Life's uncertain — eat dessert first. If you live by that motto, I fully support you nine times out of 10. But that's simply not the way to go with peaches. We wait months for the sweet, fuzzy-skinned fruit's arrival; why limit yourself to cakes and crumbles? In this instance, I suggest we save those for later.

Turn them into an appetizer.

Move over, tomatoes. Jeff Mauro's Peach Bruschetta (pictured above) is an easy app that you'll make right up until the end of the season. Toss diced peaches with basil, salt and olive oil, then start building: Top golden-brown baguette slices with creamy goat cheese, then spoon on the peach mixture and drizzle with hot honey. It's sweet, spicy and absolutely irresistible.

Add them to a salad.

Kick off a memorable summer meal with Kardea Brown's 5-star Fresh Peach Salad. Peppery arugula and smoked Gouda provide the perfect balance to sliced peaches and candied pecans. This mouthwatering salad comes together in only 15 minutes, but you can make the vinaigrette a day ahead to speed up the process even more.

Make them part of dinner.

Chicken and peaches might not be the first combination that comes to mind when you think "summery dinner option," but it will be now. Ellie Krieger's healthy Savory Peach Chicken recipe features fresh peaches cooked in a gingery soy sauce mixture, and they're just the upgrade your weeknight chicken routine needs.

Drink up!

Ina Garten's got the four-ingredient secret to summer's finest happy hour: Fresh Peach Bellinis. You simply top fresh peach puree with prosecco. What's not to love?

Bake them into dessert.

Last but not least, Food Network Kitchen's Peach Crumble is a classic dessert no summer should be without. And it's as satisfying served warm as it is at room temperature — just be sure to save room for the fruity treat and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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