Fresh Peach Cucumber Salad

Fresh peaches that aren’t fully ripe can still be used in a fresh peach cucumber salad, adding a tart bite with a hint of sweet. An herby dressing with mint and parsley complement the peaches beautifully.

This week my Sunday Supper group are using peaches in a variety of recipes both sweet and savory. I’m in the Channel Islands right now where apparently they make no bones about the fact that the peaches are picked too young. The little plastic boxes they are sold in say quite boldly – Ripen At Home. But I think we all know how that turns out. They really don’t taste the same or ripen well at home. Never mind, though, because slightly under ripe peaches are still tasty in salad. If you are fortunate enough to have good peaches, those work too!

Fresh Peach Cucumber Salad

Aside from the mint and parsley, the dressing is a basic vinaigrette so if you have a favorite vinaigrette recipe, by all means use it and just add the herbs to the salad itself.

Ingredients
For the dressing:

1/4 cup or 60ml extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup or 30ml good quality white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon sugar
For the salad:
1 English cucumber
4 peaches
1/4 medium purple onion
2 1/2 oz or 70g pea sprouts

Method
Put all the dressing ingredients in a jar. Close the lid tightly and give it a good shake to combine the ingredients. Set it aside at room temperature while you get on with prepping the salad.

Cut your cucumber lengthwise in half, then cut the halves again so you have four long pieces. If the seeds are too juicy, you can but them off and discard. (My dog loves them!) Chop the cucumber into smaller chunks.

Cut the peach off the pit in slices, then cut those into smaller pieces. If you have freestone peaches, you can remove the pit, then slice and cut.

Finely slice your onion.

Add the cucumber, peaches and onion to a large salad bowl.  Give the herb dressing another good shake and drizzle on just as much as you need to wet the peaches and cucumbers. You might not use it all. (It’ll keep well in the refrigerator for a week or two.)

Toss to coat.

Add in the pea sprouts just as you are ready to serve and toss again.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to our Peachy Keen host, Sue of Palatable Pastime and our event manager, Renee of Renee’s Kitchen Adventures. Take a look at all the deliciousness we have for you this week!


Starters:

• Bourbon & Peach Porkbelly Bites by Girl Abroad
• Cherry-Peach Bruschetta by Dessert Geek
• Grilled Peach Caprese with Blackberry Balsamic by The Crumby Cupcake
• Peach Blueberry Burrata Quesadilla by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Peach Gazpacho with Cucumber by Asian in America

Breakfasts:

• Peach Pancakes with Peach Maple Syrup by Magnolia Days
• Peaches and Cream Crepes by A Mind Full Mom
• Peaches and Cream Smoothie Bowl by Family Foodie

Beverages:

• Brandy Peach Lemonade by Nosh My Way
• Citrus Peach Sangria by Sunday Supper Movement
• Dairy-Free Strawberry Peach Smoothie by Cooking Chat
• Frozen Peach Margarita by Angels Home Sweet Homestead
• Peach and Blueberry Wine Slushies by Cooking with Carlee
• Peach Ginger Bellini by kimchi MOM
• Peach Whiskey Smash by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Trà Đào (Vietnamese Peach Tea) by Curious Cuisiniere

Condiments:

• Ginger Peach Freezer Jam by Peaceful Cooking

Sides & Salads:

• Fresh Peach Cucumber Salad by Food Lust People Love
• Italian Peach Panzanella Bread Salad by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Peach Caprese Salad with Balsamic Syrup by La Bella Vita Cucina
• Peach, Tomato and Mint Salad by Our Good Life

Main Dishes:

• Chicken, Peaches, and Arugula on a Focaccia Roll by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Easy Peach & Basil Flatbread by My Life Cookbook
• Grilled Peaches and Shrimp Shish Kabobs by The Freshman Cook
• Peach Glazed Pork Chops and Stuffing by Life Tastes Good
• Pork Tacos with Grilled Peach Salsa by Baking Sense
• Roasted Flank Steak with Fresh Peach Pico de Gallo by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Desserts

• Any Fruit Custard Pie by Wholistic Woman
• Biscuit Topped Peach Cobbler by Palatable Pastime
• Blueberry Peach Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake by The Chef Next Door
• Easy Peach Cobbler Minis by April Golightly
• Frozen Peach Cheesecake by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Gluten Free Peach Apricot Crisp by Desserts Required
• Grilled Peach Melba by Hardly A Goddess
• Honey Almond Ricotta Stuffed Grilled Peaches by She Loves Biscotti
• No-Churn Peach Pie Ice Cream by The Redhead Baker
• Peaches and Cream Cobbler Popsicles by Crazed Mom
• Peaches and Cream Pie by Cooking on the Ranch
• Peach and Pistachio Tart by Caroline’s Cooking
• Peach Sherbet by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Peach Honey Pecan Galette by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Peach Willy by Monica’s Table
• Roasted Peach and Lime Sorbet by Brunch-n-Bites
• Rustic Peaches & Cream by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Simple Peach Cobbler by Where Latin Meets Lagniappe
• Spiked Skillet Peach, Pecan and Blueberry Crumble by From Gate to Plate
• Streusel-Topped Peach Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Summer Fruit Pie by Pies and Plots

Pin this Peach Cucumber Salad!  

