Spiced Apple Cider

When all the kids are out trick or treating with the dads, the moms are left at home to hand out the candy. You can choose to sit on the porch but you might be cold, here is a great remedy hot spiced cider. If it's extra cold you should add a little spiced rum. We love Appleton.

6 cups apple cider
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips
Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

Candy Corn Bark

One of my favorite things about holiday is the theme candy. I have a serious candy corn problem & I count the days until Williams Sonoma puts out the peppermint bark. This is a great Halloween treat! Hope you love it like I do.

16 Halloween-colored Oreos, chopped
1 1/2 cups broken small pretzels
1 1/2 pounds white chocolate, broken into squares
2 cups candy corn
orange and brown sprinkles

Spread the cookies, pretzels and raisins evenly onto a lightly greased small baking sheet. Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from the heat while there are still a few chunks, and stir until smooth. White chocolate burns easily.

Drizzle chocolate with a spoon over the goodies in the pan, spreading the top flat to coat evenly. Top with candy corn and sprinkles. Let cool until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Mother Green's Gooey Goobers

My friend from High School, Marianne's mom, who we called Mother Green, used to make us Gooey Goobers. We loved our goobers but not as much as we loved Mother Green! Again if you know the kids that live by you this would be a really fun treat. Hope you enjoy these.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
6 tablespoons butter
5 cups miniature marshmallows
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

Add vegetable oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Put popcorn in prepared pan.
Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly.
Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated.
Form popcorn into 8 balls.

Sweet and Salty Caramel Apples

If you live in a neighborhood where you know the kids, it would be really fun to be old fashioned & hand out caramel apples. I love caramel apples they remind me of Park City. These are the perfect sweet with a little salt. Enjoy!

6 Granny Smith apples
6 wooden sticks
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil.
Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan. Place on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt and chill. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the apples and return them to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Make your own Rally Pie

The Red Sox nation extends to Morocco! My mom's neighbors growing up in Medway, Massachusetts were the Sia Family. Jessica (pictured on the left) is one of the Sia's granddaughters. She lives & Morocco with her husband. She made her own Rally Pie for game 3, here is what she wrote:

Well it was a bit of an adventure making the rally pie over here. No cool whip, and no heavy cream (at least not that we could understand)- but we found some whipped cream in can and mixed that in instead. I also had some issues with the cake coming out of the pan and then cutting it in half, so I had to just kind of merge things together- then I went a little overboard with the filling and after putting the top layer and chocolate on, it kind of over flowed. Anyway, all that to say, it may not look great, but boy is it delicious!

We are all sitting around in our Red Sox shirts, and we just watched Carrie Underwood sing, and here goes game 3!! We'll probably only make it a few innings given the time difference, but who knows!!

Anyway, thanks again for the great recipe. I will definitely be making this again. I hope you enjoy the photo- again, it looks really bad, but it sure was good.

Jess

Jessica-
Thanks for sharing your Rally Pie adventure & photo! Way to improvise!!! :)

Other readers, if you make a recipe send me a picture & I will post it. Have a great weekend!

Jessica & Terry's AMAZING Sugar Cookies

I would love to tell you that I personally have all the best recipes for everything, but I don't. So I email people that I know have the best recipes & ask for them very nicely. I am so excited to bring you this recipe from Jessica Waldron & Terry Abend in Idaho. Jessica was my roommate when I lived in Salt Lake. Her mom Terry is a spectacular cook, even making me homemade soup when I ate too many funnel cakes & rode the tilt-a-whirl at the Idaho State Fair, I know too much information but we have all been there! When Jess would go home Terry would make us the best Sugar Cookies, always shaped like the season & iced beautifully. I would anxiously wait for Jessica to get back so we could watch 90210 & eat cookies! Here is the recipe & I guess you could watch 90210 on the Soap Opera network or substitute a more current show :)

This adorable cowboy is Jessica's son Jaxon, such a cutie! This is his Halloween picture from last year, his mom said he won't let her pick his costumes anymore so he is going to be a Transformer this year.

