Another Day at the Convalescent Home with Punkadoo Plus Pie

So hobbling around on crutches is a wonderful lesson in patience. No, really. I mean it. I go to deep water aerobics and then I take Judge to his water aerobics at the rehab vet. We're all convalescing over at my house.

Which brings me to Punk. Punk is bored with convalescence. I'm in the kitchen whipping up this fabulous

Stone Fruit Patchwork Bake* (see recipe at end of post)

and when I say whipping up, I mean making a mess. See proof in the cherry juice dripping down the counter below.

So while I'm slicing peaches and pitting cherries, I hear a rustling sound. The noise is coming from the deck. I open the kitchen door and this is what I see:

Mmmmh. He's cute in his paper bag bling, but I know by the position of his tail that I'm going to be aggravated. This is when I notice the recycle bin:

I'd show you a picture of a yard full of licked-clean plastic containers if I'd been smart enough to take one while I was stomping around in my crip boot picking up egg cartons. And if not for the rain.

Which brings me to the thunderstorm. Punk runs around like the Tasmanian Devil when the sky starts rumbling. He pants and shakes and boings. You know. Like a pogo stick. Well, dammit. I'm TRYING TO MAKE A COBBLER here! All that's left to do is the crust. I'm rolling out dough and every time I pick up the flour bag, Punk jumps as high as my behind and pops me in the back with his tiny front paws. Great plumes of flour billow around the kitchen.

I told you. The crutches were a lesson in patience. Mmmmmh. How to finish the Stone Fruit Patchwork pie and hold Punk at the same time?

In order to get this:

I did this:

Punk in my backback.

Handsfree. And the cobbler is totally worth it.

+++

*RECIPE!

My friend Beth Harrelson called my attention to this recipe

From the New York Times

July 29, 2009

Stone Fruit Patchwork Bake

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 8 pieces, more for dish

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more for rolling

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 pounds peaches, seeded and sliced (about 5 large)

1 cup cherries, stones in or pitted

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 9-by-13-inch or similar-size baking dish; set aside. In a food processor, combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, the salt and 1 tablespoon sugar; pulse once or twice. Add butter and turn on machine; process until butter and flour are blended and mixture looks like coarse cornmeal, about 15 to 20 seconds. Slowly add 1/4 cup ice water through feed tube and process until just combined. Form dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and freeze for 10 minutes or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (You can refrigerate dough for up to a couple of days, or freeze it, tightly wrapped, for up to a couple of weeks.)

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl toss fruit with remaining flour, 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice; place in baking dish.

3. Put dough on a floured board or countertop and sprinkle with more flour. Roll dough into a 12-inch round, adding flour and rotating and turning dough as needed. Cut dough into 3-inch-wide strips, then cut again crosswise into 4-inch-long pieces. Scatter pieces over fruit in an overlapping patchwork pattern.

4. Brush top of dough lightly with water and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Transfer to oven and bake until top is golden brown and juices bubble, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool; serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.