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Roasted Peach and Bacon Muffins #MuffinMonday

Roasted peach and bacon muffins are sort of sweet and sort of savory, really the best of both worlds. 

It’s Muffin Monday again! And also Memorial Day in the United States, which is the day we remember and honor those who have died in active service in any branch of the United States military. Many families take advantage of the three-day weekend to gather for reunions or to hold family celebrations. And, of course, this time of year is also all about graduations and graduation parties. So many opportunities to bake and share muffins with your friends and loved ones!

If you are a fan of sweet and salty treats, you are going to love these roasted peach and bacon muffins. Don’t forget to scroll down to see all the other bacon and peach wonderfulness that my fellow Muffin Monday bakers are sharing. We didn’t plan the theme but after everyone else had added their titles to our group, I was motivated to create a muffin that would fit in.

Ingredients
6 slices thick cut streaky bacon
2 peaches – just ripe but not soft
Pinch flakey sea salt
2 cups or 250g all purpose flour
1/3 cup or 66g brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup or 180 ml milk
1/3 cup or 80ml bacon fat (rendered from frying the bacon) plus extra for greasing pan (or use butter or oil)
2 large eggs

Method
Fry the bacon slices until crispy and remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Leave the bacon fat in the pan to cool.

Preheat your oven to 425°F or 218°C.

Cut your peaches in half and remove the pits. Slice them in wedges.

Place the wedges on a baking pan. Use a spoon to drizzle some bacon fat over each peach wedge. Sprinkle them with a pinch of flakey sea salt.

Roast in your preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes and then turn the wedges over and roast for a further 5 minutes.

After turning them over.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. They are going to be pretty soft at this point. Use a metal spatula to scrape them up. Reduce heat of the oven to 350°F or 180°C.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.

Chop the peaches and the bacon into pieces, setting aside 12 bits of each for topping the muffins before baking.

Add your chopped peaches to the flour and use a fork to mix them in and separate them from each other, coating them with flour.

In another bowl, whisk together milk, bacon fat and eggs.

Add all the milk mixture to flour mixture.

Gently fold just until dry ingredients are moistened. There should still be some flour showing. Then fold in your bigger pile of bacon.

Generously grease cups (I used bacon grease but you can use oil or butter) and top of 12-cup muffin pan.

Divide your batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.  Top each with a piece of the reserved bacon and roasted peaches.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before removing muffins from pan.

Enjoy!

If you are a fan of bacon or peaches, this is going to be your favorite Muffin Monday so far! Check out all the great combinations we have for you this month.

• Bacon and Caramelized Vidalia Onion Corn Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Bacon and Roquefort Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fresh Chive and Ricotta Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Roasted Peach and Bacon Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Peach Cobbler Muffins from Making Miracles
• Spicy Zucchini Bacon Cheese Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

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Fresh Peach Pie #FridayPieDay

The only thing that smells better than a big bowl of ripe peaches is this old-fashioned peach pie baking in the oven. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some thick pouring cream. 

A couple of days ago, I went for what I call the annual mashing, that is to say, a mammogram. (If you are of the female persuasion and haven’t gone for your well-woman check up in the last year – Just do it! Make the appointment and GO. And do your monthly self breast checks.) I rewarded myself with a stop on the way home at the farmers’ market to buy shelled Texas pecans, peaches, homegrown tomatoes, eggplant and fresh purple-hull peas. I love, love, love fresh peas, which are so hard to find the rest of the year. For dinner that evening, I cooked them simply with garlic, sea salt, black pepper and some smoked paprika. I grilled the eggplant on a griddle pan and made a delicious garlicky salad with the homegrown tomatoes.

And the peaches - oh, the fragrant peaches! - were destined for pie! Since it’s the last Friday of the month, I am once again joining my friend, Heather of girlichef for Friday Pie Day. Last month I shared an almond plum tarte tartin made with puff pastry but I really wanted to make a traditional pie with short crust this month.

I brought this baby on the road to Louisiana yesterday to visit my aunt and two uncles in New Iberia. I haven’t been to my Louisiana birthplace since a couple of summers ago when my grandmother passed away but it feels good to be here, in such a familiar place, with people who love me, have the same sense of humor and know all the family history and, most importantly, secrets. Where a person can buy spicy boudin and hog head cheese at the local butcher. Where grey Spanish moss hangs in wispy strands from ancient live oaks along a lazy bayou flanked by historic mansions. Where one can get local blue point crabs by the extra spicy half dozen at all the seafood restaurants. Yes, it’s good to be home home. Even if I am missing Gram.

