Easy Fruit Salad

Now how refreshing does that look?? All those wonderful fruit flavors…. vibrant colors… the perfect dish to bring to a BBQ … a delicious, healthy alternative to all those other BBQ favorites…

So no matter what part of the meal you’ve signed up to bring .. consider bringing a Fruit Salad… it’s perfect for appetizers to desserts…

TIPS

If you plan on adding fruits that will brown as they are exposed to air… such as bananas, apples and pears… add them just before serving… or mix them separately with an acidic fruit such as pineapple or oranges to prevent discoloration… tossing them with a little lemon juice will also help prevent them from “browning".

The list of ingredients is just a list of suggestions… pick and choose what you and your guests like and what your budget will permit… keep in mind food allergies and anyone that has problems with seeds.

To keep costs down… try to choose fruits in season or “on special”… and use expensive fruits sparingly… such as blueberries… they had wonderful flavor and color to a fruit salad but you don’t need a lot to go far in your salad.

You can serve a Yogurt Sauce with your Fruit Salad … it makes a terrific accompaniment. It’s easy to make and can easily be made fat free!

I hope you enjoy your BBQ!






Recipe: Fruit Salad

All you need:

Fruit Suggestions:

Strawberries
Grapes
Blueberries
Pineapple
Cantaloupe
Honey Dew melon
Other melons
Peaches
Bananas
Pears
Apples
Raspberries
Blackberries
Kiwi fruit

How to Peel Peaches Easily

Don't those peaches look heavenly?... and ohhh the smell.. so sweet... I love peaches... I can think of so many things to make with them... you too? I thought so...



Okay.. so you went to that Farmer’s Market… and simply couldn’t resist that sweet peach smell… and you bought a bagful… now what to do with them.. the options are limitless… including just eating them the way they are… always a good option.

But you’re thinking you want to maybe make something with them… ugh… peeling them… they do not peel easily with a peeler… the peeler gets all jammed up with bits of skin… yuck.

Fear not.. I have a great tip about How to Peel Peaches Easily…

Here are some easy steps…

Put up a large pot of boiling water…. a big pot you use for spaghetti will do nicely.



In the meantime, cut an X into the skin on the bottom of each peach.



Drop them into that pot of boiling water… about 3 at a time and boil them for about 30-45 seconds… I have the best luck at 45 seconds… although other sites say 30 seconds… it depends on the peach.. some can have stubborn skin to pull off.

Meanwhile have a bowl of cold water waiting.. ice water works really well.



Scoop them out of the boiling water and drop them into the cold water for about 30 seconds or until they’re cool enough to handle.



Remove them and put them a colander.



With a sharp knife start to pull the skin where you cut that big X. Now continue to pull the skin off with your fingers… and there you have it…



Cut those babies up and you’re ready for your recipe.. whatever that might be.

Red White and Blue Berry Fruit Salad

Red White and Blue Fruit Salad is simply strawberries and blueberries served with a delicious yogurt sauce... or even whipped Chantilly Cream... easy to make.. beautiful to look at.. and delicious to eat.. what more could you ask for?

Here's the link to a really easy Yogurt Sauce... serve it on the side.. but make sure to make enough... it will be sure to go fast!

And here's a link to Chantilly Cream... a fancy name for whipped cream with vanilla... fabulous on fruit!

Recipe: Fruit Salad

Now how refreshing does that look?? All those wonderful fruit flavors…. vibrant colors… the perfect dish to bring to a BBQ … a delicious, healthy alternative to all those other BBQ favorites…

So no matter what part of the meal you’ve signed up to bring .. consider bringing a Fruit Salad… it’s perfect for appetizers to desserts…

TIPS

If you plan on adding fruits that will brown as they are exposed to air… such as bananas, apples and pears… add them just before serving… or mix them separately with an acidic fruit such as pineapple or oranges to prevent discoloration… tossing them with a little lemon juice will also help prevent them from “browning".

