Snowflakes & Coffeecakes Cooking School

PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

8/31/2016

Peach Upside Down Cake

I know that I have pushed the limit on fresh peach recipes this summer, but I just couldn't help myself!

For whatever reason, each crop, each variety and each peck of peaches that I picked up was sweeter and more wonderful than the last - it must have been a bumper crop this year!

I was heartbroken to hear that billions of bees and their hives were destroyed in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida last week when chemical spraying for Zika destroyed the bee colonies and hives totally - with no warning at all to the hive keepers. It will be scary to see what happens next year when it is time for pollination. Lord only knows if the bees will be able to come back from this travesty...

I may have saved the best for last - this buttery and golden cake is infused with fresh peach flavor and brown sugar wonderfulness!

PEACH BALSAMIC CHICKEN

8/29/2016

Peach Balsamic Chicken

Now that everyone is back to school, we're finally starting to get back into our routine! Book bags, homework, and lots and lots of reading with our kindergarten kid!

That also means that I have to be able to get dinner on the table FAST! We're trying to squeeze in as much time outside as we can before the sun starts setting sooner on us!

With a peck of fresh peaches and baskets of fresh tomatoes from the garden, this is one of the tastiest and freshest dinners ever - and on the table in less than 30 minutes. Gotta love that!

MISSISSIPPI MUD BROWNIES

8/27/2016

Mississippi Mud Brownies

It has been so hot, and so muggy, for so long! But I'm such a freeze-baby that most of the time I'm wearing a hoodie or even have the small electric heater turned on under my desk - the air conditioning is just so dang cold, and we never seem to get a break from it.

Perfect time to crank up the oven and handle all those "gotta have some chocolate - some SERIOUS chocolate" requests that I've been getting!

And these are some SERIOUSLY decadent brownies - slathered with melty marshmallow crème and drizzled with a rich chocolate ganache, before being twirled into a brownie lover's dream!

CAPRESE PANINI with TOMATO, PESTO & MOZZARELLA

8/26/2016

Caprese Panini with Tomato, Pesto & Mozzarella

Boys and girls, you are in for a treat tonight!

Ever since I made some fresh Basil Pesto, I've been dying to make one of these fabulous family-favorite sandwiches. Grilled or on a panini press, they are to die for!

The combination of just-made Basil Pesto, thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and perfectly garden-ripe heirloom tomato slices, grilled to golden and melty perfection....it doesn't get any better than this for a summertime supper!

BASIL PESTO

8/25/2016

Fresh Basil Pesto

The fresh basil in our garden is up to my waist and continuing to spread and grow! Our garden has been on steroids this year - not quite sure why yet, as we took it down to bare earth and maintained an entirely organic garden and process this year.

I've been cutting the basil pretty much non-stop and using it in so many things - and everyone loves how the house smells when I bring in a new fresh armload! The fragrance is out of this world! I wish I could bottle up the smell and keep it all year around!

In addition to fresh basil on so many things, we love fresh Basil Pesto. So very easy to make, and so fresh and flavorful that it is making everyone an addict!

PEACH & RASPBERRY CRISP

8/23/2016

Peach & Raspberry Crisp

The boys are still trying to squeeze the last days and nights out of summer vacation, so we had a herd of boys sleeping in hammocks outside last night...it looks so crazy this morning seeing all their hammock cocoons hanging between the trees in the backyard and circled around what was left of their campfire!

Oh my...it is REALLY hard to decide which is better - fresh sweet Peach & Raspberry Pie or this Peach & Raspberry Crisp! Any time I make either one, everyone tells me that it is their favorite!

The buttery crisp topping is just so perfect on this - the pecans, oatmeal, brown sugar and butter just melt down into the fresh juicy peaches and raspberries. The flavor is out of this world!

DARK CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY BANANA BREAD

8/21/2016

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Banana Bread

So this morning I had to make an early-morning run to the grocery store, and there were BAGS of beautiful, ripe bananas just waiting for me!

With school starting this week, I like to have some breads, muffins and other quick breakfasts ready to grab and go.

And I can never go wrong with banana bread - in any way, shape or form with my group! Our basic family favorite Banana Bread, Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips, Banana Bread with Strawberries, or even Raspberry Banana Bread - but JUMP BACK! How about taking that Raspberry Banana Bread and bringing it to the next level - DARK CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRY BANANA BREAD...simple to die for!

CHICKEN FAJITAS WITH CHIPOTLE LIME CREAM

8/20/2016

Grilled Chicken Fajitas with Chipotle Lime Cream

Don't you just love an easy dinner that you can start in the morning, and throw on the grill or stovetop and have dinner ready in less than 30 minutes?

