Peach Plates Proper

Five colossal peaches and three recipes made a dinner entree, dessert and breakfast sandwich like no other.  Peach Barbecued Chicken Breasts, Peach & Blueberry Graham Cake and Grilled Peach Mozzarella Sandwich all were tasty August treats.  The peaches are from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, purchased at a nearby farm store. 

The chicken recipe is from Clean Eating Magazine.  I followed the recipe closely, skipping the salt.  For the 2 of us, I grilled only one chicken breast, then sliced after cooking with an electric knife.  I cut the BBQ sauce recipe in half.  Our dinner included the chicken with red, white and blue potato salad on the side. 

Breakfast was just as yummy with this Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Sandwich.  While this would have been great with most cheeses, fresh mozzarella is what I have on hand and never disappoints.  Five ingredients and not much more than five minutes is all the prep time I needed.  Here's my recipe:

Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Sandwich

(Serves 1)

1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2 slices Multigrain Tuscan Bread (this is a whole grain bread sold in Giant Eagle bakery)
1 ounce shaved fresh mozzarella
4 sprigs of fresh basil (from my container garden)
6 slices fresh peach, peeling intact

Melt the buttery spread on 1 side of a pre-heated stove-top iron grill. 
Place one slice of bread in the melted spread.
Top with cheese, peach slices and basil sprigs.
Place second slice of bread on top.  Add any melted buttery spread still visible in the pan to the top of the sandwich. (I used a pastry brush) Grilled on one side, turn and grill on the other side.  

Grilling the sandwich in this stove-top iron grill pan makes a crispy sandwich.  It's the same pan I used to grill the peaches and the chicken in last night's dinner.

 
I'll finish with a food story and dessert.  My husband gave our neighbors' adult son a ride last week.  The next day, Johnny showed up at the back door with a casserole dish of goulash he had just made.  The sweet young man did a great job (in many ways).  When I washed their casserole dish, I'd hoped to return it with one of my creations.  Traditional size dessert recipes are just too big for Bob and I to finish, so dessert is what I made.  The recipe was inspired by Food and Wine Magazine.   I made mine in the oven, cut the streusel and batter amounts and added even more fruit.  As with most recipes, I used more whole grains, less refined sugar and fats.  Our dessert (baked in the small dish) was delicious.  I'm hoping the neighbors dessert was equally as good!

 Peach & Blueberry Graham Cake

(Serves 12)

Streusel
In a small food processor, process crackers, flour, sugar and spread until crumbly.  Refrigerate.
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (I processed 3 full graham cracker slabs to get this amount)
11/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoon brown sugar
5 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Fruit
Mix juice, cornstarch and fruit.  Divide and place in the bottom of greased pans.  (I use an olive oil spray to grease the pans)
3 colossal peaches, peeled and sliced
1 pint blueberries
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cake Batter
Beat eggs, honey and sugars in electric mixer bowl.
3 eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, flours, cracker crumbs and powder).
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
5 1/4 tablespoon graham cracker crumbs (I processed 2 full graham crackers to this)
1 1/3 teaspoon baking powder

In a measuring cup, mix liquid ingredients, applesauce, milk, juice, oil and extract.
1 4-ounce container unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup skim milk
2 teaspoon lemon juice
3 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Alternately add dry ingredients and liquid ingredients to the mixing bowl, stirring just to combine.  (Do not over mix)

Pour batter over fruit in prepared pans.

Crumble streusel over tops.

Because my pans were not the same height-I baked the deep dish longer.  To start, I covered the deep dish with foil to prevent the top from browning quickly.  
Bake at 375 F. for 30 minutes.  
Decrease heat to 325 F.  Place foil from deep dish on top of small dish.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove small baking dish and cool on rack.
Decrease heat to 300 F.  Bake larger cake for 30 additional minutes.

Total baking time for small baking pan:  45 minutes.
Total baking time for high baking pan:  1 hour 15 minutes.

When my husband delivered the still warm cake to the neighbor, the Mom picked a large yellow squash from their garden and sent home.  Sharing is the best part of cooking!