Creamy peach pie
Lovina Eicher
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Our thoughts are in Holmes County, Ohio, as today the funeral is being held for Joe’s 58-year-old Aunt Ruth. We regret that we were unable to attend. Our thoughts and sympathy, though, are directed that way this morning. Again, such an event is a reminder to us that God is in control. We do not know what lies ahead in the unknown future but with God as our guide it is easier to go on.
Daughter Elizabeth is at Jacob and Emma’s helping out still. She plans to come home tonight, which we are all excited about. We miss her here at home, although I was glad to let her help Emma after the birth of her new baby boy. Our children love to visit baby Steven and would love to be there with him all the time.
Editor’s Update: after Lovina wrote and mailed in this column, her nine-year-old daughter, Verena, took a nasty fall while playing outside at Emma’s. She spent a night in the hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion and fractured sinus. Verena was released from the hospital but further tests and doctors visits are planned.
Daughter Susan and I made a big batch of homemade salsa this afternoon. We also made some hot sauce. Then we made a batch of peach jam. Susan also made a peach cobbler to go along with our supper tonight.
The “Quik Chef” from Tupperware really helped in chopping all the vegetables for our salsa. We had run out of our salsa so I was glad to have some more. I would like to make quite a few more batches. It’s great to stock up for the winter, which will be here before we know it.
I also need to process more homemade “V-8 juice.” We enjoy that for breakfast. I put in jalapeno for a spicier flavor.
We have had rain everyday this week. We are so thankful for it because it is much needed. Everything was looking so dry. Now our grass looks greener. Also our hay field looks more promising for a third cutting of hay. Hay seems scarce this year because of the dry weather. Garden plants are doing better. They had been withering in the hot sun and from the dryness.
Another finch has a nest in one of my hanging wave petunia plants on my porch. The four little birdies hatched a couple of days ago. The finch must think my porch flowers are a good, safe place for their nests.
With the canning season starting I need to make a trip into town for canning supplies. I did 11 quarts of dill pickles and some hot peppers yesterday. Now I’d like to do red beets once the garden dries up. We dug up most of our potatoes before the rain but still have a few to dig up yet. We didn’t get a very good crop this year.
Try this recipe to use up some of those fresh peaches this time of year:
CREAMY PEACH PIE
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups half and half
6-8 cups fresh, sliced peaches or 1 (29-ounce can) sliced peaches, drained
1 9 1/2 inch pie shell
Combine sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon. Blend. Add to peaches and toss to coat. Add half and half and mix. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until it sets. Cool completely. Apples can also be substituted for peaches.
FREE COOKBOOK SPECIAL: The: “Best of The Amish Cook, Vol. 1,” "Best of The Amish Cook, Vol. 2,” “The Amish Cook Treasury” and “The Amish Cook’s Family Favorites.” Each book is approximately 200 pages and contains plenty of recipes and stories. The set of four can be purchased for a sale price of $65 (regularly $100). Additional sets cost $50. Special offer ends Sept. 1 and all past and current orders will be filled by Sept. 15. Send order to: Oasis Newsfeatures, P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, OH, 45042 or call toll-free (877) 583-2059. All books are packed with facts, stories and tidbits about Amish life, along with many recipes. In appreciation to readers for their support through the years, anyone who orders a full set of cookbooks will receive, via FedEx, a free copy of “The Amish Cook Family,” a colorful, photo-filled coffeetable cookbook, which will be released in late fall 2007. Anyone with questions can contact Amish Cook editor Kevin Williams directly at kwilliams@oasisnewsfeatures.com