Peaches and Beef Stew


The Peach Family by frances robson

Good evening and come on in the house for a glass of sweet iced tea - peach flavored of course - and some good recipes. I cooked all day today and enjoyed every minute of it. Cooking is fun for me but I sure do hate to wash the dishes and thank goodness my sweet husband does most of that for me.

Peach season is at its peak right now down here in South Georgia and today has been peach day for me. We went down to Barney yesterday to buy some to put in the freezer and Roy reminded me I had not made a peach cobbler this summer which made me feel terrible guilty, right? So one peach cobbler coming up today using "Miss Kathryn's" recipe which I have used for years. The whole family likes this easy but delicious recipe.

When buying peaches at the peach shed to put in the freezer or to cook with, you can save some money buying the seconds for it doesn't matter that they are not perfect. You are going to cut them up anyway and they are about half the price of the perfect ones. At the peach shed, they call them uglies but I think they have personality, hence the picture at the top. As a child, helping daddy raise peaches at home, I liked the ones with the big noses or those with spots like freckles for they were different. The taste is the same but they have personality.

There were several in the box we bought and after arranging them today they looked like a family to me. I would like for you to meet the Peach family - Mama Georgiabelle, Daddy Jefferson, Son Flordaking and Daughter Suwanee which are all Georgia Peaches. It was painful cutting these up for I could hear the pain as I cut of the noses but the cobbler needed the sacrifice so I just fought back the tears and washed, peeled and sliced. The results are well worth it and I am sure there are many more Georgia peaches ready for me.

The recipe is one from Miss Kathryn's Alabama cookbook that I modified to add a little bit more flavor and I hope you will enjoy it

Easy Summer Peach Cobbler

Melt 1 stick of butter in a casserole dish.

Mix:
1 C. sugar
1 C. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Freshly grated nutmeg
Orange zest from 1 orange or 1 lemon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice or lemon juice
3/4 C. milk
3 cups peeled and sliced peaches - can use frozen or canned if drained

Pour batter over the melted butter – do not stir
Place 3 cups of peeled, sliced peaches over the batter, sprinkle with cinnamon. Do Not Stir
Bake at 350°F. Until brown on top
The batter will rise over the peaches for a nice cobbler. Best if served warm with ice cream.


Before baking



After baking - brown, crunchy and delicious.



I also made a really good beef brisket stew beef stew. I had fresh basil, rosemary, bell pepper and cherry tomatoes from my raised bed garden which added lots of fresh flavor to it. I cooked it in the crock pot so after the preparation we just enjoyed smelling it all day. It is really good and I hope you will try it.



Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Red Wine

1 lb. Stew beef or brisket stew beef – bone in - the bones add flavor
1 large onion roughly chopped
1 medium bell pepper – roughly chopped
1 cup baby carrots or 2 large carrots- sliced
2 cloves of garlic – chopped finely or grated
2 tomatoes roughly chopped or 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 Tablespoons fresh basil – chopped
1 Tablespoons fresh rosemary removed from stem
1 cup sliced smoked sausage
2 cups red wine or beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
plain flour for dredging the meat
olive oil

Most of these measurements are approximate for I didn't measure the tomatoes, carrots or sausage. I just used 1 or 2 handfuls – depending on how much I had. This recipe can be adapted to your tastes and what is in your pantry. Not to stress over.

1.Salt and pepper the stew meat, dredge in flour and brown in hot olive oil on all sides in heavy skillet. Remove the meat to slow cooker and saute the onions and garlic until wilted but not browned. Leaving the onions and garlic, de-glaze the pan with the wine or stock and pour the sauce over the stew beef. Add the chopped bell pepper, carrots, tomatoes, basil and rosemary, cover and cook on high until stew beef is tender – about 6 hours. Add the sliced smoked sausage, stir gently, replace lid and cook for about 20 – 25 minutes on low.

2.Serve over cooked pasta of your choice – I like the bow tie pasta for this dish.

Enjoy both of these and try them for they really are good. Let me know with comments how they taste.

Ya'll be careful going home and pray for rain - it is supposed to be coming and I sure hope it gets here. Come back to see me and happy cooking.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach

1 comment:

Southern Lady's Market said...

Hello Frances! Found you thru the Vintage Lovers forum on Etsy! I see that you are a Georgia neighbor! So nice to meet you! Hubby and I went to the peach orchard / market just yesterday looking for Georgia Belle peaches, but couldn't find any. Your peach cobbler is very similar to my recipe. And seeing it has given me the craving! I see that you like to crochet and knit. I do also so it sounds like we have some things in common! Hope your 4th of July was wonderful!! Stop by and see me sometimes at http://www.southernladyvintage.blogspot.com and also at http://www.southernladysmarket.blogspot.com !