The Sweet Taste Of A Southern Summer

Summertime in the South just wouldn't be complete without 

SWEET SOUTHERN PEACHES!

So many wonderful recipes just waiting to be used all year long and finally the fresh peaches are here!! 

During the summer months here in Alabama, you can find fresh peaches just about everywhere!

Farmers are selling them from the backs of their pick-up trucks, in little fruit stands along the roadsides and you are sure to find them at your local Farmers Market!

That's where I found mine!

I bought these for $18.00 from the sweetest little farmer at my local farm market! 

Here are a few ways that I used my fresh peaches this Summer...

I will start by sharing the recipe that I use for 

Homemade Peach Butter

Believe me, 

YOU WANT TO TRY THIS!! 

I got this recipe from a cookbook that my Daddy gave to me one Christmas when my kids were little! 

One of my favorite things in the world to do is to can jams and jellies all year round!  I used to enter my canned goods in the County Fair when they came to town during the early Fall. 

Daddy gave me this book and told me that he thought I would enjoy some of the 

"Award Winning  Fair Recipes"

 written inside! 

That's exactly how I got this yummy recipe! 

Let's get started...

When working with fresh fruit, you always want to check your fruit for mold or "soft spots" and sort out your fruit accordingly.

I know I have shared this story with you before, but I will share it once more, just in case it might help one of you as you buy your fruit.  

Once, we were shopping at a Flea Market and I came across a man that was selling fruits and veggies.  He saw me eyeing the fresh peaches and asked me what I was interested in making.  I then told him, Peach Butter.

He said, "Oh, I have just the box for you! I will sell you this entire HUGE box for $10!" 

Well, I didn't have much money at the time, but that sounded like a deal that I just couldn't pass up!

I bought the huge box of peaches.

As I started prepping my peaches, I came across some molded ones down at the bottom of the box, but I didn't think much of it.  I just tossed the moldy ones in the trash and went on working.

I made all of my Peach Butter and it was just beautiful!

I took some to church and gave it to the preacher and others!

A few days later, I noticed a green fuzzy string-like thing floating in one of my jars of Peach Butter.

It was in another jar and another and another!!

Come to find out, when fruit, especially soft fruits, have moldy spots, ANY of the fruits near it, can also have mold spores growing inside!

I had spent a lot of time and money preparing my Peach Butter only to have to throw it all out and call everyone and have them throw theirs out too! 

Sad, sad, sad day! 

:(

So, before I even start making jams, jellies or butters, I check out my fruit! 

Once I have the peaches divided out for each project, I am ready to begin!

The first thing that I had to do with the peaches that I picked for the Peach Butter was to let them ripen a little bit more so that they would be perfect for my Peach Butter.

Here's my trick for ripening fruit in a hurry...

I put the fruit that needs to ripen inside of a large paper bag and check them each day to see if they are ready for use! 

With these peaches, I left them in the bag for about 3 days until they had ripened to perfection!

Now, I was ready to begin my Peach Butter!

The first thing that you need to do is to peel your peaches and cut them in half.  

You will also need to remove the pit and scrape out as much of the red fibers from the peach that you can.  I use a spoon to help me get the fibers out.  

Once you have the peaches peeled, halved and scraped, you will need to drop them immediately into an Acidulated Water Solution, to prevent browning.  

What is that???

Well, it is a water solution that will help your peaches stay bright and not turn brown!

 Here's all you will need to make your own...

Acidulated Water Solution

2 tablespoons of Salt

2 tablespoons of White Vinegar

1 gallon of Water

Mix all of the ingredients together and drop your prepared fruit directly into the solution to prevent browning.

Now, you will need to drain the Acidulated Water Solution from your peaches and rinse them off.

You will want to slice and chop your rinsed peaches and place them in a large pot.

Cover your chopped fruit with just enough water to prevent scorching.

Bring your peaches to a boil over medium heat. Once the peaches boil, reduce your heat to low and  cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the peaches are tender.  

Stir occasionally.

When the peaches are cooked tender, you will want to puree them in a blender or food mill.

I don't own a food mill, so I used a blender.

Rinse out your pot and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Then, measure 2 Quarts of the Peach Puree into the large pot.

Add

 4 Cups of Sugar

and 

4 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice 

to your 

2 Quarts of Peach Puree

and 

Mix Well

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often.

Cook for about 30 minutes or until the Peach Butter is thick and holds shape while rounding up on a spoon.

I use the time while the peaches are cooking to prepare my jars.

I wash and cover the clean jars in a sink full of boiling water.

Be sure you keep the jars, caps and rings along with your canning tools in the boiling water until you are ready to use them.

When the Peach Butter is ready, 

pour into the clean jars and process in a hot water bath for at least 15 minutes.

Then, remove them from the hot water bath and you should start hearing...

POP, POP, POP!!!! 

I have been making this Peach Butter for years and it has a wonderful and  delicate taste of fresh sweet peaches! 

It tastes like Summertime! 

The State Fair Cookbook that I got the recipe from had this written with it...

"Susan and Harvey Moser used to enjoy visiting competitive exhibits at county and state fairs..."  

"With 318 ribbons between them from exhibits at four fairs..." 

"Her care in preparing the fruit for Peach Butter helps explain why it looked, as well as tasted, like a blue ribbon winner to state fair judges."

I have to agree about this recipe! 

I have loved it for a long time and I've won a couple of ribbons in the past for this 

Homemade Peach Butter

myself.

1999 ~ 2nd Place

2001 ~ 1st Place

Sweet Memories 

~ <3 ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Okay, now what else did I do with peaches this Summer?

I froze some in freezer bags to use throughout the year!

Here's what you'll need to freeze your fresh peaches...

For every 8-10 Peaches

You will need:

The Juice of 1 Lemon

1/2 Teaspoon of Sugar for each Peach added

and 

Freezer Safe Baggies

That's it!! 

Just add the Lemon Juice and the Sugar to your sliced peaches and stir well, being careful not to break your peach slices, then put them into freezer safe bags for recipes later on!!

That's as easy as pie!! 

Speaking of PIE...

How about some 

HOMEMADE PEACH PIE???

Remember how I explained that I always look through my batch of peaches and  decide which ones will go where?

Well, I held out a few very ripe ones and ones that had a few soft spots and I saved them for making this Peach Pie.  

Let's get started by making our pie crust.

I got this recipe for homemade pie crust from 

The Pioneer Woman's 

website, years ago!

You won't believe how flaky this crust is!

You will need:

3 Cups of All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1 and 1/2 Cups of Crisco

1 Egg

5 Tablespoons of Ice Water

and 

1 Tablespoon of White Vinegar

Mix the flour, salt and Crisco with a pastry blender by hand in a large bowl.

  

Then, add the beaten egg, ice water and vinegar.

Stir all with a fork, just until it's all combined .

Then, divide the dough into 2 disks and put each disk into their own freezer bags and place into the fridge until you are ready to roll out the crusts.

After your pie crusts have chilled for at least 1 hour, 

you can roll them out and line a pie plate with your bottom crust.

Now, for the filling...

You will need:

4 1/2 Cups of Sliced, Peeled Peaches

1/2 Cup of Sugar

1/4 Cup of Packed Brown Sugar

3 Tablespoons of Cornstarch

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon of Salt

2 Teaspoons of Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon of Butter

In a large bowl, combine your sugars and add the peaches and toss gently.

Cover and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

This will allow for the sugars to dissolve and really sweeten those peaches.

Shout out to these little bowl cover-ups! 

$1.00 for a box of 20 (assorted sizes) at Dollar Tree!

Thank you to my Mother-In-Law for introducing these into my life! :)

After the peaches have sat at room temperature for 1 hour, you will need to drain them over a bowl as to reserve the excess juice. 

In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.

Stir, and gradually add in the reserved juices from the peaches.

Bring this mixture to a boil and cook and stir for about 2 minutes to allow it to thicken.  

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter.

Carefully, fold in your peaches.

Pour mixture into your crust lined pie plate.

Roll out your second crust and place over the peach filling.

Trim and crimp the edges to seal your pie.

Cover the edges loosely with foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50 or 60 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

After your pie has cooled, 

you can make a simple powdered sugar glaze with powdered sugar and milk and brush it all over the pie!!

This is well worth the effort and will become a family favorite during the Summer months!

Speaking of favorites...

Before I go I thought I'd share a few of my favorites these days...

~ MY CHICKENS ~

~ MY BARN ~

~ MY COOP ~

~ FARM FRESH EGGS ~

~ DIRTY DISHES FROM COOKING FAMILY DINNERS ~

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

~ JUDE ~

 

Oh, my heart!!! <3 

I hope you are able to enjoy some of your favorite things this week too!

~ <3~ <3 ~ <3 ~

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

(KJV)

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."