Whenever we have family and friend gatherings, one of my most requested dishes is my blueberry cobbler. The kids and I are having very special guests for dinner tonight and I’m making this dish for our dessert. So, I thought I would share my recipe with you all. I have adapted this from The Pioneer Woman’s Blackberry Cobbler recipe.
Ingredients:
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, melted (as a sidenote, you will NOT find margarine in my house – we always use butter)
1 1/4 cups plus 2+ tablespoons sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup half & half (you can substitute milk, if you prefer)
2 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries (if you’re local to Lafayette, you should check out the Prelock Blueberry Farm. This is where I get mine from and they’re quite possibly the BEST blueberries out there!)
Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter.
Place the stick of butter in a microwave-safe dish. Heat in 30-45 second increments until melted.
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 cup of the sugar.
Whisk the half & half into the dry ingredients.
Whisk in the melted butter.
Rinse the blueberries and pat them dry. (If you’re working with frozen blueberries, it’s likely you’ve already done this step prior to freezing them.)
Pour the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the top of the batter.
Evenly sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar over the blueberries.
Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbly. When 10 minutes of the baking time remain, evenly sprinkle the remaining 2+ tablespoons of sugar over the top (use your best guesstimate, sometimes I use more, sometimes just the 2 tablespoons).
When you’re done, you’re left with baked blueberry deliciousness that will keep ’em coming back for more!
I once read that things are different in the hands of different people.
For example, a paintbrush is much different when in the hands of Monet versus a child.
A basketball is much different in the hands of Michael Jordan than those of Babe Ruth.
A piano sounds much different when played by the hands of Mozart than when played by the hands of a first year piano student.
Clay turns out to be something much more inspired when molded by Leonardo da Vinci than when turned and shaped by a college student in an elective course.
One of the best examples I can think of to illustrate this is with the two fish and the five loaves of bread.
In Luke 9, there was a crowd of people surrounding Jesus and His disciples waiting and yearning to be taught. But, as Jesus repeatedly taught us, we need to meet people where they are before attempting to minister the Word of God to them.
This crowd was hungry, so Jesus told His disciples, “You give them something to eat.”
They replied, “We only have five loaves of bread and two fish-unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”
If you are familiar with the story, you know that Jesus takes the bread and the fish, and, “looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.”
The story further goes on to tell us that everyone ate to their satisfaction and there was still plenty that was left over.
Two fish and five loaves of bread go much further when in the hands of Jesus than when in the hands of His disciples.
When I apply this to my life, I realize that my circumstances, my children, my blessings, my challenges are all different in my hands than in the hands of others. While I may long for an easier road, or different blessings, I realize that God can’t accomplish what He wants to in me and through me without giving me what is in my hands.
Only I can prepare my children for the life God has for them; no other mother could do that. Only I can share with others my struggles as a single parent and give them hope that they, too, will come out on the other side – and stronger for it.
Only my words will breathe life into an experience I’ve lived; one that will deeply move and touch the heart of another.
So, friends, on this day, instead of looking at your situation and wondering why this is the hand that God has dealt you, thank Him that He chose you for this great work. Work that only you and your hands can accomplish for His greater purpose.
Sometimes I wonder if we’re close enough. Not as in geographically. Or even in the same house.
But are we close enough that it’s going to mean something when they get older. When they want to talk about things that really matter.
Do they genuinely see me as a refuge? As a safe haven? As someone who really has their back? Are we that kind of close?
I know at some point, they will turn to their peers before they turn to me. But, do we have that close-knit bond that will allow them to understand that, despite what predicament they get into with or without their friends, they can call home? They can call their Momma…and I will listen or help.
I want to be close enough to them that when they get older and they get into a wrong relationship, they can call me and I’ll listen without judgment or even negative non-verbal communication.
Will they know that I just have their best interests at heart?
Are we close enough for them to know that they can rely on me to be there when their friends decide to drink and drive and they aren’t comfortable getting into the car with them?
Are we close enough for them to know that they can rely on me to be there when they decide to drink and NOT drive and they need a ride home?
Am I laying the foundation, daily, that is required for us to be this kind of close?
Am I putting in the hard work, the dedication, the time necessary to make this kind of close a reality?
Am I praying the hard prayers that seem to go out into the abyss, only to be answered many days, weeks, months, and years later?
So he (Samson) told her (Delilah) everything. ‘No razor has ever been used on my head,’ he said, ‘because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God…if my head were shaved, my strength would leave me…After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him…but he did not know that the Lord had left him.” Judges 16:17,19-20
My son has always been afraid of the dark. He’s nine years old and I don’t even worry about his fear. Why? Well, my son is operating on a higher spiritual level than most. I get it, that may sound hokey or odd or just plain crazy to you. But there’s something in this beloved son of mine that others don’t see and may never experience.
