by Liz Waters, 1994 Summer

There are no peaches in my part of Kentucky this summer. A beastly winter blast in the
-20x's blasted the buds right off the peach trees. Seems like I don't ever have a taste for
peaches like I do in the summers that the backyard trees are nothing but leaves. Since
that is the case this year, I dug out my favorite all time peach recipes to share with you.
Don't despair about my peach crop, by the way, the Alabama peaches that are in the
markets here are delicious (and insect free-which peach trees NEVER are!)
C=:-) Join The AOL Cooking Club every Sunday evening at 8 PM Eastern Time in the
Kitchen Conference Room for real-time cooking!



Kentucky  Peach Bread

3 cups sliced fresh peaches
6 tbsp. sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 C sugar
1/4 C shortening
1/4 C unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place peaches and 6 tbsp. sugar in the container of the food processor with knife blade in
place. Puree. Mixture should yield 2 1/4 cups. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt,
nutmeg,  and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream sugar with shortening and butter. Add eggs
and mix well. Add puree and dry ingredients, mixing until all ingredients are
moistened. Stir in nuts and vanilla.
Spoon batter into two well-greased and lightly floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Bake at 325
for 55 to 60 minutes or until done, Cool ten minutes in pan and then turn out on a rack
to let cool completely.
Makes 2 loaves




Peach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 whole chicken breasts, boned and skinned
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 fresh peaches, peeled and diced
1/3 C chopped onion
1/2 C coarsely chopped cashews
1/8 tsp. fresh ground ginger
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
flour for dredging
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 C corn flake crumbs
1 C fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp. paprika
1 recipe of creamy fresh peach sauce

Place each chicken breast on a sheet of waxed paper and flatten to 1/4 inch using a meat
mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt and the pepper over inside of the breasts. Set
aside. 
Combine the peaches, onions, cashews,  nutmeg and ginger, stirring well. Place 1/4 C
filling in the center of each breast. Fold side of chicken over filling and secure with a
toothpick. Melt the butter in a 13x9x2 pan.  Combine the corn flake crumbs and bread
crumbs with paprika and salt to taste. Dredge each breast in flour, then dip in egg.  Roll
each breast in crumb mixture. Place breasts, top side down in the pan. Bake at 375x F for
25 minutes. Turn and bake for 20 minutes more. Serve topped with creamy fresh peach
sauce.

Creamy Fresh Peach Sauce
2 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1 8 oz. carton  nonfat dairy sour cream
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp. Kentucky bourbon
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and place over low heat, stirring gently until
heated through. Drizzle over chicken breasts to taste. 




Luscious Peach Salad

1/2 C crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 C shredded coconut
1/2 C nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 C nonfat sour cream
2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans
1 tsp. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
4 fresh peaches, peeled and halved
Bibb lettuce leaves

Combine pineapple, coconut, cottage cheese, pecans, liqueur and sour cream in a bowl,
mixing well. Chill. Fill peach halves with mixture and serve on a bed of Bibb lettuce.




Stuffed Peaches

6 firm,  ripe, fresh peaches
1 C coconut macaroon crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 egg yolks, beaten

Dip peaches, two at a time into deep boiling water. Boil for abut 20 seconds and remove
from hot water and immediately dip in chilled water.  Look at the end of the peach for
the football shaped stem area. Slice around peach from one point to the other. Grasping
each half in one hand, gently twist. The peach should divide in two and the skin should
slip off. Remove seed. Scoop pulp from center of each peach half to leave only a
1/4"-1/2" shell. Set shells aside. Chop the pulp and combine with remaining
ingredients. Mix well. Spoon mixture into peach halves. Place in a buttered 12 x 8 x 2
inch dish and Bake at 375xF until just tender or about 25 minutes, basting occasionally
with pan juices. Serve hot or cold.
Makes 6 servings.