Sourcream Sugar Cookies

2 cups sugar
3/4 cups shortening
3 eggs
5 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Cream the sugar and shortening together. Add the baking powder, eggs, and flavorings. Then mix the baking soda into the sour cream in a seperate container. Add the sour cream mixture and flour alternating to the batter. Chill Dough for 1 hour. Roll out and cut out shapes. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting

1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 box of powder sugar

Mix all the ingredients together and add food coloring as you like.

Wedding Time

It is finally here, wedding time!
Matt & I leave tomorrow for beautiful Cancun.
The picture is obviously not of us (we aren't married yet!) but of my lovely sister & her hubby from their amazing Jamaican wedding. Which is why I sometimes talk about Jamaica.
I have a bunch of great recipes prepared to share while we are gone, just forgive me if I am not timely with my postings!
Have a great week, I know we will!

Halloween Pumkin Soup

Pumpkin soup might seem strange but a pumpkin is part of the squash family. Pumpkin is also getting it's time in the spotlight at many gourmet restaurants, so why not in your kitchen? This soup would be fun to eat from mugs while you pass out candy or if you want to be a little fancier, serve from one of the fabulous fall soup tureens for sale at:
Sur la Table or Williams-Sonoma or this white set at a bargain price from Smart Bargains

2 small sugar pumpkin
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Cut pumpkins in half and scoop out seeds. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pumpkins, flesh side down on the cookie sheet and roast until soft to the touch, about 45 minutes. Remove pumpkins from oven and let cool. Once pumpkins are cool scrape flesh from skins into a food processor. Discard skins. (While not as authentic, if you are in a rush skip this whole first step & use a can of Libby pumpkin puree, throw away the can!) Add chicken stock to the pumpkin and puree. Pour soup into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cream, nutmeg, sage and salt. Mix well and remove from heat. Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It's getting to be time to carve your pumpkin, I was always terrible at it but Matt does a good job. Save your pumpkin & seeds for a few treats! Roasted pumpkins seeds make a great snack.

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

The best waffles ever

Well all this Red Sox talk is reminding me of being a kid. When my dad was out of town my mom would let us have breakfast for dinner. My favorite was when we had waffles. (My mom's waffle iron by the way I think is the first one ever made with a plug!) My mom always let us top them with whatever we wanted, whipped cream, fruit, syrup, powdered sugar...

1 and 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 beaten egg yolks
1 and 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites - beaten stiffly Mix all dry ingredients. Combine yolks and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in oil and mix. GENTLY fold in beaten egg whites, do not over mix.Pour about 1/2 cup at a time into waffle iron. So light and so fluffy!

Red Sox Rally Pie: aka Boston Cream Pie

This morning I called my parents to try to get the Rally Pie recipe for all of my readers. This is how my dad answered the phone:
"Good morning Minches, Home of the Rally Pie" That is a dedicated fan! My mom gave up the rally pie recipe for the good of the Red Socks Nation! Here is what she had to say about it:

Boston Cream Pie was always a favorite of my Dad’s, who was an avid Red Sox fan. I can remember growing up in Massachusetts you were always a Red Sox fan, no matter what !! My dad would drive my sister & I to another town to go clothes shopping. He would sit in the car, in the store parking lot, on hot summer nights with his thermos of coffee & his little cigar, listening to the Sox on the AM radio patiently waiting for us. Take your time he’d say, I’ll be listening to the game. Every time I listen to a baseball game on the radio, I think of my dad.

Back to the pie. When I was going to College I cooked for a Fraternity house, that’s when I started baking my own version of Boston Cream Pie. In 2004 when the Sox were down 3 & 0 to the Yankees, I started baking Boston Cream Pie, they won the game. So the next game it was Boston Cream Pie again & the rest is history. It was the extra mojo the Sox needed. The pie was renamed Rally Pie in 2004. What ever you call it, you’ll enjoy it.

