Labor Day Peach Cobbler

½ stick butter (4 tablespoons)

1 cup self-rising flour, not all-purpose flour (see note)

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 cup milk

3 bags (1 pound each) frozen peaches (or 6 cups fresh sliced peaches, peeled and packed firmly, or 6 cups home-frozen peaches, defrosted)

½ gallon premium vanilla ice cream for serving, optional

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the butter into four pieces and place in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Place the dish in the preheating oven until the butter melts.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl (2-quart or larger), mix the flour, sugar, egg and milk. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, and pour the batter over the melted butter. Do not stir. Arrange the fruit evenly on top of the batter. (The batter will rise to form a crust in and around the peaches as it bakes.)

Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the crust browns. Remove from the oven and let the cobbler rest 10 minutes before serving topped with ice cream, if desired.

Serves eight to 10.

Cook's note: If you question the age of your self-rising flour, substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. (Outdated self-rising flour will not rise and will ruin your cobbler.)

Nutrition values per serving (without ice cream): 217 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated), 40 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein, 34 mg cholesterol, 208 mg sodium.