Grandma Benson’s Peach Cobbler
Grandma Benson was the hubby’s maternal grandmother who, unfortunately, passed away before he and I began dating. I did not have the pleasure of meeting her or sharing a meal at her table. I was, however, put to the Grandma Benson “test” early on in our relationship by a couple of Larry’s cousins (whose names shall remain anonymous) along the Uptown parade route no less. It was the typical, old-school New Orleans line of interrogation: “Who’s your mama?” “Are you Catholic?” and “Can you make a roux?” (The latter question also generally means, can you cook.) Thankfully, my mother was a respectable woman from a respectable family, I was Catholic and I could cook and make a mean roux. But to be quite honest, I’m not sure any of that earned me my place among the Benson-Hogan clan. Truthfully, I think it was the fact that I exhibited no inhibitions when asked (by those same cousins) to wear a just-caught pair of Krewe of Thoth underwear over my jeans for the duration of the evening. For better or worse, Grandma Benson is forever linked to that occasion. Grandma Benson is also forever linked to this wonderful Peach Cobbler, a much nicer association. I know. This Peach Cobbler is a family recipe my sister-in-law, Chrissy, has been preserving and sharing with all of us. I didn’t growup eating cobblers, or even peaches for that matter, which makes me all the more appreciative of Grandma Benson’s recipe. This sweet gem is simple and scrumptious and I look forward to eventually passing it down to the next generation of Benson-Hogans and those, like myself, who marry into this awesome and crazy-fun family.
As is the case with many family recipes, this one did not come with measurements. So I took it upon myself to make it with a large can of peaches, an entire box of cake mix and a whole stick of butter. As for the brown sugar and cinnamon, I worked those numbers to suit my taste. You’re more than welcome to add less or more to suit yours.
Grandma Benson’s Peach Cobbler Recipe
Print Recipe
1 29-ounce can sliced peaches in light syrup
1 18.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour peaches and syrup into a 12-inch cast iron skillet (or comparable baking dish); cover evenly with cake mix. Place pats of butter on top and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 30-40 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.
Genêt
