Peach Muffins With Cinnamon-Nut Streusel

Family has been on my mind a lot lately, specifically, my mom. I found an old picture that my Dad sent to me a while back of my mom and I when I was just a little Bean, and it, along with some other life events, have had me thinking of her. This is not to say, I don't think of her and her absence every day of my life, but lately, it's been very near to the surface.

A lot of it also has to do with my little boy who is turning into a toddler.  I so wish she were here to see him, love on him, and spoil him. Admittedly, I also wish she were here to help us out from time to time.

As summer arrives, I begin seeing pictures of my friends and their kids joined by their parents on trips to the beach, and I am green with envy.  I know my little Nation of Three will never have a lot of these same experiences that I see in the pictures, but I try tell myself that we are so lucky to have many, many people that love us.  That the love of these people will at least, partially fill the hole that is left in our lives by the absence of both mine and Ryan's mothers.

I try not to let that ugly green monster take over, especially on weekends such as this one when I have been so blessed with gifts all around me.  Although my little man is going through what seems to be the early onset of the terrible twos, I have received quite the bounty of happiness to distract me from little hitting hands and temper tantrums.

A new life has entered the world as one of my closest friends gave birth to her little peanut on Friday morning.  When I went to visit, I held that new little life in my arms, and for the first time since I had my own baby, I knew I was looking into a face that I would look into for the rest of of my life.  What a gift friendship can be.  What a joyous gift.

My hubs and I also spent time with some wonderful friends that just so happen to live next door, and have awesome friends that we have adopted, and who have adopted us.  The fact that we live next door to people that already feel like family to us after only three years in our community is a huge blessing.

Another gift I received this week was the gift of food.  After some slightly obvious hints on my part, a co-worker of mine brought me the gift of fresh eggs from his chickens.  I know it may sound silly to some, but to me, it was such a cool gift because I had never tasted fresh eggs before.  What else could I do on an emotional weekend like this one, but to bake one of mom's recipes using some of the beautiful eggs that were given to me?  So, I pulled out one of mom's recipes, dusted it off, and gave it a whirl. 

It was perfect timing to find mom's Peach Muffin recipe because the first fresh peaches of the year have  ripened and are on the shelves here in the Carolinas.  I admit, I made a couple of alterations along the way, but for the most part, this is the same recipe that mom wrote down on that old card so many years ago.

Ingredients & Instructions

Muffin Mix:

1 ¾ C. Flour

2 Tbsp. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon (½ tsp. for muffin mix, ½ tsp. for baking peaches)

1 tsp. Fresh Grated Nutmeg  (½ tsp. for muffin mix, ½ tsp. for baking peaches)

2 tsp. Lemon Zest

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 egg (beaten)

½ C. Corn Oil

1/3 C. Milk

½ C. Baked Pureed Peaches (approximately 3 peaches)

½ C. Finely Diced Peaches (approximately 3 peaches)

Streusel Topping:

½ C. Flour

¼ C. Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Cinnamon

3 Tbsp. Cold Butter

2-3 Tbsp. Pecans (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice 3-4 Fresh Peaches, sprinkle with ½ tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp nutmeg and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and puree.

Spray 12 muffin pans or place baking cups in muffin tray.  Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.  In separate bowl, mix oil, milk, pureed peaches, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Add dry ingredients to wet and blend until just mixed.  Fold in diced peaches.

Meanwhile, combine streusel ingredients in another bowl using a pastry blender until it has the consistency of wet sand.

Fill muffin cups with muffin mix 2/3 full and top each with a generous spoonful of streusel.  Bake for 20 minutes, cool, and enjoy.  Refrigerate in airtight container.

Vanilla Extract

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about patience and perseverance.  These two traits have often eluded me in life, but as a mother, I am trying to adopt and embrace them more and more, not only for my own sanity, but so that I can be a good role model to my son.  I often think on these two words as I am on my nightly run.  I started to run regularly about 2 ½ months ago and although I feel fantastic, I often find myself expecting and wanting more.  I ask myself, “why can’t I run farther, faster”, “where is my endurance and perseverance”?

