Hey guys, I’ve got good news.

I made pie!

Better news: you can, too! I took the last of our peach haul and tossed it in the bread maker for some spiced peaches (sans pectin, this time). This is the recipe that I used for pie filling and pancake syrup; it’s useful for all sorts of delicious things. Incidentally, old peaches mush more than fresh peaches. Note to self: next time make spiced peaches first, jam second.

It’s still delicious.

Spiced Peaches (Bread Machine)

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 peaches
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Wash, peel, pit, and chop your peaches.
2. In bread pan, combine all ingredients.
3. Select ‘jam’ setting; start.
4. Allow peaches to cool down before transferring to containers. Store in the fridge or the freezer. I’m not sure how long. The jam is supposed to keep for 3 months in the fridge or 12 months in the freezer. I don’t see why this wouldn’t last as long. You know. Except for the whole eating it factor.

Makes about 5 cups.

Now, what do you do with a lot of spiced peaches in your fridge…just sitting there?

Well, first you get some pie crust. And a couple of ramekins or similar small baking vessels. (Also, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.) Then you cut out the crust ‘lids.’

Then, spray the pans and sort of smash pie crust down into your containers.  There’s not really a neat way to do this. Also, we were running low on crust due to earlier experimentation, but fortunately this is a pie eaten whole and not served out – so we could afford to scant on the bottom crust a little.

Add filling. Leave about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch at the top, because this stuff bubbles up.

I pulled out some miniature farm animal cookie cutters and let the boys cut a vent in the middle before we capped the pie. (Which they loved!)

Repeat. Multiple times.

Bake (at 400 degrees) for 20-25 minutes.

Serve hot.

And, you know. With ice cream.

(I think enough dough for one double-crust pie would make eight pies this size. Just remember: 400 degrees, 20-25 minutes, pre-cooked filling. It’s perfection.)

Until yesterday, I thought chocolate was something that just could not be made at home. You know. Like hot dogs. Fruity Pebbles. Or Cheetos. All the recipes I have ever found for homemade chocolate involved buying chocolate, melting it, mixing other things into it, and saying, “See? Homemade!”

I am here to tell you that you can make chocolate – not fudge, not sauce, but real, honest-to-goodness chocolate candy – from pantry ingredients in minutes with no cooking at all. The secret ingredient is this: coconut oil. You may not have it in your pantry right this minute, but they sell it at Walmart so it’s not going to be difficult to get your hands on it. Coconut oil is special because it has such a useful melting point – 76 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that at any temperature below 75 degrees it “freezes” or solidifies. (Therefore, if your house is cooler than 75 degrees you may have to gently melt your coconut oil before you mix your chocolate.) With coconut oil you can do things like make your own shell topping for ice cream that will harden just like the store brands. And, of course, the chocolate.

When you mix the ingredients, stir the cocoa and oil together first. Then mix in the rest, scrape into a mini muffin liner, and stick in the freezer for a few minutes. It hardens up beautifully! (If you live somewhere that the room temperature is significantly higher than 75 degrees – like here – you’ll need to keep your chocolate in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it. You can see that my chocolate started melting while I was fiddling with the camera.)

Rich Whipped Chocolate

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sweetened whipped cream

Approx. 78 calories

Dark Honey Chocolate

• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp honey

Approx. 45 calories

I like my chocolate super-dark. I haven’t figured out a good diluted recipe yet, but fortunately I don’t have to please anyone but myself when I make my little chocolates. Try it! It’s so much fun.