Tag Archives: baking

Brown Sugar-Peach Pie with Coconut Streusel

Here is a quick and easy recipe to use up the last of those fresh peaches.  I found it in The Best of Cooking Light 2004 cookbook.

You’ll need a total of 6 cups (about 3 pounds) of fresh peaches.  Peel and slice 4-1/2 cups peaches into a bowl.  For color and fun, I threw in some blackberries Hubby had picked from the garden.

Preheat oven to 425º.

Fit 1/2 (15 ounce ) package refrigerated pie dough into a 9 inch pie plate. Fold edges under; flute. Line the dough with a piece of foil, and arrange pie weights or dried beans on foil. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove pie weights and foil. Cool crust on a wire rack.

Yes, a homemade crust would be yummier, but we’re talkin’ quick and easy here.

Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup tapioca, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a bowl.

Sprinkle over peaches. Toss gently, and let stand 15 minutes.

Spoon the peach mixture into the prepared crust.

Top with 1-1/2 cups more peeled and sliced peaches.

Sweet yummy goodness!

Place the pie in the oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350º (do not remove pie from oven). Bake 30 minutes.

Combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup regular oats, and 1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut. 

Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons butter.

Sprinkle  the oat mixture and melted butter over the peach mixture.

Shield edges of crust with foil (I didn’t bother, but this is a good tip to prevent overbrowning the crust edges). Bake an additional 30 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Not fancy, but delicious with whipped cream or ice cream!

Yield: 8 servings.

Banana Bread

Every once in a while, the bananas don’t all get used on cereal or for snacks.  Sometimes a few do get a bit too ripe, but that’s just perfect for banana bread!  

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Add 1/3 cup shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 eggs to a mixing bowl.

Mix.

Add 1-3/4 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Mix.  Add mashed bananas (2 will work…3 is much better…a more moist loaf).

Time to be creative.  For this particular batch, I added coconut and chopped pecans.  But you could add chopped walnuts, almond flavoring, nutmeg, etc.  Have fun with it!

My high-tech method of nut chopping:

Yup…it’s a meat tenderizer and a baggie.  If you are going to try this at home, be sure to use the smooth end of the tenderizer and hammer gently (unless you really want the nuts to be pulverized).

Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour (check when time is nearly done…every oven bakes differently).

Remove from oven.  Let cool a bit and remove from loaf pan to finish cooling on a rack.

Delicious!

Cherry Crisp

My baby cherry tree is growing up!  Hubby actually harvested a colandar of red, ripe juicy cherries!  Not enough for a pie, but no matter!  I combined the cherries with the last of the strawberries and raspberries in a quick and easy crisp dessert.

Don’t these look yummy?

Place the cleaned and pitted cherries (about 1 pound) in an ungreased 8 x 8 inch square pan (I added the berries to make up the difference).

Heat the oven to 375°.

Yup, I use real butter!

 Add 1/3 cup softened butter or margarine to a mixing bowl.

With a fork, mix in 2/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup flour; 1/2 cup oats; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

Sprinkle topping over fruit. 

 Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Delicious!

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.