Butternut Squash Muffins

SQUASH! We cannot get enough.  My kids love it, I love it and thankfully it is in abundance this time of year.  I saw this recipe for butternut squash muffins and made them yesterday afternoon.  By 6pm the muffins were gone and then we all ate butternut squash pasta :)  

Butternut Squash Muffins

1 cup mashed roasted butternut squash
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (optional, can use 1.5 cups all purpose flour)
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tbls melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

First roast your butternut squash. Pre-heat the oven to 350. Cut your squash in half the long way, coat with a bit of olive oil and place in a pan. Roast for about 30-40 minutes until it is nice and soft. Let it cool for a bit, then scrape the insides into a bowl. 

Preheat the oven to 400.  Whisk together the dry ingredients.  Beat the egg, then stir in the milk, butter, and roasted butternut squash.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and DON’T MIX TOO MUCH (will make your muffins heavy and they are already pretty heavy), just until they are combined

Pour into greased or papered 12-muffin pan (I used paper but I think greasing would have been better for these muffins – if you do use paper make sure the paper coordinates with your blog’s logo)
Bake for 20 minutes. These muffins will look done on the top, but may need a minute or two more to bake, you want them fully cooked on the inside since they are sort of rich and heavy. If you take them out too early they will be a bit rubbery (though still yummy).
Let them cool completely before eating.

Winter Minestrone

It is officially FALL and I am trying to embrace every second of it.  We have been outside every chance we can get, enjoying the colors, the crisp air and most especially the fact that we do not have to rake the lawn quite yet.   

A friend of mine made me this hearty soup and it was so delicious that I made it it again the next week.  My whole family loves it and it is not only filling but low fat and super tasty.  

Winter Minestrone - Recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients

Good olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, 1/2-inch-diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) carrots (3 carrots)
2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) peeled butternut squash
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 (26-ounce) can or box diced tomatoes, such as Pomi
6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup good dry white wine
2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it's too thick, I add more chicken stock.

Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.

Fusilli alla Caprese

We have tomatoes coming out of our ears and as a result, we have been enjoying an unhealthy amount of BLT's.  Nothing is better than a juicy, salty, and crisp bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, but for fear that our arteries were clogging beyond repair, a more heart healthy dinner option was in order.

Our whole family loves caprese salads, so naturally caprese + pasta = mom is a super hero.  The dish was creamy, delicious and it tasted like summer.  

1 pound fusilli pasta
1/3 cup Basil Pesto
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the pesto over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

chicken, corn, zucchini, and black bean enchiladas

Enchiladas are one of my favorite meals to make, because they are simple, quick and delicious. I found this recipe in the True Food cookbook, and have made it several times, tweaking it a little differently each time depending what I have in my fridge. These are delicious and I don't feel as guilty about eating them, since they are filled with fresh, seasonal vegetables that I can usually find at the farmers market.  

Ingredients

2  cups corn kernels 

    (from 2 ears of corn)

1 1/2 cup diced roasted 

    chicken

1  red pepper

1  poblano chile, roasted, 

   seeded and diced

1  small zucchini, diced

1/3 cup cooked black beans

3  ounces Manchego 

   cheese, diced

1/4  teaspoon chili powder

    salt and pepper

6  corn tortillas

1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese

1  Jar tomatillos salsa

6  tablespoons Greek-style yogurt

2  teaspoons chopped cilantro

6  lime wedges

1. Start by roasting the Poblano. If you have a gas stove, the easiest way to do this is turn on a burner and place the Poblano directly about the fire. Rotate the Poblano, allowing the outer skin to blacken. Once the majority of the pepper has blackened, remove it from flame and put it in a bowl, covering it with plastic wrap. Once the pepper has cooled, peal off the skin, seed and chop. If you don't have a gas stove, you can roast the pepper in the oven by broiling it, using the same technique, rotating until blackened. 

2. Meanwhile, place the corn kernels and red pepper in a large skilled over medium heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. 