Ingredients
Double recipe of shortcrust pastry – from this link here or use your own favorite crust recipe for a two-crust pie.
2 lbs 9 oz or 1100g whole fresh peaches (995g or 2 lbs 3 oz, pitted or about six cups once sliced.)
1 cup or 200g sugar
1 small lemon (for 2 tablespoons juice and zest)
1/3 cup or 40g flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons butter

Method
First make the pie crust dough and divide it into two pieces, one slightly bigger than the other. Cover them both in cling film and refrigerator while you get on with the rest of the pie.

Pit and slice your peaches thinly. You can peel them first if you want but I like the look of the slivers of red and I like the way they color the pie filling when baked.

Preheat your oven to 425°F or 218°C.

Add the sugar, flour and salt to the sliced peaches then zest in the lemon and add the juice. Stir well.

Roll out the bigger piece of piecrust and line your pie plate.

Pour the peach filling in and add the butter in small pats.

Roll out the top crust and cut three or four slits in it.

Top the peach filling with the pastry and trim the edges.

Fold the pastry under and crimp the edges.

Bake in your preheated over for about 45 or 50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Speaking of bubbling, I suggest you put a piece of heavy duty foil or another baking pan under the pie while baking, because the chances of it dripping over are pretty darn good. Another tip: Cover it with foil if the crust gets too dark before the baking time is up.

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or heavy pouring cream. I didn't have any for the photos but you can trust me that there was ice cream for the real serving.

Enjoy!

FridayPieDay is the brilliant invention of Heather from girlichef.

I am pleased to join her on the last Friday of each month for pie and crust recipes, techniques, tools of the trade, and other inspiration.

Today, Heather is also sharing a peach pie recipe but she upped the game with the addition of blueberries! Check out her gorgeous Blueberry Peach Pie with Cornmeal Streusel and Crust!

For more information and recipes, please check out her #FridayPieDay page!

Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt

Creamy Greek-style yogurt and canned peaches, blended together with sugar, fresh lemon juice and a touch of bourbon make a wonderful frozen treat everyone will enjoy! Especially my mother. 

My mom is on my subscribers list so she gets every new post by email. (Hi, Mom!) She doesn’t comment here on the blog much but she sends me her thoughts by return email and those often include the request that I make the recipe for her next time we are together. Or some additional family history is that is pertinent to my story. I love that this space is a place we can connect, even when I live so far away. And, because she is subscribed to the feed from other blogs as well, sometimes she shares those posts with me, which brings to mind a quote from Nobel laureate, François Mauriac:

“’Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are’ is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread.”

In this new day and age, I’d change that to say, “I'd know you better if you told me what you share.”

I’ve gotten to know my mother better from what she shares. And she has made it amply clear that peach is her favorite fruit. Also, she adores thick Greek yogurt. So, for Sunday Supper’s Mother’s Day event, I decided to create a frozen peach yogurt in her honor. It’s creamy, it’s peachy and I know she’d love it. And I’ll be making it again next month when we are together again! (You don’t even need to ask, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!)

Note: The bourbon flavor is extremely subtle but the alcohol does help the frozen yogurt stay creamy.

Ingredients
1 large can (29 oz or 825g, drained weight 16.9 oz or 480g) peach halves in light syrup
2 1/2 cups or 625g plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1/4 cup or 60ml fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons bourbon

Method
Drain the peaches well and discard the light syrup. (Or use it to sweeten iced tea!)

Set aside three or four peach halves and chop the rest into chunks.

Put the chopped peaches, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice and bourbon in a food processor or blender and purée till the peaches are in tiny, tiny pieces.

Slice the reserved peaches.

Pour the creamy mixture into a bowl or plastic container and chill it in the refrigerator or freezer until very cold but still pourable.

Scrape it into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Put the frozen yogurt in a freezer friendly sealable container and stir in a little more than half of the sliced peaches.

Top the mixture with the rest of the sliced peaches and put the container in the freezer.

Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Once it has thawed slightly, scoop into bowls or pretty glasses to serve.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for hosting today’s great Sunday Supper theme. If you are still looking for Mother’s Day menu inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! And Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Celebratory Sips

• Ginger Shandy by Nosh My Way
• La Vie en Rose by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Momma's Mimosa by Our Good Life

Starters and Salads

• Cheese Bread by Ninja Baker
• Classic Basil Pesto Crostini by Cooking Chat
• Fennel and Radish Citrus Salad by Tasting Page
• Healthy Ham Salad Minis by Momma's Meals
• Pate with Spiced Pears by The Joyful Foodie
• Pesto Pasta Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Super Sunny Dutch Oven Sourdough by What Smells So Good?

