Texas Peach Pie

From: This website

Ingredients:
Pie crust
1 cup or 2 sticks cold butter, cut into slices
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt (unless you used salted butter)
7-8 Tbsp ice cold water

In a food processor, pulse and cut butter into flour and salt until mixture makes small pea size crumbs. With the processor on, add ice cold water through the top until all the flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl.

Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. When you’re ready to assemble the pie, then divide dough in half. Roll out each half onto a lightly floured surface to the size of your baking dish. Lay the pressed dough over the rolling pin to help pick up and move the dough to the buttered dish.

Texas peach filling:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6-8 cups fresh sliced peaches (about 7-10 peaches)
1 1/2 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp butter

Heat oven to 425. After slicing all those peaches, make sure there will be enough to fill the casserole dish before prepping the dish for baking. You may need extra peaches or you may have too many, it’s good to check before going further.

Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir in the measured peaches and lemon juice.

Prepare bottom layer of pastry and lay into bottom of the buttered 13-inch by 9-inch casserole dish. Don’t worry about it being pretty, no one will notice the bottom. Pour peach mixture into pastry-lined dish. Dot with 3 tablespoons of butter.

Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and decorate to your fancy.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Allow to cool so the peach filling has time to solidify, otherwise it will run out and fall apart as you try to move it to your plate.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Instead of making pie crust, I used some in a box that I needed to get out of the pantry. I did use two pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top. Don't worry, it was still delicious.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing, except perhaps use a different fruit if peaches aren't in season anymore.

Verdict:
Thumbs UP! I felt like this is the closest thing to Mrs. Smith I have ever been. Next time I will make the pie crust because I don't have any more in the pantry. This pie was absolutely delicious, although it is definitely sweet! I can only eat one small medium piece at a time. P.S. This is delicious for breakfast.

Ingredients:
Pie crust
1 cup or 2 sticks cold butter, cut into slices
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt (unless you used salted butter)
7-8 Tbsp ice cold water

In a food processor, pulse and cut butter into flour and salt until mixture makes small pea size crumbs. With the processor on, add ice cold water through the top until all the flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl.

Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. When you’re ready to assemble the pie, then divide dough in half. Roll out each half onto a lightly floured surface to the size of your baking dish. Lay the pressed dough over the rolling pin to help pick up and move the dough to the buttered dish.

Texas peach filling:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6-8 cups fresh sliced peaches (about 7-10 peaches)
1 1/2 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp butter

Heat oven to 425. After slicing all those peaches, make sure there will be enough to fill the casserole dish before prepping the dish for baking. You may need extra peaches or you may have too many, it’s good to check before going further.

Mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir in the measured peaches and lemon juice.

Prepare bottom layer of pastry and lay into bottom of the buttered 13-inch by 9-inch casserole dish. Don’t worry about it being pretty, no one will notice the bottom. Pour peach mixture into pastry-lined dish. Dot with 3 tablespoons of butter. Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and decorate to your fancy.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Allow to cool so the peach filling has time to solidify, otherwise it will run out and fall apart as you try to move it to your plate.

Fruit Leather

Ingredients:
5-10 apples or pears
1/4-1/2 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon

Peel, core, and slice fruit. Place the slices in a 3-quart saucepan with water and cover. Simmer until fruit is tender and begins to appear translucent. Add cinnamon.

Remove from heat and zip through your food processor. Store in the refrigerator (if not making fruit leather same day). You can also mix in fruits like strawberries or peaches prior to cooking. Please note: you can stop here and have delicious pear sauce or applesauce!

Use one piece of aluminum foil to form a boat approximately 9x6 with sides 1" high. Place the foil boat on a shallow cookie sheet. Pour two cups of apple or pear sauce into the foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 150 (or lowest setting) and cook for 8-10 hours.

Peel the fruit leather off and store it in the refrigerator.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Stephen suggested leaving out the cinnamon because he doesn't like it. I couldn't taste it at all, so I guess next time I'll just exclude it. Also, next time I think I'm going to puree strawberries and mix them in with the sauce before cooking it. There's so many options with this recipe!

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! The reason I made this is because we are always buying Fruit by the Foot (at triple coupons of course). Even when I buy it on sale with coupons it's still costing much more than this recipe. With mom and dad's generosity, I made this recipe completely free. I got pears from their pear tree :) Even so I believe buying pears, apples, strawberries, peaches, etc. when they are in season and cheap it would save you buying snacks like that. And no added sugars - the fruit was definitely sweet enough on its own!

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt and cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 7x11 baking pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs one by one and beat for 1 minute. On low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture, the buttermilk, and the rest of the flour mixture.

Gently stir in berries. Pour into baking pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, unmold, then cool right-side-up.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I didn't add any salt at all, and I'm sure I used more than a "pinch" of cinnamon. I just kind of poured it - probably 1- 1 1/2 tsp worth. Instead of using buttermilk, I made a mixture of 95% milk and 5% lemon juice in a 1/2 cup measuring cup. I didn't have a 7x11 baking pan so I used an 8x8. And I never use a mixer - I always hand mix. I doubt it makes a difference. Lastly, I checked the cake after 29 minutes (luckily) and it was done. I suggest you do the same! When it came out of the oven, I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on both the top and bottom.

What I'll do differently next time:
Probably sprinkle more cinnamon and sugar at the end, although I could still do that I think.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! This was SO easy to make, and I had blueberries I needed to use. It was so fast, and it's really delicious. We are snacking on it tonight, but it will be really good for breakfast too.