Red Sox Rally Pie: aka Boston Cream Pie

1 Yellow Cake Mix package

Mix as directed

Spray 3 pie pans with non stick spray:

use disposable since you’ll have pies to give away.

Divide batter into the 3 pans: bake as directed on the box.

Filling:

2 small packages instant vanilla pudding

Add 3 cups milk, beat with mixer

Allow to set up in the refrigerator

Fold in 8 oz cool whip

Take the cakes out of the pans and slice horizontally into 2 layers

Place the bottom cake back into the pie pan

Spoon 1/3 of the filling onto each cake, place 2^nd layer on top

Frosting:

Bring to a boil

½ stick butter

1 T Cocoa powder

3 T milk

½ t vanilla

Pour over ½ lb powdered sugar (2 1/3 cups)

Beat until smooth

Pour over the top of the cakes & refrigerate

Thanks Mom! Have fun watching the games & eating your pie everyone!! :)

All things being equal: Heat for the Rockies

Well my dear friend and adopted sister Leasa called me out on the Red Sox love. Here is what Leasa had to say:

Jess, How about equalling the playing fields and posting something to cheer on the Colorado Rockies? You did live in Colorado, remember?? Rocky Mountain Oysters are always a favorite. Do you think you can locate some testicles? Maybe you should ask your dad...he is good at locating peculiar items. Big hugs from Portugal!! Leasa
leasa.blogspot.com

Well my dad is out of town with Leasa's dad, so I have no one to locate peculiar items so I thought the Rockie's fans would enjoy their:

Rockie's Rally Potato Green Chile

3 medium COLORADO russet variety potatoes, peeled, cut in 1 1/2" dice

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced or chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup butter

1 (4 ounce) can green chiles, seeded, cut in thin strips

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon diced jalapeno pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Place potato cubes in cold water; cook over medium heat until crisp tender. Drain tomato preserving juice. In heavy saucepan brown but over medium-high heat. Add green chile strips, Garlic and jalapeno pepper. Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated; drain. Add drain tomatoes; cook 2 minutes more. Stir flour in tomato mixture. Stir in broth, reserved tomato juice lime juice, black pepper, salt, white pepper Worcestershire and sugar. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbling. Drain potatoes; add to soup along with cilantro. Simmer 5 - 10 minutes. Makes 6 Rockie's fan servings.

P.S. Rockie's fans I meant no offense, some of my favorite people in the whole world & the most faithful blog readers live in Colorado.

Jessie is so happy!

Okay so that isn't me, it's my niece Lily
But she is very happy here & cuter than me.
I am very happy to report that so far this week there have been 5 comments! Which is like Christmas in my email in-box. Thanks everyone! Remember if you have a question on a menu, you want to request a recipe, submit a recipe or anything else I would love to here from you. Jes

The Munroe Melt with Heat

My whole family is Red Sox crazy, Matt will also have to become a fan by marriage in about 12 days. My mom even bakes Rally Pie when the Red Sox are in a pinch & need that extra Mojo. (Don't get me started she also makes Patriots clam chowder!) Well seeing that the boys start their series Wednesday night and I don't have the Rally Pie recipe for everyone to bake, I thought of a classic sandwich spiced up. Anyone can make a sandwich! You maybe wondering what a Munroe Melt has to do with Boston, well that would be my nana Betty Munroe. Fan of the Sox or not you will be a fan of my sandwiches. :)

1 crusty sandwich roll, split
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard blended with a 1/4 teaspoon horseradish, more or less base on your need for heat
1 tablespoon mayo (if you like it)
2 slices deli turkey
1 slice Swiss cheese
2 slices deli ham
2 slices deli roast beef
2 slices tomato
1 slice Muenster cheese

1 slice cheddar horseradish cheese

Preheat the oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Open the sandwich roll onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the half the mustard blend on one half of the roll and top with the turkey, Swiss cheese, and ham.
Spread the other half of the mustard on the other half of the roll and top with the roast beef, tomato slices, and Muenster cheese.
Broil the sandwich open-faced until the cheese melts and begins to bubble and the ham begins to crisp around the edges. Remove the sandwich from the oven and put both sides together.
With sandwiches there are always substitutions, change up your meats if you like, add mayo, more or less horseradish, you get the point. Enjoy & cheer for the Sox.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I think the first place I ever had sweet potato fries was at the Bayou in Salt Lake. They serve them with a garlic chiplotle aioli (fancy word for mayo). Yum! This version bakes the fries rather than frying to save a few calories. The taco seasoning may seem strange but it will give them a kick.

