Everything's Peachy

Mr. Doughboy's sister and her husband have moved to Salt Lake City, the closest "big city" to us. They have decided to forego the whole "buying a house with a yard and commuting to work" routine this time around and have decided to have the true urbanite experience -- living in an apartment in the heart of downtown, walking to work and church, riding Trax (public rail transportation) to get anywhere that's not within walking distance. They are taking note of all the events happening within the city and planning their social calendar to try them out.

Last weekend while we visited with them in their apartment, an advertisement came on TV about downtown's annual "Dine-O'Round" event. 31 restaurants in downtown Salt Lake City will offer three-course dinners for $15 or $30 per person. Some eateries also will offer a two-course lunch for $10. Food options include Asian, Italian, Lebanese, American, Austrian and Mexican cuisines, as well seafood, steak and vegetarian fare. It sounds like a really good time. If that sounds like something you might enjoy, check out this link for a list of participating restaurants.

During our get-together, I was in charge of the dessert. Since I've got a bushel of peaches at my house, I figured a quick and easy peach dessert was in order. It was tasty. Later that night, I began to think of other things to do with it. I did a version 2.0 of the same dessert the next night by adding pecans and vanilla ice cream. Mr. Doughboy liked it so much he had seconds. Doughnut Hole #5 was also there and gave his seal of approval.

Here they are all ready to be put in the oven. Please ignore the wicked butter hiding camouflaged amongst the pecans. Trust me, when these come out of the oven and go in your mouth, you will be thrilled there was wicked butter involved.


Caramel Baked Peaches
3 large freestone peaches (peeled and cut in half)
lemon juice
3 tsp butter

2 Tbsp chopped pecans
1/4 C brown sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
caramel sauce or dulce de leche

vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine sugar and cinnamon together. Place the peeled peaches cut side up in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle a bit of lemon juice on each peach. Place 1/2 tsp butter in the center of each peach half. Top the butter with chopped pecans. Sprinkle at least 1 tsp cinnamon sugar on top of each peach. Cover the baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove peaches from dish and place onto single serving plates. Drizzle dulce de leche or caramel sauce over each peach half. Place a scoop of ice cream alongside the peach. Serve warm.

Note: You can also serve with a dollop of Cinnnamon Whipped Cream or sprinkle granulated sugar on the top after baking and if you have a kitchen torch, use a creme brulee approach and burn the sugar topping just before serving.

Teenagers Are Just Big Kids

Mr. Doughboy and I combined a family when we got married. We each brought three children into the mix. The youngest four children were 14, 13. 11 and 11, respectively. Through the years, we've had a LOT of teenagers in and around our house. Some of them we met one day and didn't see again. But a few of them became regular fixtures just like our own kids.

They're all grown now. This year our two former 11-year-olds turned 18 and graduated from high school. All six of our Doughnut Holes are living on their own. We don't see them on a daily basis anymore. That means their friends don't come around much either. A few of their friends are far away pursuing some of the goals they set for themselves. Yesterday, I found myself thinking of two of them (Garrett and Heston). They were both teenage boys when I met them, so when they came over, they could really pack away whatever food I set out for them to snack on. At first, I thought I could use them as guinea pigs for any new recipe ideas I had. But I soon learned they would eat anything and be happy about it, so I switched over to relying on them to clean out the cupboards and pantry rather than connisseurs of culinary delights.

This Sugar Cookie Bar recipe was one of Garrett's favorites. Garrett is one of my daughter's favorites... who are we kidding? He IS my daughter's favorite. His pictures are all over her wall. The two of them exchange a flurry of letters every week. He's in Washington DC now and won't be back until June 2011. If I can figure out how to package these, I think I might whip up a batch and send them to him. A care package from the "girlfriend's mother"... that might surprise him a bit.

Sugar Cookie Bars (from Real Mom Kitchen)
1 C butter, room temperature
2 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 C butter, room temperature
1/2 C shortening
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

cake sprinkles, if desired

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled cookie. Sprinkle cake sprinkles over top, if desired; then cut into bars.

Gifts from Old Faithful

My mother has lived in the same house since 1976. I was 14 when we moved there. In the back yard is an apricot tree. I don't know how old the house is, but it was probably around 10 years old when my parents bought it. That would make that tree close to 43 years old now. It has been quite a large tree for a very long time. Large enough for my mom and dad to put a toddler swing on one of its boughs so that my nieces could swing from its branches. Large enough to produce ample shade for family barbeques and backyard picnics. It had lights strung on it for my backyard wedding reception lo those many years ago. All in all, a wonderful family tree.

