Just Peachy

Peaches.
Prosciutto.
A baguette.
A grill.

That's all you need.

Trust me.

It is just peachy.

Grilled Peaches with Prosciutto

peaches (choose ripe, but firm fruit)

olive oil

thinly sliced prosciutto

baguette

Prepare grill. (Gas or stove-top work, but charcoal instills a nice smokey flavor.)
Cut each peach in half and remove pit.
Slice the baguette.
Brush the slices of baguette and the cut side of the peaches with olive oil.
Grill 3-5 minutes until grill marks develop.
Arrange bread and peaches on platter with slices of prosciutto. 
Enjoy a slice of peach on a piece of the grilled bread with the salty prosciutto.

Independence

I had planned to share this recipe for the Fourth of July. Time got away from me before the holiday, but when I tucked into bed and shut my eyes on July 3rd, I thought I would have a little time to get this posted here on the blog on the fourth.

Then on July 4th, I awoke a little after 5am to find an intruder in my house. In! My! House! He was drunk/high and out of his mind with hallucinations that he had to retrieve someone or something from my front closet. Thankfully, he was neither destructive, nor aggressive, and willingly left when I told him to (in my best unpleasant substitute teacher voice). The Sheriff's department caught him a few blocks away.

Wild way to start Independence Day, huh? Things like this just don't happen in our small town of 300ish people, and needless to say, it has caused a little uneasiness among our residents. Doors are all locked now...and double checked.

Anyway, enough of the crazy what-is-this-world-coming-to-ness. I don't have to be home alone and kicking out an intruder to declare my independence. I can do it with a delicious dessert. I think I have mentioned previously that Hubs isn't a fan of peaches. I am a fan. A big fan. Therefore, baking a pan of scrumptious sweetness is my declaration of independence.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler screams summer for me. I love the contrast of the tart, juicy peaches and plump, sweet blueberries. It is the kind of old-fashioned dessert you expect to happen in a small town for the Fourth of July. (And, don't believe for one minute that Hubs didn't eat several warm servings with scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream.)

Three plates and forks: 

one for me,

one for Hubs,

one for whatever gremlin the intruder thought was in my closet.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

(adapted from Cooking Light)

5 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced

juice of one lemon

1 cup sugar, divided

3/8 teaspoon salt, divided

1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375F.
Place peaches in a large bowl with lemon juice, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons flour; toss to coat.
Coat a 9x13 glass pan with cooking spray.
Arrange the peach mixture evenly in the pan.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
In the mixing bowl, beat 1/4 cup sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla extract.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture.
Beat just until combined.
Fold in blueberries by hand, taking care not to crush.
Spread batter evenly over peach mixture.
(This is where I ran into a snag. My dough was too thick to spread. I dropped by spoonfuls to cover the peaches, and gently pulled them together on top with a rubber spatula.)
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake at 375F for 1 hour, or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly. (Serves 12)

J-J-J-Juicy!

Early this summer, I took a detour on the way home from Sioux Falls and zipped up to Arlington to visit the greenhouse of an old high school friend. I loaded up with heirloom tomato plants, a gorgeous Fuchsia plant, and a multitude of other assorted bedding plants as we filled each other in on the current happenings in our lives and laughed about old times. It was a great visit, but all too soon, I had to hit the road home. That is when things got j-j-j-juicy. As I crossed the lake-filled countryside, my windshield was soon splattered with some of the juiciest bugs I have ever encountered. I couldn't help but think of the refrain of a Better Than Ezra song, "J-j-j-juicy...Aw, ooh, aw, ooh, yeah yeah yeah. Juicy."

A few weeks ago, I had to make a trip to the southeastern corner of the state. Hubby joined me, and on the way home, we felt that we were doing our due diligence to reduce the mosquito population. Thousands of the juicy buggers found their death with splats on my windshield. Summer is here, and it is j-j-j-juicy.

The best juiciness of summer is certainly not the bugs, though. It is the fruits. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and of course, peaches are all ripe and juicy. Unlike splattered bug guts, lush fruits make me want to sing j-j-j-juicy praises.


I have nothing but praise for some cute little fruity desserts that allowed me to finally really use the assortment of ramekins that I have been collecting from World Market. Hubby is neither a peach, nor a blueberry fan, but he loved the combination in some Individual Fruit Cobblers that I first whipped up last summer. This dessert is so simple and the juiciness of the fruits is really showcased in every bite. I served it with scoops of vanilla ice cream on the still warm cobblers. Yum. Yum. Yum. This is a j-j-j-juicy that I want to splat right On My Plate.

Individual Fruit Cobblers

1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup fresh peaches, sliced and peeled
1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Combine first four ingredients in small bowl.
Combine milk and melted butter; stir into dry ingredients until smooth.
Pour into two greased 8-oz. ramekins.
Top with fruit.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until fruit is tender.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. (Serves 2)

April Fool!

What does someone who is obsessed with food, recipes and fun do on April Fools Day? They pull a food prank, what else? :~)

Get up before your Hubby, fry up a couple of eggs (for the authentic aroma), make some toast, and brew some coffee. Then, get ready for the prank. Create a special "egg" on his plate and have it waiting when he meanders down the stairs. Having a spouse that doesn't fully wake up until the second cup of coffee does help to pull off the surprise. Enjoy the laughs and have a great day!

Peachy Eggs for April Fool's Day
1/3 -1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
½ peach (canned halves in light syrup work well)

Spread yogurt into circle on plate, using the back of a spoon.
Place peach half, flat side down, in the center of the yogurt.