I think my feet are just about dead! I’ve been standing on them for what seems like days! I spent most of today “putting up” the big bushel box of peaches we bought from an Amish friend yesterday. What takes the longest is blanching and peeling the peaches, then cutting them up. After that the rest is easy peasy!
It took me 7 hours from start to finish, scratch that, I’m not even finished yet! I still have to wait for the pound cake to cool so I can divide it and freeze it! The taste of fresh summer peaches will be worth it come January though! This morning I printed up a couple of recipes that sounded good hoping I would have enough to try them, amazingly I had exactly the right amount, down to the last spoonful of jam to make everything on my list :)
Here’s what I did with my bushel of peaches:
- 5 heaping quarts of sliced and lightly sugared peaches (to be used for crisp, cobbler and maybe a pie)
- 24 Moist Peach Muffins (for Pie to take in her lunch when school starts)
- 2 mini loaves of Peach Bread (from leftover muffin batter)
- 1 large Peach Bundt Pound Cake (to be divided in either half or quarters and then frozen for winter desserts)
- 5 pint jars of Freezer Peach Jam
Whew! It doesn’t look like much when it’s all laid out but let me tell you it sure was tiring! I kept back 4 muffins for us to sample and one of the mini loaves of bread – just because it looked so good! There was also 1/2 a ladle full of jam left that Pie and I shared straight from the spoon YUM! The Peach Jam recipe was the one on the back of the Ball instant fruit pectin
- 3 c all-purpose flour (reserve ¼ c)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c unsweetened natural applesauce
- ¼ c canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- ¾ c brown sugar, lightly packed
- ¾ c white sugar or Splenda
- 3 - 4 c pitted and chopped fresh peaches (peeled or not)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Either lightly grease 24 muffin cups with coking spray or line with muffin papers.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2¾ c flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt. In another bowl beat together the applesauce, oil, vanilla, eggs and brown and white sugars until well combined.
- Stir the flour mixture into the applesauce mixture until just combined, do not over mix the batter. sprinkle the ¼ c of flour over the chopped peaches and toss lightly to coat. Gently fold peaches into muffin batter just until evenly distributed.
- Fill muffin tins ¾ full. Bake in preheated oven for 22 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack in tins for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on racks completely.
Optional add in: 1 cup dried cranberries
My peaches were very very ripe and moist, if yours are dry and firmer you may need to add ¼ cup of milk or half & half to the batter.
Try substituting 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of all-purpose and topping with wheat germ - yummy!
Have you been preserving any of summer’s fresh bounty for the long winter months ahead? I’d love to know what you’re putting by too!
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Sounds like a lot of work, but I bet everything is just delicious. I do not have the patience for baking, wish I did. Hope you have a great weekend!
There were some really good peaches that I bought the other day, but I've just been eating them. LOL… I'm coming over to help you with those muffins, or that bread… yummy!
That is so yummy! I love peaches :)
Yummy, yum! when can I expect some! you are very ambitious! only 7 hours! I do not think I could of done that even when I was younger! BTW, you did it again! you are a Wednesday Wizard!! I better make them tougher ! *hugs* Faythe @GMT
Ok – I”m going to buy peaches on the weekend! Those sound amazing! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
You are so going to love them!
oh man this looks GOOOOOD!! You take great photos too!! if you ever want to guest post on My Wooden Spoon, give me a holler:)
Aww thanks so much for the complimnent! I think my picture taking skill are more of a luck-of-the-light type of thing but I’ll take it! We tried the poundcake tonight and it was just out of this world!
Delicious, I haven’t tried many peach things, but these look good. Your apron is cute!
Thanks! Peaches are so wonderful in baking, they make everything moist and delicious!
cooking and baking is an incredible amount of work, and sometimes it is discouraging how little there can be to show for it!
your peach muffins sound so yummy, I will have to try that recipe out soon!
I am so jealous! Wish we had peach farms around here but we do have blueberry farms. Thank-you for posting the great recipe, it looks delicious!