Where I've been this summer

I usually try to get a few posts in per month, but these last few months have escaped me!

So where did this summer go??

Well guess what I started the first week of August? Call me crazy: I am now officially a homeschooling mom! It has taken me for a spin. Time for myself? lacking. Baking opportunities? only if it is in the curriculum! Ability to eat yummy baked goods? gone down since being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. :(

BUT.... I DID do a lot of baking in July, before homeschooling started, (and before the diagnosis) and here is what I did:

Blueberry Muffins

We went blueberry picking at a local farm near my parent's house. There's nothing like fresh, homegrown blueberries!

SO fun to pick our own! The boys had a blast and were focused the whole time! Yeah for sustained attention! :)

These muffins were some of the most flavorful, delicious muffins I have ever tasted! I couldn't get enough! The recipe came from a past Midwest Living magazine, let me know if you want it and I can get it to you!

Another new recipe I tried was Blueberry Sticky Buns. Super yummy and not as heavy as its butter/brown sugar cousin.

This picture (taken at night) did not do these justice... They were PERFECT with coffee in the morning!

On to the next summer fruit..... PEACHES!

Peach Bread

Beautiful peaches!

While I loved the blueberry treats, NOTHING compared to this peach bread! The recipe came from one of my favorite bloggers, Amanda at I Am Baker. I actually found this post on her other blog, I Am Mommy, which I don't read as often, but is just as good. She is a local Minnesota homeschooling and baking mom of four, so naturally we are kindred spirits (she just doesn't know that yet!). I just tweaked a few things on my end.

If there are still peaches in your grocery store, try this recipe as one last hurrah before the snow comes. Trust me. You will not regret it. I made four loaves in two days. Not kidding.

Peach Bread

2 cups white sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup room temperature butter

2 cups AP flour

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups peaches peeled and sliced (about 5 peaches)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together butter and both sugars. Add beaten eggs and peaches. Combine dry ingredients (salt, cinnamon, flour, and baking soda) and stir until combined.

Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until cooked in the middle. Cover with foil if getting too brown on top.

Amanda suggested using a potato masher to mash the peaches, which worked out quite well and left a few larger chunks for the bread. She added simple syrup after baking the bread, but I skipped that part. The bread was pretty sweet and delicious all on its own, or with some cream!

My stomach is growling now. Anyone else's?