It has gotten a little crotchety in its old age. It still produces apricots. Bumper crops of apricots. But every now and then, it will take a year off. Not send out a single blossom. Not produce a single fruit. My mom never knows from one early spring to the next whether she will be handing out bags of apricots to her neighbors that year or not. We just wait for the tree to make up its mind. And we deal with the results either way.

Well, this year... a bumper crop again!!! Now, I am not an apricot person. I don't eat them raw. I don't like them in galettes or cakes. However... apricot jam... that's another story entirely. Especially my mom's apricot jam. Slather that baby all over a piece of toast and I am happy as a pig in mud.

We went home to Mom's during the summer and she graciously gave me four pints of her homemade apricot jam -- which I promptly left behind in all the hustle and bustle of packing the car for the return trip. Weeping. Wailing. Gnashing of teeth. But, lucky me, my dear dear friend traveled to my hometown last weekend. Mom sent up my abandoned (but not forgotten) pints of jam, as well as 30 empty quart canning jars (yeay Mom!) with my save-the-day friend.

Aren't these beautiful? Don't they just make you want to go find a loaf of bread and toast it all up? Or homemade dinner rolls? Yes, these jars are crying out for some Parkerhouse rolls.

My mom just uses the recipe she got off of the pectin box.

Apricot Jam
5 cups prepared fruit (about 3-1/2 lb. fully ripe apricots)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
1 box Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine

BRING boiling-water canner, half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

FINELY chop unpeeled apricots. Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.

STIR pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Bring to full rolling boil and boil 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Breaking Bread - Citrus Style

So today I brought home a bushel of peaches from my favorite local orchard. You would think I would do something with all those peaches. But, instead, I looked over at my countertop and saw one remaining orange. I opened my refrigerator door and heard the container of ricotta cheese calling my name. (Okay, actually it was shouting "One week until my expiration, Flake. You might wanna do something about that!") So, I did what any budget-conscious Pastry Flake would do... I made Orange Bread.

I really enjoy this recipe. But, then again, I'm the one that always wants to give oranges equal time when I mix up cinnamon roll dough. I nosh down on Orange Rolls just as easily as Cinnamon Rolls.

Normally, I'd rather NOT post pictures of food gone awry, but today I'm making an exception. Even though the bread tastes divine, I didn't keep a close enough eye on it during the second rise (alright, alright, I admit it. I was Facebooking and lost track of time), so the loaf was larger than it should have been. When YOU make this bread, my young padawans (since you will do it correctly and adeptly), it should come out of the pan in a wreath shape. It makes it easier to slice that way. My loaf ended up... well... like a round loaf, so the slices end up with the shape of triangular servings of a layer cake. Oh well... it all eats the same.

Glazed Orange Bread
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 C warm water
1/2 C warm whole milk
1/2 C fresh orange juice
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 1/2 - 3 3/4 C bread flour
1 egg, lightly beaten (for brushing dough)

Glaze:
1 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 - Tbsp fresh orange juice

In the bowl of your electric mixer, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until foamy (about 10 minutes). Stir the warm milk, orange juice, sugar, ricotta cheese, orange zest, salt and egg into the yeast mixture. On low speed, using the paddle attachment, beat 2 cups flour into the yeast miture until a wet dough forms. Beat in the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a stiff dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add more flour to the surface as needed to prevent sticking. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover loosely with a damp cloth and let proof in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Grease a 10-inch springform pan.

Punch down the dough. Turn out onto a lightly floursed surface and knead for 2 minutes. Divide the dough into three equal ieces. Roll each piece into a 20-inch rope. Braid the ropes together. Coil braided dough in the prepared pan; tuck ends under. Cover loosely with a damp cloth and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the dough with egg wash. Bake until the top of the bread is golden brown about 20-25 minutes. Turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool slightly.

Prepare the icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Spread icing over warm bread. Serve warm.

"Grandma...

...one-year-old birthdays are fun."

Homegrown, Homemade, Home-Canned

I like to think of myself as hip and happenin'... however, I have a confession: I love to can my own fruits, jams, tomatoes and salsa. This year, I'm extending myself beyond what I normally do, and I'm going to be inventing some original (well, original to me anyway) vinegars, chutneys, and sauces.

I have a cold storage room in my basement with shelves in it. On those shelves, you will find the fruits of my labors (pun intended). There are peaches, rasberry and blackberry jams, and apple pie filling. By the end of next week, there will also be nectarine preserves, Amish sweet ketchup, some lusty tomato sauces, diced tomatos and salsa.

There's a fun story behind the apple pie filling. I went to buy apples from a fruit stand across the street from our town's high school. The nice man there told me his daughter-in-law had a recipe for apple pie filling that was very easy to bottle. So... thinking of a winter with apple crisps, apple bettys, apple cobblers and apple pies, I gladly accepted the recipe and bought a bushel of apples. (He's a sly one, you know... I had only stopped in for a bag of apples.)

Having the filling all ready to go makes for a quick dessert when unexpected company comes into town. Pour the bottle into a baking dish, mix up a topping for Apple Crisp and throw it in the oven. Served warm with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce... well, it's simply heaven on earth.

Apple Pie Filling (for canning)
4 cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 drops yellow food coloring
enough peeled and sliced apples to fill 6 quart jars (I used a combination of Jonagold and Jonathan apples)

Mix together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Heat 10 cups water to boiling; add sugar mixture and stir till dissolved. Then add the lemon juice and food coloring. Heat until thickened. Pour into 6 quart jars filled with peeled and sliced apples. Process jars in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

Note: if you use an Apple Peeler/Slicer/Corer, getting the apples in the jars is a lot quicker and easier. Time was of the essence for me, so this is the route I chose. However, the slices will be a lot thinner than normal. If you prefer thicker slices, you'll have to do it by hand. Next year, I'll budget my time better and go for the thicker slices of apple.)

I did a whole bushel's worth. I was done in about 1 1/2 hours time. I ended up with a total of 20 quarts. (I did some pint jars as well to be used with smaller serving cobblers and crisps.) Over time, the liquid separates a bit in the bottles. But that's okay. When you use the filling, simply drain off the clear liquid before you put it in the pan or pie shell. We've used this for apple cobblers, apple crisps and an apple pie. They all turned out delicious. Can't wait for another winter evening with a fire in the fireplace and the smell of apple pie in the oven.

Dressing Up Leftovers

Leftover frosting. Both my favorite chocolate frosting and some dulce de leche frosting. Did you have a mom or a grandma that put leftover frosting on graham crackers and made graham cracker sandwiches? I did. So did Mr. Doughboy. I used to do that for my kids as well. But now our Doughnut Holes are 27, 24, 21, 19, 18 and 18 respectively. (Here's a riddle: the two 18-year-olds are not twins. They are a day apart.) So, I'm thinking graham cracker frosting sandwiches wouldn't be high on their favorite dessert list.

My solution for Sunday dinner's dessert was to make a chocolate cake. I put the dulce de leche frosting in the center and then frosted the top and sides with the chocolate frosting. It was ruled a hit by those that ate it (none of whom happened to be our children).

This chocolate cake recipe ranks right up there for taste, crumb and height. It is dense and rich with flavor. It tastes best if you make it the day before and give the flavors a chance to ripen.

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever
4 C all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 C unsweetened cocoa (best quality you've got)

1 C unsalted butter, softened

2 C sugar

2 large eggs

2 Tsp vanilla extract

1 C sour cream

1 C hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil two 9-inch round cake pans. Line them with parchment paper and then grease and flour the paper.

In either a medium bowl or on top of a piece of wax paper (my preference), sift the flour, baking soda and cocoa together; set aside. In a separate bowl, using your electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar until it is pale yellow and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating until they are well incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the sour cream and the hot water. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter between the pans. When filled, tap the pans sharply one time on the counter to release any air and settle the batter. Bake in the center of the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until the cakes are puffed and spring back when lighly touched.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool. When they are cooled, remove them from the cake pans. Trim the domed top off of one layer so that it is flat. Invert that layer on a serving plate so that the cut side is down. Frost the top of that layer using whatever frosting you desire. Place the second layer of cake, domed side up, on top of the first. Cover it with the remaining frosting. This cake is best served the next day.

Note: Because I was making this cake to use up leftover frosting, I used a dulce de leche frosting in between the layers and My Favorite Chocolate Frosting on the top and sides. To enhance the subtle dulce de leche flavor, I also placed three tablespoonfuls of dulce de leche (not the frosting, but actual dulce de leche) on top of the batter in each cakepan and swirled it with a knife to incorporate it into the batter before baking.