Over the last months I have made small strides towards being a better runner, but I always seem to feel let down that I didn’t run 5, 6, 10 miles. 

This last week, I decided to start giving myself a break.  I’m almost 40.  Later this year, I will be 40 YEARS OLD!  I was 16 when my mom turned 40 and my son will only be 2 as I pass into this fourth decade of my life, but I can run.  I can probably outrun many 20 year olds.  I WILL be able to keep up with my son as he grows into a toddler and beyond.  I won’t give up!  It may take me a little longer than it would have 10 or 20 years ago to persevere beyond the 3 mile marker, the 7 mile marker, dare I say, a 10 mile marker, but I will do it.  I have the patience now that I did not have twenty years ago. 

I can run.

That said, in thinking about patience, I began a batch of vanilla extract.  I thought it would be a nice gift to have on hand for Christmas this year (my 40^th Christmas), not to mention, good vanilla extract is EXPENSIVE!  It may take a little time for me to see the fruits of this small labor, but I have the patience.

I can make extract.

Just a quick note, vanilla extract can be made with vodka, rum, or bourbon.  I decided to go with vodka this time around, but I do plan to play around with other alcohol bases in the coming months. You can also use any variety of vanilla bean.  I am using Tahitian and Madagascar beans but there are MANY types out there so experiment and have fun with it.  I plan to make lemon and orange extracts in the coming months as well which I will post as I get to them.

To be unbelievably cliché, patience is a virtue, and good things come to those who wait, sooooo let there be extract!

 

Ingredients and Instructions

1 C. Vodka (I used an 80 Proof Mid-Grade Vodka)
3-4 Vanilla Beans (split down ¾ of the bean with a knife)
Clean Glass Bottle (I am using a dark brown beer-type bottle with swing-top lid)

Pour 1C. of vodka per 3-4 vanilla beans into your clean glass bottle.  Place bottle/bottles into a cool, dry place for 3-6 months shaking the bottle up once every week or two.

Orange Chicken & Snow Peas

My mom and her boyfriend used to take my brother and I out for Chinese a lot when we were kids.  I remember that mom and I would almost always share the Mu-Shu Pork.  I will never forget those little wraps stuffed with pork, mushrooms, and the Plum Sauce, ohhhh, the Plum Sauce.  As a little girl, I didn’t know what the sauce was called, and I certainly didn’t know there were mushrooms hidden in that sweet and tangy little wrap, but I loved them.  Those memories, along with my mother’s love for cooking Asian food has sealed the deal for me.  Whether it be Chinese, Thai, or Indian food, I love it all.  The depth of flavors, the textures, the sticky rice or rice noodles, and the egg rolls.  The curries, the ginger, crunch of water chestnuts, all of it is so wonderfully satisfying.

My mother had a huge electric wok that she used to make stir fry in.  I had it for a few years after she passed, but unfortunately, it got lost in one of my many moves, so nowadays, I use a wok shaped pan that works just great! 

I normally make this orange dish with boneless pork chops and edamame over rice noodles, but for some reason, I just felt like chicken and snow peas the other night, so I changed things up a bit.  I’ve been making a lot of recipes lately that include ginger, and as I minced a large grainy chunk of it to make this recipe, I decided that its aroma is definitely one of my favorite things in life.  The spicy citrus scent is intoxicating and makes my mind wander to places that are exotic and green and beachy.  I’m not sure who the first person was that saw beyond ginger’s woody exterior through to the sweet, pungent soft interior, but props to that guy!

