Perfect Peach and Blueberry Pie

Peach Pie, My Oh My!!!!

I am a firm believer in making dishes with the fruit and veggies in season. Right now it’s peaches in the south and let me tell you somethin’, they’re good this year. This time of year, peaches are good news for the household budget too.

There’s nothing like the taste of a perfectly ripe and juicy peach. Nope…nothing like it and the taste takes me right back to my childhood when I was a little tow-headed pigtailed kid running around barefoot in my little homemade sundresses my Grandmother made.

My friend Louanne http://www.louanneskitchen.com/ made a comment about how much she loves the flavor combination of peach and blueberry. Well, I decided to give this new pie a try and it was delish!

Double Crust-(Make this first and chill in the fridge)

2 ½ C flour
1TBS sugar
1 ½ TBS salt
7 TBS very cold butter cut into small pieces
7 TBS very cold shortening cut into small pieces
½ C ice cold water (may not use all of it)

In bowl mix flour, salt and sugar. Transfer to food processor. Add butter and shortening to flour and pulse until it resembles cornmeal and small peas.

Add ice cold water, about 3 TBS and turn on the processor. Add a small stream of ice cold water through the chute until the dough just comes together. Turn off processor and remove dough.

On lightly floured surface, divide dough and shape into two disks. Cover in plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator.

Perfect Peach and Blueberry Pie

6-7 ripe fresh peaches blanched*, skins and pits removed cut into slices (reserve any juice)
1 cup of super fine sugar
2 TBS super fine sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ C cornstarch
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries rinsed and stems removed
3 pats of butter

*Blanching peaches makes the skins come off a lot quicker. Be sure you only keep them in the boiling water for about 3 minutes or you’ll have mush. Remove them to a strainer with a bowl underneath and let cool and drain. (You’ll want to keep the juice). Remove skins and pits and continue to drain over the bowl. The goal is to get about ½ c liquid in order to make a slurry with your cornstarch.

In a medium pot over medium heat, blend sliced peaches and sugar. Add salt and cinnamon. Let come to a very slow bubble.

In small bowl, take the reserved juice, add cornstarch and make a slurry. Add to your peach mixture and let come to a bubble again and cook about 10 minutes, reducing heat to low-medium. This will thicken your filling. Be sure to stir constantly.

Last but not least, stir in the vanilla and add your blueberries. Remove from heat (you don’t want your blueberries to pop) Let mixture cool.

Once you’re ready to assemble the pie, roll out bottom dough a little larger than the top dough so that dough edges hang over the pie plate. Fill dough with cooled pie filling. Dot with butter. Top with second dough and crimp. Flute edges and cut vents into top and then bake until golden brown.

I bake most of my fruit pies at 350F for about 35-40 minutes. I also give my pies an egg wash and sprinkle the tops with sugar.

Enjoy!

Breakfast for Supper

I adore breakfast for supper.  Last night I made my guys blueberry pancakes and Jimmy Dean sausage.  So simple, economical and gratifying.  My super easy recipe is below for these delicious pancakes.

Pioneer Baking Mix (use recipe for pancakes except add the following)
Instead of milk, use buttermilk
Add 1/8 tsp of baking powder
Add 1/4 tsp of vanilla
1 1/2 Cups of fresh blueberries washed and stems removed.

Get your griddle hot using a little canola oil and butter.  Mix your batter as directed then add the additional ingredients, stirring in your blueberries last. 

When griddle is hot, use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to measure the batter.  Pour batter onto griddle.  Flip once batter starts to bubble and edges turn golden brown.

Serve with fresh butter and your favorite syrup. Enjoy!!!

Melissa's Fruit Salad with Mint Yogurt Dressing

Photograph courtesy of http://www.louanneskitchen.com/

Fruit Salad with Mint Yogurt Dressing


2 Cans drained or one fresh pineapple chunked
1 8oz can of Clementine or mandarin oranges drained
1 jar maraschino cherries drained and rinsed
1 pt fresh blueberries
2 fresh peaches with skins chunked into cubes
2 fresh kiwis peeled and chunked
2 pts fresh strawberries capped and quartered
1 small bunch of white grapes cut in half
1 TBS mint cut into a very fine chiffonade
1 TBS fresh lemon juice

Wash and prepare all fruit. Make sure all fruit is drained and as dry as it can be. Toss fruit with mint and lemon juice. Refrigerate.

Dressing
8 oz container of whole milk Greek yogurt
1 TBS mint cut into a very fine chiffonade
¼ Cup of Agave Nectar (you can find this at most organic food markets)

Whisk together dressing and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, toss dressing with fruit until completely covered. Transfer into serving dish and garnish with mint leaves.

*This salad is very good with almost any fruit.

This is my contribution to the Director's breakfast I had mentioned in my earlier post.  This salad is so easy and can be used with any fruit you like.  Thank you Louanne for the great photos.

Mama's Breakfast Cassarole- Louanne Style

I work at the library and through my years there, I have met and become close friends with an amazing cook.  Louanne has taken my mom's Christmas morning brunch recipe and has given it a new yummy layer and I can't wait to share the "tweaks" with my mom who will truly appreciate the efforts.

Back to the library.  We've been waiting a long time for a new Director and Tuesday night we finally got one.  Donald, who we love, and who has been with the library for years, got the job.  Lou proposed that we celebrate by making him a nice breakfast for his first Department Heads meeting as Director.  I suggested my mom's breakfast casserole and the rest is history.  All pictures in this post are courtesy of Louanne.

Rita's Overnight Breakfast Casserole


6 jumbo eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup heavy cream*
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup unsalted butter*
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced*
1 ½ onions, diced*
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped*
1 ½ lbs breakfast sausage (combination of Jimmy Dean hot and breakfast sausage)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2-5 oz packages herb-seasoned croutons


Spray a 13x9 casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Place croutons in prepared dish and set aside.

