So here’s the wonderful thing about hospitality—you don’t have to have people over for a meal! During a time when my food budget barely allowed enough to feed me, let alone a table full of guests, my sweet mama lovingly reminded me that having guests over at 7:00 p.m. for dessert and games can be a wonderful—and inexpensive—way to entertain. She made this dessert often when I was growing up, so even though it’s not original with her, I’m crediting her for sharing this recipe with me.

This week’s “Come on Over” recipe is for one of my favorite “go-to” desserts. In fact, it’s so easy that I’ve been known to spontaneously invite someone over after an event and make it once we got home, and then we played a game or just enjoyed talking until it was ready! It’s perfect for a “dessert-only” night or a midafternoon gathering (served with coffee, tea, or water), and it’s also the perfect finish to a “Come on Over” meal! (When I serve it at the end of a meal, I have it ready to go and put it in the oven right before we sit down to eat. That way it’s piping hot when we’re ready for dessert!) And no, this isn’t truly a cobbler in the technical sense, but I call it that, nonetheless!

“Come on Over” Cobbler

Prep time: 7 minutes-ish
Cooking time: 30 minutes-ish, 350°
Serves: 8–12 (depending on how big you slice/scoop the pieces)
From the kitchen of Brenda Henderson, shared with me by my mom, Lorraine Strohbehn

Ingredients:

• 2 20-ounce cans of pie filling(s) of choice (or you can make your own from scratch)

We usually like apple or cherry, so my husband thought this would be a fun time to use both!

• 1 stick Imperial margarine, room temperature (any brand is fine; I just always bake with Imperial)
• 1 box packaged cake mix (yellow, white, or spice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Pour canned pie filling into an 11 x 7 pan (or similar size; I sometimes divide the ingredients in half and use two different pie plates to bake them in).
3. In a separate bowl, cut margarine into dry cake mix, using pastry cutter or fork until thoroughly combined.
4. Sprinkle cake mix/margarine mixture over the top of the pie filling and spread evenly so all the pie filling is covered.
5. Place pan on cooking sheet (it often runs over!).
6. Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes-ish and then cut into pieces or scoop onto plates and serve alone (that’s how we like it best) or with a small scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.

Stores well, tastes great cold, and reheats easily in the microwave. And…I confess…it’s good for breakfast the morning after you’ve had guests! (Joe eats his in a bowl with a little vanilla coffee creamer poured over the top of it. Not my thing, so I eat mine plain, but hey, when you’re grownups, and you’re eating cobbler for breakfast, you can eat it however you want to!)

Enjoy! I certainly loved reading your e-mails and messages about the Come on Over Chicken many of you made last week, so I’d love to hear your follow-up reports in the comments below once you’ve tried THIS recipe and have said to friends or family, “Come on over!”