Peaches on a hot summer night (recipes below)


I grew up in the deep south.  Peaches from Chilton County might be the best peaches in the world....I'm a bit further from Chilton County now, but I do still love a juicy, drip on the chin when you bit into it peach in the middle of the summer.

I hosted a social distanced, spread the tables and chairs more than 6 feet apart, small birthday party for my co-workers this week.  I planned for weeks to make this special for my staff--they have worked SO hard remotely and helped our faculty, staff and students, sometimes late into the night.  They are rockstars and I LOVE working for them...this was the least I could do...  and strangely, they all have birthdays in July and August....

I had planned to cater--order from a local restaurant that I love (deuces Atwaters: https://www.atwatersfood.com/), but when everyone placed their order, and it was for the same thing, I decided it just made more sense for me to make it.  

Our menu was the following:
Lemonade Bourbon Tea 
Sweet Honey Chicken Salad
Spinach and mixed greens salad with peach vinaigrette
Caprese salad with grape tomatoes

Recipes below:

Lemonade Bourbon Tea (serves one)
1/2 cup brewed iced tea
1 ounce limoncello
2 ounces southern bourbon (I used Dettlings: https://dettling1867.com/expressions)
1/4 cup lemonade
Mix and pour over ice.  

Sweet Honey Chicken Salad (serves 8 generous servings)
2 cups mayonnaisse (I love Duke's when we can find it)
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt (add more to taste)
Orange zest from one orange
Orange juice squeezed from that one orange (zest it first!)
Mix and set aside.

Shred chicken on 3 large rotisserie chickens (thanks Sam's Club)
1/2 - 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Pour mayo mixture onto chicken.  Mix well.  Chill until ready to serve.

Mixed Greens Salad with Peach Vinaigrette (serves about 8 2 TBS servings)
4 overripe peaches, pureed (see link below for tips to remove skin from fresh peaches)
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsps of salt (to taste)
juice of one lemon
several shakes of hot sauce (1 tsp, taste, then try again)
Taste...is it missing something?  It was pretty good to me!
Make this at least 12 hours prior to serving.

Salad mixture per salad:
2-3 cups of greens per salad (I like a BIG salad)
2 fresh ripe peaches. 3-4 slices per salad
4-5 cherries per salad
1 red onion, sliced (divide between salads)
French Feta (I get this in specialty cheese section at Wegman's)
Candied Walnuts (how to do this?  Recipe below here :)

Serve with Peach Vinaigrette-YUM!

Candied Walnuts (most nuts will work here--try with almonds, pecans too!)
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cayenne or chile powder (more or less depending on the kick you are looking for)
Salt to taste

Watch this carefully as the nuts will burn FAST!  Put sugar, nuts and chile powder in skillet and turn on low heat.  DO NOT WALK away or you will be starting over....stir with a wooden spoon as the sugar starts to melt....once sugar melts, stir to coat nuts and remove from heat.  Sprinkle with salt and pour on aluminum foil.  Let cool and break up in small pieces.  Serve on salads.  









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