Fresh peaches are one of my favorite fruits. Got a few more at the local farm market than I could eat fresh, so I have been cooking with them. I thought adding them to pancakes might be a good idea. I was right. The pancakes were so good. They were fluffy, studded with diced fruit and very tender. I added some cinnamon and vanilla to the batter for extra flavor. I served them with a little local maple syrup. Shared them with a friend- who also thought they were yummy. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!!

 

Peach Pancakes

2-3 peaches, pitted and diced – I left the peels on
¼ c. sugar
1 2/3 c. flour
3 T. brown sugar
4 t. baking powder
1-2 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1¼ c. half and half
¼ c. oil
2 t. vanilla

Place diced peaches in a small bowl with the sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Best if you can let this mixture sit for a couple of hours. I did it the night before and left them in the fridge overnight, to get juices out of the fruit. If you just can’t wait- leave the peaches steeping for at least 30 minutes. Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. In another bowl combine the eggs with the half and half, oil and vanilla. Stir in peaches, with any juices, into egg mixture. Fold in dry ingredients until just mixed. Oil a hot skillet or griddle and spoon batter into pan- about ¼-1/3 cup at a time. Cook over medium-low heat, flip when pancakes appear a little dry around the edges. Keep pancakes warm until all of them are cooked. Makes 10-12- or more- depending on the size you make them.

I enjoy the sweetness of both beets and carrots. This simple and tasty dish combines the earthy flavors of both vegetables in a raw salad. It’s a great side dish, and nice to make on a day when it is too hot to cook. I had some on a bed of greens with a couple of hard cooked eggs for lunch.

 Beet and Carrot Salad

1 large- or 2 medium- beets

2 large carrots

4 T. olive oil

4 T. cider vinegar

2 T. honey, or to taste

1 t. fresh dill weed or about 1/2 t. dried

dash of hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Peel beets and shred or grate them using a hand grater or food processor. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside. Peel and shred the carrots and add to the beets. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the beet mixture. Stir to coat and chill until ready to serve. Makes about 3 cups.

I was asked to do a cooking demo using local, seasonal produce. I made several dishes that night, including a salad made with fresh peaches. It’s a simple recipe, that is a great meal for a hot day. A Honey-French dressing is combined with fresh, diced peaches and served over a bed of greens. Then, top the salad with cheese, meats or both. You can add some nuts, too, if you like. I made it for lunch today and topped the salad with sharp cheddar cheese. A friend added bacon, too. Either way, the salad was very tasty.

 

Peachy Chef Salad

Dressing:
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 t. paprika
1 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. olive oil

3 cups chopped peaches

Salad:

6 c. torn salad greens
12 oz. cooked chicken, turkey, ham etc, cut into strips
1 c. cubed cheese

1/2 c. cashews, optional

In blender, combine first five ingredients and start running machine on high. Add oil in a slow stream until mixture becomes thickened. Pour into bowl and stir in peaches and chill, several hours if you can. When ready to serve arrange greens on one large platter or on smaller salad plates. Arrange meat and cheese on platter or plates. Spoon over the dressing, add cashews, then serve. Serves 4-6.

 

I got this recipe from a friend of a friend. I tweaked it a little from the original, but it is pretty much the same. It is so simple and a great soup for a hot day. The sweetness of the watermelon pairs nicely with the earthy flavor of the beets. The mint also adds a nice little pop of flavor. The color is pretty cool, too. I shared this recipe with a friend and she said she just drinks it like a smoothie. I find it a refreshing start to any meal, especially on a hot day.

 

Cold Beet and Watermelon Soup

1 part diced beet (cooked)

1 part diced seedless watermelon

a spring of mint

Put in blender

Add Chicken or Vegetable stock to taste/consistency

Add salt if desired

Dollop with Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream or even Greek Yogurt, if desired.

Garnish with fresh mint.

With any cold soup- chill well after you make it. You might even want to chill the bowls and spoons.

I was so happy to be on New Day Cleveland recently. Got a chance to talk about cooking with herbs and also a little about how to preserve them. Thanks to David Moss and the rest of the crew for making me feel so welcome.

 

 

http://fox8.com/2015/08/12/how-to-use-and-preserve-your-summer-herbs/

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This recipe came up in conversation with some friends the other day. I have posted it before, but decided it was a good time to post it again. When I say beet cake, a lot of people give me a funny look. First, there are the beet haters, and you know who you are. The people who just don’t like the taste of beets. I get that, beets are an acquired taste. Then there are the people who like beets, but could never picture them in a cake. I bake cakes with carrots in them, and zucchini and even parsnips. Adding veggies to a cake is not so far off. The beets add a subtle red color to the cake, but they also add moistness. The end result is a cake that is full of flavor and has a wonderful, moist texture. Truth is, I don’t really taste the beets in the cake much at all. I taste the chocolate. So here is the chocolate beet cake recipe. I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Chocolate Beet Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil

1½ cups grated cooked beets

2 teaspoons vanilla

Powdered sugar, optional, or cream cheese frosting- recipe below

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, soda, salt, sugar and cocoa in a bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and oil. Beat in vanilla and continue beating until well blended. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until well mixed; stir in beets. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake bounces back when touched lightly with finger. Cool in pan on a rack. Frost cooled cake or dust with powdered sugar.

Frosting recipe:

8 oz. Cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. powdered sugar- or more to taste

1 stick butter, room temperature

Beat all together until fluffy. Frost cake and refrigerate until ready to eat.

 

I got these beautiful beets a couple of days ago. Very fresh and the leaves are even dark red. I had been thinking of how I wanted to cook them. Decided to roast them and then go from there. To roast beets: just wash them and trim off the greens- leaving about an inch of the stems to reduce bleeding. Place beets in a roasting pan and drizzle with a little oil. Cover pan and place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Smaller beets will be cooked in less time- about 35 minutes. Really large beets could take up to an hour. I always check by poking one of the beets with a fork. Let the beets cool a little and then remove the peels. I use a knife to do this. They come off quite easily.

I used three small beets to make this salad for lunch. A friend was stopping in and it was hot. I wanted something cool and refreshing.

Roasted Beet Salad

1 small head Bibb lettuce, washed and sliced into thin slices

2 c. beet greens, washed and sliced thin

1/4 c. olive oil

3 T. red wine vinegar

2 t. sugar, optional

3 small roasted beets, peeled

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c. hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted

1/4 c. dried cherries

sliced cooked steak, optional

coarse sea salt- I used pink salt

Combine lettuce and beet greens in a mixing bowl. Combine olive oil with vinegar and sugar, if using. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss over the greens. Slice beets. Divide greens on 2 salad plates. Arrange half of the beets on each salad and top with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle with a few grains of the sea salt and serve. Makes 2 luncheon salads.