Perfect Peach Cobbler

My youngest son Chal married his beautiful wife Kelsey a few months ago.  

Chal's birthday is coming right up, and Kelsey was asking him what kind of cake he would like.  He surprised us by saying he wanted Peach Cobbler.  He couldn't really say WHICH peach cobbler he likes best.  So we quizzed him... do you like it cake-ey, crunchy, lots of topping, just a little on top?  Too many questions - but he knows it when it's "perfect".  

With it being harvest season here in Utah, I finally made it to our city Farmer's Market about 1/2 hour before they closed on Saturday.  I was on a quest for great peaches.  My favorite peaches are Lemon Elberta.  Of course, everyone was sold out.   I stopped at one last stand where they had about twenty peaches sitting in the bottom of a box.  Obviously they were the rejects people had asked them to replace from the top of the boxes they bought.  They were really bruised, but they were a great deal.  (Substandard peaches hide really well in a cobbler.)  Next day, I tried this fantastic cobbler recipe I found in a Google search.  Thank you Google!

This cobbler may seem a little more complicated because it takes three separate steps - the peach mixture, the "dumpling" mixture, and the topping mixture.  But it was simpler than I thought - and even though I didn't really want to pre-bake the peach mixture before topping with the dumplings - it turned out perfect.  Tender, just a little bit 'cake-ey', and that crunchy, cinnamon sugar topping took it over the top.  

If you don't love cinnamon, that's OK.  Just reduce it (or even eliminate it - but it would be really unremarkable without it)  If you like more topping, you could double it, but we loved it as is.

Silky Smooth Chocolate (and/or) Pumpkin Mousse

While looking for a delicious dessert for a Fall Dinner, I ran across two mousse recipes that I thought would be wonderful "layered" in a 9-oz clear plastic drink cup.  After trying both, I've decided it was unfair to combine them, when each is stellar by itself.

Drink cups (by Solo) are a great substitute for cut glass when you are serving a crowd.  The 9-oz size lines up neatly on a baking sheet for storing in the refrigerator to chill.

Just a few random mini chocolate sprinkles top either mousse off nicely.

The texture of each recipe is smooth and silky.  I filled each cup about 2/3's full.

As you can see, the Pumpkin Mousse didn't make it to photography.  Sorry about that.  But you can still see the texture.

You can layer the two varieties by using a large pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip.  Easy to portion this way.

Other 'garnishes' could include gingersnap or Oreo crumbs, Pirouette Cookies, and whipped cream (dusted with cocoa or cinnamon).

Easy Chocolate Mousse

2 eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2-1/2 cups cold heavy cream
6-8 oz good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

(I used my blender to make this even easier).  Place eggs and sugar in blender and combine on low speed until whipped.  Meanwhile, heat 1-1/4 cups of the cream in the microwave until hot, but not quite boiling (watch carefully, as the boiling point happens in a hurry).  Pour into blender jar gradually while on lowest speed.  

Some people feel the eggs should be cooked thoroughly, although the hot cream does a nice job of doing that.  If you wish, remove from blender to a heavy saucepan and stir over lowest heat possible until the mixture thickens (but do not boil).  At this point, add back to blender jar.

Add the chocolate chips, and blend on low speed until melted.  At this point, you may wish to add vanilla, mint, and/or almond extract for a little extra flavor (depending on your chocolate chips).

Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until cooled.  Don't wait too long, or it will be difficult to combine with the additional cream.

Just before removing chocolate mixture, whip remaining 1-1/4 cups cream in a large, deep bowl.  Fold the chocolate mixture in gently.

If you wish to pipe your mousse into individual servings, chill a few hours until partially set.  Then spoon into pastry bag fitted with large open star tip.  Pipe into about 8 portions.  Garnish as desired, cover, and chill overnight.

Fluffy Pumpkin Mousse

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice (*see note)
1 3-oz package cheesecake flavored instant pudding mix
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
8-12 oz container non-dairy whipped topping 

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth.  Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and pudding mix until completely mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat again until combined.  Scrape down sides to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Now add non-dairy whipped topping, gently folding in until barely combined.  Do not overmix.  

Allow mixture to remain in refrigerator until partially set (about 1-2 hours).  At this point, spoon into pastry bag fitted with large open star tip.  Pipe into 9-oz cups - should make about 11.  Garnish as desired, cover, and refrigerate until serving.

Apple Pie Cake

This Martha Stewart-esque dessert  is what you might get when you cross a pie and a crisp.  No need for a crust, as part of the crunchy topping steps in to take that role.  Fancied up with a dusting of  powdered sugar, it fools your family into thinking this was a LOT of work.  Perfect for this time of year.