The list of ingredients is just a list of suggestions… pick and choose what you and your guests like and what your budget will permit… keep in mind food allergies and anyone that has problems with seeds.

To keep costs down… try to choose fruits in season or “on special”… and use expensive fruits sparingly… such as blueberries… they had wonderful flavor and color to a fruit salad but you don’t need a lot to go far in your salad.

You can serve a Yogurt Sauce with your Fruit Salad … it makes a terrific accompaniment. It’s easy to make and can easily be made fat free!

I hope you enjoy your BBQ!






Recipe: Fruit Salad

All you need:

Fruit Suggestions:

Strawberries
Grapes
Blueberries
Pineapple
Cantaloupe
Honey Dew melon
Other melons
Peaches
Bananas
Pears
Apples
Raspberries
Blackberries
Kiwi fruit

Recipe: Oven Roasted Peaches with Cinnamon Sugar Butter

This recipe for Oven Roasted Peaches with Cinnamon Sugar Butter is such a quick and easy recipe… put a dollop of Rum Whipped cream on top.. and you’ll have your guests ohh’ing and ahh’ing …. This is just delicious.

Farmer’s Markets are loaded with peaches… and they’re simply too wonderful not to buy some… try to do different things with them.. and definitely try this recipe… you won’t be sorry you did!

Read All about Peaches …. get pointers to picking good ones… and tips on storing them… it’s a quick read… and might just help you score some really good peaches at the market.

TIPS

The baking time is approximate… the time will depend on how ripe your peaches are… you want them to bake until they soften but are still solid.

See my previous post for a quick and easy recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Butter.

I also posted a great recipe for Rum Whipped Cream that’s quick and easy, as well.

Allow the peaches to cool before putting the whipped cream on top… as you can see from the picture we were a bit impatient and the whipped cream started to melt… but no worries… the sweetened cream with rum was delicious!

I made the peaches in a baking dish that held all of the peaches… I took them out of the dish and served them individually.

I left quantities of peaches off… I figure a half a peach per person. I put about a tablespoon of Cinnamon Sugar Butter on each half a peach. Make sure to put some in the hole the pit left.

You also can serve this warm with vanilla ice cream.

Try this delicious way of serving fresh peaches!






Recipe: Oven Roasted Peaches

All you need:

Fresh Peaches
Cinnamon Sugar Butter
Rum Whipped Cream

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the peaches in half and remove the pit and any hard pieces where the pit was.

Place the peaches in an oven safe baking dish.

Place about 1 tablespoon of the Cinnamon Sugar Butter on top of the peaches.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400 degrees.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To serve, place each half in an individual serving dish and put a dollop of Rum Whipped Cream on top.

All About Peaches

With Farmer’s Market season in full swing… and as we approach the weekend… I thought it would be a good idea to do a post about Peaches… just a few things to help you decide what will rock your fruit basket and what to avoid.

Types

First… let’s talk about types… there are two main types of peaches… Freestone and Clingstone…

Freestone are what they sound like… they don’t “hang” on to the pit… they easily come apart from the pit when cutting them.

Clingstone.. are also what they sound like.. they “cling” to the pit and are a pain in the butt to cut. So you really want to look for Freestone Peaches if at all possible. Taste between the two should be about equal… it’s just easier to work with Freestones.

If the type of peach isn’t posted… just ask… it’s not a stupid question…don’t be afraid to ask.

What to Look For

Peaches should be slightly soft and sweet smelling… yep… take a whiff… they should smell peachy. Check out the skin… you don’t want soft spots or bruises. They should have a white fuzz on the skin.

You can’t tell much about ripeness by color… except green ones are definitely not ripe… otherwise the colors will depend on the variety.

Peaches won’t ripen after picking … so choose wisely… it’s not a fruit that will ripen when stored.

Do’s and Don’ts

Handle carefully and don’t drop them … place them in a bag or box… they bruise easily.

If shopping at a Farmer’s Market.. if you need help….ask the seller… most are more than happy to answer questions.

