Inspirations for Peach Ice Cream Day

Today is National Peach Ice Cream Day. As a native Californian, I adore anything peachy – from cobblers to ice creams and anything else made with sweet peaches. Most of us think Georgia Peach, but the nation’s leading producer of peaches is right here, in my own back yard.

Pops grew peaches on the farm. I can remember many a summer picking peaches, and then after supper we’d sit down to the best peach cobbler imaginable. Eating those peaches was messy – the juices ran down your chin. Heaven.

Today is suppose to be all about Peach Ice Cream. Round these parts, in July the markets all carry Limited Edition California Peach Ice Cream. That got me to thinking, what else can you make with peaches? How about milkshakes? Oh yeah – now that’s refreshing.

Chick-Fil-A has a Limited Edition Peach Milkshake. Chick-Fil-A also has one of the best spicy chicken sandwiches. And those waffle fries. Yeah, it’s all good. Now not everyone can just run out to Chick-Fil-A. While a chain, they aren’t everywhere. We don’t have one in our town – it’s two towns over. And the line is always around the block. If you’re out for a Sunday Drive, don’t think about Chick-Fil-A. They are closed on Sundays, allowing time for their employees to be with family and attend Church services. I think that’s great, but not always convenient since we often are out and about on Sundays. Which is why I’ve taken to making copy-cats of our favorite Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, fries and shakes. Let me tell you, after that spicy chicken sandwich, you’ll be glad to end the meal with a cool, refreshing Peach Milkshake. Now you could make this shake with Peach Ice Cream, but fresh peaches are the best. Besides, what is Peach Ice Cream but a good vanilla ice cream with peaches in the mix?

Have a wonderful, blessed day.

Chick-Fil-A Inspirations
Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Air-Fryer Waffle Fries
Fresh Peach Milkshake

Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwiches
1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
1/3 cup Water
1 Egg
1 cup Flour
2-1/2 teaspoons Salt
4 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon Coarse Black Pepper
1 teaspoons Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 lb Thin Cut Chicken Breasts
Vegetable Oil for frying
1 Large Tomato
4 Green Lettuce Leaves
4 Hamburger Buns
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise

In a pie pan, whisk together hot sauce, water, and egg. In another pie pan, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder.

Coat each fillet in the flour. then in the hot sauce mixture, then in the flour again. Lay chicken out on a rack and let rest for 10 minutes for the coating to adhere to the meat.

While the chicken rests, slice the tomato and break apart the lettuce leaves, set aside.

Fill a skillet with about a half an inch of oil. Heat oil over medium high heat. Place half of the chicken into the hot oil. Immediately turn heat down to medium. Fry chicken for about 3 minutes. Turn and continue to fry another three minutes.

Place chicken on a wire rack to drain, hold in a warm oven until all the chicken has been fried.

When ready to assemble, split buns. Smear mayonnaise on the top and bottom bun. Place a tomato slice on the bottom bun, top with chicken, lettuce and the top bun. Serve and enjoy.

Air Fryer Waffle Cut Fries
12 oz frozen Waffle Cut Fries
Cooking Spray
Seasoning Salt

Arrange frozen waffle fries in the basket of the air fryer. Spray lightly with cooking spray, season with seasoning salt. Shake to distribute.

Set Air Fryer to 400-degrees for 12 minutes. Press start. Let fries cook for 6 minutes, pause, remove basket and toss fries. Continue to cook for remaining time. If fires are not to desired crispness, continue to cook another 3 minutes, checking mid-way through additional time.

Serve and enjoy.

Fresh Peach Milkshake
4 large Peaches, overly ripe
2 pints French Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
1/2 cup whole Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
Pinch Kosher Salt

Note: Overly ripe peaches for the milkshake are needed. If peaches are not overly ripe, place in a brown paper bag to help ripen.

Clear some room in the freezer for a sheet pan. Line sheet pan with parchment paper, set aside.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. While the water comes to a boil, prepare an ice bath by placing ice cubes and water into a large bowl, set aside.

Once the water has come to a full boil, remove from heat. Plunge peaches into the boiling hot water for about 90 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon. Immediately plunge peaches into the ice water bath.

With a sharp paring knife, cut peaches in half. Remove stone from the center, then remove skin. Skin should come off easily at this point.

Once stoned and peeled, cut peach halves into wedges. Arrange on the prepared sheet pan. Place into the freezer for about an hour.

About 15 minutes before blending shakes, remove ice cream from the freezer and let it soften.

Place the frozen peaches into a blender. Top with vanilla ice cream. Add Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract and a pinch of Kosher Salt. Remove cover from the pour hole of the blender top. Place top onto blender, begin blending on low speed. Slowly add milk through the pour whole. Cover pour hole, increase speed and blend for about a minute longer, until thick and just a little chunky.

Finishing Touches
Whipped Cream, from a can
Maraschino Cherries
1 Peach, cut into wedges

Pour into 4 chilled glasses. Garnish with whipped cream and a cherry. Slice a peach into wedges to serve with the milkshake.

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 Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia, alleluia.