Cooking Corner By:Bernice Volkens

As I start writing this morning I realize it is 9/11 and it still feels like I’m on an emotional roller-coaster.  It still is hard for me to realize something this horrible happened in our Country.  Our country still has the fear and uncertainly and doubt.  While I will remember what happened eleven years ago I’m still very upset what is going on in Afghanistan.  The major threat to our troops is the very group of soldiers whom our service members are training are killing unsuspecting American troops.  I hope the president will keep his promise and leave Afghanistan in two years.  We have to realize we can’t police the world. But the news is not all bad.  Just as our country came together after the attacks, we will again after the elections show that the United States will come together as a united front.  We will share the news and updates and our hope will remain strong.  Still today will be a tough day and we will feel the pain.  We will remember the moms and dads, aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas who died in the towers, on the planes, or at the Pentagon.  We’ll remember the first responders who risked their own health to pick up the pieces of this tragedy.  And we will honor the men and women who serve our country.  Because of the length of this war, many soldiers have been deployed multiple times, a sacrifice that is almost unimaginable. September is now called National Preparedness Month a time to prepare for any emergency. This is a recipe I tried the other day.  Some of the good peaches are soon gone.  These were Colorado peaches; at first they were very hard but after a few days sitting on the counter they were fine.  Because of a bad leg and back I didn’t take time to make my own crust and I probably didn’t have enough peaches but it still was delicious. PEACH FILLING 8 to 10 ripe but firm peaches 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon or pinch of nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg Peal and cut peaches into 1/4 thick slices and toss with lemon juice and flavoring in a large bowl. Whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in another bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Stir the flour mixture into the peaches and mix well. Pour the peach mixture into the pie shell. Scatter with pieces of butter. Pop into the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes. After it has cooled serve with whip topping or ice cream.   “The United States of America will prevail”