For some reason, I have The Presidents of the United States of America running through my head every July. (No, not the governmental entity. The mid ‘90s, post-grunge/pop punk band from Seattle.

July is Peach Month. It just is. When I was little, we used to go to my grandparents’ place in East Texas and come back with bushels and bushels of peaches. We gave most away, but we kept a lot for ourselves. Now I go to the Parker County Peach Festival with my kiddos.

Don’t ask me to choose between East Texas peaches and Parker County peaches. I won’t!

Let’s face it. We weren’t creative cooks in the 1970s and 1980s. Most of those peaches were either cut up to have over cereal or vanilla ice cream or were simply eaten out of hand. Outside. They were JUICY.

Now that our palates and skills have expanded, I find myself using peaches in almost meal during the summer. I love grilling them or roasting them. They pair well with grilled meats and various cheeses. And, of course, I have to make at least a couple of desserts, even though I’m NOT a pastry person.

So when you go to the Parker County Peach Festival this weekend and stock up on peaches, remember these recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does!

Savory Peach and Pistachio Galette with Goat Cheese and Hot Honey Drizzle

Ingredients

For the galette
6 to 8 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced*
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and stems discarded, some set aside for garnish
½ cup roasted, salted, shelled pistachios, roughly chopped, some set aside for garnish
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pre-made pie crust from a box of two pie crust rolls (you know what I’m talking about) OR one recipe of your favorite pie crust (if you’re all fancy-schmancy and make your own – I do not)
1 egg
1 to 2 tablespoons water

For the drizzle

6 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/3 cup half and half
2 to 4 tablespoons hot honey (available in most grocery stores)
Pinch of salt

Directions

For the galette

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Toss the peach slices, thyme leaves, pistachios, and cornstarch in a large bowl and set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out your pie crust into a circle. Transfer the pie crust to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the peaches onto the pie crust, being sure to leave a 2-inch border of dough around the edge of the circle. Gently fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit, pleating as you go.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the pastry edges that you folded over the fruit. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let come to room temperature.

For the drizzle

Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the goat cheese, half and half, hot honey, and salt together until slightly fluffy.

To serve

Slice the galette into 6 to 8 slices. Drizzle the goat cheese over each slice and garnish with the reserved thyme leaves and pistachios. Serves 6 to 8 as a side.

*To peel any kind of stone fruit, simply bring a large stockpot of water to a rolling boil. On the bottom of the fruit (not the stem end), make two shallow cuts in a cross. Once the water is really boiling, gently place the fruit into the pot. Don’t crowd them. Do this in batches if you need to! Let the fruit bob around for about 30 to 45 seconds and then remove with a slotted spoon. (You can plunge them into an ice bath at this point, but I don’t do that. It’s just more things to clean later.) You will be able to easily remove the skin from the fruit.

Peach Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the salad

1 English or hothouse cucumber, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
½ sweet onion (Noonday, 1015, Pecos, Vidalia, Maui, Walla Wallas), thinly sliced
½ jicama, peeled and diced
3 to 4 ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into chunks (don’t peel!)
5 ounces baby arugula or baby spinach

For the vinaigrette

¼ cup white wine vinegar
handful of fresh herbs, finely chopped (basil, tarragon, parsley, oregano, dill, marjoram, thyme…)
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions

Place all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a jar with a lid. Shake well.

Toss all the ingredients for the salad together in a salad bowl. Dress with about half of the vinaigrette and taste. Add more dressing if you like. Serves 6 to 8 as a side or top with some grilled or roasted meat and serves 4 as a main salad.

The post Peachy Keen first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

This year, we’re hosting the family, and while my tablescape will never equal my mother’s (seriously, her tables would make Martha Stewart green with envy!), we will have a lovely turkey with all sorts of yummy sides and pies to nourish our loved one’s bodies and souls. I’m in charge of the sides, and I have been dithering for weeks over what to make. Here are some of the finalists!

Herbed Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

This is an easy side for a smallish (two to eight people). The sweet potatoes get crispy on the outside with lovely, creamy centers. This recipe is for four, but it can be scaled up or down!

Ingredients

4 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking sheet

2 tablespoon butter

1 small shallot, minced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. In a small saucepan, combine the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, the shallot, the rosemary leaves, and the sage leaves over medium low heat. Heat until you can smell the herbs and shallot, about 4 minutes.

To cut the potatoes, place a chopstick on either side of a potato. These are there to make sure you don’t cut all the way through the potato. Cut slits approximately ¼ inch apart down the rounded side of the potato. Transfer to a baking sheet covered with foil that’s been lightly oiled.

Brush the potatoes with the herb mixture, making sure to get in between the cuts! Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the edges of the potato slices are crispy and the meat is cooked through. These can be served warm or room temperature.

