Emergency preparedness: Peaches, Peaches, Everywhere

This week I spoke with a group of Relief Society sisters who had asked me to help them kick-start their food storage efforts. There were many questions about where to store foods, what to buy, how to store and more. However, the question I have heard the most frequently over the years has followed the statement, “we only eat fresh fruits and vegetables”. I always respond by pointing out that fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a well-rounded food storage plan. The question then becomes, how do I rotate them if we don’t eat them?

The simple answer to this question is to become more creative with your recipes. To help you get stared the following are a few of my favorites.

I had mothers stop me in the grocery store to tell me this was what their children asked for for breakfast and what they wanted to serve when they had a birthday sleep over:

Breakfast Sundaes

½ C yogurt–your favorite flavor
1 C cold cereal
Canned peaches or other fruit

1. Cut peaches into small pieces
2. Place fruit in a cereal or soup bowl
3. Spoon yogurt on top of fruit
4. Pour cereal over peaches
5. Add other fruit of your choice or more peaches on top of the cereal
6. Enjoy!

Breakfast Smoothies

½ C Vanilla yogurt
1 C Mango juice**
1 C canned peaches
1 C Fresh or frozen strawberries*
1 C Ice cubes

1. Place yogurt in blender
2. Add mango juice
3. Place peaches in blender
4. Add strawberries
5. Add ice
6. Place lid firmly on Blender
7. Turn blender to medium setting and blend until smooth.
8. If the blender does not chop all the fruit turn off blender, remove lid and stir mixture with a wooden spoon.
9. Replace the lid and turn blender on until the smoothie is well blended.

Serves 2

* for thicker smoothies use frozen fruit. Rotate your canned fruits by placing them on a cookie sheet and freezing overnight, then use in smoothies

** You can substitute apricot juice

This is amazing!

Peach Salsa

12 C canned peaches drained
1 C chopped onion
1 C red bell pepper chopped
1 Jalapeño pepper minced
1 T chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic minced
1 Tsp. ground cumin
1/4 C white vinegar
juice of one lime
3 C white sugar
2 T corn starch

1. Place all ingredients except peaches in large pot.
2. Bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add peaches and bring to boil.
4. Pour into prepared jars.
5. Process 15 minutes.

For hot (spicy) variety use 4 jalapeño peppers and 1/4 C cilantro

Who doesn’t love a good dessert?

Peach Cobbler

2 (14) oz. cans peaches
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk

Whipping cream or favorite substitute or ice cream

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Drain peaches reserving syrup.
2. Place butter in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and heat in the oven until melted.
3. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
4. Gently fold in milk and half the reserved syrup.
5. Pour the batter in baking dish.
6. Arrange the peaches over the batter.
7. Bake 1 hour or until lightly browned.
8. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Peach Crisp

2 (14 oz.) cans peaches
1/3 C flour
1 C oats
½ C brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 C melted butter
1/2 C chopped pecans

1. Drain peaches
2. Place in buttered 9×13 pan.
3. Combine all other ingredients.
4. Crumble over the top of peaches.

Bake 350 degrees 25-35 minutes until crisp crumbles are slightly brown.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Ice Cream

Your favorite homemade or store bought vanilla ice cream.
2 (14oz.) cans peaches drained
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Puree ½ cup peaches in a blender or food processor.
2. Add diced and pureed peaches and lemon juice to homemade ice cream recipe before placing in ice cream freezer.

3. Freeze according to recipe directions.

For store bought ice cream:

1. Allow ice cream to soften.
2. Puree ½ cup peaches in a blender or food processor.
3. Add diced and pureed peaches to homemade ice cream recipe before placing in ice cream freezer.
4. Refreeze for one hour and serve.

So many uses for these:

Peach Syrup

Canned peaches
Place canned peaches and syrup in blender.
Pour blended peaches in sauce pan.
Bring peaches to a boil and boil a few minutes to achieve desired thickness.

Pour over pancakes, waffles, French toast and even ice cream.

Grilled Peaches

Canned peach halves
Butter

1. Drizzle canned peach halves with butter,
2. Place under broiler or on barbecue grill and brown slightly.
3. Turn and brown other side.

Serve as a side dish or as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

Remember all great food storage includes frequently using and rotating all you are storing. If you have a favorite recipe for using and rotating peaches please share it with us.

Jump start or continue accumulating your food storage and non-food storage items by following Carolyn’s plan on facebook.