Aunt Maggie's Peach Cobbler

 Our peach tree had an abundant amount of fruit this year, and after harvesting we ended up with a bucket of what I call "Two Bite Peaches".  These are those little peaches that are only 2 bites, yet are as sweet as those larger ones from the tree.  I didn't want to toss them, and I remembered my Aunt Maggie, (she was someone who knew how to forage the hills of West Virginia).  She would have eagerly taken these.  Then I remembered her recipe for peach cobbler and thought why not?  There's enough here and they are most certainly sweet enough.  Aunt Maggie would be proud that I didn't let them go to waste.

You will need:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tabs. sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teas salt
1/2 teas cinnamon
1/4 teas nutmeg
1/4 teas allspice
approximately 3 cups of sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray an 8 X 8 inch baking dish with baking spray.

Wash, peel, pit, and slice the peaches into bite sized pieces.  Layer the peaches into the bottom of an 8 X 8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of sugar over the top of the peaches, stir to mix the sugar over all the peaches.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Stir well to incorporate everything together.

Add the butter, and cut into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas.

This is what your topping will look like.

Spread the topping over the peaches.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a baking sheet.

Just that quick and easy, you have a wonderful old fashioned peach cobbler.

I enjoy mine served slightly warm, plain.

My husband likes to add a scoop of ice cream on top of his.  No matter how you serve it, fresh peach cobble can't be beat.

Enjoy !

Basic White Bread

It's fair time around our part of the country.  And every so often I like to enter one or two of the baking exhibits.  Two years ago, I entered my basic white bread in the yeast bread exhibit and won 2nd place for the state.  This year, I decided to try again, (hoping for another ribbon).  Bread is one of the easiest and most inexpensive food items you can prepare for your family.  It shows so much love for neighbors and friends.  I don't know anyone who says no to a loaf of fresh homemade bread.   And with just a few practice loaves, you'll wonder why you've been buying bread, when for about 25 cents a loaf you can make your own.


This receipe makes 2 loafs.




You will need:

6 – 7 cups bread flour

3 Tabs. Sugar

1 Tabs. Salt

2 Tabs. Vegetable oil

2 packets instant yeast

2 ¼ cups very warm water

2 Tabs. Butter

In a large bowl combine the warm water, sugar and yeast.   Let the mixture set for about 5 minutes, so the yeast can proof..  The mixture will start to bubble around the edges and get a little foamy, (you know your yeast is alive and active).

Now add in 2 cups of bread flour, salt, and oil.  Stir well to incorporate.  If you want, you can use a mixer at this point.

Continue mixing in flour, 1 cup at a time, to form a bread dough.  How much flour you use will depend on various things; the humidity and how much water the flour is holding.

Note:  at this point, if you are using a mixer you will want to stop and stir in the flour by hand.  It will be to stiff for most mixers.

Once your dough has come together, it will look like this.  It will still be a little sticky, but it will no longer cling to the sides of the bowl.

Turn the flour out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, (approximately 5 minutes).

You will know your dough has enough gluten, (elasticity), when you can press your finger in the center and it springs back easily).  Shape the dough into a nice smooth ball.  Place in a large greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm area, and allow the dough to double in size, (approximately 1 hour).

After the dough has risen, remove the dough from the bowl, gently flatten the dough out and cut the dough in half.

 Gently roll the dough into a 10 X 9 inch rectangle.

 Starting at the 9 inch end, roll the dough up, making sure to pinch the dough edge as you make each turn.

Make sure to pinch the end of the dough tightly together when it is completly rolled.

Using 2 fingers, push the ends of the roll into the middle of the roll.

Now pinch the ends of the roll, and tuck the ends under.

Repeat with the second half of the dough.

 Place each roll of bread dough in a greased loaf pan.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel.  Place in a warm area and allow dough to rise until dough, (approximately 1 hour).

After the dough has risen, it will look like this.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, with baking rack in the center position of oven.

Bake the loaves for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown, (I like to test the internal temperature to make sure it registers 197 degrees).

Note:  If your loaves are browning too quickly, after 15 minutes, cover with aluminum foil, so the outside won't burn, while the inside continues to cook.

Remove from oven, allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes.  Remove from pans.  Lightly coat the outside of the bread with butter, (this will give each loaf a nice soft exterior).

Allow each loaf to cool completely before slicing.

And you now have two delicious loaves of bread.  One to keep and one to give as a gift.

 Well - I am ready to enter my loaf of bread in the fair this week.  Judging is about ready to start.  So, I have to get moving and get my entry over to the judging stand.

Now go make some award winning bread for your family.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Cakes

Like most gardeners, my zucchini is coming on pretty strong right now.  And if you've been following my post - then you've already found my Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Chocolate and Spice Zucchini Cake, Zucchini Carrot Bread, Stuffed Baked Zucchini.  Another of our favorite ways to serve zucchini is to make zucchini cakes.  They are pretty much a vegetarian version of a crab cake.  My vegetarian grandson, (and the rest of my family), just love them.  They make a great side dish.  And you can either make them on the stove top, or in the oven.

You will need:
1 or 2 zucchini, (depending on the size)
1/2 teas salt
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 green onions
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 1/2 teas Old Bay seasoning
1 teas Dijon mustard
1 Tabs mayonnaise
1/8 teas red pepper flakes
2 Tabs vegetable oil
1 teas butter

Grate the zucchini into a colander, (you want about 3 cups of grated zucchini).  Sprinkle with the salt and let stand for 30 minutes, (to pull out the excess moisture).

While the zucchini is sitting, finely slice the green onions, (if the onions are large sized, you can use 2, rather than 3).

Finely chop the red bell pepper, (you want 1/4 cup).

After the zucchini has set for about 30 minutes, squeeze out the excess moisture.  You want the zucchini to be as dry as possible.

 Once you squeeze out the moisture, you will be left with about 2 cups of zucchini.  Place the dry zucchini in a medium bowl.

To the zucchini add:
the breadcrumbs, egg, sliced green onions, diced red pepper, Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and red pepper flakes.   Mix well to incorporate everything.

Note:  I use my own homemade Old Bay seasoning.  Also, you can substitute plain yogurt for the mayonnaise.

Form the zucchini mixture into patties, (crab cake size).  You will get 4 to 6 depending on the size.

Place the patties on a baking sheet, and place in the refrigerator to chill and set up, (approximately 20 minutes).  I like to line my baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up. - but it not required.

 In a medium skillet, over medium heat melt the butter into the oil.  Add the zucchini patties and fry until golden brown.

Turn over and fry the second side, until golden brown.  And you now have delicious zucchini cakes ready to serve.

 These make a wonderful side dish with any meat.  I like to eat them plain.  My husband like to top his with a dill herb sauce.

Hmm - just a good as any crab cake.  It's the Old Bay that gives it that wonderful seafood flavor.

If you've got extra zucchini - give these a try.

Enjoy !