How do I know, you ask? Mother’s intuition. That, and some of the things he says and dreams he shares with me.
As this summer continues to unfold, I am excited to share new experiences with my children.
Every summer before this one, my kids have had to go to ‘camp’ all day. They’ve typically enjoyed it because the camp they’ve attended has kept them crazy busy! (So there’s less ‘mom-guilt’ for me.)
This is the first summer I’ve been able to stay home with them, and I’m not gonna lie, there are days where I’ve completely lost my ever-lovin’-mind, to the point where my kids probably wish they could go to camp…just to get away!
See, I’m pretty much an introvert, with a few extravert tendencies. I need time alone with just my thoughts, to recharge and get amped up for the next adventure.
Since my kids got out of school on May 20, I’ve had a total of approximately 3 hours to myself. And those have been spent in the bathroom.
To say I was beyond ready for a small break is an understatement.
Yesterday, we decided to do something new! Well, new for me…not the kids. We decided to take the bus around town. It was incredibly awesome for me, cause I didn’t have to drive or stress about stupid STUPID construction traffic in Lafayette. (If you live here or have to come here for anything, you totally get this.)
Our plan was to go to the Hanna Center. I know they have a small playground, and we had packed a lunch, so we were going to eat and just chill. I even brought the book I’m currently working my way through. Slightly wishful thinking.
Well, I wasn’t exactly sure where we needed to get off the bus, so we ended up missing our stop. I noticed as we were flying down Greenbush Street that I needed to come up with a back-up plan. i
“Ok kids. McAllister Center it is!”
This is where they’ve gone to summer camp before, so I knew they had a small park to play at, as well as a picnic area.
We ate and chatted about things and played for a while. My daughter, who goes to middle school in the fall, told me she is the most excited about lockers. And is the most nervous about getting around.
I could tell our time was winding down, so I began to look at the bus schedule to determine our next move. I decided it would be easiest to walk to Market Square and go from there. I’m sure some of you locals are thinking I’m crazy, and perhaps you’re right…but hear me out on this one…
The kids had traveled some of these roads before, when they walked to the pool from camp. So, I knew we weren’t going to be totally lost…plus MapQuest…an essential travel tool.
We started out, and I wanted to enjoy the walking and the scenery. For me, we were on roads I’ve never been on, surrounded by sights I’ve never seen.
What follows are some pictures of our expedition.
Our first selfie on the bus!
Emma posing (always!) at McAllister
Wild berries
It might be a little difficult to see, but the trunk of this tree is crooked!
This tree stopped me in my tracks. The owner has several bird feeders hanging from the branches. All at once, the kids and I agreed that it reminded us of Gloria Dump’s tree in ‘Because of Winn Dixie’ by Kate DiCamillo.
Some pretty flowers along the way.
Some more pretty flowers
And yet more flowers
The kids with their delicious truffles from Richelle in a Hand Basket
Two signs that really spoke to me!
Elijah and his red, white, and blue vanilla truffle. He LOVED it!
If you know me AT ALL, you know I love chickens! I knew my husband would NOT approve of an $80 chicken purse purchase, so I just had to snap a picture of it!I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PILLOW (except the $700 price tag). If you have to have this, you can find it at Interior Objects.
Meet you at Arni’s!Emma loved what they did with their flag pole!
On the bus ride back to the depot!
My whole goal in this day was to just BE. Be present. Be in the moment. Be all-in with my kids. I had had a rough morning, and wanted to connect with them in a way I had yet to for the day. I wanted to document it so that we could reflect on it in the days to come.
This had been me…operating from zero resources.
When my hubs got home last night, he knew that I needed a break. So he agreed to take the kids off my hands for a few hours. (Remember how I said I’ve had exactly 3 hours in solitude since May 20?)
He knows how they enjoy fishing, so they went to Big Fish and Campground to have some quality time together.
My son really wanted to FaceTime me while they were fishing!
He also wanted me to know that he loves me!
Tad & Kids fishing
Elijah’s Fish
Emma’s Fish
Sometimes I have a difficult time ‘letting go’ of my desire to be needed. But, I find when I do, I am much more fulfilled. My husband gets to do his thing with the kids. I get to do my thing alone. And when we all come back together, we are all much happier people!
(Sidenote: my daughter is reading this as I’m writing it…she said that SOMETIMES we are all happier people…when I asked her what she meant, she informed me that sometimes she needs a break from the two of us. Wow…she is truly my ‘mini-me.’)