6 sweet potatoes, cut into French fries
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a plastic bag, combine the sweet potatoes, canola oil, taco seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Close and shake the bag until the fries are evenly coated. Spread the fries out in a single layer on two large baking sheets.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until crispy and brown on one side. Turn the fries over using a spatula, and cook for another 30 minutes, or until they are all crispy on the outside and tender inside. Thinner fries may not take as long.

Garlic-Chipolte Aioli
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 generous teaspoons very finely chopped fresh garlic
Grated zest of 1 lime (no bitter white pith)
4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped chipotle chile with a little sauce from the can (look for chile chipotles en adobo sauce)
Salt and freshly ground black or white pepper to taste

Place the mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl and stir in the fresh garlic, the lime zest and juice. Stir in the chipotle chile. Season the mayo with salt and a generous amount of pepper. You could serve this with calamari too.

Chocolate Souffle

Maybe it's the fact that our wedding is so close & I have been trying to watch what I eat but I am dying for chocolate and not just any chocolate but the yummy warm dark chocolate in souffle. Hope you enjoy this one!

7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for preparing the molds
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract I love Mexican Vanilla if you can get it
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
8 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Powdered sugar for garnish
Brush 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (This can be done a day ahead.)
Set an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. If you have a double boiler this would also work. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture. (Rinse the bowl well, if using for beating the egg whites.)
Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large non-reactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.
Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet. (Level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.)
Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Crepes

Well tomorrow is Saturday, if you are lucky someone will make you breakfast. My sister Beckie became the master of crepes when we were in high school, I even bought her a crepe pan for her birthday one year. Now you don't need a fancy pan, just your non stick fry pan will work. Crepes are great with a lot of different fillers, I love nuetella myself.
3 eggs
1 and 3/4 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Solid shortening
Fresh slices of strawberries
maple syrup (best if warm) Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk with a wire whisk and add to flour mixture. Wisk until lumps are smooth. Melt 1 tablespoon of shortening in a pan over moderately high heat. When shortening begins to smoke, it's time to add the batter. Place 2 serving spoons of batter in a circular direction. Using the back of the spoon, quickly spread the batter to cover the bottom of your pan (cast iron pans work best) and fill any holes.Flip when underside browns and sides begin to curl. Brown this side and serve immediately. Repeat with rest of batter. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve with warm maple syrup. This makes about 10 crepes. 2 crepes make a nice serving.

Tamale Casserole

I wish I made tamales, I used to work with a guy whose wife made unbelievable tamales. He would bring them for lunch sometimes & I always complimented him on how great they smelled hoping to get a lunch invitation. I know, shameless but it usually worked! Here is my attempt.

1/4 cup water

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained (do this well no one likes soggy beans!)

Cooking spray

3 cups sliced onion (about 2 large)

2 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 2 medium)

1 3/4 cups (1/4-inch) julienne-cut red bell pepper (about 2 medium)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

5 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1 1/4 cups green taco sauce

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Plave water and beans in a food processor; process until smooth. Set aside.
Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot.
Add onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 10 minutes. Add corn, cumin, and ground red pepper; cook 2 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 3-quart round soufflé dish with cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla in bottom. Spread 1/2 cup bean mixture over tortilla. Spoon 1 cup onion mixture over top. Top with 1/4 cup sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

S'more Brownies

My mom used to make a version of this for Father's day. I have a serious s'more problem, I planned our entire Christmas party last year around a fire & s'mores! I am also a self confessed marshmellow-aholic, so when I tried this I was in LOVE!!! This would be really fun when the kiddies come in from Trick or Treating!

