Peach Shortcake Muffins

Oh how I LOVE peaches.  Just love love LOVE them.  They are one of my most favourite fruits.  I am so lucky that we live in a beautiful peach producing region.  Each summer we are able to purchase wonderful, juicy peaches from the orchards that surround our city.  So so lucky!

Last summer, I totally did not get my fill of peaches. I'm not into canning (plus, last summer I had a newborn...my hands were full!) - I prefer peaches when they are fresh.  We bought what seemed like tonnes last summer, but alas, it wasn't enough as I have been craving peach season ever since.

My parents were away earlier this summer, they were camping south of our city, and did me the ever so kind favour of bringing us back a case of the early peaches, as the fruit is always ready earlier a few hours south of us. That first case was so very good, and I am just waiting for the signs to go up at the local orchards letting me know I can get more peaches.

I had just a few peaches left from the first case, so I decided to bake some muffins.  I didn't have enough for a pie, otherwise peach pie it would have been. Instead, I went with Peach Shortcake Muffins, from the Robin Hood Baking Festival baking brochure from 1996.  Yes, 1996.  No, I am not a hoarder.  I collect recipes!!  Here is the recipe:

MUFFIN:
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
6 tablespoons butter or margarine (softened)
1 cup milk
1 2/3 cups coarsely chopped peaches

TOPPING:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ginger.  Cut in the butter or margarine with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly.  Add in the milk and peaches.  Stir to combine, but do not overstir.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups (greased or lined).  Sprinkle with topping.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until set and golden.

Note - Canned peaches may also be used.  And, try substituting other fresh fruits for the peaches, such as strawberries!

VERDICT:
So delicious!  I just love these muffins!  So does our 1 year old, he's a big "bread" kid, and these were a hit with even the littlest man in our family!

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Strawberry Banana Loaf

Many of you will notice that I've commented about this before, and I will probably comment about it again...we love banana bread in our house.  So much so that our oldest son knows that it takes 3 bananas to make banana bread, so when we get down to three in the banana bowl, he often asks if we can save them to make banana bread.
 
Over the weekend we had company and the bananas didn't get eaten.  We were so busy, we just seemed to forget they were there.  Imagine how pleased my son was to discover over breakfast today that there were 3 very ripe bananas sitting in the banana bowl (it sits on our kitchen table).  "Mommy, can we make banana bread today?"  "You bet!" was my happy answer.  I love baking with my son, it's great bonding time :-)

Well, for whatever reason, I started flipping through one of my cookbooks, looking at banana recipes.  I came across one for Strawberry Banana Loaf, so I asked my son if he would be interested in trying a new kind of banana bread, and his response was quite positive...with one request, that we add some chocolate to the bread too, so away we went, making our Strawberry Banana Loaf!

Here is the recipe: (Adapted from Company's Coming: Muffins & More)

2 eggs
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup strawberries, sliced
2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy.  Mix in oil, sugar, bananas and strawberries.  I added the strawberries last to make sure they didn't get too mashed up in the mixer.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix thoroughly.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring only to moisten.  Pour into a greased loaf pan (9x5x3).

Bake for approximately 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool slightly then remove from pan to a wire rack.

The original recipe stated to wrap well and allow to ripen for one day.  We couldn't wait that long, we waited a few hours until after dinner.  So we'll have to see tomorrow how the flavour changes!

VERDICT:
We all agreed that this was a nice change to banana bread.  A nice blend of complementary flavours (strawberry and banana - yum!) and I love the addition of the oats.  I did add some chocolate chips along to top on 1/4 of the loaf for our oldest son, and he was a big fan of that addition too.  This one is a keeper, we will be making it again, especially with strawberry season upon us!