Thursday, August 21, 2014

Honey Roasted Peaches with Yogurt & Granola

Stuffed food is fun. How's that for deep and philosophical? It may be a simple, rather elementary statement, but let's face it, it's true! Who doesn't love food stuffed in another type of food? Stuffed peppers, stuffed cupcakes, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed sandwiches! In America we enjoy our food stuffed. I've even seen people stuff raspberries. Friends, that is not for the faint of heart. Raspberries are fragile and I can't imagine that stuffing them is an easy task. I have yet to take on such a feat and tonight I'm not about to try.
I am, on the other hand, going to do some stuffing of my own this evening. For me I'm choosing a larger stuffing vessel to give my two diners a more abundant filling. Dainty eaters can stick to their raspberries but in my kitchen tonight we're going big and we're going peachy!
You may be sick of peaches by now but it's summer peach season and I'm making hay while the sun shines….or baking peaches while they're in season. You get the point.
The idea for stuffed peaches came from something deeper than an affinity for stuffed food. Sure stuffed food is eye catching and almost entertaining but when I thought about what to bake tonight I started thinking on a different kind of filling and a different kind of vessel. My thoughts wandered to what I stuff myself with - and I'm not talking food. What am I really filling myself with? Am I loading on good, positive and beneficial influences? Or am I focusing on destructive fillings that cast a dark shadow on my mood and outlook on life?
Everyone is stuffed with something - be it good or bad, positive or negative. Our stuffing is bound to seep out of us and affect and influence our lives and the people in it. So we must choose our stuffing wisely. If we fill up on the destructive it only makes sense that negativity and destruction will flow from us. But if we stuff ourselves with good things, Godly things, we will shine a light that reflects Christ.
I want my peaches stuffed with oats, pecans, cinnamon and honey and I want my life stuffed with scripture, truth, joy and peace. Thankfully I get to choose what I bake in the kitchen and what I bake up in my life. I get to choose the stuffing and tonight I'm choosing to fill my life to the overflowing with all things sweet, beautiful and absolutely wonderful!

To make your own stuffed peaches is really quite simple. Here's what I did:
1. Make a batch of granola. For mine I used a cup of rolled oats, about a 1/3 cup pecans, 2 T butter (melted), 2 T honey, vanilla extract and cinnamon to taste. I tossed that altogether to coat and then spread it out on a baking sheet and baked it for about 30 minutes at 300 degrees, tossing and moving around every 10 minutes or so. I find making granola works best if it is not at all crowded on the sheet. Oats like their personal space. When the granola is turning golden remove it from the oven and let it cool (it will continue to brown on the sheet).
2. Now to the peaches. Preheat the oven to 350 and get to slicing your peach(s). Put the peaches skin sound down in a pan conducive to roasting. In the cavity of the peach put in a tab of putter and a bit of honey (the amount you use will depend on how sweet you want your peach). Pop your peaches in the oven and bake until bubbly but not burnt (about 25 minutes).
3. Remove peaches and let cool a few minutes before topping with vanilla yogurt, a dash of cinnamon and a couple TB of the granola.
4. Serve to hungry guests!


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