Summer Peach Crisp...

...with Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce

About a month ago, the aroma of peaches grabbed a hold of me at the grocery story and I knew immediately I was hungry for a peach crisp. Of course the cold storage peaches we get here are nothing like what I remember as a kid, spending time vacationing in Pennsylvania with my grandparents and picking peaches right off the tree. Nothing beats a fresh picked peach and I'm lucky enough to have eaten the difference!

But, one does what she can with what she's got.

 I scoured Pinterest for a basic crisp recipe and found it 

here at Lollyjane ...

...and while I'm sure this recipe can stand on it's own, baking is about being expressive and creative and I wanted to play with some flavors that were swirling around in my head. 

I chose to add ginger and fresh nutmeg. Before I put the crumble on I give a few twists of cracked pepper to the peaches. Crazy I know-but I swear it works. I always keep a tube of Ginger paste from Gourmet Garden in my fridge along with fresh whole nutmeg. I always use Saigon cinnamon because it contains essential oil and has a more distinct flavor.

I can eat tiny, tiny, teenny amounts of gluten but this crisp is not that tiny amount I can eat. I paid for my foolishness for two days so I tweaked the crisp part for us gluten peeps!

gluten free 

I got up early this morning to bake the gf crisp before the sun came up and 150 degrees outside!

** I added another 1/2 peach to the recipe amount to fit my 8" cast iron.

gluten free

Lets talk about this sauce!

Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce

from HERE at Serious Eats. 

Austin told me to add 2 more TBSPs of whisky without changing the ratio of anything else and I really wish I would have listened him!

It just takes the crisp to a whole new dimension!

gluten free

Hopefully you can still find peaches to try this. If you make it, I'd love to hear about it.

Summer Peach Crisp 

Serves 4

For the Fruit

2 heaping cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

 2 TBSP cornstarch

3/4 tsp fresh ginger

fresh nutmeg, to taste

a couple of turns of cracked black pepper

For the Topping

4 TBSP butter, melted

3/4 cup all purpose flour  

(1/2 c gf oats, ground, 1/4 cup + 1 TBSP gf all purpose flour)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

scant 3 TBSP granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350*

In a medium bowl mix together ingredients for the fruit. 

Spoon fruit into four standard ramekins that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. 

(or 8" cast iron skillet see ** above)

In the same bowl mix together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Add in melted butter and mix with a fork. Mixture will not be completely wet but more sandy in texture. (It should clump together if you squeeze it) (The gluten free topping will be completely wet)

Sprinkle mixture over the fruit. Leave some larger clumps so it stays crisper while baking.

Place ramekins onto a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until topping is lightly golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Cool for a bout 15 minutes before serving.

Hope this crisp hits the spot as summer sends down. Shoot me an email if you have any questions!

Happy (summer days) shooting!

xo

Kelly

Hello...

...August

8.1.17

I sat with my coffee at the kitchen table this morning, staring out the window, waiting for the sun to come out, quickly realizing that it most likely would not make her predictable appearance. There was an odd shift in the weather, gray, overcast skies. Thick, warm air that makes you work for a breath seemed stale and still. Whatever it was seemed to matched my mood. My usually quiet insides were screaming (and still are although better) to make time slow down and not let summer end. 

It happens every August 1, when I flip the calendar and see "1st day of instruction." This year, it's worse only it shouldn't because once I get going it's 180 days of "lasts." My last first day, my last group of kids, my last winter and spring break, my last last day of school. This past school year was tulmultuious at best and things haven't quite settled yet so I know that's part of it. Rotten & underserving things have happened to co-workers that have completely unnerved me and I know that's part of it too. 

It's the shift from laissez-faire days to waking up to an alarm clock that has me feeling like a kicking and screaming child that wants her way to play a little longer. The littlest, quiet part of me is telling me that this too is a "last", take a breath and count my blessings.

I need to trust the process and tell myself over and over and over again, that everything is happening exactly the way it is suppose to. 

Honest to goodness...right now...looking out that same window as this morning, a rainbow has appeared over the valley. 

So, this is where I stand on this first day of August...shifting with the weather, a belly full of butterflies waiting for optimism that I expect of myself to return, looking for balance through it all.

How do you take shifts in your life? Do you journal, paint, clean, exercise? 

Please share, I'd love to hear.

Happy (August) shooting!

xo

Kelly