The Summer Peach

There is no better fruit, to me at least, than a fresh summer peach.  Juicy and packed full of that peachy goodness I know and love.  I bought a box of fresh peaches on my trip to Trader Joe's this week, and let me tell you, they are so juicy that you need a handful of napkins when you eat them, or the juice will run down your arm and all over your clothes!

I have a lot of recipes using peaches, pies, jams, etc., but again it's just the two of us, so I made a small fresh peach and fresh blueberry crisp with some of my peaches.  It smelled so amazing baking, I couldn't wait to eat it!  It was not too sweet for those minding their sugar intake.  Topping it with a small scoop of vegan ice cream, makes this dessert totally vegan, or top it with a scoop of regular vanilla bean ice cream.

Recipe below.

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  This peach and blueberry crisp was served after a vegan meal I made for dinner,
 Vegan Bolognese Sauce with Pasta (recipe on this blog 1/6/16), check it out.

I used 3 fresh peaches and 1 cup of fresh blueberries and started layering them in a small casserole dish.  

I made two layers with the fruit.

Now the crunchy part - Oatmeal, brown sugar, a pinch of salt and vegan butter.

Spread the topping over the fruit, cover to the edges and bake.  Easy and simple, that's how I like it!

    

In 40 minutes, this fabulous dessert! Sweet peaches and puffed up blueberries that burst in your mouth!

Peach and Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients

3 fresh peaches

1 cup fresh blueberries

3/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons Earth Balance Vegan Butter, cut into cubes

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Cut peaches in half and remove the stone.  Leave the skin on if you like or peel them.  Slice each half into 5-6 slices. Layer the slices on the bottom of the casserole dish, and sprinkle on 1/2 of the blueberries.  Make another layer of peaches and the other half of the blueberries.

In a medium bowl, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, salt and vegan butter.  Break up the butter with a fork mixing it into the oatmeal and brown sugar until its crumbly.  Spread the top of the fruit with mixture and cover to the edges of the dish.  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes (remember all oven temps are different).  Makes 4 servings.

Peach And Cinnamon Cobbler

I needed to make a dessert for after dinner, and was checking out all the food storage places in the kitchen  for something good.  I had a can of Grands Cinnamon Rolls in the fridge to use before they expired.  My family loves the "dessert after dinner" thing. But my oven was on the fritz, waiting for the repairman today as a matter of fact, so I did not want to get into or bake anything too extravagant.  I started pulling other ingredients out of the cabinets, this is what I came up with and it was really good!  Recipe below.

I started with my rolls, lined a baking sheet with parchment paper so they didn't stick, sprinkled on some walnuts, or you can use pecans too.  Save that there little container of icing you get in the rolls for later, you will need it to top your cobbler.

 Brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and cornstarch in a saucepan.

 Stir it up and add water.

Add the peaches, you can also use fresh peaches, cooking time will be longer, stir as you are cooking, the sauce will thicken.

 Cinnamon rolls are baked and hot. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream, top with cinnamon roll, top with peach sauce and then drizzle on the frosting, YUMMY!

Peach And Cinnamon Cobbler

Ingredients

1 roll of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 teaspoons cornstarch

zest of a lemon

1 - 16 oz. bag of frozen peaches, thawed and drained, or 4 large peaches peeled and sliced

1/2 cup of water

Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Unwrap rolls, split apart and place on baking sheet, sprinkle the top of each roll with nuts and bake. While the rolls are baking, in a large saucepan stir together the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon zest.  Add the peaches and the water, stir and cook until the peaches thicken and are bubbly.  When the rolls are done, remove from oven. Microwave the frosting for about 30-45 seconds.  For each serving - In small serving bowls, add two small scoops of vanilla ice cream, place a cinnamon roll on top of the ice cream, pour some of the peaches over the roll and then drizzle on some of the icing. Makes 5 servings.

Peachy Keen Jam

I wanted to try and make peach jam, I already mastered strawberry, so why not peach.  Next on my list is orange marmalade, it's one of my favorites.  Wegmans had these really big fresh peaches, in the produce section, so I came home with them and made my jam. There is no better fruit than a fresh, ripe, juicy summer peach.  This is how I made it, the recipe is below. 

Fresh peaches and some of the other things needed to make it.  Also, canning materials you will need.

Pit, peel and chop the peaches.

 Ingredients combined in a heavy saucepan and simmering on the stove.

Sealing the jars in boiling water and fresh peach jam it is!

 Fresh Vanilla Peach Jam

5 large fresh peaches

1 3/4 cups of sugar

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 vanilla bean

1 Tbsp. pectin

Wash, pit, peel and chop the peaches.  Combine them in a heavy saucepan with the sugar and the lemon juice.  Slit the vanilla bean down the center, scoop out the beans with the tip of a knife into the saucepan. Bring the peaches to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile fill a large dutch oven type pot with enough water to cover the jars.  This will be your hot water bath.  Bring it to a boil. When the peaches have cooked down, add the pectin and stir it in quickly.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.   Remove from heat and fill jars immediately while it is still hot.  Use a ladle and/or a canning funnel to fill the jars.  Leave 1/4 inch of space between the lid and the jar. Place lid on top and then screw on the rings but not too tightly.  Immediately place them in the boiling water bath right side up, be careful not to tip them over. Keep in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then remove keeping jars upright.  Let cool for 24 hours so the jam can set and then tighten up the rims.  Refrigerate after opening. 

Bring on the Summer Fruit!

Summer is abundant with all kinds of fresh fruit and you know fresh is always better.  Here is a new way to use fruit in salads that is refreshing, and filling, on hot summer nights. It always tastes good, no matter what fruit you are using. Try it, you will like it, and it will become a new favorite of yours too.  Recipe below.

Pull out your greens, fruit, nuts and cheese

Layer it

OOOH looks so good! Now drizzle on the dressing.

Spinach Salad with Fruit and Feta

Ingredients:

1 bag of fresh spinach, rinsed and stems removed

½ bag of mixed spring greens, rinsed

10 strawberries rinsed, hulled and sliced

1 cup of blueberries, rinsed and stems removed

¾ cup of crumbled feta cheese

½ cup of sliced toffee almonds

Build salad by layering spinach and mixed greens.  Add strawberries, blueberries, feta then the almonds.  Top with dressing.  If you like you can add sliced fresh peaches, pear or kiwi.

Sweet and Sour Dressing

Ingredients:

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ apple cider vinegar

½ cup canola oil

1/3  cup of sugar, use more if you like a sweeter dressing

¼ tsp paprika

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

Measure all ingredients into a container or jar with a lid and shake vigorously until combined.  Serve over the salad.