Peach Puff Pancake - Simple Saturday

Need a perfect brunch item? Here it is. Need a quick, impressive, one pan-serve a family-wow'em-fresh fruit-make me look good without a lot of hassle-breakfast/lunch/snack item (and who doesn't)? Here it is.

Peach Puff Pan-cake

On the weekends, at my house, all regular schedules go out the window. I'm not sure when any one is eating, if they're eating here or who might be dropping by. It's the life of having teenagers, being a freelancer and having a husband in the television business.

This german-style puff pan-cake is perfect for throwing together, and leaving out on a platter for the taking...whenever, whomever, wherever. This is also great with apples (peel and slice thin for quick baking). When you first take this out of the oven it's puffed really high and then will naturally fall into a moist custard type pie.

The moisture is why it's still good even after being out for an hour, and good hot or room temp (of course, like most things with eggs in it, refrigerate this if not eaten within a couple hours.) Before the last peach has left for another season, puff it up with pride in this Peach Puff Pancake.

RECIPE: PEACH PUFF PANCAKE

2 Large Peaches (pitted and sliced)
4 Tbls. butter
1 1/2 cups AP flour
2 Tbls. sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
5 eggs
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400F.
1) In a large oven-proof skillet with sides, place butter and sliced peaches. Put the skillet into the preheated oven to allow the butter to melt and the peaches to warm and soften while you prepare the other ingredients. Remove pan after about 5-8 minutes so the butter doesn't burn.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.

3) Make a well in the center of the flour (dry ingredients) and pour in the eggs, and milk. Whisk the eggs and milk together, then incorporate the dry ingredients also, making a batter.

4) Pour the batter, carefully, into the hot skillet and stir everything together. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until puffed and golden on the edges.

Remove and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. You can slice in pan or turn out onto plate for serving. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top for garnish (and lip-licking.)

Peach & Blueberry Ginger Jam - Video Interview

One of my earliest memories of growing up next to my Grandparent's farm in North Carolina is how the kitchen felt when G-Ma was canning. The air was moist, the windows were fogged over, you had to talk over the rattling of jars in the giant boiling water pots, there was sugar on the floor that had spilled from the scoops, and there were women laughing - lots of laughing.

Peach & Blueberry Ginger Jam

The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John of Eat4Fun. John chose to challenge The Daring Cooks to learn about food preservation, mainly in the form of canning and freezing. He challenged everyone to make a recipe and preserve it. John’s source for food preservation information was from The National Center for Home Food Preservation.

IRONICALLY: This month's Tigress Can/Jam challenge was Stone Fruit as chosen by Hip Girl's Guide. So, rather than have double posts - I doubled up on a post.

The choices of stone-fruits are numerous at this time of the season in California. I'm also keen on using combinations and my little blueberry plant is giving me her last jewels, so I paired those with golden freestone peaches.

Our host for Daring Cooks, John, gave us the option of using one of our own recipes if canning and preserving were already in our wheel-house. It's not only familiar to me - it's like home. So, for this post, I'll add a little video that I had the honor of being in for an interview about Boutique foods in Southern California. I'll add the recipe that I used that day for Peach & Blueberry Ginger Jam. I have many jams on my site also, and I hope you'll take a look if anything appeals to you.



RECIPE: PEACH & BLUEBERRY GINGER JAM

2lbs Peaches (peeled and sliced)
1lb Blueberries
32oz. organic sugar
2Tbls. minced fresh ginger
2 lemons (juice and zest)
2 cinnamon sticks (*optional and to be removed before putting jam in jars)

1) In a large pot add: peaches, blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest (and cinnamon sticks). Stir to combine.
2) Macerate (let sit, covered for flavors to mix) in refrigerator overnight or at least 8 hours
3) When ready to continue, add ginger to pot and heat on Med., stirring to dissolve sugar for about 10 minutes.
4) Remove the cinnamon sticks, and increase heat. Stir now and then.
5) Heat til liquid from jam runs off a wooden spoon slowly, rather than a single stream. This may take about 25 minutes depending on amount cooking. (You can also check by putting a small ceramic plate in the freezer before starting your jam, then check the jam set by spooning a bit of the jam on the cold plate. If the jam doesn't run, and has a bit of a rise to it - the jam is ready. You can also check by temperature - jam sets around 219-223F. )

If you are canning the jam, follow the safety rules for home canning in a hot water bath (easy and conveniently found here.)

If you are making this for consumption within a few weeks, you can pour jam into clean containers, let cool, cover and keep in refrigerator.

Anybody can jam, so get your jam on!

PEACH CAPRESE SALAD

The Italian Caprese Salad takes on a California Fall twist with the peak of the season's PEACHES and a Balsamic/Almond Reduction Drizzle. Confession: I ate the first plate of these all by myself. It was supposed to be a taste, but oh those peaches were just so full and the basil balanced the sweet so well.

I made my LET'S LUNCH FALL SALAD a few days ago, because I knew I'd be so busy this week. I have a girl-friend visiting me. Not just any friend, but a friend that I haven't seen in over 20 years. We were baton twirling Majorettes together in High School - yep, you guessed it, I'm from the Southern United States. My friend, Teresa, and I lost contact and then one day found each other on Face Book (where else). Instead of the usual, "oh sure, I'll accept the friend, I think I remember her" - we actually continued emailing and discovering we had more in common now than ever and it turned into a visit that has been full of laughs, memories, creating new memories and forming a wonderful bond that I look forward to having forever.

I didn't want to miss posting this Let's Lunch Fall Salad event as I have so enjoyed meeting new food-friends like TIGER IN THE KITCHEN, BONVIVANT, COWGIRL CHEF, NAPTIME CHEF, etc.
The Peach Caprese is a simple and colorful salad, and I hope you'll give it a try or be inspired by the taste combinations.

PEACH CAPRESE: uses equal slices of Buffalo Mozzarella fresh cheese and Peach.
Overlap those and add fresh basil leaves along the way. The Balsamic/Almond Reduction is made with 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar, 3 Tbls. sugar in a saucepan, cooking on Med/High and reduced by at least 1/3 til it coats the back of your spoon. Then, add 1TBLs of almond extract and continue to stir to mix. Drizzle over the composed salad. Can be chilled or served room temp.

So, forgive the short post, while I reconnect with a wonderful friend that reminds me that life can be a healing and magical circle.