Peach Cream Cheese Pie

Peach season means peach pie of any kind. I like them all. The cream cheese layer in this pie gives it a nice tart flavor. This pie doesn't take long to make especially if you use a store bought crust.
You will need a total of 8 medium sized peaches for this recipe.

• 1/2 cup peaches, pureed (you will need 2 medium sized peaches for this)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of large lemon)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (half 8 oz block)
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 8" baked pie shell, make your own or buy ready made crust.

1. In blender puree two peaches that have been peeled, pitted and chopped. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan whisk together sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Add puree, water, and lemon juice. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. Once it boils it will thicken quickly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. This is the sauce mixture.
3. In a small bowl beat together cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
4. Spread on baked and cooled pie shell.
5. Fold peaches into cooled sauce and spoon over layer of cream cheese mixture.
6. Refrigerate until thickened. Serve plain or with whipped cream.
7. Serves: 8 to 10

Bread for the Journey

Sometimes I need to become quiet and just simply remember that God sees me as precious. He celebrates me. The following verse says He sings over me.  Me, you, out of all the people in the world, He knows our names. He wants us, me to know Him too. To accept the gift of His forgiveness, love, mercy, grace, security and the freedom that is for all.

Simply because I said yes to His call and accepted His precious gift of eternal life, I am experiencing His nearness, power, and peace. It's not a life free of struggles, but He's my helper. And the sweetest of things...He rejoices and sings over me. That just makes me smile to think that the King of kings does that for me. May my thanks to Him be to above all things seek His glory and give Him first place in my life.

Zeph. 3:17
"The Lord your God is in your midst; a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exalt over you with loud singing."

Raspberry Squares

It was about 25 years ago my friend Irma and I went to her sister in law Janice's place, and she served us this most wonderful fresh fruit square. I have not made it for a few years, but today I had some fresh raspberries and this was the perfect way to put them to use. Of course the raspberry ripple cheesecake ice cream finished it off perfectly.

Dough:

-2/3 cups very warm water

-1 tsp sugar

-1 tbsp traditional yeast

In a small glass bowl dissolve sugar in the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over and let proof for 10 minutes and then stir well.

In another larger bowl:

-2 1/2 cups flour, and using a pastry blender, cut in 1 cup butter.

Beat:

-4 eggs yolks until thick and creamy.

Stir the yeast mixture and egg yolks together and pour over the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together in a soft smooth ball. If the dough is sticky add a small amount of flour. This dough is very easy to work with. Set aside while you get the berries ready.

Berry filling

-5 cups fresh raspberries

-3/4 cup sugar

-3 tbsp cornstarch

Stir these 3 ingredients together.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured counter roll out one piece to fit a cookie sheet. (I use a small sheet that is 10x14, but a larger one will work fine). Make sure the dough comes up the sides of the pan. Pour the prepared berries over the base crust. Roll the second piece of dough and place over the berries. Using a fork press the edges down all the way around the pan. Make small air whole slits over the top crust. Cover loosely with Saran and let rise on counter for 40 minutes.

Bake in 375º oven for 40 minutes. Allow squares to cool and then ice.

Butter Icing

-2 tbsp soft butter

-1 1/2 cups icing sugar

-1 1/2-2 tbsp milk

-1 tsp vanilla

Stir together until you get a smooth icing that is a little thin so it spreads easy and glazes the squares.

Substituting with frozen fruit:

If you make this after the berry season has finished just pull out your frozen fruit and allow to thaw. You will need to add another heaping tablespoon of cornstarch if you use frozen berries. I drain the juice from the thawed berries, add the cornstarch and sugar to the juice and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes stirring half way through. Then I pour that hot mixture over the berries and let it all cool. Once it has cooled, continue the same as for fresh berries. I have made a bumble berry mixture from my freezer using a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Bavarian Apple Torte

When we do a Flashback Friday we go back to a recipe that we posted closer to when we first started. (This one posted here in 2008.) What we found is that we can't delete the old one because there are dear readers who have pinned it. So now we've been posting a second one, the same as the old, but clarified and cleaned up a bit. Some of us keep the old photo up and some of us are happy to take it off. I'm always happy to change up old photos. 