Side note:Congratulations to our friends Trisha & Dave Lemnah!!! Their baby girl Reese was born on the 15th, she is beautiful like her mom and her dad is so adorable & doting already!!!

Crust: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt
Brownie:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
Topping: 4 cups large marshmallows

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.
For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Zucchini Gratin

I laughed so hard when I saw this picture, my mom being a horticulturalist always says to get the small zucchinis because the large ones get tough. This pictured zucchini is obviously Napoleon complex!!! Back to the serious matter of side dishes. I love zucchini, it is my favorite vegetable, but even those who don't like vegetables like them with cheese!

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced
(3 large) 2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.
Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Cauliflower, Leek & Blue Cheese Soup

Today is Blog Action Day, (Blogger the host of my blog) is sponsoring the day, they have asked that bloggers do posts on the environment. You can buy a lot of organic products even at your local Safeway, for the best selection go to your local Wild Oats, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Even if the produce is not organic, when you buy produce from the local farmers market, you help to support local farmers & a lot of energy is saved by not driving your veggies hundreds of miles. Click here to find your local market.

2 tablespoons organic butter
1 cup chopped leeks
5 cups chopped cauliflower
3-3 1/2 cups organic chicken stock
1/2 cup organic half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped organic fresh tarragon, divided
4-6 ounces organic Blue Cheese Crumbles, divided
salt and white pepper
Instructions:
Melt butter in pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks; cook until tender. Add cauliflower and enough stock to barely cover cauliflower; simmer until cauliflower is tender, 12-15 minutes.
Coarsely puree the solids with a little of the liquid. Re-combine solids and liquid in the pot. Stir in half-and-half, plus half the tarragon. Simmer slowly 3-4 minutes. Stir in half the cheese; season with salt and white pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkling some of the remaining blue cheese and tarragon over each one.

Lemon Meringue Pie

I love pie, it is possibly my favorite desert. After watching Desperate Housewives last week, I like Bree was desperate to have the best Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe. This one is wonderful, sweet & sour. Sure to impress anyone you make it for. I am cheating a little, I have never mastered making a pie crust (my cousin Ashleigh has tried to teach me), so I buy store bought! I use Marie Calendar's. You can't be good at everything. ;)

Lemon Filling:
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.
Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.
Meringue Topping: 4 egg whites 1 pinch cream of tartar 2 tablespoons sugar
Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

Eggs Benedict

Happy Saturday morning! Hopefully you can find someone to make you breakfast in bed ;)
My all time favorite breakfast is eggs Benedict, I like the Florentine version myself. You can really mix this up, make Florentine with spinach or you could substitute the ham with prosciutto or even lobster. This is fattening with all the butter so save it for a special occasion.

1/2 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup boiling water
dash salt
dash ground cayenne pepper
3 tomatoes, ends removed and halved
12 thin slices cooked ham
6 eggs
6 English muffins, split, toasted, and buttered

In the top of a double boiler, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together. Add 1/3 of the butter, about 3 tablespoons. Place double boiler over simmering water. Cook, beating constantly, until butter melts and sauce begins to thicken. Add 3 more tablespoons of butter, stir until butter melts, then add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly whisk in boiling water. Continue cooking over simmering water, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salt and cayenne pepper.
Place ham slices and tomato halves on rack of broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat for about 4 minutes, or until ham begins to get browned and tomatoes are cooked through.
While ham is broiling, pour about 2 inches of water into a large skillet. Lightly salt water; bring to the boiling point. Carefully put eggs in water, breaking into a cup first, then gently slipping them into the water one at a time.
Simmer eggs, while basting with the water, for 3 to 5 minutes or until set. Remove with slotted spoon; drain.
On warm serving plates, place English muffins, 2 halves to each plate. Top halves with 2 slices of ham and a poached egg. Spoon a little sauce over the egg and place a thick slice of boiled tomato next to the egg.

