for lunch and chatted for ages – I love when we actually have time to sit and talk for as long as we like – and went to our favorite thrift store that just happened to be having a book sale! Yippee! For one whole dollar I could fill a box with as many books as I liked. Oh. My. Word. Is there anything better you can tell a lover of books?
When we got back home I took some time to do wood-burning again, my go-to stress-relieving activity. I designed a new wooden rolling pin, and added this new sturdy wooden spatula to my shoppe.
I added a new design pattern to this narrow wooden spatula, so people can choose between it and the original scroll design. It was so fun and as my wood-burning tool glided steadily across the wood, I felt my stress melt away.
Bear brought home two boxes of sumptuously ripe white nectarines and we’ve been happily eating our way through them. But there’s no way we could eat them all in time, so yesterday I pitted and sliced them into a pan bubbling with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and made gallons of spiced nectarines that can be frozen and used for pies, crisps, and cobblers.
Today I made gluten-free cobbler. Cobbler dough is so easy to make with gluten-free flour since the wetness of the dough makes it easy to mix up and scatter in dollops over the spiced nectarines. Although traditionally the butter is cut into the cobbler dough like you would for scones or pie dough, I didn’t have the energy for this step and worked it in melted instead. I’m happy to report it works just dandy and saves a whole lot of fuss and bother. The cobbler smells so good and I can’t wait to have it with dinner tonight topped with coconut cream. Mmm.
What are your favorite moments from your weekend?
Gluten-free Nectarine Cobbler
(9” by 13” pan)
Ingredients:
12-15 fresh nectarines, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dark brown sugar or real maple syrup
2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I like a mix of buckwheat, potato starch, and coconut flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup to 1 cup milk (coconut, lactose-free, regular, they all work)
1 Tbsp raw sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 F (200 C).
- In large frying pan melt butter. Add nectarines, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Stir to mix and simmer over medium heat until fruit is tender and syrup thickens and begins to caramelize.
- Pour into 9” by 13” pan and set aside.
- In medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In small bowl whisk together vanilla, melted butter, and milk until slightly frothy. Pour over flour mixture and stir until it forms a soft dough.
- Break off Tbsp-size pieces of dough and scatter evenly over nectarines.
- Sprinkle raw sugar over topping to give a sparkly crunch.
- Bake 25 minutes until topping is golden brown.
- Serve warm or cold with ice cream, whipped cream, or coconut cream.
Gosh you will love Almost French. It gives such an insight into the French Psyche. I have read that book so many times. She has written a sequel as well, when they move to Tahiti and then Australia, but Almost French is the better I feel. I bet Tuscany Style will get your creative juices flowing. I often cook gluten free dishes for my friend. Do you mix the buckwheat, potato and coconut flours yourself or do you buy a pre-packaged mix. I have not seen this mixture on the shelves?
I’m so glad you recommend Almost French so highly, @budgetjan:disqus ! 🙂 It looked like something I would love and I’m so glad it is. 🙂 I mix my own flour blends, yes. Although I’m not celiac, my body just responds better to non-grain flours, so I mix together my favorites and they seem to work brilliantly. 🙂
It is just me again! What ratio of the 3 flours do you find works best?
No worries, @budgetjan:disqus 🙂 To be honest, I just mix and match depending on what I have in my cupboard at the moment. But in general, usually 1/3 of each.
I am a book addict so that book sale would have been my thrill for the weekend! Your wood burning looks so pretty Krista 🙂
It was definitely my thrill, @tandysinclair:disqus 🙂 Now I just need to find room on my bookshelves. 🙂 I’m so glad you like the wood-burning. xo
I used to love the Enid Blyton books as a child. I am reading “The Wishing Chair” to my daughter at the moment and she loves it too. Such a delicious looking recipe!
I’ve never read any Enid Blyton books, @GourmetGetaway:disqus , but have heard such good things about them and can’t wait to set aside time to read them. 🙂
I love ‘Almost French’. Such a great book. She’s a very good writer and it’s a very lovely story. A few years ago I was at a park and there was a man there who was speaking to his son in French. We were the only ones at the park and so I started talking to him and can you believe, it was Sarah Turnbull’s husband – the star of her book! They left France and moved to Tahiti where they lived on the island of Moorea. I think that’s where there son was born but there was an accident where I think he was burned and so they left Moorea and came to live in Sydney. Love the look of your cobbler xx
That is amazing, Hotly Spiced. 🙂 What a brilliant story. I’m really looking forward to reading the book. 🙂 xo
I’m so glad you had such a lovely, stress-free weekend! And topped it off with such a gorgeous cobbler. you’re making me crave summer fruits!
Thanks so much, @joanneeatswellwithothers:disqus 🙂 It really did my heart good, that’s for sure. 🙂
A basket of books for a buck – bargain! Glad you had a lovely weekend with some special time with Bear.
It was a splendid bargain, @disqus_xRgkTDNCQJ:disqus 🙂 I keep smiling just thinking about it. 🙂
Glad you got to enjoy
such a lovely weekend,
all homey and cozy and
full of things that made
your heart sing!
I smiled when I read about
the book sale, as I went to
one put on by the friends of
our local library….All soft cover
50 cents and hardcover $1.
I’d say you got the better bargain!
Although, a lot of these books
are recently out of circulation,
so a few were on my want-to-
read list : )
Love your wood carving–wow,
you are such a talented lady!
And now I’m hankering for a
nectarine, but it will be a long
while until those are available,
here–enjoy them!
xo Suzanne
Book bargains are so fantastic, @suzannewalcher:disqus 🙂 I’m so glad you found some treasures too. We have about 5 nectarines left and we are cherishing them. 🙂
My favourite kind of weekend. =) That Almost French book sounds interesting and I’m wishing for nectarine season here. =)
Yes, you would’ve loved it, @breannemosher:disqus 🙂 So much fun and happiness. xo
What a delicious-looking cobbler and gluten-free dessert! It’s one of my autumn favourites, but what the hell, I can make it in Spring, right?! This sounds like the perfect weekend 🙂