Fresh Peach and Blueberry Bread - Delicioso!

 Here we are in the first week of June already.  This year is flying by.  Today, we got to attend our 6 year old grandson's "bridge" ceremony which is a Waldorf education celebration of moving from kindergarden to the halls of higher learning, better known as first grade.  As I watched him cross the bridge from the land of childhood, play, and imagination, into the land of higher learning where the road to maturity begins, my heart was filled with joy.  The teacher told a beautiful story about the land of the littles and what it was like before they chose their families and came to earth - the beautiful blue and green world of plants, animals, and minerals.  As they crossed the bridge, the teacher gave them a key to wear around their necks (the key to higher learning) and a small bag containing a gift from the animal, plant, and mineral world.  Then they received a yellow rose and joined their families.  There were tears (just in case  you wondered).  It was a wonderful way to start the week.

We had a busy weekend.  My sister, Sara, and our longtime friend, Linda, came to visit for the weekend.  We toured the city, ate a lot of good food, and even did some honky tonkin' on Broadway here in Nashville.  There is so much good music going on in this town.  Talk about a fun way to spend Saturday afternoon.  If you ever come to the city, do NOT miss all the music.  Nashville is Music City, USA, after all.

Knowing they were coming to visit, I baked some goodies to have on hand.  First, I made two fresh strawberry pies which I will write about tomorrow.  Since fresh peaches are coming in from Georgia, I had some on hand that I had purchased at the Nashville Farmer's Market.  Now, there is always that conundrum of what to do with peaches after you make a cobbler, or slice some up to enjoy on cake or with ice cream.  You can always eat one whole (peeled I hope, peach skin makes me shiver), but there has to be many more things you can make with sweet, ripe, juicy peaches.

I found this recipe for peach/carrot bread on All Recipes.com.  The recipe sounded so good, but I didn't know how I felt about peaches and carrots and I really didn't want to stand and grate carrots.  Personally, I prefer peaches and blueberries.  I often add blueberries to my peach cobbler because they complement each other so beautifully.  I had blueberries on hand, so I substituted blueberries for the carrots.  Guess what?  It works!  It works superbly!!  This bread is awesome!!!!  Here is what you need.

3/4 cups chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped fresh peaches
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs lightly beaten

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl using a spoon.  Pour the batter into a 9 x 5 loaf pan that has been lightly greased and floured.  Place in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 5 to 10 minutes.  Test the center of the loaf with a skewer in the center until it comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the pan.

This recipe makes a very large loaf.  It fills the loaf pan to the top when baked, so be sure and bake it until very done in the center.  I took mine out at 1 hr 5 minutes and tested it with a toothpick.  The toothpick showed clean, but the bread was a little underdone in the center when we ate it.  (I would recommend a skewer instead of a toothpick so it goes down into the loaf further.) No one seemed to mind one bit though.  Everyone had several pieces in fact.  This is DELICIOUS!

You can see the peaches and the blueberries, and the pecans add a nice texture to the bread with that lovely hint of cinnamon.  Mmm.  Mmm.  Mmm.  It's sort of like baked peach cobbler without having to make a crust.

There will be fresh peaches from now until the first part of September.  Here is a recipe  you can use that is something different, easy, and soooooo good.  Makes some loaves and freeze them.  It is awesome for breakfast or brunch.  Fabulous with coffee.  If you want to try the carrots, just use 3/4 cups grated carrots in place of the blueberries.  If you make it that way, let me know how it turns out.  We will stick with the blueberries.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It's nice to have some home baked goods for company.  It let's them know you thought of them and wished to honor them with something from your hands and heart.  donna

Salad Made With Romaine, Fresh Peaches, Blackberries, Mozzarella, Candied Pecans and Home Made Poppy Seed Dressing - This Is For You Jaley!

A very talented young friend of mine posted on Facebook that she had gone to the grocery last night and gone a little overboard on buying peaches and wondered what she could do with them.  I told her it looked like there was a cobbler or crisp in her future.  Or perhaps, a salad with peaches.

Jaley, this is for you!  I created this salad recently when our family came over for dinner.  I had lots of South Carolina peaches on hand and a pint of fresh blackberries.  I am always trying to think up new ways to makes salads because, let's face it, the same old vegetable salads get old and bo-ring!

