Freezing Peaches & Book Update
The past two weekends I have been freezing stone fruits, mostly peaches but some cherries too. I wanted to put the recipe up here so that I wouldn’t forget.
Process of Freezing Peaches:
- Wash peaches off.
- Remove skins by boiling in water for 45-60 seconds and then removing to an ice bath. Skins should peel off with little effort.
- Once skins are removed cut peaches in half and remove pits. I should note here that there are some varieties of peaches in which the pits are easier to remove than others. The white peaches seem to have harder to remove pits. At this point, you can either keep the peaches in halves or cut them into slices.
- Sprinkle peaches with citric acid or lemon juice (enough to lightly coat). When you stir the peaches up with the citric acid they should look shinier, sort of glossy. This will keep the peaches from browning.
- Dissolve 3 cups of white sugar into 6 cups of boiling water. Let cool.
- Spoon peaches into 1 qt bag (note it takes about 4-5 peaches to fill 1 qt). Then ladle enough of the sugar water over the peaches just to cover.
- Place in freezer.
We have been buying peaches in 1/2 pecks (yes, a half-a-peck-a-peaches … say that 10 times fast), which is about 12-15 peaches and we are able to get three quart ziplock bags to freeze.
Update on the 50 Book Challenge: While traveling to Colorado and California I was able to finish reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It was a really great read and has inspired me to try harder at keep our (Bryan and I) food chain as local as possible. Since we moved to a new house right in the middle of the growing season we do not yet have a vegetable garden. So, Bryan and I have been taking Saturday morning dates to the local Farmer’s Market. Bryan also brings home a couple of bags full of fresh veggies each week from the garden-farm he works at. I think my favorite so far has been the acorn squash we bough last week. Here is the recipe for the most amazing acorn squash I have ever tasted.
- Take 1 acorn squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp in the center.
- With a fork, mash together 1/4 c. soften butter (that is 1/2 a stick of butter), 1/4 c. brown sugar, a palm full of ground sage, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Smear the butter mixture on the insides of each of the acorn halves.
- Place in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees F.
We have one more acorn squash at home and I can’t wait to make this again. It was so delicious!
Updated list of books read so far this year:
here is my updated list:
- The Shack by William P. Young
- Omnivor’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
- Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich
- Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich
- Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
- High Five by Janet Evanovich
- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
- Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer (link)
- Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
- Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
- Dead Until Dark by Charaline Harris
- Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
- Seven Up by Janet Evanovich
- Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver