Gluten-free, peach-cornmeal upside-down cake

This recipe is one of those that feels so special you want to save it for an occasion, but really, it's great anytime.

The original recipe wasn't gluten-free, but has so little flour in it that it was an easy gluten-free makeover. One of the things I really like here is that you start the cake in a cast-iron skillet, and then just transfer to the oven for final baking.

Enjoy!



Gluten-free, peach-cornmeal upside-down cake (adapted from Martha Stewart Living)

1 stick butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3 peaches, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1 c. yellow cornmeal
3/4 c. brown rice flour (you can use any flour that you usually bake with)
1 t. baking powder
2 t. chopped fresh lavender
1 1/4 t. coarse salt
3 large eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. whipping cream, plus more for topping if desired

Preheat over to 350-degrees (F). Melt 2 T. butter in a 10" cast-iron skillet using pastry brush to coat sides. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. sugar and cook until bubbly and golden brown. Arrange peaches as shown on top of sugar. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes or so until peaches soften. Remove from heat.

Beat remaining butter and sugar with mixer on high until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla and cream. Whisk remaining dry ingredients together and then add to butter mixture.

Drop large spoonfuls of batter over peaces and spread. Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean (about 20-25 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes and then run a knife around the edge of cake. Quickly invert cake onto a cutting board. Let cool before serving. I like it with fresh whipped cream with just a touch of vanilla and sugar added.

Stocking up

The past few days have been filled with fruit. Both at the store and the farmer's markets, we've been busily stocking up on fresh, organic (where possible), berries and peaches to freeze for winter.

Our technique is simple: spread fruit on cookie sheets and freeze for a few hours. Then place the fruit in freezer bags until you're ready to use.

Freezing the fruit on trays first ensures that the pieces are individually frozen and that they won't come out in a solid lump when you're ready for them.

Of course, not all the fruit made it into the freezer! Anna got to enjoy her first blueberry pie. A last taste of summer (for now, anyway!).

Peach salsa fresca

We go through a lot of salsa in our house. This time of year I simply can't make myself buy it at the store. Not when we've got a tomato jungle in our backyard!

When I saw organic peaches on sale for $1.99 a pound, I couldn't resist stocking up. The result, actually made by David this time, was a delicious peach salsa fresca. This batch lasted about 24 hours in our fridge before it was gone. I'm thinking I need to get some made and canned for those long, dreary winter months when fresh peaches are a distant memory.

David's peach salsa fresca:

2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
½ red onion, diced
1 anaheim pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalepeño, seeded and diced
1 fresh peach, peeled and diced
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
¼ c fresh cilantro, chopped finely
1 tsp olive oil
salt to taste

Enjoy!