Peach Topped Blueberry Cinnamon Pancakes

These extra fluffy blueberry pancakes are combined with a deliciously sweet peach topping!

I've been making blueberry pancakes occasionally for over two years and I used to swear by a buttermilk pancake recipe that yielded extra thick pancakes.  Then I tried this recipe and found that these thinner cinnamon pancakes combined better with the blueberries.  Well today, by accident, I let the batter sit a little longer than the recommended five minutes (while I was preparing the topping) and the results were phenomenal!  The pancakes fluffed up quite a bit more (especially due to the 1 tablespoon of baking powder).  The peach topping was also a success and added to the flavor of the pancakes.  Of course, these recipes can be used separately or together depending on your preference.

Fluffy Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1) Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the milk, egg, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until only a few lumps remain. Let the batter stand for 10-15 minutes (while preparing peach topping).  The batter will look very thin, but will thicken while it stands.

2) Prepare peach topping

Peach Topping

I divided this recipe in half for just two people, but if you are making it for more, you may want to make as is.

Ingredients

3 large, ripe peaches
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries

Directions
3) Peel, pit, and slice peaches according to directions on my previous peach posts.  Place peaches in boiling water for thirty seconds and then chill in ice bath for about a minute.  Peel off skin and then slice.  See previous posts for pictures and detailed instructions.

4) Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until mixture has slightly thickened (about five minutes).

5) After allowing the pancakes to thicken, add blueberries.

6) Cook the pancakes.  We normally cook them on our electric griddle, but you can also prepare them in a pan on the stove.  Pour on the batter and cook until the top bubbles.  Flip and cook until the other side is browned.  

7) Place peach sauce on top of pancakes and enjoy!

Peach & Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

I was looking for a way to use my peaches in a healthy breakfast dish and this recipe fit.  My not so health conscious husband LOVED it!  Oatmeal combined with two delicious fruits.  The original recipe calls for canned peaches and fresh or frozen blueberries.  I used fresh peaches and put the blueberries in frozen.  Simple and delicious!

Peach & Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

Ingredients

3 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 egg whites

1 egg

1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large, fresh peaches OR 1 can (15 ounces) sliced peaches

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions

1) In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  

2) Whisk the egg whites, egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.

3) Add to dry ingredients and stir until blended.  Let stand for five minutes.

4) Peel, core, and chop the peaches (if using fresh) or drain and chop peaches (if using canned).  Stir in the peaches and blueberries to the oatmeal mix.  For instructions on peeling and coring peaches, see my previous peach posts!

5) Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

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Peach Tea

While I was browsing through peach recipes, I found one for peach tea.  I did not really like the recipe I found, but instead decided to use my experience making lemonade and berry lemonade to create my own recipe.  This recipe is refreshing with a hint of sweet, fruity flavor.  Perfect for a crisp summer or fall day!

For this recipe you will prepare the tea and a peach syrup and then mix together.  

Tea:

10 standard size tea bags

8 cups boiling water

Peach Syrup:

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

3 peaches

1) Boil the water in a teapot or pot.  Place tea bags into container and then pour boiling water over them.  Steep for five minutes.  Place in the refrigerator to cool.

2) Prepare peach syrup by first mixing sugar and two cups water.  Boil mixture and then add peaches.  Boil for fifteen minutes.  Allow mixture to sit for five minutes and then remove peach pieces.  Place in the refrigerator to cool.

3) When both mixtures have cooled, mix together.  Enjoy!

Canning Peaches

Last night I canned my first peaches!  There are several steps involved (many of which can be done at the same time, depending on how many pans you have), but each step is very simple.  This is a great way to eat delicious peaches all year long!

This is the pot I used to sanitize the jars.

Step One: Sanitize the jars.  You can either wash them in your dishwasher on the sanitize cycle or sanitize them in a large pot of boiling water.

Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add the jars and lids carefully once the water is boiling.  Boil them for ten minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove them.










Step Two: Peel, pit, and chop peaches.  As I mentioned in my last article, the best way to peel the peaches is to put them into boiling water for thirty seconds or less and then into a bowl with water and ice for a couple of minutes.

Peaches in boiling water

Peaches in ice bath

The skins peel right off.  

Make sure to save the skins in the fridge if you are interested in making peach honey (which I will make once I have enough skins.  You need to have several cups of skins to make it.

To pit the peaches, use a knife to cut all of the way around the peach and then rock the knife back and forth in several places until you are able to pull it open.  Then pull out the pit in the middle.  I found that this works the best.

Chop the peaches and sprinkle with lemon or lime juice to keep them from browning.

Step Three: Prepare the syrup
You may choose to make light, medium, or heavy syrup.  You will need six cups of water and will add two cups of sugar for light, three cups for medium, and four cups for heavy.  The light syrup was perfect for me.

As you start boiling the water, add the sugar gradually and continue stirring until dissolved.  Bring it to a boil and then simmer for about seven to ten minutes.

Step Four: Add the peaches to the syrup and simmer for five minutes.

Step Five: Can Peaches
Use a slotted spoon to put just the peaches into the jar and then add the syrup.  Use a spatula or knife to remove any air bubbles from the jars.  You can add just a little bit more lemon or lime juice to prevent browning.

Wipe the top of the jar, center the lid, and then put on the band.  Tighten completely.

Step Six: Seal Jars

Place jars in the large pot that was used to sanitize the jars earlier.  Fill the pot with enough water to cover the jars by several inches.  Bring the water to a boil and then boil for ten minutes.  Then turn off the heat and let the jars sit for five minutes.  Remove the jars from the water bath and allow the jars to cool.






