MARK HINTON (Hermitage, Tennessee) recalls being at his grandparents’ house nearly every weekend when he was growing up. LYDA WINFREY (Lascassas, Tennessee) grew most of her own produce, so Mark remembers her as always cooking. Lyda was known to her five grandsons as Granny. Mark can still see the big old stove in her kitchen. It had a burner built inside the stove where, through the top, they’d place a large pot on it to cook the beans or other vegetables they had grown. Because he spent so much time around Granny in the kitchen, Mark says he’s picked up on how she did things and has been able to apply that to his own cooking.
Cooking spray
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 (15 ounce) can apricots
1 (15 ounce) can sliced pears
1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches
1 small (12 ounce) jar cherries
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 × 13-inch baking pan.
2 Drain all of the fruit and mix together in a large bowl. Pour into the baking pan.
3 In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Mix in the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil and remove from the heat. Pour the mixture over the fruit.
4 Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm on biscuits, as a complement to an egg casserole for brunch, as a topping on pound cake, or over your favorite ice cream for dessert. Remove the cinnamon sticks before serving.
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS.