WAYS WITH FRESH SWEET PEACHES; Another Summer Pleasure to Enjoy

Biting into a ripe, juicy peach has always been one of my favorite summer must-have's. This is one of the best fruits to pick right from the tree.

If they need to ripen a little, place in a small brown paper bag and let sit on your counter for a day or two.

I still head to a nearby orchard every August to pick a dozen or so.

 I envy anyone that is fortunate to have a peach tree in their back yard. 

My cousin Paul and his wife Carol, have a small peach tree  that he gives special care to, and that tree is prolific with peaches most every August.  They enjoy making their own spiced peach jam, and give much of it to friends and family.

This first recipe is for all of us to enjoy anytime we would like something cold and refreshing.

Don’t let this summer go by without enjoying one of these. Here’s to all of you!

Frozen Peach Margaritas

 Peel, pit, and slice fresh peaches to make 2 cups. Freeze in covered container till firm.

In a blender, combine frozen peaches, 3/4  cup tequila, 1/4  cup triple sec, juice of 3 limes (about 1/4  cup), 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 cup ice cubes.

Puree until smooth. Serve immediately.    Serves 4

Peach Cream Freeze in Waffle Bowls

Ingredients:

 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

 1 cup cold milk

 1 package (3.4 ounce) vanilla instant pudding

 1 ½ cups thawed whipped topping

 20 “NILLA” cookie wafers (or like brand), coarsely broken

 1 and 1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches

Make filling:

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; beat 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping, wafers, and peaches. Freeze filling 6 hours or until firm.  Scoop into 8 waffle bowls. 

My niece Janine and husband Paul on site of new home

PEACHES & CREAM CHEESE CAKE

 My Mom found this is one of her many magazines, and made it often the last few years of her life. In fact, it became one of our family favorites.

It's a little of each; cheese-cake, pie, and cake. 

Simple to make and easily adapted to other fruit; She made it with blueberries and apples, but you can use fruits such as plums or nectarines, as each comes into season. When using peaches, plums, apples or nectarines; if not soft enough, slice and lightly sauté for a few minutes in a small amount of butter. I hope your family enjoys this dessert as much as mine does. 

 

Ingredients:                         

3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 tablespoons soft margarine or butter

1/2 cup milk

1 small pkg. vanilla pudding mix  (NOT instant)

 6 to 8 fresh peaches

         One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

         3 tablespoons apple juice

         1/2 cup sugar

         1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Combine first seven ingredients in a small bowl, and beat for two minutes. Pour into a large greased pie plate or cake pan.

Arrange sliced fruit over batter.

Using a small bowl, combine cream cheese, apple juice and 1/2 cup sugar; Beat 2 minutes, than spoon on top of fruit coming to within 1 inch of edge.

Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

On left, my cousin and friend Donna, with Aunt Jane, celebrating Donna's August birthday.

Fresh Peach Cobbler                                         

Ingredients:

4 to 5 cups sliced ripe peaches,

       (when are not in season, canned peaches can be used)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

 

Topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons soft butter, 1 large egg.

 

Toss peaches with lemon juice.

 Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter. Add to peaches and stir well.  Spoon peaches into a 1 and half quart baking dish.

 

Mix all topping ingredients and spoon over fruit mixture.

Bake cobbler in a preheated 400 degree oven till golden brown, about 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings

 

Best served warm, garnished with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Peach Sangria

                  1 bottle Chablis or other dry white wine, chilled (750 ml. or about 3 cups)

1/4 cup peach schnapps

3 tablespoons sugar

1 fresh peach, peeled and thinly sliced

1 orange and 1 lemon, both thinly sliced

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large pitcher; stirring until sugar dissolves. Add fruit; cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, reserving fruit.

Serve over ice, adding several pieces of fruit to each glass.

           

JULY; HOPE YOURS IS FULL OF BEACH, COOKOUTS, AND ICE CREAM

 The pleasures of summer; a cool swim, a good book while sitting under a shade tree, that welcome breeze, and…..

