Fresh peach blintz and muffin recipes

8/31/16 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Well, dear readers, when last we met, I was knee deep in zucchini. And yes, we still have massive amounts of zucchini in Chuck’s garden patch. Our bellies are full of casseroles and the freezer is full of zucchini bread.  I even discovered a new way to prepare it as a side dish: I slice and pan-fry it with potatoes and onions! It is delicious served with applesauce. 

Friends and neighbors are now sharing in the zucchini bounty and I have moved on to peaches. I no longer do the massive amount of canning that I used to do. This I quit canning apricots and that led to no longer making jam or jelly. Well, that’s not quite true. I still made strawberry freezer jam. But that’s so easy it hardly counts.

So far this season I have only canned green beans and peaches. Still to come are tomatoes, marinara sauce and applesauce. But I digress. Back to the peaches. My favorite canning peach is Suncrest. They are semi-cling, have a bright almost tangy taste with a ruby red center that lends color to the jars in the cupboard.

Josh, our 13-year old grandson begs to differ with my choice. He and his mom were visiting when we went out to Detering's to pick up the peaches. Our choices included Arctic Supreme, Suncrest, and Veterans. But Josh and Betsy loved the New Improved Elbertas. So we bought a small box of Elbertas for eating and a big box of Suncrests for canning.

I must say that it makes my heart happy just to see all those jars of peaches lined up in the canning cupboard. They are sunshine in a jar. This year I also tried slicing, sugaring and freezing a few bags. We shall see how that works out. And of course, we have had our fair share of peach cobbler.

Today’s recipes are perfect if you have company and are craving something a little different to add to your recipe file. If you’re having friends over for morning coffee try the Raspberry-Peach muffins. The recipe calls for a sprinkling of Demerara sugar. It’s basically a large grained light brown sugar. Feel free to make substitutions.

The Peach and Cheese Blintzes would make a great after-dinner dessert treat. There are three parts to the recipe: crepes, filling and topping. They are not difficult to make so don’t freak out! If the guys at the Junction City Scandinavian Festival do it you can too!

So, enjoy summer’s bounty and be sure to eat your fill of fresh Oregon peaches!

PEACH AND CHEESE BLINTZES

             Serves 10-12

Crepe Batter

1 Cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 eggs

2 Tablespoons margarine, melted (cooled) 

1 1/3 cups milk,

1 teaspoon vanilla

Peach and Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese

4 ounces cottage cheese

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Grated rind of 1/4 orange

Grated rind of 1/2 lemon 

1/2 C fresh peach slices, diced 

3-4 drops lemon flavoring

10 Crepes  (recipe below)

1 cup peach slices

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 drops lemon flavoring

1. Crepes

Mix all ingredients in a blender until batter is smooth.

Heat small (8 inch) fry pan over medium heat.

Place 1 teaspoon oil or margarine in pan and continue heating until hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle

Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the hot pan.

Tip the pan so the batter spreads over the bottom of the pan.

When the underside of the crepe is lightly browned turn it over and lightly brown other side. Remove crepes from pan and place on paper plate until all are cooked.

2. Peach and Cheese Filling  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

 Mix cheeses, sugar, zests, lemon flavoring and diced peaches. Spread each crepe with about 1 1/2 T. of the cream cheese mixture. Roll up like a jelly roll. Place blintzes on a cooking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes.

3. Peach Topping

Topping can be prepared in advance or while crepes are cooking. In a small saucepan, combine remaining peach slices, cornstarch and lemon flavoring. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens. Spoon over the blintzes. Makes 10-12 crepes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

RASPBERRY PEACH MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan

3/4 cup whole or 2% milk

1/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

Zest from 1/2 orange

6 ounces raspberries

3/4 cup fresh or frozen sliced peaches, thawed, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Demerara sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat your oven to 400° and set a rack to the middle position. Line the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease them lightly with butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugars, baking powder, and salt. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the butter, milk, sour cream, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and orange zest.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir, just until combined. Gently fold in the raspberries and peaches until mixed throughout.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with demerara sugar, if using. Bake until lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before unmolding.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare. Contact her at 942-1317 or email bchatty@bettykaiser.com