One reason Fall is my favorite season is because it’s apple season.  Nothing better than that heavenly smell of cinnamon and apples at the end of a meal.  

I was really surprised at how well this turned out.  I wasn’t expecting much because it looked so simple.

I used a mixture of Golden Delicious (which cooks down quickly and is quite mild) and Jonagold (which holds it’s shape better than the Golds, but adds the tartness of a Jonathan)  It was a great combo.  

When you pile on the raw apples, you’ll be suspicious that this could ever turn out.  But the apples bake down quickly, and the finished ‘cake’ ends up half the height you begin with.

Be sure to use a baking sheet under the springform pan, as it will most likely ooze some of the sweet juice as it bakes.  I used a food processor to quickly work in the chilled butter, but you can cut it in by hand with a pastry blender as well.

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com 

Caramel Apple Pie

All the flavor of a caramel apple, minus the mess - this pie is SO good.  The basic idea is to nestle the apples in a pie shell, add a lattice top, then pour a rich creamy caramel sauce over the top.  The caramel seeps down into the apples  - tenderizing them.  The lattice top is coated with caramel too.

A week ago, when the weather was still “fall-ish” - I felt my annual craving for apple pie begin.  The leaves had turned a beautiful red & gold, and I had a sack of Jonathan apples from my sister-in-law Nancy just waiting to fulfill their purpose.

This pie has been called everything from Caramel Pie, to Grandma Ople’s Apple Pie.  It has all kinds of variations, but I decided to use the same caramel sauce and put it together my own way.  I learned a few things I'll try next time I make this.

It really did turn out perfect - so delicious.  All the recipe variations out there don’t call for cinnamon - so I tossed my apples in a bit of cinnamon before turning them into the pie crust.  

Making a standard lattice crust is not worth the bother for me, so I used a handy-dandy kitchen tool called a lattice dough cutter.  It’s basically a roller with a pattern of cuts that are offset in a way that the pastry becomes a stretchy, airy lattice.  Kind of reminds me of fishnet stockings?  If you use such a tool, be sure to keep your crust cold and roll it a little thicker than normal so it won’t shred as you place it.  The only problem was I didn’t apply quite enough pressure to make the cuts go all the way through - but it still turned out well.

The caramel poured over the top was fantastic, but after - I wished I had poured about 2/3’s of it over the apples before placing the lattice on top.  Then pouring the remaining 1/3 over the top after would have contained the caramel a little better.  That would allow the caramel to seep all the way through the apples - clear to the bottom crust.  That’s my plan next time.

Be sure to place the pie on a baking sheet, just in case the caramel decides to overflow rather than seep into the apples.
  

When I took it out of the oven, the lattice top had become a firm “shell” over the top - and the apples had softened and settled, leaving an air pocket that can conveniently drink in melting ice cream, (or a little more caramel).

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Last of Summer Salad w/Strawberry Vinaigrette

The dressing is what makes this salad - slightly sweet/tart, blushing pink color... perfect for any last of summer salad combination you can come up with.  I used beautiful raspberries, crisp apples, and crunchy julienned jicama with baby romaine and spinach - then drizzled on this amazing dressing.

Every year I find myself surprised that fall is always MUCH busier than I anticipated.  Even now that my kids are up and out, there are still lots of things I have to divide my time between.  I want to take advantage of the last fruits of summer as the nights get cold and days get shorter.

A good friend shared this recipe with me.  I love how easy this dressing is to throw together.  As I shopped for it, I found it was harder to find strawberries than raspberries.  So, if you don’t have access to fresh strawberries - you could do what I did and use frozen berries.  A small handful was all it took (I robbed my bag of frozen smoothie fruit) 

It has a beautiful sheen, and the color is a gorgeous rosy pink.  The original recipe calls for water, but I left it out.  If you want it to go further - you may want to add a touch of water, that may change the flavor to be more subtle.

You can drizzle over each individual salad, or mix all ingredients with it so it evenly coats it - your choice.  It’s great either way.

This is even better with toasted, sugared nuts - that recipe is HERE.

This would be wonderful on a fruit plate as well as a salad.  Hmmm.  I’ll have to try that.

You'll find the recipe at:
www.changeabletable.com

Overnight Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

When fall mornings get a little cool, it’s great to have a warm breakfast waiting for you when you wake up.  Using your crockpot to your advantage makes you less rushed and able to enjoy a nutritious cereal - more than can be said for cold from a box.  Steel cut oats have another advantage - they fill you up.

I’ve made overnight steel cut oats before (link is HERE), but never in a crockpot - and never with fresh apples.  This is a great fall breakfast.  

