Rustic Peach Galette

Peaches are abundant in the market this time of year and as I have said before they are one of my favorite fruits.  This is a simple alternative to peach pie. Pile on a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and it is yummy. I got great feedback at our July birthdays celebration from the family so it's on to the blog it goes.

Ingredients in crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup ice water

Put all ingredients except water into food processor. Process for 10 seconds or so until crumbly. You can mix by hand if you don't have a processor. Add water in a slow stream until the dough holds together, not more than 30 seconds. Make two balls of dough, flatten each into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

*Tip - you can keep pie dough in the fridge for a week, or freeze for one month. You can also make this recipe as a pie just double the peach filling to eight peaches etc. and one crust on the bottom and one on top.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

After the dough is chilled, roll it out on floured surface 12-13 inches in diameter. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then parchment. Lay the rolled dough onto the parchment paper.


Peach filling: (for one crust)

4 good size peaches
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (I used sea salt from my salt grinder)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Peel and slice peaches into bowl. Stir peaches together with granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch. Arrange fruit in center, leaving a 2 inch border. If you have a lot of juice from peaches I would not use it all. Fold over border to enclose fruit. Brush crust with egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. I just used regular sugar.

Bake in 375 degree oven until golden brown and bubbling in the center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then slide galette on parchment onto a wire rack. Let cool completely and you can then put onto serving platter. Serve with ice cream.

This is a Martha Stewart recipe.

Jay's Natural Lemonade With Berry Nice Ice

This recipe is for all you juicing fans. I have been juicing on and off for at least 15 years. I have an old Juiceman Juicer and it still works great although I have replaced my blade a couple of times. You do not need to go out and buy an expensive juicer to enjoy juicing. There are many inexpensive brands out there that would work just fine. Juicing is the fastest way to get nutrition into your body.

All you need for this recipe is 4 apples and 1/4 of a lemon. No need to add water or sugar. The apple acts as a natural sweetener. When you make this on a hot scorching day, put some berry nice ice in you glass, pour over the lemonade and sit back and enjoy this colorful thirst quencher.

For the lemonade:
4 apples washed and quartered.
1/4 to 1/2 of a large lemon depending on size, skin and all.


Add to juicer and magic occurs, lemonade.


For the Ice:
Add two pieces of strawberry and a few fresh blueberries to each cube space with the water and freeze. Adds a festive flair to your lemonade or any drink for that matter. A tip if you want clear ice cubes is to use distilled water.

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

This is definitely a good choice for a summer cupcake. I had some fresh blueberries left over and I have been wanting to try my lemon cupcake recipe with the blueberries and they added just the zing I was looking for and turned out really yummy. I eat blueberries every day either in a smoothie or on oatmeal or just in a fruit mixture. Love them. I could see only one frosting on these cupcakes and that's lemon cream cheese frosting. Yum, this frosting really makes the cupcake.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries


Directions:
Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time then add vanilla and lemon juice. Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture and mix. Do not over mix. Fold in fresh blueberries.  Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.


Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
3 cups powdered sugar
blueberries for garnish


Cream butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add powdered sugar. Add vanilla, lemon and zest and blend until smooth.

Red White And Blue Salad

Ahhh July, my favorite month of the year. You can make such simple salads and sides for your meals that are so healthy and delicious this time of the year. There are only four ingredients in this side dish and they blend so well together and taste much better than just a bowl of plain fruit. I think the mint is a key ingredient to this side. I wasn't sure if I would like it but I really did and it is so refreshing. We have mint growing in the yard but I usually use it just for drinks.

This is best if made in individual servings because the watermelon gives off to much juice for a big bowl and of course fruit is always better if it is served very cold.

Ingredients: (per serving)
1 1/2 cups cubed watermelon
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
crumbles of feta cheese (as much as you like)
fresh mint finely chopped (as much as you like)

Place watermelon in dish and sprinkle with blueberries, feta cheese, and mint.

Summer Fruit Salsa

This salsa really says summer. It's fresh, healthy, easy to make and a perfect edition to your 4th of July holiday and summer grilling season. I serve it with Stacy's Pita Chips (cinnamon sugar), but whatever your chip of choice is works nicely. Have a safe, happy and delicious 4th.

Ingredients:
12 strawberries, washed and chopped
2 peaches, peeled and chopped
2 kiwi, peeled and chopped
small wedge of red onion, chopped
hand full cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
juice of 1/2 lime
pinch of salt


Chop all fruit and add cilantro, red onion, honey and lime and mix together. Add a pinch of two of salt. If you can't make ahead and chill, use cold fruit from the fridge. It's really the best when the salsa is cold.