Kitchen Christening

For Mike's birthday yesterday, we made our first meal at the new house. Pretty exciting to have room to move around and not be continuously in each other's way. I had planned on taking a picture of the occasion, but apparently the memory card was in my computer and not in the camera. So, you'll just have to picture us making black bean chili, guacamole, salad and eating a peach kuchen (which was made ahead of time in the miniscule apartment kitchen).

And, we are both over our weird illness from last that wasn't quite influenza, wasn't quite the stomach flu ... It was the second time in 6 months that I've had a fever to 102. Anyhoo, we are glad to be feeling better. We were wallowing in misery together at least.

Here is the peach kuchen recipe in case anyone wants to try it. It was a big hit with us. I used frozen peaches from the summer but canned work (or wait for fresh in the summer).

Shortbread Crust:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unbleached cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 cup corn oil or canola oil

Peach Filling:
9 peach halves (peeled fresh, or canned peach halves, drained)
2 Tablespoons unbleached cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream Topping:
1 cup Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) For the crust, place the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl, and stir them together.Cut the oil into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture is crumbly.Pat an even layer of this mixture over the bottom and halfway up the sides of an 8-inch x 8-inch x 2-inch glass baking dish.

3) Place the peach halves in three rows of three, cut side down, over the pastry.Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle this mixture over the peaches.

4) Place the kuchen in the oven on the center rack, and bake it for 15 minutes.

5) meanwhile, place the Tofu Sour Cream, maple syrup, and turmeric in a small mixing bowl, and stir them together until they are well combined.After the kuchen has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven, and spoon this mixture evenly over the top of the peaches.Return the kuchen to the oven to continue baking for 30 minutes longer.Serve warm or cold.