Bottled Peaches 2009

Aren't these BEAUTIFUL!?! I just wanted to show off some of the peaches I bottled this year.

If I remember correctly, these are a peach variety called Flame Crest. They are tasty and pretty - all in one. And they canned up nicely, too. I was impressed with this variety.

I also did a variety called Diamond Princess this year. It was a new variety to me, but it was a decent canner.

Would you like to know the hardest part about canning this year? I barely found time to do it between running a fruit stand and a household. Note for next year: Hire someone to run the fruit stand for a few days during the week.

Peaches are here - make pie filling

I have talked about peaches and peach pie filling to several people lately and some of them really want my peach pie filling recipe... so here is where you go (on this blog) to get the recipe:

Peach Pie Filling with Recipe

(And a picture to entice you)

Try it - it is so incredibly yummy. It is usually the first to go when I make it into a crisp or anything and take it anywhere. It is sweet, but not too sweet.

By the way, for those really interested in peach varieties, I used summer ladies in this recipe last year.

Peach Pie Filling Recipe

I've had enough requests to share my recipe. Rather than email to those who really care, I'm just going to blog it.

Before we start, there is one thing you need to know: there are two recipes here - one to make 1 quart of filling (1 pie/cobbler/whatever) and then to make 7 quarts. You just need to choose if you are going to can 7 quarts and enjoy the pie filling later, or if you just need enough to make a killer dessert tonight. Ready?

Ingredients and quantities needed for 7 quarts (canning load):
Sliced fresh peaches 6 qts
Granulated sugar 7 cups
Clear Jel 2 cups
Cold water 8 cups
Cinnamon (optional) 1 tsp.
Almond extract (optional, but YUMMY) 1 tsp.
Bottled lemon juice 1 & 3/4 cups

Now, ingredients for 1 quart:
Sliced fresh peaches 3 & 1/2 cups
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Clear Jel 1/4 cup
Cold water 3/4 cup
Cinnamon (optional) 1/8 tsp.
Almond extract (optional, but YUMMY) 1/8 tsp.
Bottled lemon juice 1/4 cup

Instructions:
Select ripe, but firm peaches. Peel peaches - to loosen skin, submerge peaches in boiling water for approximately 30-60 seconds, then place in cold water for 20 seconds. Slip off skins and prepare slices 1/2 inch thick.
For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a time1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch 1 minute afte rthe water returns to a boil. Drain, but keep heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot.
Combine water, sugar, Clear Jel, and, if desired, cinnamon and/or almond extract in a large kettle. Stir and cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens and begin to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil sauce 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Fold in drained peach slices and continue to heat mixture for 3 minutes. Fill jars without delay, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process immediately.
Recommended process time for peach pie filling in a boiling water canner: 40 minutes.

I got this recipe from my mom.

IMPORTANT VARIATION NOTE AND CONFESSION:
I just made this recipe for the one quart to make a "fresh" peach crisp. It is divine! I used way more peaches than it called for in the 1 quart recipe, and I didn't boil them before combining them with the sauce. I just heated them with the sauce after it was thickened. It turned out wonderfully. I feel guilty eating almost the entire thing! =)

Pretty Peaches Direct from Idaho

In an earlier post, I talked about going to the Boise area to get peaches and pears. Well, we've ended up going 3 times, plus trucking some in. The response has been amazing! We can hardly keep them in stock.

The fruit is beautiful and it has been a long time since I have had such sweet, wonderful fruit. I'm hooked. And I still have some more to do.

This first picture is of our garage after our first run to Boise. We were amazed how much we had here in our garage. And it was gone in a flash - with people anxiously picking up their fruit.

Peaches - closer up. I've learned a lot about later variety peaches this year. I've enjoyed all of them - Red Globes, J.H. Hales, Summer Ladies, and Elbertas have been our most favorites.

These are the Red Globes. I had my cousin over and we bottled 77 jars in one day - with 4 kids running around us. Talk about a marathon! We were worn out when we were done.

I tried peach pie filling this year. It is tasty! I used the Summer Ladies for this one and am glad I did. They were just right - firm, pretty and really tasty sweet. I'm drooling thinking about it. (Need the recipe? Email me and I'll send it to you revealing my secret ingredient(s).)
This is not the best picture (not clear at all) but I think you can tell the color difference between the Red Globe and these Summer Ladies. They have just a little more color to them.
I love peach season - especially when I can get inexpensive fruit and then also help my friends and neighbors get some, too. It has been a fun adventure.

We are talking about doing it more next year. (Getting more fruit.) So, if you missed out, plan on getting in on the action next year. (Unless you let me know soon - we are getting one more shipment together before we start potato harvest.)