Hearty Mains

• Blackberry Almond Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast by The Crumby Cupcake
• Broccoli Cheddar Frittata with Tomatoes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Chicken and Pepper Rice with Fried Egg by Family Foodie
• Chicken Tajine with Prunes and Almonds by The Petit Gourmet
• Coriander Salmon with Capered Green Beans by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Dutch Baby Pancake by Curious Cuisiniere
• Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs and Ramps in Puff Pastry by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Mimosa Waffles by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mushroom Manchego Cream Filled Crepes by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Arugula Salad by Casa de Crews
• Smoked Salmon & Shaved Asparagus Gruyere Quiche with a Pine Nut Crust by Simply Healthy Family

Treats and Sweets

• 5 Favorite Pancake Toppings by Sunday Supper
• Angel Food Cakes in a Jar by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Black Cow Cupcakes by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Blueberry Breakfast Cake by Noshing With The Nolands
• Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt by Food Lust People Love
• Cherry Cheesecake Pastry Braid by The Redhead Baker
• Crustless Creamy Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
• Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae by The Weekend Gourmet
• Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Lemon Blackberry Mini Tarts by Life Tastes Good
• Lemon Brownies by Pies and Plots
• Lower Fat Peach Cheesecake by Food Done Light
• Mini Chocolate Marshmallow Bombe Soufflé by Nik Snacks
• Mini Lemon Almond Cupcakes by Caroline's Cooking
• Nutella Cheesecake Shooters by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Pavlova by The Freshman Cook
• Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Raspberry Mascarpone Mini Tarts by Palatable Pastime
• Rose Apple Custard Tart by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Soft-Baked Lemon Coconut Cookies by One Sweet Mess
• Steamed Strawberry Coconut Poke Cake by Wallflour Girl
• Sunshine Lemon Cake Pop Bouquet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Triple Chocolate Layer Cake by Take A Bite Out of Boca

No-churn Brown Sugar Peach Ripple Ice Cream

Now that I’ve discovered an easy no-churn way of making creamy ice cream, my head is constantly buzzing with ideas for flavors. Peaches are all over the markets right now, so a seasonal double peach ice cream was top of the list.

Years ago when we lived in Brazil, I asked my sister to bring me an ice cream maker when she came to visit. Ice cream was crazy expensive there and we missed it terribly because I just couldn’t bring myself to pay the price. Unfortunately, I didn’t think things through because, once I had the maker in my possession, I discovered that cream was the real culprit and it was going to cost me more to make my own than the expensive store-bought stuff cost. Deep sigh. When we moved to Houston, the ice cream maker came with us but it never got out of the box. Because: Blue Bell. If you live in Texas, you get to eat Blue Bell! Some of the very best ice cream in the country. But now that I’ve caught the ice cream making bug, thanks to my friend, Jenni, I started digging through our storage area over the washing machine and located said never-yet-used ice cream machine and hope to use it for the first time. Coconut ice cream, at the request of my younger daughter, is first on the list. Do you have an ice cream maker? What’s your favorite flavor?

Ingredients
3 medium peaches (about 1 lb or 450g total weight)

1/4 cup, firmly packed, or 50g brown sugar
1/4 cup or 60ml honey
Good pinch salt
1 teaspoon butter
1 2/3 cups or 400ml whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup or 200g sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons aged rum (I used Ron Zacapa which is almost sweet, it is so mellow.)

Method
Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit. Cut them into pieces.

Put one chopped peach in a small pot with the sugar, honey and salt and heat to a slow boil over a medium flame. Stir frequently.

Cook at a slow boil until the peaches are very soft and the sauce thickens.

If you are a candy thermometer person, and I highly recommend you become one if you aren’t already, heat till about 225°F or °C.  Add the butter and stir while it melts. Set aside to cool. I poured mine into another bowl so it would cool faster then added the butter because I was in a rush to get this ice cream in the freezer.

In your stand mixer or with electric beaters, whisk the cream and cream of tartar until the cream thickens.

Add the condensed milk and whisk until stiff peaks form.

You can see that the cream is already pretty thick.

Add the vanilla and rum and whisk again.

Very stiff now!

Reserve some chopped peaches and peach sauce to add on top of the ice cream.  Ever so gently, fold in the rest of the fresh peaches and peach sauce. I spooned the sauce in all over the surface so it would be easier to fold in and not be completely lost in the folding.

Put the mixture in an airtight container, top with the reserved peaches and sauce and freeze for several hours for soft serve or overnight for firmer ice cream. I had guests coming for dinner so mine was on the softer side, as you can see from the photos.

Enjoy!

Chief instigator ice cream maker, +Jenni Field is also making ice cream today! Have a look at her wonderful Speculoos Cookie Milk Ice Cream!