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine chicken, zucchini, black beans diced Manchego, corn, red pepper, diced poblano, and chili powder. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Ladle 1/4 cup of the Tomatillo salsa into a shallow, oven dish (9x9).  Taking a tortilla spoon the filling into the center of the tortilla, rolling it and placing it seam down in the baking dish. Fill remainder of tortillas. (If you have extra filling, place in dish at the ends of the tortilla.)  

5. Top with the remainder 3/4 cup of the tomatillos salsa and shredded Manchego. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve with greek yogurt, cilantro and lime.  

I have recently been obsessed with a new tortilla shells called La Tortilla Factory. There are many varieties, but my personal favorite the green chile tortillas. :)

I have been slacking on posting because I have been busy making some of my favorites from the blog. Make sure to check out the S'more Bars, Rhubarb muffins, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Strawberry Bruschetta. 

Pizza Night - Shaved Asparagus Pizza and Fig-Prosciutto Pizza

I am officially in a recipe rut.  I feel uninspired and like I just make the same-old meals over and over again.  I have a ton of new recipes, but I lack the ambition to try them.  I am going to blame it on the dreary & cold weather.

Bridget sent me these two recipes a few weeks back and I finally worked  up enough will-power to try them for a family pizza night.  The recipes were simple, but the results were amazing. We loved both pizzas, so much so that we will probably make them again this weekend and soon enough they will become another "same-old meal".

Shaved Asparagus Pizza - Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 1 thin crust 12-inch pizza

1 recipe your favorite pizza dough
1/2 pound asparagus
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound mozzarella, shredded or cut into small cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Several grinds black pepper
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Preheat your oven to the hottest temperature it goes, or about 500 in most cases. If you use a pizza stone, have it in there.

Prepare asparagus: No need to snap off ends; they can be your “handles” as you peel the asparagus. Holding a single asparagus spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler create long shavings of asparagus by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the stalk. Repeat with remaining stalks and discard tough ends. Toss peelings with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Assemble and bake pizza: Roll or stretch out your pizza dough to a 12-inch round. Either transfer to a floured or cornmeal-dusted pizza peel (if using a pizza stone in the oven) or to a floured or cornmeal-dusted tray to bake it on. Sprinkle pizza dough with Parmesan, then mozzarella. Pile asparagus on top. Bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, or until edges are browned, the cheese is bubbly and the asparagus might be lightly charred. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with scallions, then slice and eat.

Fig-Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond

Ingredients:

Your favorite pizza dough

2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
6 to 8 tablespoons fig spread or jam
12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1 bunch washed and rinsed arugula
1 cup shaved Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Arrange the oven rack in the lowest position.

Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface as thinly as possible Dough should be roughly 17 by 10 inches. Place on a large baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Spread the fig spread all over the surface of the dough. Lay the slices of mozzarella all over the surface of the pizza crust. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately drape the prosciutto slices over the hot pizza. Sprinkle generously with the arugula and Parmesan shavings. Cut into wedges or squares and serve.

confetti cupcakes

Cupcakes & Sprinkles - that combo can make anyone happy - even a Wisconsinite who hasn't seen the sun in 5 months, who hasn't worn pants with a waist in weeks and who is ready to burn her down coat, huge winter boots and 5 million hats, just so she doesn't have to wear them for another day.

Yep, these cupcakes made me happy, however, they did not help me out at all with my pants problem.  

CUPCAKES (From Sally's Baking Addiction)

1 and 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Whisk in sugar and chill in the refrigerator for 1 minute. Stir in egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Batter will be thick. Slowly stir in sprinkles, but do not over mix because the sprinkles will bleed their color.

Divide batter among 12 cupcake liners (or 24 mini) and bake for up to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake for 8-9 minutes if making mini cupcakes. Allow to cool.

For the frosting, I used my favorite buttercream recipe (It is always the same people!!)

Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 tsp almond extract
4-5 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
2-5 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Beat the butter and salt until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the almond and 2 tbsp of heavy whipping cream. Sift the sugar and then add cup by cup until you have reached the desired sweetness. Beat the frosting 15-20 minutes. Add more cream as needed.

Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the refrigerator up to 5.

banana coconut muffins

Coconutty Heaven. 

My rotten bananas were turned into coconutty heaven.

That is all I am going to say except for MAKE THEM. 

Banana Coconut muffins

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed (3/4 cup)
6 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg

1/2 cup greek yogurt (I like use banana or coconut flavored)!!
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, yogurt, vanilla, and 3/4 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.

Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Cauliflower Soup

Yep, still winter here in Wi.  Yep, still want to eat everything in the house to make myself feel warm and comforted.  Nope - pants with a waist are not my favorite right now.   

A healthy vegetable soup recipe that could solve all of my problems (well, maybe) - Yes, I'll try it! 

I  made this cauliflower soup recipe last night and it was delicious. Warm, creamy and packed full of veggies. I decided to puree the soup because my girls prefer to eat it smooth vs. chunky, but feel free to eat it either way!

Cauliflower Soup

1 & 1/2 medium heads of cauliflower, broken into florets
3 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional

In a large stock pot, combine the cauliflower, carrot, celery and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (do not drain).
In another large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat. Stir in the cheese until melted. Add hot pepper sauce if desired. Stir into the cauliflower mixture.  Use a immersion blender and blend the mixture until smooth. Serve and enjoy! 

Healthy Brussels Sprout Chips

We go through a 2lb bag of brussells sprouts a week. I usually roast them, but in doing so there are always a few leaves on the outside of the sprouts that get a little crunchy and dark in color (my favorite part - so I tend to pick them off and eat them before anyone else knows that they are there).

I when I saw this recipe from Blossom's new book (Mayim’s Vegan Table: More Than 100 Great-Tasting and Healthy Recipes from My Family to Yours by Mayim Bialik), I thought it was genius.

I made this recipe at 4pm last night and they were going by 5. Next time I will make the whole 2lb bag.

Crunchy, Tasty and Healthy!


Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Remove the leaves of the Brussels sprouts. This is tedious work, but it can be done. You want as many leaves as possible, and you may need to keep cutting away the stem as you get deeper into the sprout.

3. Place the leaves on a baking sheet and drizzle generously with olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake, turning every 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and crunchy, almost burnt, but not burnt.

Leek Bread Pudding

Before I get to writing about this amazing Thomas Keller Recipe, I have to point something out....

Bridget and I have been doing this blog for almost 2 years! It has been super fun for us and it has provided me with an amazing collection of recipes that I refer to on a weekly basis. No joke, last week I made our "Martha in Me" recipes for  Salmon, Granola, Cookies, Muffins, and Scallops.  I love having all of my favorite recipes in one place!

This next recipe will definitely be one that I refer to in years to come.  I LOOOVE bread pudding, so when I saw this Thomas Keller recipe for a savory bread pudding that can be served as a side dish or as a main entree, I was all over it! 

** Dan and I ate it for our main course and we will be doing so again tonight - YAY!

Leek Bread Pudding - Adapted from "ad hoc at home"
2 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and rinsed
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
12 cups 1-inch-cubed crustless brioche or Pullman loaf
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup shredded Comté or Emmenthaler cheese.


1. Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, drain excess water from leeks, and add to pan. Season with salt, and sauté until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft, about 30 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While leeks are cooking, spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until dry and pale gold, about 20 minutes, turning pan about halfway through. Transfer to a large bowl, leaving the oven on.

3. Add leeks, chives and thyme to the bowl of bread; toss well. In another large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then whisk in milk, cream, a generous pinch of salt, pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg.

4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese in bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread 1/2 of bread mixture in pan, and sprinkle with another 1/4 cup cheese. Spread remaining bread mixture in pan, and sprinkle with another 1/4 cup cheese. Pour in enough milk mixture to cover bread, and gently press on bread so milk soaks in. Let rest 15 minutes.

5. Add remaining milk mixture, letting some bread cubes protrude. Sprinkle with salt and remaining cheese. Bake until pudding is set and top is brown and bubbling, about 1 1/2 hours. Serve hot.

