August House Quilt Block

 

This 12" August House quilt block is part of my Calendar of Houses Bee Quilt.  A friend and I organized this on-line bee a couple of years ago after being members of two previous on-line bees.

 

There were twelve of us in the bee - from the United States as well as England and New Zealand.  Every month, each of us made a block for a member and a different member made a block for us.  The house design was to represent that month.  A bee member from Aukland, New Zealand made this block for me.  Keep in mind that it was wintertime in New Zealand when she created this!   

 

My daughter-in-law recently made this Pioneer Woman's Peach Crisp.  Talk about delicious!  The Maple Cream Sauce makes this an extra-special recipe.  It's perfect for August when fresh, local peaches are at their peak.  Enjoy!

 

Pioneer Woman's Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

5-6 fresh peaches, not overly ripe or soft

1/2 lemon

7 tablespoons real maple syrup, divided

1-1/2 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   

2.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, using a fork or pastry cutter.  Cut butter into small pieces and gradually add to flour mixture until evenly mixed.  Set aside. 

3.  Peel and slice peaches into another bowl.  Add the zest from half a lemon.  Squeeze juice from lemon half and stir in with peaches and zest.  Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup to peaches; stir well.

4.  Grease an 8" or 9" square pan.  Pour peach mixture into pan and cover evenly with crumb topping.  Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until crisp and brown on top.  5.  To make Maple Cream Sauce:  Pour whipping cream into a saucepan.  Add 5 tablespoons maple syrup and 3 tablespoons light corn syrup.  Stir over moderate heat until thickened and reduced by about one-third, approximately 15 minutes.  Refrigerate mixture until it is cold and thick, or set the saucepan into a small bowl of ice.  (The ice will melt and turn into ice water.)  Stirring your mixture, it will cool and thicken in about 15 minutes.  Drizzle sauce over peach crisp.  Serve warm. 

 

Check out The Pioneer Woman's website for excellent, step-by-step photos of this recipe as well as many other recipes! 

 

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post here.