Slow Cooker Smoky Glazed Carrots

Let’s face it, the oven gets a workout on Thanksgiving. Why not use your trusty slow cooker to take some of the pressure off? The best thing is that these carrots are DELICIOUS. This serves eight as a side.

Ingredients

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch slices

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

¼ cup light brown sugar

½ teaspoon smoked paprika (either hot or sweet, I use a combination of both)

½ teaspoon cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the sugar, smoked paprika, cumin , salt, and pepper.

Place the carrots in the slow cooker and pour over the spiced butter, tossing to coat. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the carrots are softened. Remove the cover of the slow cooker and continue to cook for about 15 more minutes to thicken the glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Citrus-Arugula Salad with Feta and a Shallot Vinaigrette

Not everyone thinks of a salad for the Thanksgiving table, but this citrusy salad perfectly balances the turkey, ham, and heavy sides. The best part? It can be prepped ahead of time and assembled while the turkey is being carved! This will serve eight as a side.

Ingredients

For the Salad

6 large naval oranges, cut into segments

6 blood oranges, cut into segments

2 ruby red grapefruit, cut into segments

½ large or 1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings

10 ounces arugula

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat

4 ounces panela cheese, crumbled

For the Dressing

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon whole grained mustard

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

For the Salad

Just before serving, combine and toss with the dressing.

For the Dressing

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well until the salt dissolves.

The post Side Dishes to Make Your Thanksgiving Sing first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

IPA and Citrus Vinaigrette/Marinade

To me, anything citrus just screams summer, and an IPA, with its citrusy overtones, is the perfect summer beer. Why not combine them to make a great vinaigrette or marinade that you can use all season long?

Ingredients

1/3 cup India Pale Ale (I really like Stone IPA from Stone Brewing; the citrus notes are great!)

2 tablespoons citrus zest (lemon and orange)

1 small shallot, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Shake all ingredients except the olive oil together in a jar with a good, tight lid. Add in the olive oil and shake well. This is great over all kinds of salad. I LOVE serving it over grilled vegetables or using it as a marinade for chicken. This will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

Stout-Glazed Chicken Kabobs

I love grilling kabobs. Grill some veggies (and toss with the IPA and Citrus Vinaigrette), make some couscous or quinoa, and serve these skewers for a finger-licking summer meal.

Ingredients

2 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed

1/4 to 1/3 cup honey

2/3 cup stout (Why not support local and get some Soul Pleasure Southern Stout from Fort Worth’s own Wild Acre?)

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon Sriracha (optional but recommended)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon of canola oil

1 small onion, diced

Directions

If you are using bamboo or wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before skewering.

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large non-reactive bowl or a plastic zippered bag. Add the cubed chicken and marinade for at least two hours, if not overnight.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers, making sure not to pack the chicken pieces too tightly together. Don’t throw the marinade away!

Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the marinade and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until the marinade is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.

Prepare your grill (charcoal or gas) for medium-high heat grilling. Make sure the grate is well-cleaned and brush it lightly with canola oil. Add the skewers and let sit for about 5 minutes before turning. Once you have turned them, brush on some of the glaze and let cook another 5 minutes. Turn once more and brush on some glaze and let cook only for another 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve warm. This should serve 4 as a main course.

Lambic-Macerated Fruit over Ice Cream

It’s summer. You don’t want to be messing around in a hot kitchen, making a heavy dessert. This is possibly the easiest dessert you will come across this summer.

Ingredients

1 cup fruit lambic beer (For berries, use Framboise. For peaches or nectarines, use Kriek.)

2 cups fruit – mixed berries, peaches, nectarines…

1/3 cup sugar

Ice cream – vanilla, sure, but why not try chocolate or lemon?

Directions

Combine the lambic, the fruit, and the sugar in a non-reactive bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes. That’s it. You’re done. Serve over ice cream for a wonderfully fresh, delightfully adult dessert! The macerated fruit will last in the refrigerator for about 2 days.

Of course, if even the idea of these easy recipes makes you sweat, simply go to Central Market. They have everything you need for a great meal without the fuss!

Lee Virden is a jack of all trades, master of none. She has been a bank teller, a chef and caterer (both in restaurants and in private service), a bookkeeper, a trainer, a legal assistant, and a writer. She is a proud graduate of the University of the South with a degree in Early European History. (She planned to be a professor but realized in the nick of time that professors have homework, which she never did when she was a student, so what made her think that she would do it as a professor?) While she has not used her degree in her, er, varied employment history, she is fabulous at cocktail parties. Most importantly, Lee is the proud mother of two absolutely amazing girls, to whom she refers in social media as the Girlchildren.

The post The Foods of Summer first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.