Baked Peach Oatmeal with Almonds

One more summertime oatmeal recipe.

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Baked Peach Oatmeal with Almonds

Adapted from:  https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/baked-peach-almond-oatmeal/
Yields:  6-9 servings

2 c rolled oats
1/4 c light brown sugar
1 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1 teas cinnamon
1/2 c chopped almonds
2 c milk,  any kind but almond milk might be particularly good
1 large egg
3 T coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly, or 3 T melted and cooled butter
1 teas vanilla extract
1/4 teas almond extract
1 1/2 c chopped peaches
Peach slices for the top, optional

Oil or butter an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish. Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and almonds in a medium bowl.

Mix the milk, egg, coconut oil (or butter), and extracts in another bowl. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until combined.

Spread the chopped peaches on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with the oatmeal mixture and even it with an offset or rubber spatula. Top the pan with peach slices, if desired.

Bake for 40 minutes; the oatmeal should be set and the top be golden. Let it cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

Notes:

This is not a particularly sweet version of baked oatmeal which suits me fine, but I wager many people might like it a bit sweeter. You could add another tablespoon or two of sugar without a problem. Or you might offer a bit of maple syrup when you serve it. If you have some Peach Drizzle, this would be a great use for it.

You can double this recipe and place ingredients in a 9X13 pan.

Next time, I may use 2 cups chopped peaches, especially if I have an abundance of fruit.

This can be easily reheated in the microwave but you may want to stir in a bit of milk for creaminess.

Peruvian Chicken Soup

Although I'm unsure if this soup is authentic, it is tasty, pretty, and, for me, unique. Better yet it is very quick. The soup can be finished in about 30 minutes.

You may not love quinoa and although it hangs out at the bottom of the pan making it hard to serve evenly, I could find nothing objectionable in the flavor--it added texture to the soup. You could leave it out or use some potatoes, rice, or orzo (you'd have to fiddle with cooking time, though).

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Peruvian Chicken Soup

Source: The Washington Post

Serves about 2 but can be multiplied

1 small onion, cut into quarters

1 rib celery, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

1 small jalapeno pepper, optional (or it can be increased), seeds removed and coarsely chopped

8 large stems of parsley or cilantro, including tender stems, coarsely chopped

1 T oil

2 c chicken broth

1/4 c quinoa

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half (about 11 oz)

1/2 c frozen peas, optional

salt

pepper

1 lime for serving

Place the onion, celery, garlic, jalapeno, and parsley or cilantro into a blender or a food processor along with the oil. Pulse until you've got a pesto-like paste. If it resists your machine's efforts add a tablespoon or 2 of the chicken broth and try again. It's nice to have it quite smooth but if you can't get there, don't fret. It will still taste good.

Scrape the vegetable paste into a saucepan and place on a burner over medium heat; let it heat for a minute or two. Add the broth. If your quinoa needs to be rinsed (check the package) do so and then put it into the pot. Once the mixture starts to boil, put a lid on it, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or so.

In the meantime, cut the chicken breast across the grain into 1-inch slices and place into the sauce pan. With the lid off, cook for 10 minutes until the meat is opaque. The quinoa should be starting to pop. Remove the chicken from the pan and cut it into bite size pieces. Return the chicken to the soup and stir in the peas. Cook until the peas have warmed up and are tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Peach and Corn Salsa

It's time for peaches! This fruit keeps me happy for weeks and weeks during the summer. And corn on the cob helps, too. Even though this is a canning recipe you can easily half it and store in the fridge if you have left overs. You'd get about 3 cups of salsa.

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Peach and Corn Salsa

From: The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving 
Yield: about 6 half-pint jars (or 6 cups)

1/4 c malt vinegar (5% acidity)
1/4 c lime juice (about 4 small limes)
3 T chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (optional) I used about one or a little more
2 T maple syrup
2 teas salt
1 teas fresh thyme or dried
3 1/2 c finely chopped peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 1/3 c fresh or frozen corn kernels (2 fairly large ears; more if small)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c finely chopped red bell pepper

Heat clean canning jars in the canner as you prepare the ingredients.

