Guacamole with Western Slope Peaches

 

Western Slope Peaches by ET Charles

It’s late summer and fresh peaches have arrived.

1 large avocado

2 Western Slope peaches

1 Hatch chile – medium heat

Directions: Wash chile. Pat dry. Roast on stove top, rotating until skin is blackened. Place on cutting board and cover with a bowl for five minutes. Remove bowl. Rinse chile under cool running water and peel off skin. Place chile on cutting board and slice open vertically. Remove seeds and veins and both ends. Dice chile and place in bowl.

Wash and pat dry peaches. Peel. Slice into pieces and place in bowl with diced chile.

Wash and pat avocados dry. Slice open and dice. Place diced avocado in bowl with chile and watermelon. Mash with fork. Avocado will mash; chile will blend with avocado; peaches will remain as chunks. Avocado may also remain as chunks which will make a very pretty yellow and green colored appetizer.

Serve with tortilla chips or spoon on warm corn tortillas and top with cheese.

Yield: 6 servings

Thanks to family and friends for facilitating the transport of peaches across the Continental Divide.

Note: Guacamole variation 8

Apple, Pear, Raspberry Cobbler gluten free

 

Apple, Pear and Raspberries by ET Charles

3 Granny Smith apples, small

1 Bartlett pear

2 cups frozen raspberries

1 teaspoon sugar, optional

Topping

½ cup sweet butter (1 stick, unsalted butter)

½ cup oats

¼ cup cornmeal

¼ cup unblanched/raw almond meal          

1/16 teaspoon or less nutmeg

1/16 teaspoon or less lavender salt

Directions for topping: In a mixing bowl add dry ingredients: oats, cornmeal, almond meal, nutmeg and lavender salt. Stir thoroughly. Slice butter into approximately tablespoon size and add to dry ingredients. Cream thoroughly. Scraping the sides of the bowl to mix all ingredients. Set topping aside.

Wash and dry apples and pear. Slice fruit into quarters. Peel fruit. Slice peeled quarters into half inch sized pieces. Using the butter wrapper, grease a 10.5-inch diameter baking dish. Spread the apple chunks across the pie dish. Then evenly distribute the pear chunks amongst the apples. Next place the raspberries individually on top of the tree fruit, concentric semicircles are nice. If the raspberries are tart, sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar on top of the berries and adjacent apple and pear pieces. Spoon topping on the fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Red berries will punctuate the lightly browned topping and cream-colored tree fruits, making this a visually appealing dish.

Let cool at least ten minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

Serves 10 people. 

Shamrock Collage and Guacamole

 

Shamrock Collage by ET Charles

 

Guacamole with Anaheim and Two Mandarins

1 large avocado

1 Anaheim chile

2 Mandarins

Directions: Wash and dry all produce.

Roast chile on stove top. When skin of chile is blackened, remove chile to a cutting board to cool. Cover chile with a bowl. This helps the skin to loosen.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the two Mandarins, a small, sweet citrus fruit, and place in bowl.

Rinse the chile under cool water and remove the skin. Place on cutting board and remove seeds and veins to taste. Dice and add to Mandarins.

On a cutting board, slice the avocado in half. Wash the knife. Remove the pit. Score the fruit in each half vertically and horizontally. Using a spoon, scoop the fruit out of each half shell and add to the bowl with the tomato and the citrus. Smash avocado with a fork and mix the three ingredients together.

This version of guacamole has a bright citrus taste.

Serves 4 people.

Notes: Guacamole variation 7

Hot Berry Pie, Gluten Free, easy peasy

 

berries ET Charles

1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick at room temperature

1 scant cup rolled oats

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup corn meal

1/16 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon lavender salt

4 cups individually frozen mixed berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

Optional: whipped cream

Directions: Cream butter and sugar together. Add corn meal and mix. Sprinkle in nutmeg and lavender salt and then mix thoroughly. Stir in rolled oats and mix. Using the butter wrapper or a tiny piece of butter, grease a 9.5-inch diameter deep dish pie pan thoroughly. Scoop the four cups of individually frozen mixed berries into the greased pie pan. Distribute the berries evenly. Spoon the butter, sugar, oats and corn meal topping evenly over the berries. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Topping will turn golden brown. This will be very hot when removed from the oven. Let cool for at least 15 minutes, depending on the drafts in your abode. Serve warm. Optional, may be served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 8 people.

Notes: This is a warm, quick and easy gluten free dessert for Christmas and the winter holidays. Berry Cobbler variation 3.