Nectarine Cobbler - Batter on the Bottom

It's no secret that I love to bake. Fruit dessert are my favorite, but breads are a close runner up. I'll share my love of baking breads as the weather starts to cool. Right now I'm enjoying the summer fruits while they're here. This is a favorite recipe that I vary depending on the fruit I'm using. Sometimes I make it with Sour Morello Cherries from a jar with a raspberry port sauce. Strawberries or cherries are luscious, too. But since fresh nectarines are coming out of our ears, that is what I'm using at the moment.

Nectarine Cobbler

3-4 medium nectarines, sliced

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup white flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

8"- 9" square glass pyrex dish, non-stick cake pan or large pie dish

Preheat oven to 350. Place half the butter in baking pan and pop it in the oven whilst it preheats. Watch that it doesn't burn, that would be bad. You just want the butter to melt. Remove pan once melted. In a skillet melt remaining butter an add the sliced nectarines, cinnamon and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Cook on med high for about 5 minutes till just warmed through and the butter and sugar has melted. Remove from heat. In a mixing bowl combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and vanilla and mix well. Pour batter into baking pan with the melted butter. Using a slotted spoon transfer the fruit from the skillet to the top of the batter, draining any excess juice...we'll be using that later. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Place on middle rack in the oven and bake between 50-60 minutes. The edges will be quite browned but you want to make sure the middle is cooked through. All ovens and pans cook differently so use your best judgement. Let cobbler come to room temperature and proceed to serve. If desired, heat remaining juice from skillet with 1 Tbsp jam, any kind will do. I used blueberry here. Pour over cobbler and serve with vanilla ice cream. You could also pour the sauce over the ice cream, that might be really pretty!