Steel cut oats have enjoyed a comeback in the past few years, and I can see why.  They are delicious, hearty (you won’t be hungry till noon), and healthy.  The only drawback is they take forever to cook on the stovetop - and who wants to wait half an hour to enjoy a bowl of hot cereal?

This method skips the step of waiting impatiently by the stove, and allows you to wake up the aroma of cinnamon and apples.  It reminds me of a mixture of oatmeal cookie & apple pie, drizzled with milk & sugar.

Depending on how you like yours - you can enjoy it crispy around the edges (yum) - or very moist.  Whatever you do - use cooking spray to make the cleanup as easy as the oatmeal recipe.

How you do that is to put everything right in the slow cooker (for a yummy crispy outer edge) - OR - utilize a type of “double boiler” in the crockpot.  I tried it this way, and cleanup was easy.  Don’t have a double boiler bowl?  any heatproof bowl will work, as long as it fits in your crockpot.

It’s not my nature to make breakfast before I go to bed, but this is worth it.  I’ve enjoyed a small bowl of this all week long - a great start to the day. (Try sprinkling it with cinnamon sugar... my favorite)

For the recipe and both methods of cooking - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Hearty Autumn Soup

This has been a family favorite for several years now, and I just realized I haven’t posted it yet.  This (very easy, simple) soup just tastes like FALL to me.  Since Fall is so packed with all those good things (football games, playing in the leaves, harvesting and cleaning out the garden, etc) - I love that it’s ready in literally minutes.

Twelve years ago, my husband was going through chemo & radiation every single day for six weeks.  That involved picking him up halfway through the work day, traveling half an hour, hanging out in a waiting room forever, and traveling home in rush hour traffic.  Pretty soon, nothing tasted good to him - people are right when they say that cancer treatment makes everything taste like metal.  

During that time our wonderful friends and neighbors, the Desmonds (and SO many others, bless them all!)  brought several meals to us - and this was one of Jay’s favorites.  It was about the only thing that tasted good to him during that time.  I’m not exactly sure why - chemo wreaks havoc with your taste buds.  

Now - all these years later, my kids and I still love this soup because of that kindness shown to us.  Sherrie’s husband, Lynn, also “rewarded” Jay every Friday at the end of another week of treatment with a Marie Calendar pie of his choice.  Fridays were awesome!

When I asked Sherrie for the recipe, I was surprised at how easy it was.  The only thing involving any prep at all was browning the ground beef and onion.  Convenience foods are lifesavers at times like this.

So, as you are heading in so many directions during this busy season - soups like this one can simplify your life.  

For the recipe, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Peach Crunch

I make this recipe every fall after I finish bottling peaches - kind of a “second chance cobbler” of sorts.  No matter how careful and diligent I am - I always have at least 1 or 2 bottles that fail to seal.  This delicious recipe is one way to use up the fruit that didn’t make the grade.  Easy, fast, tasty.

Over thirty years ago we had a young family and my husband had his first teaching job at a middle school in Sandy, Utah.  Somehow he was the lucky person in charge of part of the faculty BBQ held right after school began in the fall.  The principal’s wife (Susan Sproul - who I’ve lost track of, and wish I could locate again...) brought this dessert to one of the very first BBQs that was held.  When I asked her for the recipe, she told me she uses it for those renegade bottles that don’t seal when she bottles peaches.  Ever since then, that is when I make it.

I’ve bottled fruit every year for the 35 years since I married, and there’s always a mishap.  The one I hate most is when the bottom of the bottle decides to crack - and it’s not a pretty picture that greets you when you take off the lid.  (My heart sinks when I see this)  

This is not your typical cobbler recipe where you make a batter or thick dough to pour over fresh peaches.  Simply dump a bottle of (fail-to-seal) peaches into a dripper pan (with only half of the juice), then proceed to make the interesting “crunch” topping.  

Very few ingredients required here... instant or quick-cooking tapioca and ground cinnamon are all you add to the bottled peaches.

The instructions for the topping will surprise you.  Did I mention QUICK?  (That’s important when you still have a bushel of peaches to finish)

Drizzle it with melted butter, then pop it in the oven.  

I would call it a cross between a cakey cobbler and a ‘crisp’ topping.  The most common mistake is to forget to sprinkle the peaches with cinnamon before covering the peaches with topping.  Can’t tell you how many times I’ve done that...

This is best served hot from the oven, but the longer it stands after cooling - the more crunchy the topping becomes.

Don’t forget a small scoop of ice cream, or a dollop of cream too.

The full recipe can be found at:
www.changeabletable.com