After the jars have cooled, store the jars in a cool, dark place.  Enjoy!  They will stay good for 12-18 months (if they can be resisted for that long).

For additional information, click here.

Peachy Keen!

Picking Peaches

 Peach season is underway!  My first project, after picking 40 lbs. of peaches was peach cobbler.  My husband and I went to a small farm and just kept picking and at the end of it, could not believe that we had so many peaches.  I do plan to can and bake with many more, but they are also so delicious to eat raw.  They are so juicy that I have to eat them with a napkin!

Here is a picture of the peaches attached to the tree.

Peach Cobbler
This peach cobbler showcases the delicious, baked peaches sprinkled in cinnamon sugar with a fluffy, moist cake!

This is the first time that I have tried this particular recipe, but I will never try another.  Almost the entire cobbler is gone after one day.  I read the reviews on this recipe and made several modifications which are reflected here.

Ingredients:


6 fresh peaches
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons butter

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (or two smaller dishes-I used a square 8 x 8 and a rectangular pan equivalent to an 8 x 8 because I was taking one to a friend's house and wanted to leave one at home with my husband)

2) You will need to peel, pit, and chop the peaches.  One way to easily peel them is to stick them into boiling water for about thirty seconds and then put them in an ice bath (bowl with water and ice).

After this, the skins will fall right off.  

Now, to pit the peaches, cut the peach all of the way around starting at the stem and then either pull apart the peach and take out the pit or (if the peach is a little too soft) rock the knife back and forth and then pull open the peach and take out the pit.  

2)  Chop up the peaches and add cinnamon and 1 cup sugar. Set aside.

3)In a medium bowl, cream together shortening and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.

Top with peach mixture.

4) Drop butter in boiling water and pour all over peaches.  The mixture will look too watery, but the water will be absorbed and the cake will puff up.

5) Bake in preheated oven 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Pesto Turkey Burgers

My husband loves real hamburgers, but he will tolerate turkey burgers.  A recipe for Greek turkey burgers is my usual standby, and amazingly delicious with homemade Greek salsa and feta cheese, but these turkey burgers are the best I've ever had (including Ruby Tuesday's turkey burger).

Pesto Turkey Burgers

• 1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1)Mix together ground turkey, pesto, garlic, feta cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt, and breadcrumbs in a bowl until evenly blended. Form into 5 patties.

2) Grill pesto burgers until no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side.

Lemonade

Simple, refreshing summer drink

It all started with the discovery of this lemon ice cube tray. After buying it, my husband and I were thinking about uses for it and decided to try to make our own lemonade.  I stumbled upon a recipe and used it successfully to make raspberry lemonade and Arnold Palmer, but when we tried just the lemonade, we discovered that it tasted more like lemon syrup than lemonade.  After adjusting the amounts, we were able to find just the right balance for a perfect glass of lemonade.



Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups lemon juice
6 1/2 cups water

1) Combine the 2 cups water and sugar in a large pot.
2) Bring it to a boil and let it simmer five minutes.  Allow it to cool and then refrigerate until chilled.
3) Combine the 2 1/2 cups lemon juice and the 6 1/2 cups water.  Refrigerate until chilled.
4) Add water/sugar mixture to the lemon juice/water mixture.  Enjoy!

Makes 2 1/2 quarts.

Grilled Vegetables

Last summer I was searching for a grilled vegetable recipe that would complement my steak tips.  When I first tried this recipe I found that I liked the marinade, but not the mixture of vegetables.  The original recipe also calls for eggplant, mushrooms, and pepper, but I use just the zucchini, summer squash, asparagus, and red onion.  This marinade gives a seasoned zest to summer vegetables.

Grilled Vegetables

Marinade:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade.  There will only be a small amount, but it will cover a large amount of vegetables.

Chop the vegetables.

Mix the vegetables with the marinade.  Allow the vegetables to marinade for several hours if possible.

Wrap the vegetables in aluminum foil and then grill.

Summer Trifle

Combination of chocolate cake, homemade whipped cream, pudding, and strawberries: how can you go wrong?

I received a trifle bowl for a wedding present and last summer I decided to put it to good use.  I made up this recipe last summer after researching trifles.  I have made a few variations on this, one with banana cake and one with white cake, but I have found that this is the best version.  Great for a summer cookout!

Ingredients

Chocolate cake mix (or ingredients to make a chocolate cake)
1 (3oz) package either vanilla or french vanilla instant pudding mix
1 pint heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lb strawberries


Chocolate Layer
1) Prepare the chocolate cake and allow it to cool completely.
2) Chop up cake and crumble into pieces.

Whipped Pudding Layer


You are going to make both instant pudding and homemade whipped cream for this layer and then mix them together.

1) Place bowl and mixer attachment (that will be used for whipped cream) in freezer for at least fifteen minutes.


2) Prepare instant pudding according to directions and refrigerate.

Soft Set

3) Mix heavy cream on high speed until soft set.

4) Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Stir.

5) Continue mixing on high speed until peaks form.

Peaks Formed

6) Mix together the pudding and half of the whipped cream.

7) Reserve the remaining whipped cream for the top of the trifle.

Strawberry Layer


1) Hull and chop strawberries.

Layer in this order:
Whipped Pudding Layer Chocolate Layer Strawberry Layer

Continue to layer until you reach the top of the bowl.

When you get to the top, place whipped cream on top and place a few strawberries.

Refrigerate for a few hours if possible before enjoying.