Place all ingredients into a 5 or 6-quart stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook about 5 minutes until heated through. Stir often.

While the salsa is cooking, clean lids and place them in a bowl of boiling water and allow to sit until you need them.

Use a ladle or measuring cup to place the salsa into each hot jar leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Use a chopstick or thin rubber spatula to remove bubbles. Wipe the jar rims with a clean paper towel to ensure no food adheres to the edge.  Place the lids on top. Top with clean bands on each jar and tighten with your finger tips. Place the jars into the simmering water in the canning pot. Measure to ensure you have at least one inch of water above the tops of the jars.

Cover the pot and return to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes but adjust for altitude by adding required boiling time according to this chart:

1,001-3,000 ft--5 additional minutes

3,001-6,000 ft--10 additional minutes

6,001-8,000 ft--15 additional minutes

8,001-10,000 ft--20 additional minutes

When the jars have boiled for the required time turn the heat off and allow them to sit in the water for 5-10 minutes to reduce the risk of siphoning (hot liquid escaping the jar in rapid temperature change). Using jar tongs, pull each jar from the water being careful not to tip the jars (also a siphoning risk) and place on a towel in a spot where it can remain for 24 hours as it completes its seal and cools down. If you must move them, place them on a towel on a baking sheet and as soon as all the jars are on the sheet carry them together to an area where they won't be disturbed for a day.

Note if you aren't canning this:

Cook the salsa longer 15 minutes or so. Test it and if it is too crunchy, cook it for another 5 minutes. 

Slow-cooker Salmon with Peppers, Onions, and Charmoula

Using a slow-cooker to cook salmon may seem strange especially since it only cooks for an hour. But during a hot summer it is nice to heat up only that small space.

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Slow-cooker Salmon with Peppers, Onions, and Charmoula

Source:  Mediterranean Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone
Serves: 6

Charmoula is a green, herb based sauce served with fish, meat, or vegetables in several countries in the north of Africa.


For the salmon:

1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 thick salmon fillet (about 2 pounds) cut into 6 serving pieces
1/2 c water

For charmoula sauce:

1/2 c fresh cilantro
1 large clove,  roughly chopped
1 teas ground cumin
1/2 teas paprika
1/3 c olive oil
2-3 T fresh lemon juice

Drop the onion and peppers into the bottom of the insert of a slow-cooker. Spread the pieces of salmon over the top and pour the water over all. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the insert in the slow-cooker, cover with the lid, and cook on high for an hour. Test the fish by cutting into the thickest part. If it is just barely translucent it will be done.

In the meantime, place the cilantro, clove, cumin, paprika and salt to taste into a food processor or blender and process until chopped finely. Add the oil and lemon juice and process until emulsified. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

Serve the salmon on top of the vegetables and pass the charmoula for drizzling over the fish.

Note:

I am sure you could increase the amount of vegetables if you prefer. I wouldn't increase the water, though.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

I love baked oatmeal but admit that it's a cool weather love. This recipe extends the oatmeal season for me. Rhubarb lends a pleasant tartness to a sweet background and since you likely won't find it in the supermarket again until next spring, frozen will work fine. (That said, keep an eye out for fresh rhubarb; I saw some 2 days ago in my local co-op.)

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

Adapted from: APrettyLifeintheSuburbs.com

Serves 6-8

Next time I bake this, I'm going to add a half teaspoon grated orange zest and top it with a handful of slivered almonds. I haven't tested it, but I believe you could substitute an equal amount of strawberries for the rhubarb if it's out of season.

3 c old fashioned rolled oats
1/3-1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 teas baking powder (at 4000-5000 ft. elevation, 2 teas. at lower elevations)
1/4 teas salt
1 teas vanilla
1/4 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk, any kind
1/4 c yogurt
3/4 c chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 c chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen (red varieties are prettier, but not necessary) about half-inch dice
3-4 T cinnamon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large measuring cup or bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Mix the oats, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Pour the milk mixture over the oat mixture and stir well to combine. Stir in the strawberries and rhubarb. Pour into a pie plate, a 9-inch round cake pan, or an 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle the top generously with cinnamon sugar.

