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I am really trying hard to enjoy these last few weeks of summer. But right in the middle of trying to enjoy it, I start thinking about pumpkins. And apple cider. And maple flavored things. With bourbon… everything with bourbon. 

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If you read about my obsession with sun tea this summer, then you know I’m living in the moment, embracing long summer days and warm nights, and spending time in our brand new hammock. I am determined to squeeze out all the sun shine out of this time and use it to warm me come mid February. 

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So when I do feel myself getting antsy for fall, things like whiskey peaches help. They are smack dab in the middle of summer and fall and perfect for late August and early September. The peaches make this summery, but the cinnamon and bourbon make this fall. See? Perfection. 

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I read about a recipe like this in a short story, but it seemed when I looked for it, nothing I could find was quite like what I read about. I decided to try to make it up as I went along. Luckily for me (and for you), it turned out perfect. 

 Local if possible. Then you add some butter, vanilla, sugar and spices. 

Bake, and top with crumbled amaretto cookies. With vanilla ice cream, it’s great. It’s last days of summer great. It’s first days of fall savory worthy and it’s everything I needed to keep my head in the present. 

It starts with this vanilla bean sugar spice mixture. 

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Then we top peaches with butter and bourbon. What could go wrong? 

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Oven, here we come!

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These cookies are all ready to be a topping: (you can find them here, by the way)

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Hello babies. 

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This is what I’m talking about.

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Whiskey Peaches

Serves 6-8, depending on how much peach you want

Ingredients

4 peaches  (late in the season peaches, not early peaches. Early peaches are less flavorful and ripen unevenly)

4 tablespoons butter

1 vanilla bean

1 shot (1.5 ounces) bourbon or whiskey

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 pinches kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 amoretti cookies, crushed

Directions

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits so that you have 8 halves. Take the vanilla bean and split it down the middle lengthwise. Using the back side of your knife scrap down the length of the vanilla bean to collect the insides of the bean. With the left over bean husk, cut it into 4 equal pieces. Place in a 9×13 baking dish or roasting pan cut side up.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, vanilla bean seeds, salt, ginger and cinnamon with a fork until it is mixed together and the vanilla bean seeds are incorporated. 

Cut the butter into 8 small pieces. Place a piece of butter on each peach halve. Sprinkle the sugar vanilla mixture over each peach halve, dividing evenly among them. Scatter the pieces of vanilla bean around and on the peaches.

Sprinkle the bourbon over the peaches.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip the peaches over to cut side down and bake for 5 more minutes. 

Take out and let cool slightly. To serve, place in a bowl and add scoops of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. Sprinkle the amoretti cookies over everything. Spoon some of the sauce that the peaches created from the bottom of the pan.