I Finally Found THE Peach....A Vintage Pie Recipe

I had been making the same peach pie recipe for over 30 years (ie vintage recipe!). It is from my trusted Betty Crocker cookbook.

Then I couldn't find a good peach anymore. After some not so tasty pies I gave up making it but didn't stop searching for the best peach to make my Peach Glace` Pie again.

Every August during peach season, I would ask my friends what kind of peach they use. Recipes never named a specific variety. No one could tell me. "Just use any kind" they'd say. It seemed to be a lost cause.

Until I walked into Wegmans recently where a sweet lady named Patricia was handing out samples of peach slices. She was so cute with her short white hair and white eyeglasses to match.

I asked her the million dollar question....what kind of peaches are best for a peach pie? She pointed to a display of Lori Anne Peaches that were $1.99 a pound. She didn't try to sell me the more expensive variety that she was slicing up for samples, but told me to go get a Lori Anne and she'd let me try it.

Eureka! It is a perfect peach. Not too sweet, not too hard and pretty when it is sliced.

  

I bought a bagful and went home excited to make my peach pie!

I usually cheat and use a Pillsbury All Ready Pie crust but since I was too lazy to go get one, I used another favorite recipe from years past from my Junior League cookbook. 

It is a one crust pie and the only baking you have to do is for the crust. Let's get started..

Peach Glace` Pie

Crust

2/3 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups flour

Combine shortening with salt.

Add boiling water and mix.

Add flour.

Press crust into 9 inch pie plate. 

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until golden.

Filling:

5 cups (7 medium) sliced and peeled peaches

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

3 ounces cream cheese softened

  

Cut up enough peach slices to make a cup. Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Gradually stir in water and chopped peaches. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cool. completely.

Beat cream cheese until smooth and then spread on bottom of cooled pie crust. Fill shell with remaining sliced peaches. Pour cooked peaches over the top. Chill at least 3 hours or until set.

I just came back from having a slice (or two!) of this pie and it was all I had hoped for!! So fresh tasting and the crust was perfect for it. It was almost like eating peaches on shortbread.

CAUTION!!

Don't do what I did! You would think I knew better after making this for so long, but it has been a while. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it...….

Make sure you cook the peaches, sugar and cornstarch till fairly thick and then let it cool all the way down. In my excitement I didn't cook it long enough and it was too warm when I put it on the top of the pie. It all seeped through to the bottom.

The pie is supposed to have a thick glaze on the top that helps to keep all the peaches in place. It was still so good that I say who cares! I will do better next time!

***I had to come back and add this tip: If you have the time, put your peaches in a brown paper bag for 24 hours. It helps them ripen and sweeten up.

I hope you try this delicious pie! Enjoy!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these blog parties:

Dishing It & Digging It Link Party
Cooking and Crafting with J & J
Wonderful Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday
Share Your Cup
Thursday Favorite Things
Best of the Weekend

Fresh Tomato Garlic Pasta

My sister moved to the Tampa Florida area 22 years ago and one of the first gifts she sent me was this great cookbook.

Ya gotta love Junior League cookbooks!


I found one of my most favorite dishes to eat in it.

In the Summer when the tomatoes are fresh and local, this recipe comes to mind. Think Caprese salad meets chunky pasta….yum!

It is the perfect meal to make when you want something fast and easy, light and fresh without too much stove time.

You do have to remember to make the sauce early in the day to give it time to blend.

I like to use this pasta that I found at Walmart. The sauce collects in all the twists and turns.

Fresh Tomato Garlic Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes            Cook Time: 10 minutes

4 large ripe tomatoes, diced

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large sprig fresh parsley, chopped

½ cup chopped fresh basil

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed

1 pound pasta of choice

Grated Parmesan cheese

Night before, or early in the day:

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except pasta and Parmesan; 

stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but not more than

a day. Stir once or twice while in the fridge.

When ready to serve:

Prepare pasta. Coat with sauce and serve hot or cold with

Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

P.S. I like it best cold!

AnnMarie 
xoxo


I am linking up with these great blog parties:
Cooking & Crafting with J & J
Wonderful Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday
Share Your Cup
Home Sweet Home
Best of the Weekend
Anything Goes Pink Saturday

Pumpkin Bread or Cake? 3 Ingredients!

Have you seen the recipe for this pumpkin cake/bread that's been going around the blog world and Pinterest since last Fall? I first heard of it from my daughter Jena who said it was only 3 ingredients and really, really good.

I am particular about anything pumpkin I make so I was a skeptic. A box cake mix? Not for this from scratch girl. After all, I had been making the same pumpkin bread for over 30 years and it is all I'd make....until I tried this!! It is more than really, really good. It is stupid good (what exactly does that mean?!?).

There's the 3 ingredients.....spice cake mix, 15 oz. can pumpkin and 1/2 bag chocolate chips. I bought the mini chocolate chips by mistake but it turns out I like them better in this cake.

Preheat the oven according to the box for the pan you will use. Mix just the powdered spice cake (without adding water, egg, oil), the whole can of pumpkin and about 1 cup chocolate chips in a mixer till all combined. Spray your pan, spread it out and bake it for about 25 minutes (according to the cake mix box). Done!

No need to frost.

The texture is cake-y but with a sweet bread consistency. It is a pumpkin cakey bread. It is so much easier and so delicious that I have retired my 30 year old pumpkin chocolate chip bread recipe. So sad.

Enjoy!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these fun blog parties:

Make It Pretty Monday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Treasure Box Tuesday
Coffee and Conversation
Tasty Tuesday
Wednesday's Adorned From Above Link Party
Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party
A Little R & R Wednesday's Link Party
Showcase Your Talent Thursday
Munching Mondays

The Blog Post About Nothing

I have nothing to say really.                                         

Are you a fan of Seinfeld?
The show about nothing?

I have nothing to write about.

I have no pictures I want to post. Except ones to make my point, I guess!

Is it because it is the end of summer/not quite Fall? You know, that transition time between things or events or seasons where it is too much bother to keep talking about stuff you have been talking about and not enough stuff to talk about yet, in what is to come?

I am really over summer recipes and not really into Fall comfort food yet. I cannot think of a recipe to share, that hasn't been already.

I have been thrifting and I guess I could share my treasures........again!

My son is at camp and it is a great camp but I can't think of what to write about it. I have pictures though.

I realize that this blog post will not qualify to link up with many of the blog parties I join in on every week because.......

It is not a recipe. 

It is not a DIY, room makeover, repaint tutorial kind of post.

It is not about decorating.

It is not about fashion or make-up. But then I don't write about those things anyways.

It is not about tips on blogging. Although it could be a good example of what NOT to write for a post!

I am just filling space so that my last post doesn't get too old.

Ever been there? or here, where I am right now? Blank?

AnnMarie :)

P.S. If you made it down to my name, thank you! Ya know, for reading that far in this post about nothing.


Linking up with these great blog parties anyways.....

Tuesday Trivia
The Scoop
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
The GYB Networking Party
Freedom Fridays
Weekend Wonders
I Love My Post
TGIF Link Party
Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
Weekend Bloglovin' Hop

Strawberry Shortcake......with a Twist.....

......of lemon, that is!

It is almost strawberry season in my area but I can't wait for the local crop. The strawberries offered at Walmart and Aldi's have been really good so I have been making strawberry shortcake ALOT.

Recently I had some fresh berries in the fridge and because it is such a quick, easy dessert to make last minute I decided one night that we would have it for dessert again. Only one problem. It was 90+ degrees outside and I did not want to turn the oven on to make the shortcakes.

I had some lemon bread on hand so I used it for the bottom layer and WOW! It was wonderful! Who knew?

Of course you have to have the best lemon bread there is to start with, so I am going to give you the recipe for it! I found it on Pinterest and it happens to be Starbucks recipe for the lemon loaf they sell.

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon extract

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup oil

zest of one lemon

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Whisk to combine.

Directions for loaf:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice with a mixer until blended.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Add oil and lemon zest and mix well.

Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and pour glaze over it*, then cool in pan on a rack.

* I did this the first time I made the loaf and it was melty and runny but tasted delicious. The second time I decided to wait till the loaf cooled to put the glaze on. Not as good! I think by putting it on while hot makes the glaze soak into the bread....yum! Lesson learned...follow the recipe!



YUM!

AnnMarie :)

Linking up with these great  parties:

The Scoop
Marvelous Mondays
Monday Funday Link Party
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Tuesday Trivia
Wednesday's Adorned From Above Blog Hop
Fluster's Creative Muster Party
Sweet Tooth Tuesday
All My Bloggy Friends
Meet & Greet Blog Hop
Tasty Tuesdays
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Freedom Fridays Blog Hop
Sweet and Savoury Sundays
Tuesdays with a Twist