Peachy summer

Growing up, we spent every summer in South Carolina and over indulged in two foods, shrimp and peaches. We would eat both until our hands were puffed up from the salty shrimp and our faces were coated in the juice of peaches. Our first trip upon reaching our vacation home was to the supermarket where the moment of entry was marked by the overwhelming aroma of fresh peaches.

So for me, peaches are the quintessential summer fruit, associated with beach trips, sunrises, and long summer nights. Warm breezes and warm currents. Now there's no way my recipe exchange partner could have known this, I mean, she didn't even know who was going to get her recipe, but fate waved a magic finger and for this month's recipe exchange I was given the ultimate summer dessert - peaches and cream.

The recipe combines fresh sliced peaches, a creamy cream cheese and cool whip frosting, and then another one of my southern summer favorites - a pecan encrusted crust. Peaches, pecans, and cream? It's summer in a dish - or on a plate - or in a bowl! It's inexplainably light and airy, and everyone loves a fruit dessert in the summer right? Especially one that uses fresh fruit. Thatboy helped out by slicing the peaches for me while I ran around preparing the rest of it - true teamwork. Of course, I'm sure the promise of a quicker finish was appealing to him!

So while I can't tell you who sent me this recipe, I can tell you that they have excellent summer taste!

Peaches and Cream Layered Dessert 1st layer: 1 1/4 stick margarine 1 1/2 cup plain flour 2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 cup chopped pecans 2nd layer: 2 8-oz blocks cream cheese at room temp 1 cup powdered sugar 2 cups Cool Whip 3rd layer: 4 or 5 cups sliced fresh peaches 1 cup granulated sugar 2 Tbsp corn starch 3 Heaping Tbsp peach jello (dry Powder) 1 1/2 cups water 2 Tbsp margarine 1 tsp lemon juice 2 drops yellow food coloring and 1 drop red food coloring 1 tsp vanilla In the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, melt margarine. Add next 3 ingredients. Mix together and pat evenly in bottom of pan and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 min or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Next. Mix next 3 ingredients in mixing bowl until smooth. Spread evenly over 1st layer. Next. Blend sugar, cornstarch and dry jello in pan. Add water, lemon juice, and butter. Cook until thickened. Then add vanilla and food colorings. Cool somewhat and then mix with the sliced peaches and place on top of 2nd layer. Refrigerate several hours prior to serving. The jello mixture will continue to congeal. Decorate with more whipped cream if desired.