Delectable Peach Recipes for All Seasons

I am the first to admit that when summer hits I add sweet delectable peaches to my shopping list as summer in my opinion just isn't complete without them included in my diet in some way. Unfortunately I crave them even more when they are out of season simply because they are harder to find, and we always want what we can't have. Thankfully there is nothing written in stone that I am currently aware of that implies that it has to be summer to enjoy juicy ripe peaches.

Fortunately peaches can be frozen for later use in the winter months when those hot summer days are a distant memory, but the summer menu continues to live on. In fact peach connoisseurs can enjoy this colorful and succulent fruit all year long in recipes that include spring and summer favorites, as well as embellishing traditional fall and winter holiday treats or side dishes that pop with flavor with the fresh and fruity addition while tantalizing your taste buds no matter what the season.

Peaches may have originated in China, but the United States has become abundant with colorful fuzzy fruit since the Spaniards first brought them to our attention in the 16th century. Georgia alone produces almost 3 million bushels per year of the delicious niacin and potassium packed ready to eat fruity snack, but California produces a whopping fifty-percent of more then two hundred peach varieties in the United States.

The peach tree has been called the tree of life, and it was favored by several Native American tribes who would not have had land not bearing the brightly colored, vitamin A, C, & K packed fruit that gave instant energy to busy tribesmen who often had little time to sit and eat a nourishing meal. In fact William Penn once wrote that there was "not an Indian plantation without them." Peach trees are virtually everywhere largely in part to the Native Americans traveling and planting the seed of the tree of life.

Peaches have grown in popularity in recent years due to their versatility when it comes to using them in both savory and sweet dishes. They are recognized worldwide for their natural good looks and delectable skin color of velvety red and yellow. Luckily peaches are in season from April to October, and festivals are popping up everywhere to celebrate their very existence here on Earth.

In the United States, Georgia, South Carolina and California hold titles for being extreme producers of peaches, other solid runner ups like Texas has been celebrating the juicy, sweet fruit since the 1960's with the Stonewall Peach Jamboree, held in Stonewall, Texas the third weekend in June every year. Other contenders include: Alabama, Colorado, Massachusetts, North Carolina and South Carolina. In the World, China holds the first place for being the largest peach producer, while Italy maintains a strong second position.

Canada is not to be overlooked when it comes to celebrating peaches, and their festival is testament to that. Every year since 1947, the Penticton Peach Festival, held in Okanagan Lake Park, Penticton, BC, Canada has paid homage to the fruit that comes from the tree of life and for their bountiful peach harvest. The Festival is an annual event that runs in August, and features a Grande Parade, live entertainment, a kiddy day, carnival rides, and taste bud tingling peach entrees that are worthy of a blue ribbon simply from their smell. For more information go to: http://www.peachfest.com/

Peach Recipes

Peach & Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup peach jam
1/2 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Jim Beam
2 shallots, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon thyme
1 Tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
6-8 boneless medium cut pork chops

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium bowl mix the lemon juice, peach jam, mayonnaise, mustard, Jim Beam, shallots, rosemary, thyme, parsley, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Marinate the chops in the glaze for 30 minutes. Arrange the pork chops in an oblong baking dish. Spoon the remaining glaze over the pork chops. Bake approximately 35 minutes. Serve with peach salsa.

Peachy Holiday Stuffing

1 day old loaf of French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-stick plus 2 Tablespoons of butter
2 medium yellow onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
4 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt & ground black pepper to taste
1-29 ounces can peach halves drained. Reserve the syrup. Cut the peaches into bite size pieces
1/2 cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place into a single layer onto a shallow baking sheet. Toast the bread until it is dry, but not browned. Approximately 10-15 minutes. Transfer the bread to a large bowl. Meanwhile, add the stick of butter to a skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the onions, celery, garlic, seasonings, and salt & pepper. Sauté the onions and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock. Pour over the bread cubes and toss to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the peach syrup with the orange juice concentrate, and add to bread mixture. Fold in the peaches. Spoon the stuffing into a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Spicy Peach Salsa

4 fresh peaches peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red onion
1 avocado chopped into bite size chunks
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 small jalapeno peppers deveined and seeded, then minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. sugar
Salt & ground black pepper to taste

In a festive mixing bowl, gently stir together all of the ingredients. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with tortilla chips or pair it with baked chicken, pork, or fresh grilled fish.

Four Ingredient Peach Cobbler

Place one stick of butter in an 8x8 casserole dish and place in a preheated 350 degree oven until melted. Meanwhile mix together in a medium mixing bowl:

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 Cup whole milk
5 fresh peaches, sliced

Remove the casserole dish from oven and pour in batter. Add the sliced peaches.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly golden-brown.

Applebee's White Peach Sangria

¼ cup of Sutter Home white zinfandel wine
¼ cup of Peach Schnapps
1/8 cup of pineapple juice
¼ cup of peach schnapps
1/3 cup 7-up
Frozen peach slices
Red & green grapes

Shake or blend the first four ingredients. Place the frozen peaches and grapes into a festive cocktail glass. Pour the prepared mixture over the frozen peaches and grapes. Add the 7-Up. Mix with drink stirrer. Serve the peach sangria with peach salsa & tortilla chips or your favorite appetizer.

Peach Tea

8 cups water
10 tea bags
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
¼ cup peach juice concentrate

Bring water to a rapid boil in a large saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, cover the pot and allow the tea to steep for one or two hours, depending on desired strength of tea. Remove the tea bags. Pour the sugar, lemon juice and peach concentrate into a 2 quart pitcher, and then add the tea. Stir, cover and chill.

Peach Ice Cubes

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen

4 peaches, peeled and pitted
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Puree the peaches and combine with the sugar and lemon juice. Mix well until smooth. Pour mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Serve in cold summer drinks like lemonade, smoothies, iced tea, wine or cocktails.

Medical Research & Peaches

Recent new findings by a Texas Agri-Life Research Team in College Station, Texas determined that eating peaches and plums may help ward off breast cancer. The research showed breast cancer cells died after treatments with peach and plum extracts during lab testing. The research specialists compared normal cells to two types of breast cancer, including the most aggressive type and determined that the extracts chlorogenic and neochlorogenic were responsible for killing the cancer cells while not affecting the normal cells.

Peach Facts

A medium size peach contains only 40 calories.

The dessert famously known as Peach Melba was named after Nellie Melba, the great opera soprano from Australia.

Peaches were first mentioned in Chinese literature as early as 551 B.C. The colorful and delicious fruit has been known to move around quite a bit. It started in China, then later moved to Persia (now Iran) and eventually to Rome and then throughout Europe.

The peach is a member of the rose family.

Peaches were first cultivated in China and were considered the honorary fruit that symbolized longevity.

There are over 700 varieties of peaches, some Chinese varieties are even flat like hockey pucks.

Peaches contain phytochemicals that help to reduce heart disease, cancer, arthritis and eye ailments.

Antioxidants, carotenoids, and flavonoids are all found in peaches. These three health benefits alone reduce the risk of cataracts, heart disease, cancer, and other agents that promote the aging process. They also boost your immune system and act as an antibacterial or antiviral agent which aids in fighting off colds and other ailments that leave you feeling tired.

Sources:

http://www.the-natural-path.com/phytonutrients.html

http://www.gapeaches.com/peachVarieties.htm

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artpeach.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach

http://www.peach-facts.com/

http://www.pickyourown.org/PeachFestivals.htm

http://www.vitaminsdiary.com/fruits-vegetables/peaches.htm

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/peach-ice-cubes-recipe/index.html

http://www.gapeaches.org/news/peaches-plums-kill-breast-cancer-cells

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/susans-peach-stuffing

http://www.applebees.com/Menu_Drinks.aspx