Clean and slice mushrooms, dice onions, and finely chop garlic.

Melt butter in a large saucepan and add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic to the butter. Cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms and onions have caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from saucepan, and spoon mixture over croutons.

Distribute shredded cheese over crouton and mushroom mixture.

Using the same pan, cook sausage until browned and cooked through; set aside and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, cream, soup, and dry mustard until frothy.

Pour egg mixture over cheese, crouton, and mushroom layers.

Once the sausage is cooled, evenly distribute over the top of the casserole, pressing sausage into the egg mixture.

Refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, remove casserole from refrigerator, and preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Bake for 75-90 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Notes

*Instead of 2 1/2 cups milk, I substituted 1 cup of cream for 1 cup of the milk.
*The original recipe did not contain butter, onions or garlic, and used canned mushrooms.

Photography Courtesy of Louanne's Kitchen

Mel and Eugie

One of my best and dearest friends Eugenie.  When we get together....we laugh till our sides hurt.  Today, we had lunch together at a local chinese restaurant and the topic of hilarity was her dog "Lenny" and my dog "Edith".  I love you Eugie...you always make me smile!

Mom Is Great...Give Me Coconut Cake!

My son Colin

Super Easy and Delicious Coconut Cake

My husband says this is the best coconut cake he ever ate. He doesn’t know that it is as easy as opening up a box of cake mix. I was given this recipe from a relative and it never ever fails to please. You won’t believe how incredibly easy it is to make this yummy desert.

1 Box white cake mix prepared as directed

1 bag of shredded coconut

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 Large tub of cool whip

Make cake batter and add 1/2 cup of the flaked coconut to batter. Bake cake in a 9x13 pan according to cake directions on the box.

While cake is hot, poke holes in it with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour sweetened condensed milk into holes and all over the warm cake. Let cool.

When cake is cool, frost with cool-whip and top with remainder of the coconut. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

*This easy recipe makes a very interesting Easter cake. You can make a tiered cake by using a little more cool whip and coconut and bake the cakes in round layers. Just dye the coconut that goes on top grass green and sprinkle with jelly beans and/or marshmallow chicks and bunnies.

More Trip Pics

Mt. Rushmore

Me

Aunt Dot on top of Mt. Ranier

Trip Pics

Me and my mom Rita

Waterfall on Mt. Ranier

Cottage Roast Beef with an encore meal of Corned Beef Hash

1 8-9 lb chuck roast
8-9 medium sized potatoes
3 onions quartered
4 carrots roughly chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 C flour
1/4 C canola oil

Mix all herbs, salt and pepper with flour in a paper bag.  Rinse meat and pat dry.  Put meat in the bag and thouroughly coat with flour and herb mixture.  Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat.  Once oil is hot, put roast in skillet and brown on all sides.

Remove meat from skillet and let rest.  Peel and quarter your onions, carrots and potatoes.  In large 5-6 qt crock pot, put in veggies first and then top with roast.  Sprinkle a bit of the flour and herb mixture on top of roast, about 2 TBS and put in about 16oz of very hot water.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Encore Corned Beef Hash
Take roast and veggies left over from the previous night.  In large bowl cut meat up or shred it.  Dice veggies.  Open a can of corned beef and mix very well with roast beef and potatoes. Dust with salt and pepper. Spray 9x11 cassarole and preheat oven to 380F.  Transfer mixture to cassarole and top with a sheet of puff pastry or canned biscuts.  If using biscuts, let them brown on top of cassarole and then flip them over and let them brown on the other side so they won't be soggy.  Total cooking time, 35 minutes until sides of cassarole bubble.

Enjoy!

Tomato-Basil Soup

Hot or cold, this soup is as easy as a summer breeze, and as delicious. For a light meal, serve it with chunks of savory bread and a wedge of your favorite sharp cheese.


2 Medium sweet onion chopped course
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
12-14 fresh roma tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
6 sprigs of basil ribboned
1 TBS minced garlic
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup ½ & ½
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil to garnish

Saute chopped onion in olive oil in a heavy bottomed stock pot and cook over medium heat until soft.

Remove basil leaves from stem and julienne.

Add tomatoes chopped in large pieces, basil, chicken broth, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Lower heat and let reduce for 30 minutes. Taste before you add more salt and pepper. Adjust as needed.

Puree soup mixture in blender or use a blending wand right in the pot (blending wands are so much easier). You can do this while soup is still hot. If using a traditional blender, return pureed soup to stock pot. On low heat add balsamic vinegar and stir in half and half and cream. Serves 8.

*For a lighter version, use whole milk instead of the cream and half and half.

Recipes

It has been a busy week! I returned home to Louisiana after a nice long two-week vacation with my mom and aunt Dot to Seattle, Washington where I was born. I’m happy to be home, but will cherish this vacation with the two most important women in my life for the rest of my days.


Of course a day after my return, I had two grown men and two dogs looking at me sheepishly wondering what I was going to fix to eat. I put on my apron and got to work.

First, I had to do something with all the roma tomatoes and onions my husband had picked out of my garden while I was away. I made tomato-basil soup, a favorite of my son Colin.  Secondly, I had potatoes from my garden that needed to be made into something as well as onions, so I made a roast. 

The roast played into an encore dish for last night's supper.  I took the remaining meat, potatoes and onions and broth and mixed in a can of corned beef.  Topping it with biscuts, (sometimes I use a puff pastry) it turns into this incredible corned beef hash.

Both guys were satisfied and the dogs were in heaven with the bones from the roast, which by the way, came from Westmoreland Cattle Farm in Franklinton, LA.

Recipes to follow I hope you enjoy!