Peach and Pecan Crisp

Yeah, peach season is here!  These fabulous fresh fruits have started coming in at our local farmer’s market from Georgia and South Carolina.  It is worth the drive to the Beaver Street Farmer’s Market to buy a case of these beauties for a bargain.  Depending on the day of the week, you can normally find them for anywhere from $8 to $16 for the whole case!  Choose carefully though–you’ll want fruit that is fragrant and not hard, but not too soft either, unless you plan to eat every peach that day.  Once you bring them home I recommend storing them at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.

If you want to peel a peach, it is a cinch!  Bring a small saucepan of water to boil, then gently lower a peach in and allow it to simmer for one to two minutes; then remove from the water.  Run under cool water to cool quickly, then the skin should slide right off without wasting any of the precious fruit.

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  2 lbs fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1/3 cup raw granulated sugar
• 1 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup raw granulated sugar
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 4 TBSP melted butter

Preheat oven to 350° F.  In a medium bowl combine peaches, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and lemon juice.  Pour into a 8×8 baking pan.  In the (now empty) medium bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients, then put on top of the prepared peaches in the baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve hot with ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream.

You may also want to double this recipe–I normally do.  If so, it will take about 45 minutes to bake in a 9×13 pan.