FROZEN CREAM PIES; a “COOL” DESSERT

• Frozen pies, akin to “ice cream”, are an easy way to make a tasty dessert for a family meal or to bring to that next cookout. My favorites are chocolate cream frozen pie, peanut butter chocolate cream, and this frozen strawberry pie, recipe below. I have to say that this is one instance when  pre-made pie crusts in the supermarket come in very handy, and I do take advantage of them.

            If you are a cook that likes to experiment and come up with your own recipes, using the basic recipe below; cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, whipped topping, and nuts, you can substitute blueberries, peaches, or nectarines for the strawberries. The fresher and riper the fruit, the more flavorful the filling will be; match the crust flavor to the filling; such as a shortbread cookie crust or the ever-popular graham cracker.

This recipe is great for summer get-togethers especially as it makes 2 pies. They will keep in the freezer till you are ready to serve them.  For added convenience use store-bought pre-made crusts. The filling is delicious as well as making an attractive presentation. 

Frozen Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

            Two (2) 9 inch chocolate crumb pie crusts

             1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

            1 cup sugar

            1 teaspoon vanilla extract

            4 cups chopped fresh strawberries

            1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

            1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In large mixing bowl, beat  cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the strawberries. Fold in whipped topping and pecans. Pour into crusts. Cover and freeze for 3 to 4 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving.

Optional garnishes; fresh strawberries or chocolate curls.    Makes 2 pies, 6 servings each.

 

• For your next “kids-on-the-block” party, serve your most popular cookie with a root-beer float. I’ve included the recipe below so that you can introduce this wonderful soda-fountain treat of the past to our youngest generation.

 Root-Beer Floats; easy to make and will make you think of a corner soda shop.

Pour 6 ounces cold root beer into a tall glass.

Add 2 scoops of softened vanilla ice cream.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup over ice cream.

Serve with a long spoon and a straw.

Hi Pat, 

My kids and I really enjoyed the Root-Beer Floats. I haven’t seen them around since I was a kid. It was a hot day so I went to the store to get the vanilla ice cream and the root beer. I didn’t bake cookies (too hot) but bought some.

We had the best time, made a huge mess, and loved them!!!!.

I haven’t written you before, but I had to let you know.

 Thanks a lot, Dawn, Chelsea & Jason

HOW TO GRILL PORK

Pork is fantastic for grilling as long as you choose tender cuts, such as chops, boneless loin, or the most low-fat alternative-tenderloin. But don’t overcook it. Since today’s pork is leaner, it gets tough if it is cooked as long as the fattier pork of a decade ago. Conversely, already tough cuts like spareribs or shoulder need long cooking to tenderize the meat.

Grilling pork tenderloin

There’s an amazingly simple and ingenious way to manage the heat of the grill.

It’s called indirect grilling.

Using a charcoal grill, you push the HOT coals to either side of the grill leaving the center to cook the meat on.

 If using a gas grill with 2 burners, you heat one burner to hot and leave the other burner off, cooking the meat over the off burner. I have a 3 burner grill in which you leave the center burner off and heat the outside burners to medium.

 (Most grills come with directions for indirect grilling).

Cumin-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Orange Glaze

Glaze Ingredients:

 1 teaspoon canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh orange juice

 1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

 salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook while stirring for about 1 minute. Add orange juice and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to one-half cup, 30 t0 40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in molasses. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pork:

 1/4 cup cumin seeds

 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper

 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Two, 12 ounce pork tenderloins

Heat grill to medium hot. Lightly oil cooking area.

In a small dry skillet, heat cumin seeds over low heat, stirring constantly about 2 minutes. Place in a small bowl and stir in pepper and salt. Press cumin mixture into pork, coating all sides.

When grill is medium-hot, sear pork over hot side of grill until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes.

Move to cooler side of grill, tent with aluminum foil and cook, turning occasionally, until pork is only slightly pink in the center, 8-10 minutes. During last few minutes of cooking, brush with one-third cup of orange glaze.

Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 6-8 minutes. Cut into 1 inch slices. Arrange on platter and brush with additional glaze.

Great served with corn bread.

This is good to keep in a shaker near your grill

Basic Seasoning Salt

                                                                  1 cup coarse salt

                                                                  1 tablespoon garlic powder

                                                                  1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper