By Sherrie Norris
There’s nothing quite like a fresh, juicy peach on a hot summer day — one of the best things about this time of year, whether coming to the High Country from downstate, Georgia or South Carolina.
Delicious as a snack or in a dessert, the round, fuzzy fruit is best when fairly firm without a speck of green; it is better to choose a peach with a yellow, velvety covering for the ultimate taste. There are so many ways to prepare peaches, whether in jellies and jams, combined with other fruit for a cool, refreshing salad or thrown together in a quick cobbler. Any way you slice it, a peach is sure to bring you pleasure!
Peaches and Cream
The late Eula Vines, a precious person in my life and a wonderful cook, shared this recipe with me 25 years ago. I think of her every year at this same time, as she had a love for gardening and taught me so much about canning and cooking, in general.
4 cups peaches
1½ cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup water
½ -3/4 pkg. peach gelatin
½ stick margarine, melted
2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
8 oz. cream cheese
½ cup milk
8 oz. container whipped topping
Slice peaches and add ¼ cup sugar. Set aside. Combine ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch, salt and water in small saucepan. Heat until mixture is clear and begins to thicken. Add gelatin. Allow to cool completely and then add peaches.
Mix margarine and cracker crumbs. Press ½ of mixture into bottom of dish.
Beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, and milk until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
Place half of the cheese mixture on top of crumbs in dish. Pour peach and gelatin mixture on top. Add remaining cheese mixture. Then finish with remaining crumb mixture. Chill at least two hours before serving.
Peach Sherbet Salad
2 (3-oz.) pkg. peach Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 pt. vanilla ice milk
5 fresh peaches
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 (8-oz.) carton whipped topping
Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water; add ice milk when partially set. Add other ingredients, folding in whipped topping and pouring into a glass dish and refrigerating for several hours before serving.
Yummy Peach Cake
1 pkg. butter-flavor cake mix
1 ½ cups sugar
4 Tbs. cornstarch
4 cups chopped fresh peaches
½ cup water
2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbs, powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
Fresh sliced peaches
Prepare cake according to package directions; using two 8-inch cake pans. Cool and split each layer. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add peaches and water; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. Cool mixture completely. Combine whipping cream and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl; beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon 1/3 of peach filling over split layer of cake; spread 1/3 cup sour cream over filling. Repeat procedure with remaining cake layers, peach filling and sour cream, ending with remaining cake layer. Frost with sweetened whipped cream and garnish with fresh peach slices. Store in refrigerator.
Peach Crisp
Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup margarine
Mix together flour, oats, and sugar in large bowl. Stir in softened margarine with a fork to make a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
Filling:
4 cups sliced peaches
1 cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. cinnamon
Combine peaches, sugar, flour and cinnamon; pour into baking dish. Stir to mix well. Sprinkle topping over peach mixture.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly.