Sour Cream Berry Muffins - berries won't sink in this one...

This sweet, rich, berry-studded muffin didn’t have to campaign hard to be an instant favorite. Easy to add a variety of fresh or frozen fruit to - and bakes up tall and tender inside. The batter is thick enough that the berries won’t even think of sinking to the bottom.

I’ve tried LOTS of muffin recipes to discover the one that makes the most of blueberries - and I think I’ve finally found it. The recipe is from Country Woman magazine - and I found it on tasteofhome.com. It makes a substantial size batch - so I prefer to cut it in half so we consume them hot from the oven without leftovers. A few months ago I made these with half sliced fresh strawberries added to the blueberries. It was a fun Fourth of July breakfast.
I think you’ll agree this one is a keeper. Bid blueberries farewell soon - summer is waving goodbye... But frozen blueberries will work almost as well this winter.

For this recipe, photos, and directions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

The Classic BLT - the summer sandwich of your childhood...

Today was officially my “Sunday Dinner Strike”... I have had enough cooking this week - and I wanted something fast and filling. Fresh tomatoes with crunchy lettuce and bacon on toasted buttered bread - is your mouth watering yet? Now is the time of year for a classic easy meal like the “BLT”...

There are some days that I am so DONE cooking! Today was one of them. Myself (and especially my family) are real fans of making a fantastic Sunday dinner - a day that we can usually relax and enjoy a meal together. After an especially crazy week I was kind of glad not to have anyone coming by for dinner today (but that will change - I LOVE having people over usually)

I gave my son a choice between Pork Roast & Mashed Potatoes (usually a favorite) and BLT’s. I was shocked when he chose BLT’s. But, after all - we have some pretty great tomatoes in the garden and everything else that makes the classic BLT - fresh white bread, crunchy lettuce, Miracle Whip, mustard, and (most important) THICK sliced bacon. You may not normally like mustard - but try it (even a tiny bit) and you will notice a subtle difference that make a superior BLT.

It had been a long time since we had these, but I still crave them occasionally. And, after all - it IS the day of “rest” (for some of us anyway) You may think it isn’t necessary to have a real, written-down recipe for something this simple - but my college kids think you can’t have enough directions for the good things in life. So here goes...

For this "recipe", photos, and some fun "BLT" trivia - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Perfect Pavlova - unforgettable dessert idea...

Looking for a light, quick to assemble dessert for one or two? Pavlova works well when made ahead, as long as it is stored in an airtight container. Remove one at a time to top with fresh seasonal fruit and pile high with lightly sweetened cream.

These were served at a fun lunch I attended a few years ago, and they were simply unforgettable. I think of them often during the summer months when fresh fruit is so available. The perfect dessert for showers or any light luncheon.

For the recipe for this surprisingly easy dessert - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Chewy, Drizzled Cinnamon Chip Cookies - melting those morsels makes all the difference...

The idea of adding melted cinnamon chips to cookie dough has never occurred to me... but I’m sure glad someone thought of it, because it’s fantastic! These chips are usually scattered throughout a cookie - but try melting them and using them to drizzle that warm, sweet flavor all over the top.

I found this recipe months ago on www.hersheyskitchens.com - and promptly filed it away to try “later”... I almost didn’t give it a chance, because I was suspicious of melting down those expensive little morsels. But somehow it turns an ordinary cookie into an over-the-top delicious cookie - nice and chewy with that fantastic creamy cinnamon drizzle on top. You’ve got to try these!

I had extra dough after my ground pecans ran out - so I rolled the rest in cinnamon sugar. It was an interesting twist on the snickerdoodle, but much more “cinnamon-y”. For those of you who have someone in your family with nut issues - these are still wonderful with-OUT being rolled in nuts.

For the recipe, photos, and instructions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Personal-size Bacon & Tomato Flatbread Pizza - fix it on the fly...

School started today... I’m trying not to fight the whole “schedule” thing but I’m feeling rebellious after such an unplanned summer. So when I eyed the leftover flatbread from yesterday’s post (HERE), I decided to use what I had to come up with a fast pizza dinner on the fly. Perfect for those grab-and-run nights when you don’t want to devote ANY time to cooking - especially when it’s just you at the table. These were delicious & filling too...

I didn’t realize how GREAT these would work for pizza crust. Brushed with a little olive oil before layering the rest of the ingredients, the flatbread made a great foundation. No soggy crust and super quick baking allowed me to get these to the table in about 20 minutes. And if there are leftovers, they warm up well in the microwave.

Fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, convenient pre-cooked bacon, and pre-shredded three cheese blend made this easy as (pizza) pie.

For easy directions & photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Soft, Foldable Flatbread - wrap it around just about anything...

Warm and just soft enough - this flatbread wraps itself around just about anything. Perfect for summer garden produce - tomatoes, peppers, onions - you name it. We enjoyed it with leftover boneless babyback ribs with melted cheese. Also delicious with caesar salad and chicken. You’ll never go back to tortillas or pita bread after these.

I’ve seen several versions of similar breads floating around, but this one had one extra ingredient that made me think it would bake up extra soft. It certainly did, and that ingredient is dehydrated potatoes. They can be in any form - flakes, buds, or even potato flour.

The website I found this on is King Arthur Flour - and their tutorial is excellent. I didn’t follow their instructions exactly, because I think 2 full hours for any bread is extreme - so I hurried it a bit. That is probably why mine are not as bubbly looking as theirs. But no matter - they were really enjoyed, and we hardly took the time to notice their appearance.

The “secret” to making these so soft and foldable is that you cook some of the starch in the flour first, which makes the dough very easy to handle, with the resulting bread soft without any starchy taste. It really works!

While your bread is rising - use your excess tomatoes and green peppers to make pico de gallo, or a variety of any fillings. These are excellent to use as wraps for just about anything you can imagine - from gorditas to individual thin pizza crusts. Easy to store and use up - even if you're home alone...

For this recipe and photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Fiona's Pasta Shrimp Salad - Mayo, or Miracle Whip?

Miracle Whip - or - Mayo? That seems to be the debate for summer pasta or potato salads. I have made this recipe with either, but never BOTH. When I took it to a BBQ this weekend - everyone seemed to think I had made it to their specifications, but it was a split decision. But you can please everyone when it’s half and half...

One of my sons has a top ten list - of salads, that is. This one is right up there at the top contending for his favorite. A former neighbor (named Fiona) shared this recipe with me, and I’ve used it ever since. But, like all good recipes, it has changed to suit the family over the years. At first I always made it with real mayonnaise. But now I use half Miracle Whip, and the remaining half is mayonnaise. It gives it just enough richness, but also the “zip” Miracle Whip is famous for - a good blend.

The only drawback is the need to make this the night before and refrigerate it for about 10-12 hours for the flavors to blend. The layer of sliced hard-cooked egg is always the first thing to get snagged in a buffet (so I keep a few extra eggs out to slice onto the leftover salad later)

For this recipe, along with detailed photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Pillowy Peach Cake - using peaches BEYOND cobbler & pie...

I’m always up for a new way to use peaches every year. Pies and cobblers are always a good choice, but fresh peaches nestled in a moist buttery cake is fun for a change. The topping comes from the same dough as the crust, and it billows up nicely with the peaches peeking through. The turbinado sugar dusting gives it a sparkly coating.

I’ve had my eye on the peach trees around here for a while now, and when I spied some really beautiful ones at the grocery store - I couldn’t resist... Peach season is just barely beginning around here and I’m definitely ready.

This recipe for “Stone Fruit Tea Cake” I discovered on recipegal.com - and it reminded me of fruit peeking out from under a pile of pillows. I made it for one of three reunions I had yesterday (we definitely ate well that day!) I’m sure it would be delicious fresh out of the oven, but by the time I set it out on the buffet table it had cooled considerably (even though it was 101 here and we were as hot as the food!) Next time I make this we will have it with a scoop of ice cream.

For this recipe, links, and photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Guilt-Free Jicama - how to tackle it...

It’s great finding a vegetable that is low calorie, has an interesting crunch, and has a mild enough flavor that you don’t tire of it easily. I keep bags of this in the refrigerator and keep it by my side when I’m trying to stay awake on a long drive. It has such an interesting crunch that it keeps my attention. The only downside is learning how to prepare it. Just a few simple steps and it’s ready...

When I first heard about jicama - my first impression was “I don’t have time for another TRENDY veggie...” I saw it in salad bars, heard about it on the Food Network, and read about it in magazines. I disdain trendy food - look at what happened to oat bran for heaven’s sake! And besides - at first glance it looked like a beaten-up albino beet.

But then I stumbled upon it in a great salad. “Mrs. Mecham’s Salad” (linked HERE) is still my favorite salad - and even better when you add jicama in tiny juliened strips. You hardly know it’s there until you notice it in your forkful of salad. Because it is not a “stand-up-and-take-notice” vegetable, it makes a subtle but long-lasting impression.

For the photo tutorial on how to tackle this unique vegetable - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Zucchini Banana Bread with Cinnamon Chips - for that orphaned banana on your kitchen counter...

I hereby promise to NOT afflict you with additional zucchini recipes after this one (for at least a day or two...) I am assuming you are as buried in the fruits of this garden weed as I am?

I always seem to have a brown banana gracing my countertop begging to be put to good use. During the summer, the same seems to be true with zucchini. So, putting both together in small loaves of bread is a good marriage. Small loaves can easily be frozen and brought out one at a time so just a few people home for dinner are not overwhelmed by a large quantity.

With the food blogging craze, I assumed there HAD to be a recipe out in cyberspace that combined zucchini and bananas. It didn’t surprise me to find one on tasteofhome.com - a great resource for common sense, practical cooking. I thought it would be fun to add a little pizzaz to the two bland ingredients, so I popped in some mini-cinnamon chips. They are so tiny, you might almost miss them unless you closely examine the bread as you enjoy it. My sons really preferred this bread over the Double Dose of Chocolate Zucchini Bread I made the same day.

For this recipe, photos, and directions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

"Double Dose of Chocolate" Zucchini Bread - the green is UNseen...

You’ll be glad you still have an aggressive zucchini plant once you try this moist, rich bread (or cake?!) Extra chocolate, a bit of sour cream, and finely grated squash combine to create a melt-in-your-mouth sweet bread. You’ll have to look hard to find any flecks of green. Turns extra moist after it stands a few days (if that’s even possible!)

I’ve tried several recipes for a chocolate chip zucchini bread - and none come close to this one. If you’re going to make anything with grated zucchini - do it all at once and dirty the food processor big time. My daughter suggested using a salad spinner to remove the excess squash juice - what a TERRIFIC idea! Using it removed over 1 cup of juice from 3 cups of grated zucchini.

I’m also too frugal to purchase unsweetened chocolate squares - so I used the standard substitution of 3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa to 1 Tbs melted shortening. Works like a charm! For this bread (and many other sweet breads) - it’s worth the effort to line the bottom (only) of your loaf pans with parchment paper. With all these sweet ingredients - the chocolate chips will stick to the bottom if you don’t.

For this recipe, photos, and tips - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Savory "Tea" Sandwiches - not just tasteless bits of fluff...

Tea sandwiches are the first course in the traditional Full Afternoon Tea. It’s up to these sandwiches to make a good first impression. My mother enjoyed helping my daughters have their own “tea parties” when they spent the day with her. They LOVED it, and I hope I can do the same thing when my granddaughter(s) are ready for some “culture”... This is good practice!

I am convinced that if I resided in England and participated in “tea” - I would weigh twice what I do now. But that doesn’t mean I can’t occasionally enjoy the tradition. About a year ago I attended a fun “tea party” of sorts that changed my mind about tea sandwiches. They were delicious! With hot weather still here, I love a lighter lunch. These recipes fit that description and can be satisfying enough to make you feel like you’ve had an adequate meal at the same time...

Before summer officially comes to an end - put your foot down on mac 'n cheese, and insist on a little culture. (the kids will love it... and your husband will deal with it!)

For all these recipes, photos, and a link to the five characteristics of traditional tea sandwiches - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Crisp/Tender Zucchini Spears - give french fries a run for their money...

Potatoes have had a monopoly on the “fry” market for too long... When done right, zucchini can give a potato a run for it’s money any day. Crispy on the outside, and just tender enough in the center - you might forget french fries all together. Served with light ranch dressing on the side, this is a great fast-food alternative.

About this time of year I know I’ll start missing this garden “weed”... but not quite yet. It’s fun to have an alternative to potatoes to serve with a meal. We enjoyed these with Easy as (Tomato) Pie the other night - and they were just the right side dish. I plan to make extra next time, slightly under-bake them, then freeze them to rewarm later when I’m eating alone.

In my young-mother days I used to make fried zucchini dipped in egg and crushed saltines. My kids still love those - but you can start feeling like a slave after laboring over those for very long. I enjoyed making these because once they are in the oven I can put my feet up and relax - no tedious turning or smoking up the kitchen. Using extra light olive oil (which has a mild flavor) makes these a bit more healthy, and reduces the smoking from high heat in the oven.

I tried making these two ways. (1) Dipped ONCE in the cornmeal mixture... (2) Dipped TWICE. I personally preferred the single dip, because the extra coating detracted from the tender zucchini. Not to mention the extra step it saved (and a messy one at that...) But if you are a real “coating” person - you might enjoy the extra crunch.

For this recipe and step-by-step photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)

Swirl-Topped Meltaways - little bites of bliss...

For a little bite of bliss, you just can’t beat this traditional “ladies” cookie. These have been around for as long as I can remember - and it’s hard to improve on a good thing. Add a fun touch by swirling the tops with buttercream frosting touched with a tad of almond flavoring. Garnishing with a few specialty cake decorating beads (silver dragées) makes these really stand out on a cookie tray.

If by chance you’ve never tried these - find an excuse to make them for someone special. The cornstarch in this cookie allows it to literally “melt away” once it touches your tongue (and the butter doesn’t hurt either!) These are done in a heartbeat while you throw together the frosting as they bake.

As noted in the recipe, using melted versus softened butter will give you an entirely different cookie. This time I opted to try the melted version - producing a less “perfect” shape, but they seemed even more melt-able once baked. Melting the butter allows me to use a tiny cookie scoop without having to hand-roll the dough in balls. Softened butter seems to stick to a cookie scoop = more prep time... Personal preference rules.

For a little different spin on this traditional recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Crockpot (or NOT) BBQ'ed Ribs - hearty flavor without the grill...

This Taste of Home recipe is everything their title says “Secret’s in the Sauce” BBQ Ribs... It couldn’t be more simple, and the result is a fall-off-the-bone rib that has just the right seasoning. Maybe we were just extra hungry - but the heavenly aroma stopped us in our tracks today after church...

I love using my crockpot, but if I have a choice - I will always bake meat in my oven. Today was cool and pleasant, so I opted for baking these in my Magnalite roaster for the same amount of time at 250 degrees.

It was a bit of a trick finding “cherry preserves” - they only tend to sell off-brands of this variety. You will be hard-pressed to find it in Smucker’s or Knott’s Berry Farm brands. The BBQ sauce is really inexpensive in the summer months. I found Kraft for $1.00 a bottle. I did have to top it off with an extra 1/2 cup of my favorite (Bull’s Eye) because the inexpensive brand didn’t have quite the 2-1/2 cups it called for. It must be the cherry preserves, garlic, and mustard that makes the difference - it was just delicious!

I took mine out of the oven off and on in order to bake the rolls, apple pie, and herbed red potatoes that we had for dinner today also. The “in-and-out” treatment didn’t hurt these a bit. I did remove the lid for the last hour of cooking and it reduced the sauce enough that it was thick and tasty. I wonder how that would work with my crockpot?

For this recipe and photos, go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Easy as (Tomato) Pie - using all that garden produce can be really delicious...

Tomato pie (I have found) is a Southern delicacy - and they are as passionate about it as we Utahns are about our “funeral potatoes”. There are almost as many variations of Tomato Pie as there are people at Costco waiting for samples on a Saturday. After all that browsing - this is my variation...

Before you look at this recipe title and go elsewhere - just remember you (supposedly) haven’t really lived until you’ve tried the legendary TOMATO PIE. I found a (similar) recipe for this on KSL5.com a few years back, and I shrugged my shoulders in disbelief that anyone could actually LIKE something like it. But this year I have enough tomatoes to make me feel guilty - but not enough to make me want to bottle them. So I remembered that strange recipe I found long ago, and decided to be daring and try it.

I particularly enjoy reading comments on recipes. You can often get a good feel for the possible success of a recipe by taking a quick glance through them. The consensus on the “typical” recipe seemed to be that you either LOVE or HATE the real mayonnaise and the “wateriness” of the tomatoes. If you want to read an entertaining tomato pie recipe - go HERE to satisfy your curiosity.

I decided I couldn’t handle an entire CUP of real mayonnaise, and that I wanted a touch of bacon, and PLENTY of cheese. It was a good decision - and the only thing I’m still trying to get used to is the issue with how liquid-y the tomatoes tend to be. But that is the nature of the beast, and after it sits out at room temperature for about 15 minutes - that takes care of itself.

For this use-up-your-garden-produce recipe, with photos and tips - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("full house" tab)

Hollywood Squares - Peanut Butter Cups MINUS the annoying brown liner...

This recipe is for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup fans... Honestly - you won’t be able to tell the difference... and you won’t have to bother painstakingly peeling OFF the little cup liners (which just lets you polish them off even faster!?) More than one or two of these a day can be hazardous to your health, but I would gladly give up all the other good stuff for one of these.

I discovered this on homesteadinghousewife.blogspot.com and the story behind it intrigued me... Now that I’ve made them - I’m beyond intrigued (more like addicted). It really doesn’t explain where the name came from - but it’s unique and fun and reminds me of my childhood watching that silly game show over and over again.

My son drops by for lunch every day (even when I’m not here - which really helps clean out the leftovers!). Today he asked me where I found the recipe for those “killer peanut butter cups”... And yes - that was a compliment. The reason I posted this in the “empty nest” section is because I fully intend to eat these all by myself when my kids are all moved out - how’s that for selfish?

For this recipe, photos, and tips - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)