This recipe has a story that I posted about here. When we visited our daughter and family in Indonesia (2011), she hosted a lunch with friends who all brought something they had made from this blog. Needless to say I felt honored, especially when one of them brought this apple cake even though it was quite the feat to get cream cheese where they live. It was wonderful!

Ingredients:

base:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour

filling:

• 2 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

topping:

• 2 - 3 thinly sliced apples
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup sliced almonds

Method:

1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour a little at a time and beat until crumbly to resemble a graham wafer type crust.
2. Press crumbs out on bottom and a little up the side of a 8 1/2 - 9 inch spring-form pan. 
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until smooth. 
4. Pour into pastry-lined pan.
5. Arrange apples on top of cream cheese layer and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture
6. Top with almonds.
7. Bake at 400° F for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375° F and continue baking for 50 - 60 minutes. Cover loosely with foil for last 10 minutes if almonds get too dark. (shorter baking time is if using a larger pan, because the cake will not be as high)
8. Allow to cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge before removing the rim. 

Corn, Avocado, Shrimp Salad

It's corn time in Chilliwack. That's our product and there's no better feeling
then to get up early and pick a few fresh cobs of corn.
I love watching the farmer till and prepare the soil in early spring.  Now it's harvest time.
Chilliwack Corn is always a favorite and here is one of my favorite recipes.
Are you looking for something lighter?  It's a perfect meal all in one,
with a tangy buttermilk dressing that isn't runny.

 

Ingredients

• 2 ears of sweet corn (jubilee) cut off the cob
• 4 strips of bacon
• 1 pound shrimp peeled with tails off
• 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• buttermilk dressing

Method

1. Husk corn and grill slowly on the BBQ on medium heat. Set aside. You can use any kind of corn, but jubilee beats them all.
2. Cook prawns in boiling water until pink in color. Set aside.
3. Fry the bacon till crisp. Set aside.
4. Assemble your salad by making a bed of lettuce and adding your corn, bacon, shrimp and avocado on top. Toss lightly.
5. Drizzle with your favorite buttermilk recipe.

Basil Buttermilk Dressing

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons minced onions
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Whisk all ingredients until blended.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour before using.
I like this tangy dressing packed with herbs. Paprika gives it that smoky taste.

Tips:

1. Grill or cook extra cobs when making corn on the cob...its can be used for salads later on in the week. I always butter the corn first prior to placing it on the BBQ using medium heat.
2. Freshly cooked shrimp is my suggestion, rather than using frozen cooked shrimp.
3. Drizzle lime juice over avocado to prevent from darkening.
4. Greek yogurt combined with buttermilk, creates a  consistency for a butter milk dressing that's just perfect.  It's never too runny.  I've experimented with sour cream and mayonnaise and find it's always runny.

Peach Platz

• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of butter or hard margarine
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup of warm water
• 1 package of yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Filling

• 1 can of peach pie filling
• 1 14 oz can of drained peach slices, then mix into pie filling for extra fruit

Glaze

• 1 cup icing sugar
• milk or cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water with the tablespoon of sugar for about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt and cut in the 1 cup of butter and mix until crumbly as you would for pie dough.
3. Add the beaten eggs, along with the yeast.
4. Form into a soft dough.
5. Knead the dough on a floured counter top until you have a nice soft and smooth dough. This does not take long as you want the dough to be tender like pie dough and not like a bread dough.
6. Do not set aside to rise. Instead divide the dough into 2 portions with one portion being slightly larger.
7. Roll to fit into a 11x15 greased pan.
8. Fill with your favorite pie filling. I used peach but also added a 14 oz can of peaches that were drained, diced, and mixed in with the pie filling.
9. Roll out the second piece of dough and cut into strips that you would lay over the fruit in a criss-cross pattern.
10. Cover and let it rise for one hour.
11. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a golden brown.
12. While the platz is still warm, combine the icing sugar with vanilla and enough milk or cream to make a glaze that is thin enough to drizzle over the entire platz.

