Feeling Peachy

This time of year always reminds me of summers spent at my grandparent’s house. They had a garden, a variety of fruit trees, and lots of scuppernong vines. Considering how much stimulation my children require, they would have thought how I spent my summers when I was their age as boring but I loved it. I'd go for long walks each morning with my grandma, then we'd pick corn, beans, and cucumbers, we'd shell beans, can tomatoes, pick apples and pears, and then I'd watch as she'd cook up something amazing. These experiences with my grandma created memories I will always cherish. She taught me that cooking was a fun, creative activity with delicious outcomes.

So when summer rolls around I like to take advantage of all the fresh fruits and vegetables which are at their peak. I love fresh fruit and vegetables, and even attempt to grow my own. Although I’m not the farmer my grandad was, I try. So far this summer I've grown plenty of cucumbers, three tomatoes, and lots of basil. The deer keep eating my bell peppers and most of my tomatoes, while my zucchini refuses produce anything. My tiny garden is a teaching me a lot of what not to do next year. Thank goodness for all the local farmers who know what they're doing and keep me stocked in fresh fruits and veggies.

One of favorite summertime fruits is the peach. Contrary to popular belief, South Carolina is the peach capital of South producing twice as many peaches as our Georgia neighbors. I know a good peach when I taste one and a ripe, juicy peach is pretty much perfection. How does one elevate a peach? Look no further than the perfect peach cobbler. Top that peach cobbler off with vanilla ice cream and you’ll have something so good you it will leave you speechless. If you've been looking for the perfect peach cobbler recipe then you'll have to give this one a shot. You won’t regret it. 

Perfect Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 3 cups peaches, fresh or canned, halved then quartered
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of cinnamon
• non-stick cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Spread sliced peaches evenly into the prepared dish.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla until well combined. 
4. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a separate bowl until combined.
5. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar and egg mixture until just combined. The batter will be thick with a consistency similar to that of cookie dough. 
6. Spread batter over the peaches evenly trying to cover the peaches as best you can.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. 
8. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy on its own or ice cream or whipped cream. Prepare to have your taste buds rejoice! 

China Cabinet Remodel

Anyone else scroll fb marketplace on the regular looking for their next project? I usually have a few items in mind that I hunt for but I'm not in a rush. I’m typically looking for the right piece at the right price. I overlook bad paint and outdated style, and actually focus on these shortcomings because these pieces are typically overlooked, besides I’m on the hunt to remake the piece to my liking. If you’re diligent you can get pieces with lots for potential for a little dinero. 

For example, take my newest remodel. I bought this china cabinet for $50. I didn’t care for the orangish wood or the knobs but saw it had potential. 

I wanted to paint it to coordinate with the chandelier in my dining room that is black with natural shades and gold accents. 

For paint, I used Heirloom Traditions All-in-One paint in Iron Gate. This is my third project using this paint line, so I thought I’d share my process. The All-in-One paint is great for this type of project. It’s a chalk based paint that includes a primer and sealer so you don’t have to do those steps, hence all-in-one. It comes in 31 colors and has a low luster, matte sheen and smooth finish. 

Tools:

• Deglosser
• Clean towel
• Pint of Heritage Traditions All-in-one Paint 
• Brush, oval synthetic fiber 
• Applicator sponge

Process:

• Remove the glass, doors, and all hardware.
• Prep all surfaces that will be painted by cleaning them well with deglosser. Liquid sandpaper or Krud Kutter work as well. Apply the deglosser to the wood with the synthetic brush. Let it sit for a minute or two and then wipe the area clean using a clean, dry towel. You can use a scrub brush on harder to clean areas. Clean the entire piece and make sure it is dry before proceeding to the next step. 
• Apply a generous amount of the All-in-One paint using a clean synthetic brush working quickly in small areas. 

I like to work a two square foot area by applying paint using the brush then go over the brushed area with the applicator sponge to dapple the paint and remove the stroke marks. The paint should self-level.

 

• This paint dries quickly so it is best to work in a room without circulating air, that is too warm, or any condition that may speed up the drying process. Repeat this process over the entire piece. The first coat will not be perfect but that’s okay because by second coat it will start looking nice. 
• Next, allow time for the first coat to fully dry. It says two hours but I typically wait at least twelve hours. Apply your second coat in the same manner as the first, working quickly to apply paint and dapple. You do not want to overwork any one area or paint may come off. If this happens, allow the area to fully dry before repainting. 
• For this piece I only had to apply two coats of paint. Lighter colors may require 3 or more coats of paint. Once the final coat of paint has dried completely, again I’d wait another 12 hours, add hardware and doors. 
• For this piece I also added this peel and stick wallpaper to the inside back wall of the china cabinet.

I replaced the hardware with these brushed gold knobs. 

I hope this little tutorial helps you complete your project and reassures you that you can refinish furniture quickly and beautifully. 

Now I’ve got to figure out what I want to put in here. It will be nice to free up some space in my kitchen cabinets and I may take my wedding china out of hiding and actually use it. 

Feel free to post comments or questions. 

Quarantine Baking: Chocolate Cherry Blondies

It feels like we’re on day 649 of quarantine, and I have no idea what day or month it is. Everyday just seems to blend into one reoccurring day. Like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, I am living the same day over and over, the only difference is time is passing. While it feels like it should still be March, half the year has passed. How is it July already?

Well now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, how are y’all handling our current predicament? 

Me and my boys, the hubs included, are getting lots of bonding time so there have been lots of board games and a little too much tv. The other day Emmett mentioned that he wanted to take a cooking class and I jumped at the opportunity to take him up on this. We knew we wanted something sweet with basic ingredients that was simple enough that an 8 year old could make it. I searched Pinterest and came across this recipe from Averie Cooks for Chocolate Chip Cherry Bars. Her recipe was easy to throw together and the outcome is delicious. I added pecans and definitely recommend doing so if you have any on hand. This is a great base recipe so you could add any in number of things such as shredded coconut or any nuts you prefer. I used fresh cherries and think they work best as frozen may result in a soggier blondie. Emmett favorite part was shooting the pits out of the cherries using this pitter.

 

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BLONDIES

      Ingredients

• 
  

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
  • 3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup, cherries, pitted and halved (fresh is recommended)
  • Instructions
    Preheat oven to 350F. Prep an 8-by-8-inch pan (or loaf pan, mine is 5-by-8-inch) with nonstick cooking spray. 
    Stir melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add egg and vanilla to sugar butter mixture and stir until well combined.  
    Next, add in the flour and salt, stir until just combined. It will be thick like cookie dough. 
    Fold in chocolate chips, cherries, and pecans into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until edges begin to slightly pull away from sides of pan and center.  
  
  
  While it may be very difficult to wait, allow bars to cool before slicing. Store in an airtight container.
•  
  
  
  These blondies are delicious on their own, but serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla icecream a la mode to really take them to the next level. 
  
  
  
  
  Let me know if you make these and what you think. I hope you all stay healthy and enjoy this time with your family. While it may seem stressful, we are building memories with our kids that they will treasure for a lifetime. They won’t care about the shows they watched but they will remember the experiences you created and time spent together.