Everyone LOVES Chicken Fajitas here at home, and during the summertime when the peppers and tomatoes are fresh from the garden, I think we have these about every two weeks. Always a big hit!

Chipotle Lime Cream is just a wonderful twist on sour cream - chipotle chili powder, fresh cilantro and chives, and a splash of buttermilk and fresh lime juice makes for a great drizzle on top!

PEACH SALSA

8/19/2016

Fresh Peach Salsa with Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

It's always a little bit sad when summer starts winding down - we always started school the Tuesday after Labor Day when I was a kid, so these mid-August start dates are just downright cruel!

Back to school shopping is done, crayons and markers packed in backpacks, and I'm starting to get back in the mindset of packing lunches again. Summers are just so much lazier and better!

We all ended up on the deck tonight, which is always a relaxing way to end the day and start the weekend.

Perfect time to whip up some summertime Peach Salsa! Fresh peaches add just a touch of sweetness to the mix!

BANANA CAKE with SILKY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8/16/2016

Banana Cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting

From the time that he was little, my little guy ALWAYS asks for Banana Cake with Silky Cream Cheese Frosting or Banana Bars for his birthday. Always! And he's always very particular that they need to be CHILLED before the party!

And over the years I've made Birthday Banana Cake in many shapes and sizes - my favorite was a Winnie the Pooh Bee Hive Banana Cake - complete with bees!

This is our family-favorite recipe, used for birthday celebrations and even as wedding cake!

COUNTRY PEACH & RASPBERRY PIE

8/14/2016

Country Peach & Raspberry Pie

So many ripe peaches, so little time!

One nice thing about rainy weekends is that it does give me extra time to spend creating new treats in the kitchen - and this may be one of our new favorites!

The combination of fresh peaches and ripe red raspberries is almost too good to be true!

A flaky pastry crust filled with the most delicious fruit combination I've had in a long time!

GRILLED BROWN SUGAR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

8/13/2016

Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken

This is one of those rare weekends when the weather is just not cooperating! All of our sailing and boating plans have fallen by the wayside, as we continue with a week of high heat, humidity and incredible thunderstorms daily! I'm not complaining - the heat index is up in the 120's along the entire east coast, so we are getting by relatively easy. And we always need the rain this time of year!

I have planned on making this incredibly delicious Grilled Brown Sugar & Pineapple Chicken for the longest time, and it looks like I'll be dodging raindrops in order to get it grilled!

PEACH CAPRESE SALAD

8/12/2016

Peach Caprese Salad

So I went a little crazy with the peaches again this week....here it is Friday, and I have two crates of beautiful, ripe peaches just waiting! Our garden is on steroids this year, and we have had a bumper crop of tomatoes as well, so this is the perfect way to combine two of our summertime favorites!

Sweet, creamy, tangy and fresh - I like to grill the fresh peach slices on the grill just until they start to caramelize, but you can use skip the grilling if you want to - either way, this sweet and savory salad is sublime!

TUSCAN PORK TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS WITH SAVORY TOMATO RHUBARB SAUCE

8/7/2016

Tuscan Pork Tenderloin with Savory Tomato Rhubarb Sauce

This is the recipe I have been dying to post for you all! From the minute I finished making a double batch of fresh Savory Tomato & Rhubarb Sauce, I knew that it would be absolutely PERFECT with pork tenderloin medallions! The Mediterranean flavor pairs perfectly with the pork tenderloin - and throw in a fresh salad from the garden, warm Italian bread and some good wine, and now we're talking a fabulous summer dinner!

This my favorite kind of summer dinner - fast, easy, delicious - and the best part - grilling!

I make an herbed dry rub and let this marinade overnight. The flavor and aroma is out of this world, and the meat is so tender and juicy that it just melts in your mouth!

TOMATO & RHUBARB SAVORY SAUCE

8/6/2016

Tomato & Rhubarb Savory Sauce

I never even dreamed about rhubarb being savory - it has always been sweet in my mind! Perfectly sweet in pies, cakes and jams, who would have ever imagined a way to use sweet and tender rhubarb in a spicy and savory way?

But I was so wrong! This sweet and savory sauce is something that you can't even imagine until you try it! I was going to call this "Rhubarb Ketchup", but the boys thought that was a silly name - and it really is way beyond ketchup!

We've had such a bumper crop of rhubarb this year, and the pantry is filled with sweet rhubarb jams. And I've made more rhubarb and strawberry/raspberry pies and crisps than I can count, so it was time to try something new and adventurous!

And this is just plain crazy good!

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