How to Store Peaches

They need to be refrigerated. Separate out the softest ones and use them first. The most peaches will keep is a week in the refrigerator vegetable drawer (between 33- 40 degrees F with high humidity).

Quick How To’s

To peel a peach, dip it in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then into ice cold water, the peel should slide off easily. *Do not let them soak in water.

To keep a cut peach from discoloring or darkening, brush with lemon juice.

Quantity Purchasing Guide

Here are some approximate amounts to help you decide what you need for various recipes before you hit the local Farmer’s Market or grocery store:

1 pound peaches = about 3 medium sized peaches
1 pound peaches = about 3 cups sliced
1 pound peaches= 2 – 2 ½ cups chopped
1 pound peaches= about 2 cups pureed

To Freeze or Can?

Freezing is really easy … a lot easier (in my humble opinion) than canning… and I think they really are better frozen than canned… but… the decision is probably best made based on freezer space.

How To Freeze

Seems lots of folks have the “Best Way to Freeze” peaches. Bottom line here… you need to peel them (see how to do that under Quick How To’s)… an place them in freezer bags and freeze them.

Using ascorbic acid (or a citrus juice) to prevent discoloration or browning is recommended by almost everyone… sprinkle a little on all of the fruit. Apparently crushed Vitamin C tablets that contain ascorbic acid will work too.

Better Homes & Gardens… offers 3 ways.. water pack, sugar pack and syrup pack… they provide step by step instructions…

I honestly have been using frozen peaches for … well.. let’s just say.. LOTS of years… and they don’t have sugar added, or syrup and are not in water… they are simply frozen… in my humble opinion, they work the best.

Make sure you use freezer bags or containers made for freezing food in them.

Make it as air tight as possible.

They should last one year from freezing… make sure you label the bag with the date you froze them.

Add Sugar or No Sugar When Freezing? ….

The decision is up to you. I really don’t see any difference in the results other than it adds a sweetener. I personally prefer no sugar… I’d rather add it when I use it… especially since I usually use the peaches in dessert recipes that already have sugar in the ingredient list… this way I don’t have to tinker with quantities when making the recipe.

Canning

If you do decide to can… be sure to find instructions from a reliable source and follow them carefully. I’m not into canning at the moment.. maybe someday in my spare time… but not now…

So my best advice is Google search How to Can Peaches and choose a reliable source of information or use instructions found in some cook books.

The Cooperative Extension services also have information… check your local listings for them and contact them for information.

I hope this information has helped you ... and I hope you enjoy eating those luscious peaches!

Tips for Juicing Lemons and Limes

Cooking Tip of the Day

Lemons and limes add a wonderful flavor to many foods. The best lemons or limes have smooth, oily skins are heavy for their size.

To get the most juice from your lemon or lime...they should always be at room temperature. Roll them with the palm of your hand on a hard surface before cutting and squeezing the juice from them.

If your lemon or lime is a bit hard… microwave on high for about 10-20 seconds.

If you are hand squeezing your lemon or lime…. There are a number of terrific gadgets available at cookware shops that will help you juice them.



Some gadgets will help you juice them without getting their pits in your juice…

If you prefer not to use a gadget, another trick to help keep pits out of your juice is to juice them cut-side up…. that way the pits tend to stay in the fruit and not drop in juice.

The citrus juicers pictured are available at Williams Sonoma.

Keep Frozen Fruit on Hand in Your Freezer for Last Minute Substitutions

Tip of the Day:

It's a good idea to keep a small bag of frozen fruit on hand in your freezer for inpromto meals and desserts. I like to keep berries in the freezer.... but peaches are also a good idea. I like frozen fruit better than canned.... canned peaches tend to be too syrupy for some recipes. Certain fruit can be difficult to get out of season.... or if you find them.. they're not the best... so frozen is really a perfect answer.

In the case of today's recipe.... Cornmeal Chicken with Fresh Peach Salsa.... frozen peaches, thawed would be an acceptable substitution in the salsa recipe.