Place in oven and bake for 45-50 minutes at my elevation, at lower elevations start checking at 40 minutes. When it is done, it will be fairly firm to the touch and crispy on the edges.

Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, and Tomato Wrap

This wrap feels summery to me, pairing nicely with corn on the cob and/or sliced watermelon.

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Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, and Tomato Wraps

Adapted from How to Cook Everything Fast by Mark Bittman

bacon and some hot, rendered bacon fat
rotisserie chicken
cherry tomatoes
avocado
lime
tortillas or sandwich wraps

Cook 1-2 slices of bacon per wrap in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. While bacon is cooking, halve some cherry tomatoes and slice some avocado. I like about a quarter of a large avocado in my wrap. Tear chicken into pieces with your fingers. Prepare tortillas if necessary.

Construct the wraps. Place chicken pieces in the wrap first, then top with bacon slice(s), tomatoes, and avocado. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lime juice over the top, then drizzle some hot bacon fat over all of it. Wrap it up like a burrito and enjoy.

The lime juice and bacon fat is key to this recipe. Don't leave it out!

Sour Cherry Cobbler (with adjustments for altitude)

For the last few summers a friend has generously shared the harvest from her sour cherry tree with me. This is one of the joys of the season.

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Sour Cherry Cobbler (with adjustments for altitude)

Source: Cook's Illustrated
Serves: 12--however I halved the recipe and cooked enough for 6

For altitudes of around 4000-5800 feet I suggest the following adjustments to the biscuits:

add 2 T flour
subtract 1 teas sugar
use a scant teas baking soda

For the biscuits:

2 c unbleached flour
6 T granulated sugar
1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas table salt
6 T unsalted butter (cold), cut into half-inch cubes
2 T granulated sugar for sprinkling
1 c buttermilk

For the fruit filling:

4 pds sour cherries, (about 8 cups)
1 1/4 c granulated sugar
3 1/2 T cornstarch
pinch table salt
1 c dry red wine
cranberry juice (if needed)
1 3-in cinnamon stick
1/4 teas almond extract


Prepare cherries:

Pit the cherries and reserve the juices. Stir sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl; add the cherries and stir again until well combined. Pour the red wine over the cherries and allow to stand for 30 minutes at least.

Par cook the biscuits:

Preheat the oven to 425F with the rack in the middle position. Use a silicone baking pad or parchment paper to line a baking sheet.

In a food processor place flour, 6 T sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse until combined. Add the butter cubes evenly over the top and pulse about 15 times until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Place this mixture into a bowl and pour the buttermilk over. Toss with a rubber spatula until combined. Divide the dough into 12 equal biscuits on the baking sheet. This is easiest using a 1 1/2 inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop but can be achieved using a couple of serving spoons. Space them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with the 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until lightly browned on top and bottom. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave oven on.

Make the cobbler:

Pour cherry mixture into a colander set over another medium-sized bowl and drain. Measure the drained and reserved juices; you should have collected 3 cups. If the combined juices don't equal that amount add cranberry juice. (I used some raspberry juice and think you could also use grape juice in a pinch.) Place the juices into a saucepan, add the cinnamon stick, and heat over medium-high and cook until mixture thickens, whisking frequently. When thickened remove cinnamon stick, add the almond extract.

Spread the drained cherries into a  9X13 pan. Pour the hot, thickened juices over the cherries in the pan and use a spatula to even it out. Place the biscuits on top of the cherries and filling in 3 rows of 4 each. Place the cobbler in the oven and bake until biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 10-15 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 minutes before serving.


Notes:

If you are going to use frozen, pitted cherries you need less than 4 pounds, closer to 3 1/2 pounds.

It was late one night when I first started this recipe and I hadn't realized the resting time for the cherries so I mixed the cherries and sauce and and rested them in the refrigerator not for 30 minutes but overnight. This worked fine.

My food processor bowl has to be washed by hand so I get lazy about using it sometimes. I have found that I can grate well chilled or frozen butter into the dry ingredients of this biscuit and mix all together with a fork. I think it works just as well and the bowl and grater can go into the dishwasher.

Cook's Illustrated suggests using a glass baking pan. I can't see why it's necessary and found my metal pan worked fine.