Peaches ripen quickly when left at room temperature, so you have a window of probably two to three days to eat fresh peaches from your bushel or half bushel. Make the most of those few days by highlighting peaches in every meal.
What To Do With A Bushel of Summer Peaches
A bushel of peaches is a lot, but there is no need to let them go to waste. Here are recipes and ideas for using every one of those peaches.
Because American grocery stories sell imported fruits and vegetables from all over the world, enjoying seasonal produce has lost some of its excitement. But peaches are one fruit that is very hard to find except in the summer. I actually am thankful for that scarcity since it makes peaches so much more precious to me.
When you find a source for locally grown peaches, stock up! Don't be afraid to buy a half bushel or a whole bushel. The price is signifigantly lower than what you pay at the supermarket, and you will have plenty to share with friends and family.
A gift of fresh fruit is thoughtful of your friend's health and well being. He will love you for it. So share your peaches generously. Then use these ideas for enjoying the rest of your bushel of peaches.
Make the Most of Your Bushel of Peaches
Eating Peaches at Every Meal
Day 1 Peach Menu
Breakfast
Peach smoothies
Lunch
Grilled chicken salad with fresh peaches and peach vinagrette dressing
Dinner
Peach pie or cobbler for dessert
Day 2 Peach Menu
Breakfast
Fresh peaches, macerated, over waffles or pancakes
Lunch
Pork chops with rosemary and peaches
Dinner
Congealed salad with peaches as a side dish
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1. Eating Fresh Peaches
Obviously, you are going to want to eat some peaches in hand, peel and all. Others you can peel, slice, and use in fresh dishes:
- topping for pound cake or ice cream
- fruit or lettuce salad
- peach salsa
- peach chutney
- peach smoothies
- peach shortcake
Preparing peaches is easy. Simply wash, peel, and slice. Add a squeeze of citrus juice such as orange, lemon, or lime. If desired, sprinkle with sugar to add sweetness and macerate the fruit. The peaches will release juices that mix with the sugar to form a delicious syrup that is 100% natural.
2. Baking Sweet Peach Desserts
Peach Cobbler or Pie
The standard peach desserts are such a treat when made from scratch with fresh peaches.
- peach cobbler
- peach pie
- peach tart
- fried peach pies (my personal favorite)
- peach loaf bread (gluten free recipe)
As a bonus, peach pies freeze well. Make a couple of pies or a batch of individual fried peach pies to store in the freezer for later. If you have a favorite recipe for apple pie, simply substitute peaches for the apples. Just be sure to omit the spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg are not as complementary to peaches as they are to apples.
Peach Pastries
3. Cooking Up Savory Pork & Peach Entrees
Peaches pair perfectly with pork. In fact, any recipe that you have for pork and apples will probably work with peaches instead. Your peaches will probably not need quite as long to cook, though, so take the time difference into account.
If you have some rosemary growing in your herb garden, try this delicious Pork Chops with Rosemary Peaches. Or fire up the grill and make Raspberry Chicken Salad with Grilled Peaches.
How about Pork Tenderloin with Peach Salsa from Annie's Eats? That looks amazing!
Savory Peach and Pork Dish
More Savory Main Dishes Featuring Fresh Peaches
Salmon, Pork and Chicken Entrees
Pork Chops and Fresh Peaches
This recipe uses the crockpot for super easy preparation. (Peaches you've previously frozen will also work in this recipe. No need to even thaw. Just put them directly into the crockpot.)
Baked Chicken With Fresh Peaches
This dish uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts and is cooked in the oven. Frozen peaches could be substituted for the fresh in this recipe.
Grilled Balsamic Chicken and Peaches
Fire up the grill for this easy dish featuring fresh peaches.
Gingery Salmon With Peaches
We all should be getting more fish into our diets. This is a good recipe for people who don't otherwise enjoy fish.
4. Storing Peaches for Fall and Winter
After making some savory peach entrees, a fabulous peach dessert, and eating many fresh peaches, you've probably got a lot of peaches left in your bushel. The best course is to prepare them for storage so that none are wasted.
Peaches ripen very quickly. Leave them on your kitchen counter for just two days and you will be needing to deal with them before they begin to rot.
I prefer to freeze peaches because canning is a bit cumbersome to me and requires more equipment.
How to Freeze Peaches
Juice two to three lemons and put the juice (and pulp, if desired) into a large bowl. Alternatively you can use orange juice.
Wash and peel the peaches. Cut them in half and remove the pit and any unsightly areas. Slice the peaches into the bowl of citrus juice.Toss the peaches lightly to cover with the juice. (The juice prevents the browning and keeps the peaches looking pretty.)
If you want a sweeter taste, toss up to a cup of sugar onto the peach slices. This will macerate the fruit and create a delicious fruity syrup.
Put the peaches into freezer bags or plastic containers. Label and freeze.
How to Use Frozen Peaches
Frozen peaches can be thawed and eaten as topping for ice cream or cake. They can also be used in cooked main courses, such as with chicken or pork.
Add them directly to the blender for making delicious peach smoothies that taste like summer any time of the year.
How do You Prefer to Preserve Peaches?
83 votes
Comments
barbarabSep 5, 2011
Sara @ breville smart ovenAug 6, 2011
My favorite is peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
RamkittenJul 25, 2011
dustytoesJul 23, 2011
I bought fresh peaches from an orchard two years ago and they wouldn't let us pick since the peaches are so delicate, but they were so yummy. Beautiful page to drool over.
Holistic_HealthJul 6, 2011
GuestJul 4, 2011
nightbearJul 3, 2011
ohcarolineJul 3, 2011
kimbesaJul 3, 2011
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