Check out the new view on Mendenhall Street. After several weeks without a sofa – I’m happy to introduce a new red Younger Furniture Vito in my living room! I’m still adjusting but really love the new addition (so does Winston). Also, it inspired a a whirlwind of cleaning today from edging the backyard and scrubbing my front porch. I’m beat and ready for another big week.

This weekend I whipped up some Smitten Kitchen Peach Shortbread with some South Carolina Peaches. And oh how they were scrumptious. They were part of an extra long delivery to Meadows of Dan, Virginia for my very good friend Margaret’s 30th birthday celebration. The Peach Shortbread was a big hit after lunch of Grilled Herbed Lemon Shrimp Skewers and Summer Balsamic Tomato, Caper and Bacon Pasta Salad. Oh, and spiked Arnold Palmers (Firefly Vodka and Fresh Market Lemonade. I’ll post the other recipes this week.

Oh, and check out the bounty of my alleyway garden too!

South Carolina Peach Shortbread, from Smitten Kitchen 

• 1 cup, white sugar
• 1 teaspoon, baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon, cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon, freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon, salt
• 1 cup, cold unsalted butter
• 1, large egg
• 2 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced (between 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick)
• 1/4 cup, sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13 inch pan, or spray it with a nonstick spray. In a food processor, pulse together sugar and butter. Then slowly add in baking powder, flour, salt and spices. Add egg and pulse until crumbly. (I added a tablespoon or so of cold water to help it form together) Pat 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly. Tile peach slices over crumb base in a single layer. Scatter remaining crumbs and almonds evenly over peaches and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until top is slightly brown and you can see a little color around the edges. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.