I’m not talking beauty queens y’all, these beauties are Chilton County peaches! One of my most treasured southern landmarks is just off 65 south right in the heart of Alabama. Clanton may be proud of their peach queens but the Peach Park is the real crown jewel!

Every year as we make our way to the white sands of the gulf coast, the stop at the Peach Park is almost more important than getting to the beach. You don’t eat breakfast, hop in the car, and make a beeline for exit 205, all the while planning what you’re gonna eat first and what you’ll take for later.

Recipe:

5 cups french bread, cubed into 1″ pieces

2 tbsp butter

3 cups low-fat buttermilk

2 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups fresh peaches, sliced

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

2 tbsp light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cube or tear French bread into 1″ pieces to make 5 cups and place in a large bowl. Pour buttermilk over cubed bread, gently toss to make sure buttermilk is evenly soaking into bread and let sit for about 2o minutes.

Slice about 3 large peaches, enough for 2 cups then add blueberries. Toss with brown sugar and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla and set aside. Then put 2 tbsp of butter into a 8×8 or 9×13 baking dish and place in the preheated oven. Once butter melts, remove dish from oven.

While the butter is melting, add egg mixture to buttermilk soaked bread and combine gently. Then fold in peaches and blueberries.

Pour mixture into baking dish with melted butter and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until center is set and the edges have pulled away from the baking dish.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes:

I used an 8×8 baking dish because I like a thicker bread pudding, so it will require about an hour and a half of baking time.

You won’t need the entire loaf of French bread, just enough for 5 cups. Do what any good southern girl would and spread pimento cheese on the leftover bread!

Sugar is not my friend and oh how I love cakes, cookies and pies but they do not love me back. Anyone that know’s me well knows that when crisis strikes, I can solve anything with a cookie in hand. I’ve had a terrible sweet tooth all of my life. I remember being 5 years old, scaling the cabinets in our kitchen looking for chocolate. Not having much luck finding a Hershey bar, I ran across baker’s chocolate and yes, I ate it.

Shopping while starving at Costco a few weeks ago, I wound up with 6 pound bag of frozen strawberries. While my intent was smoothies for months, my sweet tooth got the better of me and I had visions of a giant strawberry cake with cream cheese icing, which was always my birthday cake of choice. I came up with a delicious strawberry bread that will beat out a cake craving any day.

Recipe:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, pureed

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup applesauce, no sugar added

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If using frozen strawberries, let defrost before processing in blender.

In a large mixing bowl combine flours, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In another bowl combine strawberry puree, sugar, applesauce, oil, egg, vanilla and lemon zest.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together. Do not overstir.

Pour into a loaf pan sprayed with oil or cooking spray and bake for 50-55 minutes. A knife will come out clean in the center of the bread when it is done.

Let cake cool for 30 minutes before drizzling the glaze over the bread.

For Glaze:

3 tbsp powdered sugar

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whisk together until smooth. Let bread cool for 3o minutes and then drizzle on the bread.

Notes:

One kitchen tool I love and use all the time is my rocket blender. I got this Bella Cucina rocket blender at  Macy’s for around $30. It is great for making salad dressing, smoothies and sauces. It comes with three different blending cups, two blade choices and several lids.