Let’s be honest, one of the best things about living in Colorado could be the Palisade peaches . . . I mean, how could you resist?!! And really, WHY would you?!!
In case you didn’t know, peak peach season is right now — like, RIGHT NOW! Hurry, because it’s going to come to an end in the next few weeks! I have been obsessed with peach season since my first work trip to Palisade. I had heard of the peaches and had to check them out, so purchased an entire carton, and brought them home. When my family went through the peaches in just a few days, I realized I needed to find some fun and tasty recipes — and obviously buy these peaches in bulk!
Below are a few of my favorite recipes (two of which were passed along from a dear friend!). I encourage you to run down to the store, snag up some Palisade peaches, and enjoy before peach season is over.
Prosciutto, Peach, and Sweet Lettuce Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 t finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 (6.5 oz.) package sweet butter lettuce mix
- 2 large ripe peaches, cut into wedges
- 3 oz. very thin slices prosciutto, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 oz. ricotta salata cheese, divided into 4 equal parts
- 2 Tablespoons dry-roasted sunflower seed kernels
- Small mint leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Combine first four ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in chopped mint.
- Combine lettuce mix and peach wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle lettuce mix with dressing; toss gently to coat.
- Arrange about 2 cups of salad in each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with ¾ oz. proscitutto, 1 piece of ricotta salata, and about 2 teaspoons of sunflower seed kernels. Garnish with small mint leaves (optional)
Fresh Peach Lemonade
Ingredients
- 3 large peaches, pitted and cut into quarters
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup real lemon juice (6-8 lemons)
- Water
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan combine fresh peaches, 1 cup water, and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool.
- Place in blender and blend for about 1 minute until smooth. Using a sieve over a 2 qt. pitcher, pour peach syrup through sieve. Add fresh lemon juice. Fill to 2 qt. line with ice and water. Enjoy!
Peach Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup low-fat or nonfat milk
- 1 cup chopped peaches
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon melted butter
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil or nonfat cooking spray
- Fresh peach purée for topping
Instructions
- Stir the milk, chopped peaches, flours, butter, and eggs together in a large bowl.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet and drop in large spoonfuls of the batter.
- Cook over medium heat for about two minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter.
- Serve hot with the peach purée
My kiddos love all of these recipes, especially the lemonade and pancakes. They are fun and simple to make. We encourage you to try these out during the final weeks of summer and peach season.