Peach Time!

It’s beginning to look a lot like…Peaches!  If you’re not in a part of the country where peaches are in season, don’t despair; they’re on their way.  Here’s one way to enjoy the bounty of the summer, with no gluten and almost a third of the sugar of traditional peach cobblers.

Gluten-Free Reduced Sugar Oatmeal Peach Crisp

6 c. fresh, peeled ripe peach slices (or about 6 – 8 fresh peaches.  Frozen or canned will work, too)

1 c. Splenda brown sugar blend (or ½ c. regular brown sugar & ½ c. baking Splenda, mixed well)

1 ¼ c. GF flour (like Jules’ Gluten-free flour mix)

1 T. lemon juice

1 ¼ c. brown sugar blend

¾ c. GF oats (quick cooking or regular)

1 t. cinnamon

1 stick cold butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9" X 9" glass or stoneware baking dish.

In a large bowl, toss peach slices with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 c. flour and lemon juice and arrange in prepared baking dish. Set aside.
Combine 1 cup GF flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oatmeal and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until blended.
With the food processor running, add cold butter a few pieces at a time. Mix until butter is fully incorporated and mixture looks like big crumbs.  (If you don’t have a food processor, use a pastry blender or even 2 sturdy forks.)

Spread topping over peaches and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until liquid starts bubbling up and the topping is browning.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.  This goes great with vanilla ice cream!

How to Ripen Peaches:

Peaches are at their best when they are juicy and ripe, fresh from the tree.  Not all of us have that luxury, however, so if your grocery store peaches are less then ripe, you can help them along.  Place a banana in a brown paper bag.  Add up to 4 peaches.  Fold the top of the bag down loosely and let sit on your counter overnight.  By morning, the peaches should be pliable.  If some are much softer than others, take the ripe ones out and leave the harder ones in the bag for a little longer.  Bananas release a gas which helps to speed along ripening.