Fresh Peach Pie

For the past eight years I have been lucky enough to share in Bruce and Vivienne's peach harvest, and even with all the baked peach pies, peach smoothies, peach ice cream, and peach cobblers I've made I had never made a fresh peach pie. In fact, I had never even heard of fresh peach pie until last week when two different fresh peach pie recipes were sent my way. I have only made one so far, the one from my Aunt Cheryl, who totally gives Marie Callender a run for her money. It was delicious and I am hooked. I think this will be my peach dessert of choice for a while.

Slice 3 fresh peaches into cooked and cooled pie shell.

Mash two more peaches and add:
1 C. sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 C. water

Cook 5 minutes until it boils.
Add 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring and 2 Tbsp butter

Pour over sliced peaches and chill.

Serve with whipped cream.

Pasta with Squash and Garlic

I saw this recipe on a cooking show. They didn't so much give the recipe as describe the method, and although I've made this several times, I really can't be much more specific. I just kind of make it as looks and tastes good to me. It is a easy and fast dinner with ingredients I usually have on hand, during zucchini season anyway.

Cook desired pasta, I use spaghetti, according to directions. Make sure the water is well-salted. Drain pasta and reserve 1 cup or so of cooking liquid.

Warm a couple tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet, not too hot or garlic will become bitter. Brown whole cloves of garlic on the oil--I would say at least four. When garlic is brown, place zucchini in a single layer in pan. Let zucchini cook until it is good and brown. The carmelizing really enhances the flavor. Turn zucchini and brown the other side.

When zucchini is good and brown, add cooked pasta to the skillet, stir around to let pasta deglaze the pan. Don't do this for too long though or you pasta will get tough.

Serve with ample amounts of shredded parmesan.

My Current Bread Formula

My recipe for making bread has evolved over the past couple years. Here is my current formulation. As written it makes 3 loaves, in parentheses are measurements for 4 loaves.

Combine:
4 C. whole wheat flour (5c or 600g)
1/3 C. vital wheat gluten (1/2)
1 1/2 T. SAF instant yeast (2)


Add:
2 3/4 HOT tap water (3-2/3)

Mix for 1 minute. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Add:
1 T salt (1-1/2)
1/3 C. honey (1/2)
1/3 C. oil (1/2)
1 1/2 T. bottled lemon juice (2T)

Add, 1 cup at a time until dough reaches desired consistency:
3 to 4 C. whole wheat flour (4-1/2 to 5)


Using dough hook, knead for 10 minute. Immediately shape into loaves and place in oiled loaf pans (I use 3 1lb pans). Let rise for 15-20 minutes.

Place in cool oven. Set heat to 325 degrees for glass pans, or 350 for metal. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Crusty Italian Bread

Recipe from Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Dale

My bread never turns out like Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Dales'. Mine is light and soft, theirs is thick and crusty. Both are delicious, but I don't know what we do differently.

1 3/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 to 2 T yeast
2 1/2 to 3 tsp. salt
5 to 5 1/2 C flour

Dissolve yeast in 3/4 water. Add rest of water, salt and 2 cups flour. Mix. Add rest of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Knead for 6-8 minutes (or 5 in a mixer with a kneading hook). Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down, divide in half. Shape into rolls by rolling into a rectangle, then starting at the long end, tightly roll into a long loaf. Pinch ends and seal seam. Let rise until doubled on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, and covered with oiled plastic wrap. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Orange Rolls

Recipe from the Lion House, via Mom

Rolls:
2 1/2 T. Yeast
2 C. warm water
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/2 C. dry milk
1/3 C. sugar
1 scant T. salt
1 egg
6 1/2 C water

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let rest 5 minutes. Add butter, dry milk, sugar, salt, egg and half of the flour, and mix to combine. Add rest of flour, 1 cup at a time until dough reaches right consistency. Knead about 5 minutes in electric mixer. Let rise until doubled in size. Punch down and let rise until doubled again.

Roll out like you would for cinnamon rolls. Spread with filling (recipe below). Roll up and slice, like you would cinnamon rolls. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Drizzle with glaze (recipe below) while rolls are still warm.

Orange Filling:
2 T melted butter
2 T grated orange zest
1/2 C. sugar

Glaze:
1/4 C. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 C. powdered sugar

Clafoutis

Tonight I made a Cherry Clafoutis from here.

I think this recipe has a lot of potential. While I love fresh cherries, I've decided I don't love them baked, so next time I will try another fruit.

The clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-tee) is like a big, thick crepe with fruit baked inside. It's not an overly sweet dessert. While traditionally made with cherries, pits intact, it can be made with just about any fresh fruit: apricots, plums, berries--or so I've read.

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract or vanilla
2 cups cherries, or other fresh fruit

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. Beat the sugar and the eggs with a mixer (whisk attachment) until they are light yellow. Slowly add the butter while continuing to beat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Add vanilla, then slowly pour in the milk while beating to incorporate. The batter should be very smooth and shiny.

Place the fruit in a buttered glass baking dish, (9 or 10 inches in diameter). Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake in the pre-heated oven 30-40 minutes until slightly browned and almost completely set in the middle. Let sit at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar, or serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

Leftovers are great for breakfast, because we all love having dessert for breakfast.

Fettucine Alfredo (My Go-To Recipe)

Recipe adapted from KraftFoods.com
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1/4 tsp. white pepper(or black if you don't mind seeing it)

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

8 oz. fettuccine, cooked, drained
1/2 lb cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (optional)

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

In skillet over medium low heat, mix cream cheese, Parmesan, milk, butter, pepper and garlic powder until smooth.

Serve over hot fettuccine and shrimp. Sprinkle with ground nutmeg.