Monday, Fun Day

I spent the day in the kitchen today.

I decided the dirt, dust and mountain of laundry from

the weekend would just have to wait another day.

Housework is nice like that...and it waits for you..

and waits, and waits.  haha. Over-ripe bananas,

zucchini and peaches needed to be put to good use!

I made Lemon Zucchini muffins to put in the freezer...

A peach crisp for tonight's dessert....

Italian Zucchini and Tomato Bake for the freezer...

Tomatoes, onions, zucchini sprinkled with Italian seasoning,

garlic, salt, parmesan and pepper.  I layered the whole thing

with slices of romano cheese before putting it in the oven.

I only baked it half way, then let it cool before freezing.

And two loaves of banana toffee bread.

The recipe is here on my blog....just use the search box.

It's banana bread with pecans and toffee chips stirred in the batter

and sprinkled on top.  Heaven.  This is going in the freezer, too!

The muffins have been tested and baker approved. :)

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This And That

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Crossing Things Off My List

I always love it when fruit still has a leaf attached. 

They usually get a photo shoot! ha.

The pears I was given were getting ripe quickly, so

I spent some time putting some in the freezer.

The easiest way to peel a pear is with a potato peeler.

Then slice in half and remove the core with a melon baller.

Then take out the center string with a paring knife.

Lay them in a bowl of water with some lemon juice added.

Then you can put them in freezer bags!

I put three bags in the freezer for this winter. Yum.

See all that juice on my hand?  They were THE juiciest pears!

Then I made a crisp to take to the auction today.

Yum.  It's good for breakfast or dessert!

The baking with cinnamon, apples or pears is done!

The men gave me a mum as part of my birthday gifts last

Saturday!  Love the color, and what a great coincidence

that it was on my fall list!

After I enjoy this for the season, it's going in the ground.

I want to enjoy it next year, too!

♥

Apple Blueberry Crisp

Isn't this lovely?  A plate of warm apple blueberry crisp

in the evening light?  I just had to share a scoop with you! 

And I needed a good excuse to use my pretty set of dessert

plates that I found in the auction trash last week!

I had both apples and blueberries that needed to be used

so they both went together to make dessert!

I just layered both in a greased baking dish.

Added some Minute Tapioca and cinnamon...

And layered on the crisp topping of flour, sugar and butter.

The Mister was trimming all of our overgrown trees and

bushes outside.  Jack and I watched from the open window.

And while the crisp was in the oven, I made some tea....

...and photographed this sweet little guy in the grass!

Would you like some?

How about a little whipped cream on the side?

OK, a lot of whipped cream on the side. ha.

Fruit Crisp

3 c sugar

2 1/4 c flour

2 1/2 sticks cold butter

***

Pulse in food processor until crumbly.

Layer over fruit and bake 350

for 40-60 minutes until golden.

If using apples, add cinnamon.

If fruit is very juicy, sprinkle with some

Minute Tapioca before adding topping.

Recipe makes enough for a generous

layer over one 9x13 or two 8x8 pans.

Or use what you need and keep the rest in the freezer

so you'll be ready for the next one!

♥

Peach Crisp

Mmmm...fresh peaches!

They were plump and fragrant at the grocery this week.

We ate a few just in their natural state but then the rest

just begged for be made into a crisp for our Labor Day dessert.

My topping is a lighter version of the tradition kind made with oats.

It's just butter, flour and sugar.

A little Minute Tapioca to thicken the juices, along with cinnamon

was sprinkled over the fruit before adding the topping and baking.

Quick and easy..especially if you keep a Ziplock bag full of the

topping in the freezer, ready to make dessert in the blink of an eye.

I didn't even peel the peaches!

Served with vanilla bean ice cream, of course!

I know I've posted the crisp recipe several times over the years,

but just so you don't have to go looking for it, here it is again...

This works well for any fruit!

Fruit Crisp

3 c sugar

2 1/4 c flour

2 1/2 sticks cold butter

***

Pulse in food processor until crumbly.

Layer over fruit and bake 350

for 40-60 minutes until golden.

If using apples, add cinnamon.

If fruit is very juicy, sprinkle with some

Minute Tapioca before adding topping.

Recipe makes enough for a generous

layer over one 9x13 or two 8x8 pans.

Or use what you need and keep the rest in the freezer

so you'll be ready for the next one!

♥