Today is my brother’s birthday. Yep, he turns the big 5 – 0 today. It’s hard to believe he’s that age because I always remember him as my little brother. That’s quite funny, though, because he became bigger than me when he was 3 and I was 6, and I was never able to look down at him again. Yes, he may be 3 years younger, but he’s a good foot taller.
Life with a little brother can be interesting sometimes. Mine wanted to go everywhere I did, which is aggravating when you want to go to a slumber party with your friends. He was fascinated with fire for a while, and I lost two sets of pompoms because of it. He always loved to build things, and he learned to use a hammer by hitting me in the head with one.
Brother and I were close growing up. One day we’d play with his Matchbox cars or Tonka trucks by building elaborate roads in the driveway. That meant the next day would bring my choice of toys, and I usually chose Barbies. He never quite got the hang of Barbies, though. He usually had his G.I. Joe hang Ken and then kidnap Barbie by tying her to a Jeep or something. Ken’s head never stayed on like it should have after that, and Barbie’s hair didn’t grow back, no matter how much I wished.
I learned to sew by repairing a little boy’s favorite teddy bear. I made clothes for Buzzy the Bear to hide the scars he earned by being well loved. Brudder helped me stay thin by eating faster and then stealing the food off my plate. I didn’t finish a meal until I moved into my own place.
He was never a morning person, and sometimes he wasn’t an afternoon one either. He cried when Bambi’s mother died, named every chicken we had Jody, and once named a calf after a girl he thought was cute. (And she was flattered!)
In spite of all of his flaws, my baby brother grew up to be a fine man. He raised some wonderful children and now grandfathers eight, soon to be nine. He’s loving, faithful, and a darned good cook. I’m proud of him. Those early decades were a little rough on me, but I guess I’ll keep him now.
Happy Birthday, Michael McCormick! I love you!
I’m just going to come out and say it. I’m a sucker for the movie Steel Magnolias. I watch it each time it’s on TV. I quote dialogue right along with the characters, and I cry every single time Shelby dies. I can’t help myself.
If you’re familiar with the movie then you may have noticed how food plays such a part in the story. There are Easter eggs (twice!), the groom’s armadillo cake, shrimp at the festival, Clairee and Quiser in the grocery store, Annelle cooking something that freezes beautifully, and then there’s Truvy’s Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake.
During one of the beauty shop scenes Clairee asks Truvy for the recipe for Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa, and Truvy replies, “It’s just a cuppa flour, a cuppa sugar, and a cuppa fruit cocktail, with the juice. Mix it up and bake at 350 ‘til gold and bubbly.” Truvy then goes on to say how rich this dessert is, so she recommends serving it over ice cream to “cut the sweetness.”
You may notice how similar this recipe is to my Mom’s Fruit Pie. The main difference is the texture, which is due to the amount of liquid. Both, though, are rich and fabulous, so enjoy!
Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup self-rising flour (Bisquick also works great.)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fruit cocktail with the syrup (Use the entire 15-ounce can for added moisture.)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Mix the ingredients until blended, and then pour into the lightly greased 8x8 baking dish, spreading the batter out as needed.
Bake until golden brown and bubbly, usually about 40 or 45 minutes.
When I feel bad I crave fruity things. When it’s a dark and stormy night I crave hot comfort food. Tonight is one of those nights when it all comes together. It’s dark and stormy and I have felt much better, so I made Mom’s Fruit Pie.
About 40 years ago my aunt Joyce McCormick made a dessert for a family gathering that I just fell in love with. It was gooey, chewy, fruity, and I thought I had found my forever-favorite dessert. (This was before I discovered New York style cheesecake.) When I asked Joyce what the heavenly confection was, she said, “That’s just Mom’s fruit pie.”
Joyce gave me a copy of the recipe, and it was, sure enough, titled Mom’s Fruit Pie. I just wish I had thought to ask her if that is the actual name or if it was her mother’s recipe. I fantasize that it’s a family recipe handed down from my grandmother to my aunt and then to me, but a fantasy may be all that is.
First, the recipe as it was given to me. Then I’ll share some “enhancements.”
Mom’s Fruit Pie
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large can fruit cocktail
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put the butter in a 13”x9” baking dish and place it in the preheating oven.
Mix the flour, sugar, and milk until well blended.
Once the oven is preheated and the butter is melted, pour the fruit cocktail into the baking dish, syrup and all. Then pour the batter over the fruit. Do not stir.
Bake until the crust is golden brown. This may take as long as 45 minutes.
Now, the first thing you’ll notice, if you know a bit about baking, is that this is not a pie. It’s actually a cobbler. It’s also a thin cobbler if you bake it in a 13”x9” pan, but that can be a good thing because this sucker is RICH, and you’ll want smaller servings. Plus, the thinner cobbler also means more chewy and less gooey. You can bake it in an 8”x8” if you like it thicker, or you can half the recipe and use the smaller pan to make less. As I said, it’s rich.
The great thing about this recipe is its versatility. You can use any fruit in syrup, and it will work. Peach is my favorite. You can also use fresh or frozen fruit, about 2 cups worth, with no syrup. It changes the texture, but it’s still a delicious cobbler. You can also substitute Bisquick for the flour, and it works just fine.
And tomorrow I’ll tell you why this recipe may seem familiar to movie buffs.
Until then, enjoy!
