Applesauce Streusel - Seasonal Fruits

2 cups self rising flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon cloves  

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 ¼ cup applesauce

⅓ cup oil

2 eggs

½ cup milk or buttermilk 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup brown sugar 

¼ cup walnuts or pecans

1 Tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease bread loaf pan. Gently mix flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and sugars together in a large bowl. Add applesauce, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour ½ of the batter into the loaf pan. Mix brown sugar, nuts and butter and sprinkle ½ of mixture over batter in the pan. Pour remaining batter on top and sprinkle remaining streusel mixture over the top of the pan. Bake 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Canned Fruit Salad - Seasonal Fruits

5 cans of fruit (ideas include: pears, peaches, pineapple, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, mixed fruit)

1 cup shredded coconut

1 can maraschino cherries

Drain juices from canned fruits into a separate container (reserve juices).

To take this recipe up a level, try adding fresh seasonal fruits right before serving. Also, if you do not like coconut, put a dollop of cool whip or whipped cream on top to make it a light dessert.

Fruit Punch - Seasonal Fruits

½ cup sugar

Fruit juice from 5 cans of fruit

1 package fruit punch Kool Aid

Stir in ingredients, add additional sugar to taste. 

Watermelon Strawberry Caprese Salad - Seasonal Fruits

3 cup watermelon, cubed

2 cup strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

In a large bowl, combine watermelon, strawberries, feta and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired and toss to coat. Garnish with basil and serve.

Cooking Tips: The juices from the watermelon turned the Feta a nice shade of pink, so I think that I would mix the fruits and oil together and add the Feta when serving. Also, I think the oil could be cut down a bit to the cook's liking.

Summer Smoothie - Seasonal Fruits

½ plain or vanilla Greek yogurt

¼ cup fruit of your choice 

1 cup water or milk - fill to consistency 

Blend thoroughly and enjoy!

Quick Peach Cobbler - Seasonal Fruits

1 (29 ounce) can peaches in syrup

1 box yellow cake mix 

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick butter

Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. Place peaches with syrup in a pan and top with a dry cake mix. Sprinkle with cinnamon and slices of butter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 - 50 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Fruit Bites - Seasonal Fruits

1 sliced baguette

1 (8 ounce) container whipped cream cheese

2 Tablespoons honey

Blueberries

Sliced peaches

Toast baguette slices at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Mix honey and cream cheese and spread on baguette. Top with blueberries, sliced peaches or other desired fruit. Drizzle with additional honey if desired.