More on Peaches

Sorry folks for taking a small break from posting. Things were hectic around the house for a while and when that happens, I don't have the time to be creative.

However, on Friday Clint left for a week long business trip to Paris, so I've been trying to provide some succor to my palate this weekend by going to the Bloomington Farmer's market and imbibing in some good, fresh ingredients. I went with my mother-in-law and 2 year old which is always an adventure. I came away with some gorgeous yellow and orange cherry tomatoes, a bunch of peaches, some purple potatoes (those were for Cece because purple is her signature color) and some green beans.

I went to work on the tomatoes right away, cutting them in half, dousing them with olive oil and sprinkling them with sea salt, oregano and sage. I then let them roast in the oven at 220 for 5 hours or so, cut side up. YUM!

The peaches, I used in two wonderfully sweet recipes that you'll find below.

Peach Pie

Ingredients:

• 6-8 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
  
• juice from 1/2 a lemon, plus its zest
• 2 TBL of maple syrup
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of allspice
• 1/3 C flour
• 3/4 C white sugar
• 1/4 C butter
• Pillsbury Pie Crusts (There is a reason God created Pillsbury)

Directions:

• Slice the peaches over a bowl to catch all the juices
• Add lemon juice and zest
• Add maple syrup
• Let sit while you make the crumb mixture
• Mix the flour and sugar together
• Cut in the cold butter until it becomes crumb-like in texture
• Put one of the pie crusts in the bottom of the pan
• Add 1/2 of the peach mixture
• Top with 1/2 of crumb mixture
• Repeat
• Create a lattice with strips of the other pie crust
• Cover with a light egg wash
• Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (you may want to put the pie pan on a cookie sheet if you have really juicy peaches)
  

Stonefruit Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 2 C pitted and halved Bing cherries
• 4-6 peaches, skinned, sliced and pitted
  
• 1/3 C brown sugar
• dash of pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/3 C orange juice
• 2 Tbl butter (for later)
  

Shortcake:

• 3/4 C flour
• 1/2 TBL Sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 TBL cold Butter
• 1/2 C + 2 TBL of heavy cream

Directions:

• Put peaches, cherries, sugar, juice, vanilla and ginger together in a saucepan and cook until boiling
• Place in a 8x8 pan
• Preheat oven to 425
• Mix together the dry ingredients for the shortcake
• cut in the cold Butter
  
• Make a well in the center and add the milk
• Stir until well combined.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold about 8 times
• Roll out to desired thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter (or juice glass in my case) dipped in flour
• Top the cherry/peach mixture with small bits of butter
• Lay the shortcake rounds on top of the fruit and bake for 30 minutes until golden