Manchego-Almond Brussels Sprouts

I am obsessed with everything in this recipe title.

and...MANCHEGO is super fun to say!

We go through a costco bag of brussels sprouts on a weekly basis, but this recipe might bump us up to 2 bags per week!


Ingredients
2 lbs brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 lemon zested, plus 1 Tbs juice
1 oz shaved Manchego


Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sprouts with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange sprouts, cut side down and roast for 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle sprouts with almonds. Continue to roast until brussels sprouts are crisp-tender and beginning to brown (5-10 minutes). Once they have reached that point, remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.


Add lemon zest and juice to the bowl. Add 1/2 the cheese and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining cheese and serve.

Power Granola

I am trying to reintroduce healthy foods to my body. I need to get all of the rich, holiday junk out of my system and start fueling myself with true, unprocessed, whole foods.

I made a batch of this granola (adapted from a recipe found on cookinglight.com) and the girls and I have been snacking on it all week. The nuts and flax help keep me satisfied and energized and it tastes delicious.


Cheers to a healthier new year.


Ingredients

2 cups regular oats
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbs packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
Cooking spray
1/3 cup dried fruit (I used cherries, but you can use cranberries, dates, raisins, apricots or whatever dried fruit you prefer!!)


Preheat oven to 300°

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.

Combine orange juice, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in oil and almond extract.

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, stirring to coat. Spread mixture in a thin layer onto a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray (I used a silicone baking mat). Bake at 300° for 10 minutes; stir well. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon granola into a bowl; stir in dried fruit. Cool completely.

If you are wanting to try more fabulous granola recipes, click here, here, here and here!

Chocolate Cherry Scones

Happy New Year everyone!
2013 is long gone and 2014 is off to a frigid start.  The forecasted high for Monday is -11. Needless to say we are spending a lot of time indoors, eating to stay warm.

Bridget gave me Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery Cookbook for a hostess gift (thanks B!!) and I made these chocolate/cherry scones for New Years day bunch.  The scones turned out delicious - they were moist and sweet enough to be served as a dessert.  

I love these scones.  I love Thomas Keller. I love wool socks. I love hot coffee and somehow, despite my headaches over the past few weeks, I still love champagne!!

*** This recipe takes some advance prep. Cherries need to be refrigerated over night.    

 

Chocolate Cherry Scones
(Bouchon Bakery Cookbook)

MACERATED CHERRIES

1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs + 2 tsp of Kirsch (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup dried tart cherries

SCONES
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
9 Tbs cold, unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips

CHERRY GLAZE

3/4 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbs reserved strained cherry syrup
2 Tbs heavy cream

To make the macerated cherries, combine water, sugar, and Kirsch in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the cherries and return to a simmer, then remove from the heat, add vanilla and let cool. Transfer the cherries and their liquid to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.

To make the scones, Set a mesh strainer over a measuring cup and drain the cherries. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the liquid for the glaze.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and Kosher salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into tiny pieces and add it to the flour mixture with the paddle attachment until the whole mixture is crumbly and evenly combined. Pour in the cream and mix together with a wooden spoon, or with your hands, if it's easier, as the batter will be thick and heavy.

Next, add the chocolate chips and drained cherries, then transfer the dough to covered container and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

Remove the dough from the fridge and using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter into 12 balls. Set the balls on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and then put the whole cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours but overnight is preferred.  

Remove cookie sheet from the freezer and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops are golden brown. 

While the scones are baking, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of reserved cherry syrup in a small bowl. Slowly add the cream, and add any additional cherry syrup to maintain the consistency of the glaze, or to add more flavor.  When the scones are finished baking, take them out of the oven an immediately brush them with several coats of glaze. Cool completely and enjoy!!!

Cranberry Cookie Bars

Bring on the Cookies!!!
This recipe from the smitten kitchen cookbook  is super easy and the resulting bars taste more like a pie than a cookie. What could be better than a pie-cookie? NOTHING!
These pie-cookies are easy to cut, stack and wrap up for a hostess gift (like I did!!) and they look very festive - don't you think?!

