Mystery Ingredient Monday #6

Last week I choose Peaches as the MI and ever since I have not been able to get the lyrics to Peaches by the band Presidents of the USA out of my head. I keep singing... Millions of Peaches, Peaches for me, Millions of Peaches, Peaches for free...and I won't bore you with the rest of the lyrics floating in my head, BUT I know them ALL. For Real! Please tell me I'm not the only one.

So Robert and I had a *"come to Jesus"* (yes, those are jazz hands)  conversation about MIM. While he is very enthusiastic about MIM and supportive; he had crossed into crazy train territory and needed to be DeRailed.  By last Wednesday, he had already picked out two recipes, executed one and was peeling peaches for the next recipe when he got "the look". Yes, I dare say, I give the look. It's kinda like this.

4th of July. Many failed attempts at a photo were everyone looked at the camera.                                          

He smiled ever so politely and said "What? You claimed you weren't going to do this recipe so I am. Would you like to finish it?"
Me: "No, I would not. I would like to go take a nap." (after two weeks of the babe not sleeping well, I NEEDED my nap)
Then when my lioness was calmly placed back in her cage, I expressed that MIM is something I wanted us to do together. Not, something he dictated to me...Hello female emotions. It was decided that I would like to have some say in picking a recipe and deciding when to make it. All inspiration is welcome. With that, I won't bore you yet again with the rest of this enlightenment.

We were ever so lucky to have the opportunity to celebrate Robert's grandfathers' birthday.

Robert's grandparents. Don't they look amazing and joyful!

Which is a big deal because my husband is one out of like 130 first cousins. No joke. When his sister, Jessica, proclaims (and I quote) "cousin to hundreds" from her bio on her blog. She means literally.

So. Lucky us indeed!

Robert made a wonderful dinner that even the two Picky-Everything is Spicy- I won't touch it with a ten foot pole eaters could not complain about. Consider their plates licked clean and awarded this dessert. Peach Puzzle: Cooks Country Magazine- April/May 2007 (email or comment if you want this recipe. It was intense to make)

The other recipe Robert made was also from a Cooks Country Magazine- June/July 2008

Rustic Peach Cake

Peaches

1/4 C granulated sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 med. peaches (peeled,pitted, cut into 8 wedges)

Cake

1 C all-purp flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C granulated sugar

1/4 C packed light brown sugar

8 TBS unsalted butter, softened

2 Lg eggs

2 TBS sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C dried peaches or apricots (chopped fine) 

Directions

1. For the peaches: oven rack-middle position. Heat: 350. 

    Grease 9-inch springform pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon in Med. bowl; reserve 2 TBS sugar      

    mixture. Add peaches to bowl with remaining sugar mixture and coat. 

2. For the cake: Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on Med-High speed,  

    beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy. (2 min)

    Beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla until incorporated. Reduce speed to Med-Low. Slowly add flour   

    mixture and mix until just combined. (30 sec) Scrape batter into prepared pan. Scatter dried  

    peaches/apricots over batter, then arrange sugared peaches in circular pattern over top.  Sprinkle 

    reserved sugar mixture over peaches.

3. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean., 35-45 min. Cool  

    at least one hour.

Robert's desserts were fabulous, as always, but, if I had to choose a winner from his line up, I would have to go with the Rustic Peach Cake. He used the dried apricots in the RPC recipe and it was Um, Um, UMMM! So good. 

I prefer a crisp to a crumble or cobbler, that's not to say I won't eat and enjoy the latter. 

                                           

With that in mind, I picked this Peach Crisp recipe.

I substituted lime zest for the lemon zest because that's what I had on hand. I also used 4 inch ramekins, not 6 inch, because that's what we have. Besides, I figure the more the merrier! That's what I was taught. 

These were served up with some vanilla bean ice cream. Snuggling on the couch with my love and a little show called Lark Rise to Candleford. Love. IT!

Now you might have caught a blurb or two in reference to Peach Bombs under my comment section last Monday. There is a family story that goes with Peach Bombs but I feel Jessica should share it. So, here's to hoping she makes them and shares their special sentiment. I will however leave you with the darnedest thing about Peach Bombs.

A few years ago Robert and our family of one child, Marie, tagged along with his family to the BIG EASY. We went to visit one of his brothers and his fiancé (at the time) and meet her family. It was a blast! One evening we ate dinner with the future in-laws and for dessert we were served...wait for it... Peach Bombs... From a blog called Pots and Peter Pans, the recipe was submitted by none other than... Wait for it... Our very own housewifespice, sister, sister-in-law, "cousin of hundreds, friend to thousands".  Now, we all sing in harmony: It's a small world after all. 

 Anne is choosing this weeks MI. If I were her, with morning sickness, I would probably choose macaroni and use it in arts and crafts so I wouldn't be scarred for life if said MI increased my morning sickness to the level of regurgitation.  

Check for Bombs on Jessica's blog and link up below. As always; (If you want to play along but don't have a blog, instagram or tweet it #mysteryingredient, or tag us in a facebook post about your dish so we can marvel your creativity.) 

And, yes, you can now find our Clan on Instagram. Thanks inquiring minds...you know who you are. Cari 

Go fourth and be inspired!