Peach Party Cake with Macaroon Topping

1/4 C butter or margarine
1 C sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C milk
1 1/2 C thinly sliced fresh peaches
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 C butter or margarine
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C flaked coconut
2 tsp. half and half
1 tsp. almond extract

Combine 1/4 cup butter with sugar. Beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after
each addition. Add 3/4 tsp. almond extract and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Mix well.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well and add to the creamed
mixture, alternating with the milk, but ending with the flour mixture. Spoon into a
well greased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350xF for 30 minutes or until cake tests
done. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack.

Combine peaches with lemon juice. Gently stir peaches to coat all surfaces with juice.
Drain peaches and arrange on top of cake.
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar, coconut, half and half and extract.
Mix well. Pour butter mixture over peaches and spread evenly to the sides of the pan.
Broil 2 minutes or until topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Cool slightly and cut
into squares. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream on top or ice cream alongside.




Peach Charlotte

1 29 ounce can cling peach halves
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
3 eggs, separated
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 C sugar
1 C whipping cream, whipped
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 3 oz. package lady fingers, split lengthwise

Drain peaches, reserving 1/4 C juice. Combine peach juice and lemon juice. Soften
gelatin in juices. Mash peaches, measure 1 1/2 C and set aside. Beat the egg yolks until
thick and lemon colored. Add the mashed peaches and cook in top of double boiler until
thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in gelatin mixture and cool. Combine egg whites and
salt in a large bowl Beat until foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to bat until stiff
peaks form. Fold in gelatin mixture, whipped cream and almond extract. Arrange
ladyfingers around side of a 1 1/2 quart mold and spoon in peach mixture. Cover and
chill 4-5 hours or until firm.




Scuppernong Peaches

2 cups dry Scuppernong white wine or any sweet white wine
3/4 C sugar
2 2 inch cinnamon sticks
12 freestone peaches
Peel of two oranges cut into strips
1 8 oz. can almond paste
powdered sugar.
Combine wine, sugar and cinnamon in a  Dutch oven. Simmer 5 minutes. Add peaches.
cook over low heat for 8 minutes or until fork tender. Cool peaches in liquid for at least
20 minutes.  Drain peaches, reserving liquid. Remove peel from peaches and discard
peel. Place peaches in a jar and add orange peel. Pour reserved liquid over peaches and
Chill thoroughly. Shape almond paste into 3/4 inch balls. Dust with powdered sugar
and chill.
Drain peaches, reserving liquid. Cut a small slit along crease of peach and remove pit.
Place an almond ball in center of each peach and close peach, replacing peach in jar.
Pour reserved liquid over peaches and chill. Yields 12 servings. Peaches may be kept in
refrigerator for 3-4 days.




Quick Peachy Chicken

3 whole chicken breasts, split
salt and pepper
1 10 oz. package frozen peaches, thawed
1 six ounce can frozen apple juice concentrate, undiluted
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 C honey
1/4 C melted butter or margarine
Parsley to garnish

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and place, skin side up, in a greased 13x9x2 baking
dish. Set aside. Drain peaches, reserving liquid and set aside.
Combine apple juice concentrate with lemon juice, honey, butter and reserved peach
liquid. Stir well. Brush chicken with the mixture. Bake at 350xF for one hour or until
tender,  brushing with reserved sauce every ten minutes. Add peaches during last five
minutes of cooking. To serve spoon pan drippings and peaches over chicken and
garnish with parsley. Serves 6.
These are nice served atop wild rice with asparagus as a side dish.




Lattice Laced Peach Cobbler

8 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 C water
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 1/2 C biscuit mix
3 tbsp. sugar
2/3 C milk
1/4 C melted shortening
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. butter or margarine

Combine peaches, 2 cups sugar, water and nutmeg in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Boil ten minutes or until peaches are tender. Pour into a two quart shallow baking dish. 
Combine  biscuit mix with 3 tbsp. sugar in a medium bowl. Combine milk and
shortening and pour over dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until dough forms a ball.
Turn dough out on a floured surface and knead gently 5-8 times. Roll dough out to 1/8
inch thickness and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips with a knife or pastry wheel. Place strips
on top of fruit in a lattice design. Sprinkle top with 1/4 c sugar mixed with the
cinnamon. Dot with remaining butter. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry
is a lovely golden brown. Serve warm.