Ingredients and Instructions

2-3 Large Boneless Chicken Breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)
½ C. Corn Starch
2 Large Eggs (beaten)
1 C. Orange Marmalade
½ C. Chicken Broth
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Tbsp. Ginger (minced)
½ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tbsp. Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1/4 C. Peanut Oil
2 C. Snow Peas (strings removed)
Chopped Green Onions for Garnish (optional)
Sesame Seeds for Garnish (optional)
Jasmine Rice In a small mixing bowl add marmalade, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and soy sauce and whisk to blend.  Allow to sit for an hour or so for flavors to marry.

Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large sauté pan on medium heat.  When a droplet of water sizzles in the oil, it is ready.  Drop chicken pieces first into the egg mixture and then dredge in the corn starch to coat.  In batches, fry the chicken in the peanut oil about 2 minutes and then flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Set cooked chicken aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.  Carefully dump oil from wok leaving just a few droplets of oil and return to heat.  Add snow peas to wok and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the marmalade mixture and chicken to the wok with the snow peas and heat for just a few minutes  Serve over Jasmine rice garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Spicy Sweet Rosemary Chops

I make these pork chops whenever I am in a pinch for something super easy and super delicious for dinner.  I tend to serve them with my neighbor’s roasted potatoes since they both include rosemary as ingredients, and since my neighbor’s potatoes are “DELISH” as she would say. 

I adore Rosemary!  She does come in second to my first love, Basil, but it’s such a close competition that it’s hard to admit that she takes the silver.  My sweet little Rosemary plants work hard for their status! They always have some edible green to give forth, even in the dead of winter, even when there is a rare sighting of snow here in the south, my tough little woody ladies always have something for me to snip and savor. 

Ingredients & Instructions

3-4 Boneless Center Loin Pork Chops

Rub:
1-2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary (minced)
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
½ tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Paprika
¼ tsp. Chili Powder

¼ tsp. Cayenne
½ tsp. Garlic Salt
¼ tsp. Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pork should be around room temp when preparing to sear. 

Place a pan over high heat and allow it to become very hot for the sear.  Mix all rub ingredients in a small bowl and then coat the pork chops rubbing the mixture into the meat.  Place the pork chops in the hot pan and allow to sear for 2 minutes per side.  Place the pork chops on a baking pan and roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes depending on how thick your pork chops are.

PBCC Granola Bars (Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip)

I like to pack a lot of food when I go on trips with my boys, whether it be to the mountains, the beach, or even just a park outing.  Snacks can save your sanity on excursions  with little ones.  Food always takes my little man's mind off of the boring car ride, or a bad case of the “sleepies”.  As a mom, I always have a snack on hand.  I can’t tell you how many times I have reached into my purse at work, looking for a pen or my checkbook, and came up with a bag full of nuts or a granola bar. 

Planning ahead and packing snacks and meals for vacations can save time and money that would otherwise be spent searching for a halfway decent restaurant or store.  When you are on vacation, it's all about time spent together, right?  Having food and snacks on hand means getting to your destination more quickly, or getting out there onto the beach, or up and out onto your mountain hike.  Plus, it can be a much healthier alternative to the "food" and "snacks" sold at most restaurants and gas stations.   

Granted, if you are staying at a hotel, it can be more difficult to take a full meal, but if you have an in-room mini-fridge, there’s plenty of room for snacks and drinks. 

I made these granola bars for our beach trip last week as one of our snack options, and they were a huge hit!  We snacked on them during our trip, between meals, and my son had them with fruit in the morning for breakfast and loved it! 

Ingredients & Instructions

 
1/3 C. Honey
¼ C. Maple Syrup

1 C. Natural Peanut Butter
½ Tsp. Cinnamon
¾ Tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
¼ C. Sunflower Seeds
2 ½ C. Oats
½ C. Roasted Cashews (chopped)
¼ C. Dried, Unsweetened Coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together the honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl.  Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until oats are thoroughly coated.  Dump granola mixture into a parchment lined 9x9 baking pan.  Using your clean hand utensils, push the mixture tightly into the pan making sure to evenly distribute.  Bake for 25-30 minutes and then place in freezer to cool for at least an hour or two.