This is a nice thing to bring to a church potluck or a larger gathering. Not too sweet.

Chocolate Espresso Pavlova Cookies (Gluten Free)

This naturally gluten free drop cookie is so quick and easy to make. I found the inspiration for this great recipe on Rock Recipes. It satisfies a chocolate craving and makes a bowl of ice cream  and strawberries feel like a special dessert.  

• 3 cups icing sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder (I use Starbucks)
• 3/4 cup egg whites (about 4 large egg whites)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients through a sieve 3 times until it all looks the same color.
3. Add the egg whites, vanilla, and vinegar and beat together until thick and glossy and smooth.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray.
6. Drop 12  large teaspoons of cookie dough on each cookie sheet.
7. Bake about 10 minutes or until cookies puff up and have a crackled top.
8. Let the cookies completely cool before removing from parchment paper.

Makes 36 cookies

Pancit..a Noodle Dish from the Philippines

This is a wonderful noodle dish that our friends from the Philippines make. This recipe was given to me by my friend Cathy. We have enjoyed delicious dishes from the Philippines many times and this one is always on the table. I usually see it served in foil pans so I thought I should do the same.
This is a large recipe, you may want to share or you can make half the recipe.

• 16 oz package of vermicelli rice noodles
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped 
• 1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 4 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
• 2 cups snow peas
• 2 cups chicken, cooked and diced or you can use pork
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges

1. Prepare noodles according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
2. In a large pot or wok (on medium heat) add cooking oil and saute garlic and onion. 
3. Add onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, snow peas, and cook until vegetables are tender crisp, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of your cut vegetables).
4. Add chicken, chicken broth, and cooked vermicelli rice noodles (that were prepared and set aside) to the vegetable mixture until well combined. Stir in soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
5. Continue cooking until liquid has completely evaporated.
6. Serve hot. Serve with lemon wedges at the table, you can squeeze a little juice over your serving. Some may also like an extra splash of soy sauce.
7. Serves: 8 to 10

Bread for the Journey

Today I'd like to share an old hymn written by Katharina von Schlegel in 1752. Maybe like me, you grew up singing these words in church, but just never really grasped the wonderful truths expressed. It became real to me more recently when one of my kids send me a link to a beautiful recording by Kari Jobe. Listening to it time and again, one day I was hit with these encouraging words, 

Be still, my soul; the waves and wind still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

 I think of the disciples trying everything they could to keep from sinking, when finally they called on Jesus . . . the Lord of the wind and the storm . . . and I want to do (and see) the same.

Be Still, My Soul

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to your God to order and provide;

In every change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and wind still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul; though dearest friends depart

And all is darkened in the vale of tears;

Then you will better know his love, his heart,

Who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.

Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay

From his own fullness all he takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that we will remember who you are and that you are right there with us (in our boat) at all times. Help us to know your peace even in the storm, knowing that at your voice the storm will stop.

Corn on the Cob Supreme

We have fresh Chilliwack corn available on every corner at this time of the year, and it is so good!  Over the years I have shared several different ways of preparing corn-on-the-cob...including 'cooler corn for a crowd' and microwaved corn-on-the-cob for one or two. Today I am posting a recipe for butter boiled corn...resulting in juicy, tender and sweet corn that is delicious!  As the cobs are lifted from the pot, the butter coats the kernels and there is no need to add more butter.

 Milk and Butter Boiled Corn-on-the-Cob

• 6-8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup milk

1. Add water to a large pot (about half-full or enough to cover cobs) and bring to a boil. 
2. Add milk and butter. 
3. Add corn and reduce heat.
4. Simmer corn for about 6 minutes. 
5. Remove cobs with tongs; season and serve. 

 * For 2-3 cobs, use a smaller pot and half the amount  of milk and butter. 



'Tis the season for corn.  Enjoy!