This salad has romaine lettuce, fresh peaches, fresh blackberries, candied pecans and fresh mozzarella cheese that has been cut into bite sized cubes.  To go with it, I made a home made poppy seed dressing that is so good I could probably drink it with a straw.

Here is what you need for the salad:

1 head romaine lettuce
2 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced (or more if desired)
3/4 cups fresh blackberries (or a couple of handfuls if you don't want to measure)
1/2 cup pecans
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite sized cubes

First, you want to candy your pecans.  Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium to low heat.  Add the brown sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon until it melts.  Add the pecans and stir until the sugar starts to cling to the pecans.  Remove pan from heat and let cool.  Be careful not to burn your pecans.  They take on a wonderful toasted caramel flavor that is divine.  Just don't eat them all before you add them to the salad.

Cut or tear your romaine lettuce and add to a large salad bowl.  Peel, pit and slice the peaces, add to the greens.  Add the blackberries and the pecans.  Cut the mozzarella into bite sized cubes and add to the salad.  Toss.

Now, you will definitely want to make this fabulous poppy seed dressing.  Here is what you need:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp champagne vinegar (available at most groceries)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds (available in the spice aisle, most groceries)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp grated sweet onion

Mix the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake, shake, shake.  Or whisk together in a bowl.  Serve in a small pitcher or bowl, or  you could pass out straws.

The crunch of those little poppy seeds with the tangy sweetness of the dressing is the perfect compliment to this salad.  Also, there are no preservatives or msg. like you get in bottled dressings.

If you have other greens instead of romaine, feel free to substitute.  Just don't overwhelm the fruit with greens.  You want a nice balance.  You could also substitute feta, blue cheese, or a nice smoked gouda for the mozzarella, but the creamy goodness of the mozzarella is so good with the fruit, you might want to reconsider.  It's your choice.

Who doesn't appreciate cool and crunchy food in this hot, muggy, humid weather?  This salad fits the bill.  There is no cooking required except for the pecans and you could leave them plain if you wanted -  it just wouldn't be quite the same if you know what I mean.

So Jaley, give this salad a try.  I think you will really like it and let me know what you think.  I've got your back girl!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"An apple is an excellent thing -- until you have tried a peach."
George du Maurier (1834-1896)

Donna's Fresh Peach Dump Cake

Freestone peaches are finally in at the farmer's market.  Hooray!!  I love the early cling peaches, but they are hard to slice since the pit does not come out easily and you lose some of the peach that clings to the pit.  Freestones get their name because you cut around the middle of the peach, pop it open and the pit comes right out.   That way, you do not loose any of the succulent, juicy peach flesh.  You get to eat and utilize every last bite of juicy, sweet, heavenly peach.

I brought home a big basket of peaches the other day and wanted to make something right away because the peaches were very ripe and would not last long in this heat.  I HATE to waste a peach.  I shared some with our daughter's because their boys love peaches and I used the rest to make my fresh peach dump cake.   This recipe is quick and easy and you really should try it.

Here is what you need:

8-10 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced.
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsps. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 box yellow cake mix, dry
1 stick butter, melted

First, peel and slice the peaches and place in a large bowl.  Sprinkle peaches with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the cinnamon and stir to help the peaches release their juices.  These peaches were so sweet, I didn't need more sugar.  Feel free to add a little more sugar if you think it's necessary, but remember you are going to add a can of sweetened condensed milk.  Place the peaches in a 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the peaches with the chopped pecans and shredded coconut.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the peaches, pecans and coconut.  Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the peaches.  Pour the melted butter over the dry cake mix.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cake mix is brown on top.

Now let me tell you, the sweetened condensed milk caramelizes on the peaches, coconut, pecan goodness and wowza, it is delicious.  The buttery crunchy cake mix adds another  level of goodness.  If you don't like coconut or pecans, leave them out, but they do make the cake even MORE delicious.  Also, you can add a big dollop of whipped cream or ice cream and yum, yum, yum, you have one of the best desserts ever!

If you have a basket of fresh peaches and are wondering what to do with them, give this super easy dessert a try.  It's worth the time it takes to peel and slice the peaches and it's easier than making crust for a pie or cobbler.  As a matter of fact, I think I am going to go have a bowl full of goodness right now.  Wish you could join me.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I really think heaven must smell like peaches, or peaches smell like heaven.