PBCC Granola Bars (Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip)

I like to pack a lot of food when I go on trips with my boys, whether it be to the mountains, the beach, or even just a park outing.  Snacks can save your sanity on excursions  with little ones.  Food always takes my little man's mind off of the boring car ride, or a bad case of the “sleepies”.  As a mom, I always have a snack on hand.  I can’t tell you how many times I have reached into my purse at work, looking for a pen or my checkbook, and came up with a bag full of nuts or a granola bar. 

Planning ahead and packing snacks and meals for vacations can save time and money that would otherwise be spent searching for a halfway decent restaurant or store.  When you are on vacation, it's all about time spent together, right?  Having food and snacks on hand means getting to your destination more quickly, or getting out there onto the beach, or up and out onto your mountain hike.  Plus, it can be a much healthier alternative to the "food" and "snacks" sold at most restaurants and gas stations.   

Granted, if you are staying at a hotel, it can be more difficult to take a full meal, but if you have an in-room mini-fridge, there’s plenty of room for snacks and drinks. 

I made these granola bars for our beach trip last week as one of our snack options, and they were a huge hit!  We snacked on them during our trip, between meals, and my son had them with fruit in the morning for breakfast and loved it! 

Ingredients & Instructions

 
1/3 C. Honey
¼ C. Maple Syrup

1 C. Natural Peanut Butter
½ Tsp. Cinnamon
¾ Tsp. Vanilla Extract
½ C. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
¼ C. Sunflower Seeds
2 ½ C. Oats
½ C. Roasted Cashews (chopped)
¼ C. Dried, Unsweetened Coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together the honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl.  Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until oats are thoroughly coated.  Dump granola mixture into a parchment lined 9x9 baking pan.  Using your clean hand utensils, push the mixture tightly into the pan making sure to evenly distribute.  Bake for 25-30 minutes and then place in freezer to cool for at least an hour or two.

Shrimp & Goat Cheese Flatbreads

This recipe is a mash-up of Giada’s Stuffed Pork Chop recipe and a shrimp flatbread appetizer that I used to order back in the day at an Italian joint owned by one of my old friends called “The Metro Grille”.  I actually just happened across Giada’s recipe a few years back when searching randomly for good dinner ideas.  When I tasted the filling for the chops, it brought back memories of the DELISH “shrimp flatbreads” I had eaten at Metro Grille years before (minus the shrimp obviously).  I never got that old recipe from my friend for those pizzas back at Metro, but I am pretty sure this has to be close (sans the usage of Kalamata olives, which I am positive were on his flatbreads).  I added Kalmata olives a few times, but both my hubby and I decided we liked it better without.  Granted, if you enjoy olives, throw some into the spinach-cheese mixture.

 

Ingredients & Instructions:

15 Cooked, Cleaned, Tail Off, Shrimp (cut in half)
4 Whole Wheat Flatbreads
2 C Marinara Sauce
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2-3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
3 Handfuls of Fresh Baby Spinach
½ Tsp. Dried Thyme
2 Oz. Goat Cheese
4 Oz. Cream Cheese
½ C Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil (chopped)
1-2 C Mozzarella Cheese (grated or fresh sliced from the ball)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place flatbreads into the oven on the rack to bake for 5-10 minutes or until they become just slightly hardened.

In a medium sized mixing bowl place the goat cheese and cream cheese. 

Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat.  Once oil is heated add garlic, thyme, and sun dried tomatoes and cook until garlic becomes fragrant (I often will add a little red pepper flakes for kick, but this is not necessary).  Add spinach to the sauté pan along with a pinch of salt and pepper and wilt.   Once spinach is wilted, add the warm spinach mixture to the cheeses and mix until blended and smooth.

Slather the cheese mixture onto the flatbreads and dollop with marinara.  Top with pieces of shrimp and then the mozzarella.  Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!