Thursday, July 10, 2014

Peach Crisp

The peaches at the farmer's market these last few weeks have been calling my name. They've been saying "Kristen... pick us! Make us into that fantastic dessert you made the first summer here!"

Of course, that would assume that I kept that recipe. No idea what I did. *sigh* That was the real reason I started this blog, right??

So back to the drawing board. I've done the same thing I did for my apple pie, namely, I've read 1,982,576 recipes and then said "EH! I do what I want!"

This is the result of that rebellious streak. Also, of not having a lemon. Pfft.

Joyfulfoodie.com Peach Crisp - the perfect summer dessert.

Peach Crisp

adapted from the pioneer woman and real simple

Ingredients: 

5 whole To 6 Whole Fresh Peaches (best When Not Overly Ripe Or Soft)
1 cup and 1 tbsp Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup and 1-2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed (separated)
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 stick Butter (1/2 Cup) plus some to grease pan
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup nuts of your choice (I like a mix of pecans and cashews)

Directions: 

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Peel and cut peaches into slices. Mix them with 1 tbsp flour and 1-2 tbsp brown sugar. Transfer to a lightly buttered baking dish, ideally 9x9 square or equivalent. Round would work, just don't go for a crazy big rectangle.

Using a food processor or a fork, blend together the flour, sugar, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture until evenly mixed... this is where the food processor is handy. Finally, mix in oats and nuts. Pulse for a fine grain crumble or toss in if you want bigger hunks of nut.

Cover the peaches with the crumbly oat/nut topping. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove tin foil and bake for 30-45 minutes longer until the topping is crisp. If this is taking awhile, you can always broil it for a few minutes (and not longer!) If your dish is smaller (and therefore filled deeper) it may even be a little longer, so pick a time, check it, and add time accordingly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. YUM.

Joyfulfoodie.com Peach Crisp - the perfect summer dessert.

PS: This totally counts as breakfast food, right? I think that was my mom's rule. Fruit, grain, dairy... good to go?? That is of course assuming you have leftovers...

BONUS TIP! To easily peel peaches, cut an "x" in the end opposite the stem and immerse in boiling water. The riper the peach the less time it needs... anywhere between 10 seconds and a minute. Set the peach to cool for a moment before peeling and cutting. Remember, be careful with your knife when handling the peaches... they get a little extra slippery when you peel them this way!


Your turn! What summer dessert have you been anticipating? What's your favorite way to eat a peach?



Thursday, July 3, 2014

Burgers, 5 ways

Joyful Foodie: Burgers, 5 ways. Dress up your hamburger with some new tricks!

Hamburger plans for the fourth feeling a little blah? I love playing around with different burger combos, so I've rounded up a few favorites in case you need a little inspiration.

1) Cheeseburger with bacon, smoked cheddar, and barbeque sauce.  A classic. Remember, everything is made better by bacon. And don't come near my burger with American cheese, 4th of July or not.

2) Burger with feta, fried green tomato, and balsamic glaze. Our local place calls this the "Sweet Southerner". I always order it with extra balsamic, which makes it super messy, but OH SO good.

3) Southwest style. Mix chopped cilantro, cumin, cinnamon, and as much hot sauce as you want in with your ground beef when forming the patties. Top with pepper jack cheese and salsa or guacamole if you want some coolness.

4) Breakfast burger. Top with a fried egg, cheese of your choice, and spinach. If you really want to go all in, serve it on a bagel or with hollandaise sauce.  Just don't do this one often!

5) Caprese burger. This is my current favorite. Top your burger with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. You can also use balsamic here, but if you've got a flavorful tomato it doesn't need it. You could also mix balsamic and dried basil in with the beef, especially if you're having trouble with burgers drying out.


General burger tips:
  • Use higher fat beef for burgers. It'll drip out as it cooks. Save the 93% lean stuff for casseroles and tacos. ;) 
  • When forming your patties, make them a little concave. They puff in the middle when cooking, and they'll have a more uniform shape this way. 
  • Also remember they shrink! Make them a bit bigger than the bun you want to put them on. 


Your turn! What is your favorite way to serve a burger? Is your go-to beef, or does another burger base stand in the spotlight?

Have a happy fourth of July everyone! Remember, be safe out there and don't drink and drive.

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