Cranberry Crumb Bars with Mulling Spices (from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman)
Recipe for the crumb:
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, plus more at room temperature for the pan

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 large egg

Recipe for the filling:
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
3 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and butter the sides and the parchment. In a large, widish bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spices. With a pastry blender or fork, work the chilled butter and the egg into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat half the crumb base into the bottom of your prepared pan; it will be thin.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, briefly pulse the filling ingredients until the berries are coarsely chopped but not pureed. Spread the filling over the crumb base. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the cranberry mixture.

Bake cookies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Spiced Nuts

Nuts.....almost everyone loves them and they are sooo much better for you than the other holiday junk that I stuff my face with.  Emeril's candied, spicy nuts are amazing. I have made two batches in the last week - I throw them on salads, add them to trail mix and eat them by the handful (NOTE - if you eat nuts by the handful, they are no longer a super healthy snack).  They pack a bit of heat, so if you like spicy, give these a try for your next holiday gathering.

Recipe for Spiced Nuts - Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups unsalted mixed nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Mix spices and reserve.

Directions
Heat the nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the nuts begin to darken, about 1 minute. Add the spices, the sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and the salt and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.

Remove the nuts from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating them with a fork. Let the nuts stand until cooled and the sugar has hardened, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Butternut & Kale Lasagna (healthy)

We hosted family dinner last night and I wanted to make something warm and comforting but also healthy.  I found this recipe on cookinglight.com and the combo of earthy kale and sweet squash was delicious.

Let the comfort food season begin!

I altered the recipe slightly (roasted squash vs. microwave added in herbs etc.)  

Butternut & Kale Lasagna (adapted from cookinglight.com)
(serves 8-10)

Ingredients
4 cups chopped fresh butternut squash
6 cups chopped kale

a bunch of fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, tarragon)
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded and divided
2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
6 tablespoons chopped pecans


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place squash in a large bowl and toss with 2 tbs of olive oil and fresh herbs. Spread squash onto baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Roast squash in the oven for 30 minutes (shaking pan occasionally) and remove from the oven. Combine squash and kale in a large bowl. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1 cup milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add milk mixture and remaining 4 1/2 cups milk to pan; increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 ounces Gruyère, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt, and pepper; stir until cheese melts.

Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/3 cup milk mixture in bottom of dish. Arrange 3 noodles over milk mixture; top with half of squash mixture and 1 1/3 cup milk mixture. Repeat layers once, ending with remaining noodles and remaining milk mixture. Cover with foil; bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle remaining Gruyère and pecans over top. Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes.

For more of our favorite squash recipes, click here, here, here, here and here

blueberry & yogurt muffins

I am really making an effort to use all of my produce without having any spoilage/waste.  I have found my favorite vendors at the Farmers' Market and I try to buy only what I think that our family of 4 can eat in one week.  With that being said, it is berry season and I have a hard time resisting the tempting pints of delicious looking blueberries, strawberries and cherries.   Thankfully, I found this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com and not only is my extra pint of  blueberries gone, but so are these awesome muffins.

The Awesome-est Blueberry Muffins (thepioneerwoman.com)

3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch of salt

Dash of Nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt (throw in extra if you want)
2 cups fresh blueberries
Vanilla Extract
Softened Butter, for muffin tins
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 385 degrees.  In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-ful of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10.  Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times.

Add mixture to well-buttered muffin pans. Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top. (Brown sugar can be used instead.)

Bake 20 to 25 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Basic Pizza Crust

As you know, Chris and I are pizza lovers and I finally found a crust recipe from Smitten Kitchen that takes less than an hour to make.  To make it, I  use my dough hook on my standing mixture, but you can also do this by hand.  If you want to make the recipe a little healthier, you can  use a mixture of all-purpose flour and wheat flour (My recommendation - do not use over 3/4 cup wheat flour).

