Blizzard Buzz, Part 2

By Dianne R. McCann
Editor, Baltimore's Child

I woke this morning to a loud crash. Running to the window, I was sure I’d find that the snow coming down from the roof had pulled off the gutter that runs along the front of my house. Luckily, that hadn’t happened.
Instead, a heap of snow had bombed the already-wounded arborvitae that had been standing down below, next to the front porch. Where the 9-ft. tree once stood is now a 5-ft. mound of snow. Sigh.
On a happier note, later this morning, I stepped outside to find that a couple of neighbor dads had formed a wonderful slope for sledding across their front lawns, pictured on the right. I’m surrounded by families with preschoolers, and this slope is perfect for the kids.

Even my 18-year-old daughter got into playing in the snow today. That’s her snowman pictured on the left.
Have you taken any great pictures of the snow outside your house? Have your kids had the chance to build an extra-special snowman you’d like the world to see? Send it to me, at Dianne@BaltimoresChild.com—I’d love to post it on this blog.

One word of caution when it comes to kids playing in snow…
Please warn your kids to be careful when it comes to snow tunnels—better yet, tell them not to make them at all. Snow tunnels can be dangerous, especially with the wet, heavy snow we have now. Just think—compacted snow can weigh 20 lbs. or more per cubic foot. And, the deeper the tunnel, the less air is available under there.
A snow tunnel collapsing on a child can be fatal. Just last year, an 8-year-old boy suffocated to death in a snow fort at his home in New Brunswick, Canada, when a narrow tunnel that the boy had built caved in on him.

On the Inside
If you’re back in the kitchen, looking around for something easy to bake, consider this fruit cobbler. I had some overripe nectarines and peaches that I needed to either do something with fast or soon toss out. I paged through one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s, by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati (Brown Bag Publishers, 2008), and found this recipe. Delicious! And easy-peasy. Even the kids can help with it.
One Bowl Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 cups sliced peaches (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Select an 8x8-in. square baking pan or a glass 9-in. pie pan.
Melt the butter right in the pan and use it as a mixing bowl. Add the pancake mix, sugar, and milk. Stir with a fork till just combined. (Batter will be lumpy.) Scatter the fruit evenly over the batter and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake for 30 minutes, till light golden brown.
Can be served with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Variations: Use apples, pears, plums, or mixed berries. Frozen and canned fruit work just as well as fresh fruit in this recipe.