Peach Upside Down Cake

Fellow Close To My Heart consultant Aaron Brown shared this delicious recipe on her blog. She is an amazingly talented artist (and baker)!

Peach Upside Down Cake
Bake: 45-50 minutes
Cool: 15 minutes
Prep: 25 minutes

Ingredients
•1/4 cup butter
•1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•1-1/2 to 2 cups sliced, pitted and peeled peaches or frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed and large slices cut in half lengthwise
•1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
•1/4 tsp. salt
•1/2 cup butter, softened
•3/4 cup granulated sugar
•1 egg
•1 tsp. vanilla
•1/2 cup milk
•I added some chopped pecans as well

Directions
1. Place 1/4 cup butter in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Warm in a 350 degrees F oven about 5 minutes or until butter is melted. (Be sure to watch carefully to avoid over browning the butter). Remove pan from oven. Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is completely moistened. Spread sugar mixture evenly in pan. Arrange peach slices evenly over brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to beaten butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly over the peaches in the pan.

3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto a large serving plate. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Smoked Fish Dip

Chop in food processor: 3 Tbsp celery, 3 Tbsp onion, 3 Tbsp pickle relish

then add:

16 oz sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
2-3 Tbsp mayo
glob of mustard
dash of Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning
1 ½ lbs smoked fish
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix well. Absolutely delish!

Bertina's Pasta Salad

Boma - Flavors of Africa
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Yield: 10 servings


1 lb tri-color pasta (4 c after cooked)
3/4 c red onion, diced fine
1 c red bell pepper, diced fine
1 c green bell pepper, diced fine
1 c celery, diced
1 c mayonnaise
½ tsp granulated garlic
1 3/4 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp ground turmeric, toasted (3-4 minutes)
1 Tbsp curry powder, toasted (3-4 minutes)
S&P to taste

Cook pasta and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooled pasta, and all the other ingredients. Check the seasoning, and adjust if needed. Chill.

Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. powdered sugar [I used less.]
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 t. cinnamon
8 slices bread, white or whole wheat
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 eggs, beaten
2 T. milk
4 T. butter, optional
2 T. powdered sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon; mix until smooth. Spread one side of each slice of bread evenly with the cream cheese mixture. On the cream cheese side of four slices of bread, layer with some sliced strawberries evenly over the surface of each slice. Top each slice with a remaining slice of bread, pressing the cream cheese side down onto the strawberries. Press together gently to seal berries inside sandwich.

In a shallow bowl, combine the eggs and milk; mix well and set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray and place in oven. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray or melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-high heat.

Dip strawberry sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to soak each side. Place soaked sandwich in the hot skillet and cook on each side until browned. Remove sandwich from skillet and place on baking sheet in warm oven and repeat until all sandwiches are cooked.

Just before serving, cut each sandwich diagonally; top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Serve with Warm Strawberry Syrup or maple syrup.

Serves four.

Source: "Simple Strawberry Sensations" by Laura York