It has come to my attention recently that there literally dozens of foods that I was too stubborn to try growing up that have now been elevated to weekly staple status in my kitchen. When I think about how long I went without enjoying delicious ingredients like avocados, sweet potatoes, artichokes, and even mushrooms I get so annoyed with myself. Tastes definitely change as you age, and things you found intimidating that you labeled “icky” at the age of 7 might actually be quite amazing if you give them another try now.

Peaches were another item on my perpetual “do not eat” list. I had cultivated a completely absurd notion that peaches were disgusting when I was a kid (essentially this means that they weren’t bananas and therefore I wouldn’t touch them) so I never bothered buying them. Ever. I actually think I finally realized that peaches were pretty awesome after CK’s grandmother served some to me cut-up as a side dish at breakfast a few years ago. Initially I was just trying to be polite when I ate them, but then a little light bulb went off in my head and I thought, “Oh my God. These are scrumptious!” And promptly shoveled some more into my face.

In addition, If I’d never learned that I liked peaches I wouldn’t have bought this hilarious peach with a beak last summer at Russell Orchards on the way home from Crane Beach in Ipswich. It’s seriously one of my favorite photos ever (even though I took it on the iPhone). So have you had any food awakenings over the years? I can’t be the only former plain pizza eating Miss Priss on the block.

PS: This muffin recipe is excellent, but you don’t have to take my word for it.  CK’s co-workers called them “Re-dunk-u-lous.”

Fresh Peach and Oat Muffins
Originally published in Muffins and Other Morning Bakes by Linda Collister
Makes 12 muffins

1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup melted butter or vegetable oil

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
12 oz. almost ripe peaches, rinsed, pitted, and flesh cut into large chunks

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Put the rolled oats and the buttermilk in a large bowl and let soak for 10 minutes. Add the lightly beaten egg, melted butter or vegetable oil, and sugar and mix well.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices onto the soaked oat mixture and stir briefly. Quickly fold in the chopped peaches. Do not beat or over mix; the batter should look slightly streaky. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about two-thirds full.

Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 1 minute, then turn out onto a wire rack. Eat warm, immediately or within 24 hours. When thoroughly cooled, the muffins can be wrapped then frozen for up to 1 month.

Don’t forget! You have until Noon (EST) on Friday, June 13 to enter the contest to win your very own copy of The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook. Simply follow this link and leave a comment. It couldn’t be easier.

I don’t know what you’re feelings are on this, but in our home baked goods are often eaten for breakfast. Not by me though. Yes, CK has a serious morning sweet tooth. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, or pie are all fair game in his eyes. His rational for consuming sugar laden treats before 9:00 AM is as follows: if I can eat a muffin, why can’t I eat a cookie? I don’t know guys…it makes sense to him. So while I’m choking down Grape Nuts or a Sweet & Salty Granola bar, he digs into a plate of cookies and a tall glass of milk. At least he chases it all with a multi-vitamin.

Instead of discouraging his habit though, I’m an enabler and make recipes like this one for Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. At the very least this cookie has some actual breakfast appropriate aspects to it (hello?! bananas! oatmeal!). I might even go so far as to call it a “breakfast cookie” if that label takes away any guilt we might feel after secretly scarfing down this amazing concoction in the wee hours of the morning.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Elinor Klivans’s The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook published by Chronicle Books

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oatmeal (not quick-cooking)
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 bananas, cut into 1/4 to1/3 inch pieces

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and butter the paper (Note: I just used a silpat).

In a small bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together, set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until blended, about 1 minute. The mixture may look slightly curdled. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated. Mix in the oatmeal. Mix in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Use a large spoon to mix in the banana pieces, mixing just until they are evenly distributed and some of the pieces are mashed but most are still visible, about 20 seconds.

Use a tablespoon to drop heaping spoonfuls of dough (about 3 level tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 3 inches apart. Note: I used a large scoop.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the edges are lightly browned and the tops look dry, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, than use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

The cookies can be stored in a tightly covered container, layered between sheets of wax paper, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

My obsession with scones began last winter after spending an amazing weekend in Burlington at a fabulous Bed and Breakfast called The Willard Street Inn. Each morning we’d awaken to the smells of freshly baked breakfast treats and without fail I managed to eat my weight in their delicious scones.

My only other experience making scones was from one of those King Arthur mixes and they turned out like sugared hockey pucks (no fault of King Arthur Flour I’m sure, since I made those back in the days when the height of my culinary experience was heating a Skillet Sensation on the stove).

Now my memory isn’t perfect, but I really felt as though one version of the scones I had at the Inn contained oatmeal and brown sugar, so after doing a little internet research I found a scone recipe that contained those ingredients. I didn’t have any buttermilk on hand, but I did have vinegar so I made my own buttermilk and hoped for the best. I also changed the brown sugar ratio to 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons so I would be assured of a slightly sweeter dough, and honestly I was incredibly happy with the results. Frankly, I was shocked at how well they rose, and I loved the taste and texture. The scones more than met my expectations and when paired with fresh fruit I could almost pretend I was back in Vermont being pampered again…until that yappie dog down the hall started barking and totally burst my bubble.

Pulse Dry Ingredients	Add Butter & Pulse Again
Make Buttermilk	Combine Until Dough Forms
Pat Out and Slice	Top With Oats & Sugar
Simple Joys

Oatmeal Scones (based on the November 2005 Gourmet Magazine recipe)

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk plus additional for brushing

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a food processor. Add 1 1/3 cups oats and pulse 15 times. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. Transfer to a bowl.

Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms. Gently knead on a floured surface 6 times.

Pat into a 9-inch square (1/2 inch thick). Cut into 9 (3-inch) squares. Cut each square diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.

Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and oats. Bake until golden brown, about 16 minutes.

My Food Network idols are Rachael and Giada respectively, but I also have a fond place in my heart for Ellie Krieger. Ellie creates nutritious and low calorie meals that seriously taste amazing. I’ve made many of the recipes she’s previewed on her new show and I vow to be first in line whenever she releases a cookbook. Last night’s dinner was Ellie’s Turkey Meatloaf:

Soak the Oats	Dice & Slice
Bell Peppers	Incidentals
Mix	Combine
Shape & Garnish	Bake @ 350 Degrees for 1 Hour

Not Your Momma’s Meatloaf