Recipe
1 1/4 Tsp active  yeast
1/2 cup hot water - temperature 105 -115 F
1 1/2 cup flour
1 Tsp salt

Put hot water in your mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand for five minutes. Add flour and salt to mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high for 30 - 60 seconds or just until most of the dough has started mixing. Turn to the mixer to low and mix for 5 minutes. The dough at this point should be smoothing and formed into a ball.

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes. * For the dough to rise it should be >70 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer this is not an issue, but in the winter a great tip is to preheat your oven to 200 F. Once you turn your mixer on low, turn the over off. Place the bowl with dough in the warmed oven to rise.

After the dough has risen roll out to desired size. I usually cook the crust for five to ten minutes prior to putting on toppings to make sure the crust is fully cooked. Put on desired toppings and bake your favorite pizza.  **Recently, I grilled the crust/pizza and it turned out delicious and crispy - give it a try

Don't forget some of our favorite recipes: Bacon and Kale Pizza and Barbecue Chicken Pizza.

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Summer is here; Hooray! To celebrate the start of our favorite season, we decided to try a new burger for dinner.   I am generally a bit wary about turkey burgers - they tend to be dry and bland, but not this one.  Rachel Ray's Southwest Turkey Burger was spicy, moist and delicious.  WE LOVED THEM!

Southwest Turkey Burgers (Rachel Ray)

Ingredients:

8 slices turkey bacon or turkey bacon with black pepper or applewood smoked bacon
1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot or 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional - parsley may be substituted
1/2 small bell pepper, green, red or yellow, seeded and finely chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne hot sauce, several drops (recommended: Tabasco)
2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
Vegetable oil or olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 pound deli sliced pepper jack cheese
4 crusty kaiser rolls, split
Red leaf lettuce

Sweet Pepper Relish

Ripe Avocado, mashed

Directions:
Chop your garlic and veggies.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Wipe excess grease from pan and return skillet to heat.
While bacon cooks, combine turkey meat, garlic, shallot or onion, thyme, cilantro or parsley, bell pepper, serrano or jalapeno pepper, cumin, hot pepper sauce, grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 4 equal mounds then form meat into patties. Drizzle patties with vegetable oil to coat. Cook in skillet over medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Place sliced cheese over the patties in the last 2 minutes of cooking, use 1 or 2 slices for each patty, as you like.
Pile cooked cheeseburgers into buns. Spread sweet relish or jelly on bun tops and set red leaf lettuce into place, using the relish or jelly as glue. (I topped ours with mashed avocado bc we did not have any sweet pepper relish - delish) Top cheeseburgers with 2 slices of cooked, crisp bacon..

S'mores Rice Krispie Treats

My floors have been ripped out. You can see into the basement from a few different spots in the kitchen. We do not have an oven, refrigerator or dishwasher and my kids have been confined to the upstairs bedrooms. I will not really get into the fact that the girls have had the flu for the past few days, but this week has been a doozie.

I know that our "kitchen update" will be worth all of this hassle, but right now, I just want to complain about it.

On the bright side, I have had to get creative with the microwave cooking. None of them are good enough to share, with the exception of these fabulous S'mores Rice Krispie Treats. 

The treats are gooey, chocolaty and they taste like summer.  I will definitely be making S'more, because it will be a week before I can use my oven again!  

** if you get on a S'mores kick, do not forget about the recipe for these AMAZING s'mores bars that B made last summer.

Ingredients:
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
1 bag of marshmallows
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker pieces
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:
Spray 11x7 baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large microwave safe bowl, heat the butter and marshmallows for 1 minute and stir to combine. Heat the mixture for another 30 seconds or until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. 
Pour in the rice krispie cereal and graham cracker pieces. Mix together well.

Add chocolate chips and gently stir - you want most of the chips to hold their shape and not to completely melt. (Next time I will also add in about 3/4 cup mini marshmallows along with the choco chips). Immediately press rice krispie treats into prepared baking pan. Use the flat side of a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray to flatten the rice krispie treats down evenly.  Let the squares cool and sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Original sub-floors - circa 1940

progress.....