You can never really know the moment when a forever friend may walk into your life. That fateful day for my best friend of more than 20 years and I, happened in our sixth period physical education class at Hephzibah Middle School, circa 1994. Charity was born on the Fourth of July and ironically, it was Martina McBride’s song “Independence Day” that began our lifelong friendship. Continue reading “A Fourth of July Friendship”
It doesn’t get more traditional than good ol’ pumpkin pie. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it! Inspired by Paula Deen’s Maple-Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie in the magazine “Paula Deen’s Fall Baking,” this recipe is a slight variation of the original, but doesn’t deviate too far off the course. Have you ever heard of Buttermilk Whipped Cream? That is a new one on me, and boy am I glad I discovered it. Thank you, Paula! Whatever you do, resist the urge to eat this pie with standard Cool Whip. Take the extra 5-minute step to make Buttermilk Whipped Cream. You won’t regret it! I took the liberty of using Pumpkin Spice Syrup instead of maple, and added just a touch more sugar. Sweet and creamy, it’s mouth-watering served warm or cold. Enjoy a slice with a cup of hot coffee and a good friend. Add this dessert to your Thanksgiving table or Autumn baking list and your entire home will beckon the changing leaves!
Pumpkin Spice Pie
1 (15-Ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup of Pumpkin Spice Syrup
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon (or more to taste) pumpkin pie spice
One 9-inch store-bought frozen pie crust (I’m not above it!)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin and next 8 ingredients. Roll thawed pie crust over 9-inch pie plate, crimping edges with a fork. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake for 85 to 95 minutes or until center is set and a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.
Buttermilk Whipped Cream
(Makes about two cups)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon good pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a large bowl, beat cream with a mixer at high-speed until soft peaks form. Add all remaining ingredients, and beat until stiff peaks form. Plop a big dollop on top of a slice of pie, then sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Then EAT!
“What kind of Thanksgiving dinner is this? Where’s the turkey, Chuck? Don’t you know anything about Thanksgiving dinners? Where’s the mashed potatoes? Where’s the cranberry sauce? Where’s the pumpkin pie?” ~ Peppermint Patty
Summertime may be my absolute favorite time to visit the farmers’ market and fruit may be my absolute favorite thing to purchase. On Saturday morning, I scored a large package of plump blackberries and the season’s first Georgia peaches. You can imagine my excitement when I came across a delicious recipe for Peach-Berry Crumble in the latest edition of Southern Living. Sunday afternoon just got better.
I paid $5 for this huge container of blackberries. You can’t beat that! Well worth the money, especially knowing I’m supporting the local farming community. Thanks Ricardo from Poor Robin’s Produce! The peaches came from my friends at Jacob’s Produce. I snuck a few pieces while slicing them for the crumble. Irresistible, juicy and sweet.
Crumbles make the perfect summer dessert. Simple to throw together, they’re special enough for entertaining yet quick enough for a post-dinner weeknight treat.
I substituted 1/2 cup of uncooked regular oats with Honey Bunches of Oats with Vanilla. It’s what I had on hand and it got the job done! Assembling this dessert is so much fun because it’s rustic and hands-on. Butter makes everything better.
Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees.
The end result is a crunchy, buttery topping filled with warm, sweet fruit. Serve with cold vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. Garnish with fresh mint. Savor summertime!
Here’s a quick glance at the recipe. Thanks Southern Living for the inspiration!
Peach-Berry Crumble
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 1 Hour, 20 Minutes
Related Content:
2014 is off to a great start! Tune in to The Dr. Oz Show this Monday, Jan. 27 at 4 p.m. on WSAV-3 Savannah to watch my video segment during Dr. Oz’s Healthy Recipe Challenge. I was asked to submit a healthy recipe to represent my home state, featuring Georgia peaches. Three finalists were chosen to appear on the show to have Dr. Oz taste their dessert. Though I wasn’t chosen as one of the top three finalists, the video I submitted will appear in a segment! Be sure to check your local listings for the time the program airs in your area.
I submitted my Grilled Georgia Peaches with Toasted Granola and Honey. If you’ve never tasted grilled peaches, start living. Something about grilling fruit makes it that much more desirable, and Georgia peaches really shine in this lightened up dessert. While we all know there’s no real substitute for one of Georgia’s best Southern recipes–good ol’ peach cobbler, this dish satisfies your sweet tooth without packing on the pounds. The great thing is, when fresh peaches aren’t in season, you can substitute frozen ones. The peaches may also be grilled outside or on an indoor grill pan. Not an ice cream fan? Forgo it and serve it with fresh, sweetened whipped cream instead.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Grilled Georgia Peaches with Toasted Granola and Local Honey
Serves 2
Ingredients
Directions
To grill a fresh peach, slice it right down the middle, remove the pit, brush the halves with melted butter and season with kosher salt. Allow the peach to grill skin side up for about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, toast granola in a saucepan over medium heat, about five minutes, stirring slightly, until golden brown and fragrant. Place 1-2 scoops of cold ice cream in a bowl. Top with grilled peaches. Sprinkle with granola and drizzle with honey.
Once the program airs, the episode will be available online here. Also, be sure to check back on Some Kinda Good for what you won’t see on the show…my blooper reel!! Thanks for watching, y’all.
P.S. A few other bloggers from around the U.S. will also be featured on The Dr. Oz Show. Check out the recipes they offered up to show state pride!
New to Some Kinda Good? Welcome!
I’m a Georgia food writer and Statesboro-based TV personality. A Season 2 Contestant on ABC’s “The Taste,” I’m honored to make my second national TV debut on The Dr. Oz Show. Some Kinda Good is a Southern, coastal food blog highlighting East coast restaurant reviews and Lowcountry-inspired recipes. I hope you’ll stick around, and follow me on Twitter at @SKGFoodBlog or find me on Facebook. If you want, learn more about me, and thanks for visiting!
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