Peach Muffins

We had a bumper crop of peaches on our little tree this year. They weren't huge but there were a lot. I used them to make some of the muffins for Natalie's shower. Allan loves these.

Peach Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups white sugar
2 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs and sugar. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture, just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into paper lined muffin tins.
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Mini Quiche

Charis's original plan was to buy ready made mini quiches for the shower. But when we went to buy them, we found out that Costco only sells them during the holidays. So she decided to make her own. The recipe called for Swiss or cheddar cheese but she used Monterrey Jack instead. They turned out really well. There were several left over and, because Craig doesn't like quiche, she sent them home with me. Cuyler ate them all.

Mini Quiche

1 (8 oz.) tube butterflake rolls
1 sm. pkg. breakfast sausage, cooked (or crumbled bacon)
4 oz. Swiss cheese grated or Cheddar or both
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. light cream
2 tbsp. green onion, minced

Grease 24 miniature muffin cups. Divide each roll into halves and press into a muffin cup to make a shell. Distribute sausage, cheese and onion evenly in shells.
Mix egg and cream with salt and pepper and put 1-2 teaspoons into each shell. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Dip for Fresh Fruit

Charis hosted her shower for Natalie on Saturday. I think everything went smoothly if you don't count the mirror falling off the bathroom wall and shattering all over the floor a half hour before the shower. Michael was in the shower at the time and was pretty scared. It was a very large mirror. Luckily nobody got hurt and it just added to the excitement of the day.
Charis served mini quiches, finger sandwiches, mini muffins and fresh fruit with dip. Everything was delicious. Natalie got some nice gifts and I think everybody had a good time.

Dip for Fresh Fruit

1 6oz container of light vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup light cool whip
zest of one orange
1/8 -1/4 t. grated ginger root
cinnamon (to taste)

fold yogurt and cool whip together. mix in other ingredients.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

I got this recipe from Laurie Carruth several years ago. Everybody loves it. Unless I put it somewhere out of sight, it's gone before you know it. In our house there is a phenomenon called "spontaneous cookie combustion". It is when you open a package of cookies, and within minutes, they are all gone. Everybody claims they only ate one. Nobody knows where the rest went. They're just gone. This bread has been known to be the victim of this phenomenon.
The recipe calls for almond extract. I use imitation because Cuyler is allergic to the real stuff. I can't tell a huge difference. It's still yummy.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

3 eggs 1½ tsp. Salt
1⅛ cup oil 1½ tsp. Baking powder
2¼ cup sugar 1½ tsp. Butter extract
1½ cups milk 1½ tsp. Almond extract
3 cups flour 1½ Tbsp. Poppy seeds

Beat eggs, oil, sugar and milk, sift flour salt and baking powder together and mix into egg mixture. Add extracts and poppy seeds. Bake at 350º. For 50 minutes in 2 slightly greased medium loaf pans with waxed paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan. A double batch can make 5 medium loaves.

Glaze
¼ cup orange juice.
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp. each of butter, almond and vanilla extracts.
Mix well together. Spoon over bread pricked with holes, while still warm, allowing time to soak into bread.

Peaches & Cream Ice Cream

My peaches are ripe. I love peach season. I love peaches. I love peaches and cream (or peaches and milk). I love peach ice cream. I don't love peach cobler. I love peach jam. I just plain love peaches.
Many years ago, Allan's office had a summer party. They had an ice cream making contest. This was the winning entry. The lemon ice cream we made came in second.
This is sooo good!

Peaches ‘n Cream Ice Cream

Juice of 2 lemons
9 ripe peaches mashed
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 pint half and half (or 1 can evaporated milk)
1 pint cream
1 pint milk

Blend and Freeze in an Ice Cream Freezer

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

Rosalie called me this morning to find out how to make Seven Layer Dip. It is pretty easy to make and it is always a winner. Wherever I go, if this is served, it is one of the first things gone.

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

Layer the following items in a 9x13 pan or serving tray:

2 cans refried beans (or bean dip)
3 mashed avocados mixed with 1 t. lemon juice
8 oz. sour cream mixed with 1 pkg. or less of Taco seasoning.
grated cheese
1 can chopped olives
1 bunch chopped green onions
chopped tomatoes.


Serve with lots of tortilla chips

Lasagna

Like I said in my last post, I'm a very lazy Lasagna maker. I never bother to layer the sauce and the cheeses. I just mix them all together and layer them with the cooked noodles. I can't tell the difference and I think it saves time.

Lasagna

Spaghetti sauce
1 16 oz container cottage cheese
1 lb. medium cheddar cheese (grated)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese (grated)
cooked lasagna noodles

Spray a large casserole dish with PAM. Make spaghetti sauce (recipe in previous post). Spread a small amount of sauce in casserole dish. cover with first layer of noodles. Mix cheeses with remaining sauce. Continue layering sauce alternating with noodles until the pan is full, ending with sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.