When my alarm went off at 6:30 on a Saturday morning, I slapped it off and jumped out of bed. Isn't it funny how some early mornings getting out of bed is like removing yourself from a slab of concrete that was poured on you over night, and other mornings, you feel the sun streaming in, take a deep breath, and revel in the night of sleep you just enjoyed? Today was neither of those, but definitely closer to the second. Why was today different? It was peach-picking day!! The hap-hap-happiest season of all!
Every year, a friend and I go to a U-Pick peach orchard about an hour away. Who knew that peaches trees grow extremely well in Arizona? Evidently, the owners of Schnepf Farms. So, we got up early, made the trek out to the farm, and meandered into a large grove of peaches, that exuded the smell of ripe peaches before you even neared a tree. It was heavenly. We returned with nearly 30 lb. of peaches each. Needless to say, it will be the week of the peach at my house. So, if you have any favorite peach recipes, let me know. I love to use them for jams, smoothies, in lettuce or spinach salads with poppy seed dressing, or grilled on shish-ka-bobs. I might try peach butter this year, but we'll see. However, my first order of business whenever I have fresh peaches is to make mom's peach pie, which is to die for, in my book :-) Key ingredient (as it is in so many of our family dishes): cinnamon.
Mom's Peach Pie
2 pie crusts
5 c. peeled, sliced peaches (approx. 9 med. peaches)
1 t. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. cinnamon
2 T. butter
Preheat oven to 425. Put first pie crust in 9-10 inch pie plate. Mix lemon juice and peaches in a bowl. In second bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add peach mixture to sugar mixture. [If peaches are very juicy, sprinkle bottom of pie crust with instant tapioca or other thickener.] Put peach/sugar mixture into pie crust. Dot with butter. Place second pie crust over peaches and seal edges. Cut "steam vents" in top pie crust. Put pie plate on cookie sheet or something else to catch any potential drips in the oven. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425, then turn heat down to 350 and bake for another 45 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before eating.
Preheat oven to 425. Put first pie crust in 9-10 inch pie plate. Mix lemon juice and peaches in a bowl. In second bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add peach mixture to sugar mixture. [If peaches are very juicy, sprinkle bottom of pie crust with instant tapioca or other thickener.] Put peach/sugar mixture into pie crust. Dot with butter. Place second pie crust over peaches and seal edges. Cut "steam vents" in top pie crust. Put pie plate on cookie sheet or something else to catch any potential drips in the oven. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425, then turn heat down to 350 and bake for another 45 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before eating.
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