What’s Cooking?

Recipe ideas from the food pantry: Canned Peaches

Submitted by St Vincent dePaul Food Pantry

“What’s cooking?” is a question many families face daily. Some families don’t even bring up the topic because the cupboards are bare.

Food pantries provide families in need with items. However, there are times the family doesn’t know what to do with the free groceries delivered.

Annunciation’s St. Vincent de-Paul Food Pantry provides food to those needing assistance in the area, including dairy, various protein, fresh vegetables, and fruit, along with canned and boxed goods.

If you don’t know what to cook with the groceries provided, what good is the assistance?

That is why volunteers at the St. Vincent de-Paul Food Pantry want to provide some recipes to help people use the groceries they receive.

The food boxes currently being distributed during the distribution includes canned fruit.

Please don’t throw them out because many “good eats” can be created with them.

Last month was canned pears; this time, it’s canned peaches.

Traditionally, canned peaches can be used by dieters. A low-calorie plate consisting of a couple of peach halves, a cup of cottage cheese, some sliced tomatoes with some dry toast can be dinner or a light lunch.

Do you like apple butter? Why not try peach butter? Substitute the apples in the recipe with canned peaches, make it in a crockpot, and then serve it over waffles, pancakes, or toast.

Like peach ice cream? Here is a quick “cheater” recipe:

1-pint heavy whipping cream

1 14-oz. can of sweetened, condensed milk (not “evaporated” milk)

1 can peaches, well-drained, chopped

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the peaches and condensed milk. Pour into a container and freeze overnight for best results.

And there are a lot more, like these desserts:

Marshmallow Peach Icebox Dessert

Ingredients

1 t. Unflavored gelatin (1 packet)

1/4 cold water

2 eggs, separated

1/3 cup butter softened

1 cup powdered sugar

10 oz bag mini marshmallows

4 cups canned peaches, drained

1 1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers

Instructions

1. Soak gelatin in the cold water for 5 minutes

2. In a small saucepan, cream the butter, powdered sugar, and egg yolks. Cook the mixture over low heat, constantly stirring until slightly thickened.

3, Remove the mixture from the heat, stir in the soaked gelatin, make sure there are no lumps. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and allow to cool for five minutes.

4. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

5. Fold the peaches into the butter mixture until they are well coated. Stir in the marshmallows and gently fold in egg whites.

6. In an 8 x 10 or 9 x 13 (depending on how thick you want the dessert), add half the crushed vanilla wafers. Top the wafers with peach and marshmallow mixture.

Finish off by topping it with the remaining vanilla wafers. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Easy Peach Dumplings

Ingredients

1 can crescent roll dough

8 slices of canned peaches, drained. Save the juice

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of 7 up or sprite

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 8 x 8 baking dish and set it aside

Place each peach slice on the larger end of an unrolled crescent roll dough portion. Fold the corners in and roll-up.

Place each dough-covered peach in the prepared pan.

In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, microwave the butter until melted.

Stir in sugars, vanilla, soda, and juice from the peaches.

Sprinkle the dumplings with cinnamon to taste. Drizzle over the liquid mixture to cover all of your dumplings.

Bakes for 40 minutes. If you notice it getting browner than you would like, loosely cover the pan with foil.

Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or drizzle the juice from the pan over the top.

Peach Dump Cake

Ingredients

1 20-ounce can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup.

3 t. Light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 yellow cake mix

1 stick of butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350,

In a bowl, stir together pear slices, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Place the peach slices into a buttered 8 x 8 or 7 x 11 pan.

Pour the cake mix on top of the filling.

Pour the melted butter over the top of the cake mix. Make sure to cover the entire top.

Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Until next time, enjoy cooking with the pantry.