Life's a peach; cook it

When talking about seasons in a recent conversation, my friend and I referred to them as strawberry season, apple season and, now, peach season. Yes, fresh peaches are ripe and delicious. I have just been peeling them, and we have been eating bowls of fresh peaches. They are delicious, but the season is short. Today I looked up recipes from an older cookbook called "Frontier Vittles from the Pioneer Kitchen." There are 200 pages of old-time recipes and really good recipes that never go out of style. I hope you enjoy these selections.

Peach Chutney

2 pieces ginger root

1 tablespoon pickling spice

1 cup seedless raisins

12 pitted dates

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 pound onions, chopped

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vinegar

3 cups cut up fresh peaches

1 pear, peeled and cut up in chunks

1 hot pepper, red in color and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pound the ginger root to make small pieces or even a paste. Tie pickling spices up in a cheesecloth bag. Put in a large kettle with the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Add peaches, raisins, pear, dates, red pepper, turmeric, garlic and salt to the vinegar mixture. Simmer, without a cover, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently. Add the peeled and chopped onions after the first one hour of cooking. When it is thick, remove spice bag. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal. Process as desired for preservation.

Peach Flip

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk, scalded

2 teaspoons salt

3 eggs

5 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Butter, for spreading

2 cups peach preserves

Soften yeast in water. Combine in mixing bowl 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, milk and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Blend in eggs and yeast. Gradually add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and satiny. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Combine 2/3 cup sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Roll out half of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 20-by-10-inch rectangle. Spread with 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup preserves. Sprinkle with half the sugar mixture. Roll up, starting with 20-inch side. Seal. Place seam side down on greased cookie sheet, curving ends to make a U shape. With scissors, cut down center, 1/3 of the way through roll, to within 2 inches of ends. Repeat with remaining dough. Let rise in warm place until doubled. Spoon more preserves in center of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown. If desired, frost with a powdered sugar glaze.

Frosty Peach Souffle

2 cups diced fresh peaches

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup sugar

4 eggs, separated

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup whipping cream

Combine peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cover and let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Soften gelatin in cold water. Drain juice off peaches. Combine with beaten egg yolks and salt in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in softened gelatin and almond extract. Chill until slightly thickened. Crush peaches. Stir in gelatin mixture. Beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Whip cream. Fold egg whites and cream into gelatin mixture. Pour into ungreased 2-quart bowl or 1 1/2 quart bowl with aluminum foil collar or individual dessert dishes. Garnish with sliced peaches and whipped cream. For the collar: Wrap a 3-inch-wide collar of aluminum foil around the top of container. Secure with tape on the outside only. Remove before serving.

The next two recipes are from the Food Network show "Barefoot Contessa" with Ina Garten. I enjoy her show and her recipes, so I am passing a couple along to you today. Both use peaches as the star.

Peach and Raspberry Crisp

4 to 5 pounds firm, ripe peaches (10 to 12 large peaches)

1 orange, zested

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 pint raspberries

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2 1/2-inch oval baking dish. Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl. Add the orange zest, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the raspberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches and raspberries. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.

Peach and Raspberry Almond Swirl

4 cups plain yogurt

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1/2 to 1 cup peach nectar

1/4 cup raisins

1 peach, peeled and diced

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels and suspend it over a bowl. Pour the yogurt into the sieve and allow it to drain, refrigerated, for 3 hours or overnight.

Place the thickened yogurt into a medium bowl and add the almonds (reserving 1 tablespoon for the garnish), honey, vanilla and orange zest. Thin with peach nectar until it is a desirable consistency. Add the raisins, peach (reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish) and raspberries (reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish). Spoon into individual bowl or glasses and garnish with the reserved almonds, peach and raspberries.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and try them while the peaches are fresh and delicious. Have a wonderful week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.