Excellent Summer Breakfast

At one point I read an article in a magazine on a typical Turkish breakfast.  This consists of Turkish coffee, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, bread, honey and cheese.  Sounded great to me, so it has become one of our favorite breakfasts during the week.  I say we, I mean Eliza, CJ, and me, NOT Rich, as there is no meat.

I mixed some chopped cucumbers and several varieties of tomatoes with good black olives, a little olive oil, and some Penzey's Turkish seasoning.  I gave us each a nice size chunk of really good feta, and I put homemade honey butter on hot fresh gluten free flatbread I make based on this recipe: KAF Gluten Free Matzoh  I used to make it with whole wheat naan, but this is a nice quick substitute that I can safely eat.  We have also made flatbreads and used them for pizza for a quick lunch, also tasty.  I love that this breakfast is full of veggies, and that the kids think it is great.  I love how fast it is to put together, and that it is a healthy way to start the day.  Most of all, it just takes so good.

Vanilla Extracts!

Long time coming but I'm finally trying my hand at making vanilla extract!

I made two bottles, one 8oz (about a cup) and one 4oz (about 1/2 cup)

I sliced the vanilla open lengthwise, leaving about 1 inch uncut on either end. Put the vanilla beans in the bottles first, (5) per 1 cup of bourbon or vodka is the general ratio. (I used (2) for my 1/2 cup bottle). Fill the bottles 95% full with the alcohol and shake well. Shake every few days for about 6-8 weeks, and they should be ready. (When they are ready you will smell more vanilla than alcohol when you do a sniff test). You can use and top off these bottles for about six months!

Peach Cobbler

We have had a lot of great fresh fruit around lately, and peaches always make me think of cobbler.  The other day I taught Rich to bake it.  Mind you, he is not a baker at all, so he was quite proud of this, and all of us enjoyed it immensely.  

 We used 8 peaches, and some black raspberries we found growing wild at my parents' house.  Toss with about 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp apple pie spice and splash of vanilla.

For the topping melt 1/4 cup butter, and mix in 3/4 c milk mixed with 1 tsp vanilla, an egg, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup baking mix, I used KAF gluten free.  You can use any mix of flour that has leavening in it, even Bisquick works here.  

 
 Mix it up till it is pourable and looks well mixed, like pancake batter.

 Pour over prepared fruit.

 Bake for 45 minutes at 375, and try not to drool while it cools.  So yummy!

Peach Cobbler, based on a KAF recipe found here:  King Arthur Flour GF Peach Cobbler

Preheat oven to 375.

8 large peaches peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups black raspberries

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp apple pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

splash vanilla extract

Mix and pour into a large cake pan, or deep dish pie plate. 

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup baking mix of choice

Mix well and pour over fruit.  Bake 45 minutes and enjoy warm!