Quick Peach Crisp

The calendar may not say it's summer yet, but here in the South {Florida, specifically} it sure is feeling like it!  Being a major foodie, one of my favorite parts of summer is the flavors!! ; )

This past week, we excitedly cut into our first watermelon of the year, and arrived home from a beach day on Monday to find a surprise waiting for us on our doorstep!  One of my favorite flavors of the season happens to be peaches......and I am convinced that there ain't nothin' quite as sweet as a juicy Georgia peach!!!  With family in The Peach State, I've got connections and get them straight from the packing shed every summer.  My mom was coming home on Memorial Day from a weekend visit with my Granny and delivered a huge box! =)

If you live within driving distance or happen to be passing through close enough to Musella, GA, you should consider making a pit stop at Dickey Farms, visiting their packing shed or shop and picking some up!  Trust me.  They grow the BEST peaches and have been doing it since 1897!!  Visit their website for lots of interesting facts and tons of recipes as well!

We've been going to town on these peaches all week, but I spotted several that needed to be used ASAP.  I whipped up a double batch of Quick Peach Crisp because I will never, ever let a precious peach be wasted if I can help it! ; )  You can use another type of fruit if you don't have peaches {or, (gasp!!!!) if you don't like them}.  As always, I'm posting the original recipe with my whole grain substitutions in parenthesis.  Alas, no picture for you.....I took it out of the oven as I was leaving for my Thursday evening choir rehearsal and it was not picture-worthy the next time I saw it!  Greedy little beggars.......but I gotta love 'em! =)

Quick Peach (Fruit) Crisp

4-5 cups sliced fresh apples, peaches or pears 

 Tbsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (or freshly ground soft wheat or oat groats)

1/2 cups regular oats, uncooked

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Dash of salt

1/3 cup butter or margarine

Vanilla ice cream (opt)

Place fruit in a lightly greased 8-in. square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice.  Combine sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and salt; cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle crumb mixture over fruit.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is browned.  Serve with ice cream, if desired. 

Yield: 6 servings {haha! not in this house ; ) }

**When I double this, as I usually do, I often lower the fat by not doubling the butter.  If your fruit is very juicy (like my peaches were), the juice from the fruit makes up the difference in the moisture content.  I feel less guilty with less butter, and it's still oh-so-yummy!  We want-to-be-healthy-but-really-like-to-enjoy-our-food people have to use all the tricks we can find! ; )

Speaking of Summer, make sure to stop by and visit me every Monday beginning June 6 ~ Sept. 7.  I am so excited to have been asked to collaborate along with

 Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom,

Ann at Harvest Moon by Hand,

Tiffany at Sweet Phenomena  

and our host, Nicole at Mama to 4 Blessings' "Fun in the Summer Sun" Blog event! 

We'll be posting some super fun summer activities that our families enjoy, crafts, recipes & keeping it cool in the summer heat tips and ideas! ; )

Tasty Thursday