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

There are somethings you just need to know how to cook, eggs, a roasted chicken, a simple pasta, I think beef tenderloin is one of those things. It is surprisingly simple and the amount of time spent compared to the wow factor of your meal is good. This is a great option if you are making Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner & the turkey intimidates you. Enjoy!

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic
1 large shallot, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (2 pound) beef tenderloin roasts, trimmed

In a food processor, combine rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, shallot, orange zest, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. Run machine while adding oil; process until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over all sides of tenderloins. Place beef in a large glass baking dish. Cover with foil, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place tenderloins on a rack in a large roasting pan.Roast beef in preheated oven until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees when inserted into center of beef, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, let it stand for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Blueberry muffins

When I was a kid there is no way I would have eaten a blueberry, my mom even made me plain muffins when she made blueberry. Now I love a good blueberry muffin. This recipe is great, make sure you give some away to your neighbors or you will be tempted to eat them all!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 425°.

Lightly spoon 2 cups of flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 6 ingredients (through cloves) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.

Place blueberries in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over blueberries; toss to coat.

Place butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 1 minute or until blended. Add milk, eggs, and vanilla to butter mixture; beat to combine. Add butter mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Gently fold in blueberry mixture. Spoon batter into 14 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar evenly over batter. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove muffins from pans; place on a wire rack.

Cheddar & Beer Soup

I admit I am not a big football fan, in fact I had never been to a game until my friend Dani took me to one, I was 27 at the time. I think I might also be the worst fair weather fan there is, if I know someone who is on a team that's who I cheer for, I have no allegance to the city in question, I feel the same way about baseball. On the other hand I love the idea of Sunday night football with the guys. I am sure they would be happy to order pizza & wings, but I think cheddar & beer soup is the way to go. Your man should be impressed by the fact that you know how to cook with beer! You could probably also do some wings ;)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
12 ounces beer (not dark)
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar, plus more for garnishing
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1 baguette
2 tablespoons olive oil

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stirring constantly, add the flour and cook for 3 minutes; the mixture will clump. Still stirring constantly, add the broth slowly and cook until a thick, smooth paste forms, 3 minutes. Still stirring, slowly add the milk, then the beer. Cook until the foam subsides and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the Cheddar, salt, pepper, sugar, and hot sauce (if using) and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the baguette. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush with the oil. Bake until golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with additional grated Cheddar and the baguette slices.

Shrimp Georgie Porgie

Shrimp Georgie Porgie is a New Orleans classic. It's funny that shrimp is so prevalent in the area that this is considered a poor man's dish.

½ cup olive oil, divided
45 garlic cloves (about 4 heads)
3 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
¼ cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon liquid shrimp-and-crab boil seasoning
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground red pepper
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
3 bay leaves
French baguette or rustic bread, sliced

Combine ¼ cup oil and garlic in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ¼ cup olive oil, shrimp, and next 8 ingredients in a large zip-top freezer bag; seal and shake to coat. Add shrimp mixture and bay leaves to baking dish, and toss to coat. Bake 20 more minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring once. Serve with bread.

Feta Stuffed Chicken

This is a great dish, serve it on salad & your guests will be impressed!

4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
3 cups torn spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cheese onto each piece of chicken, and fold chicken in half. Place folded breast halves in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drizzle butter over chicken. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until done.

Combine spinach and basil in a bowl, and drizzle with vinegar and oil. Sprinkle pepper over salad; toss well. Serve chicken over salad.

Afterburners

I found this recipe & I am not sure that I would make them. They sound a little spicy for me, but this reminded me of my dad who will eat a jalapeño on anything! If you are going to make them be careful of the jalapeños when you are handling them if the juice gets on your skin or eyes it burns!

12 unpeeled medium-size fresh shrimp
12 jalapeño peppers
6 bacon slices, halved lengthwise

Peel shrimp, and devein

Cut a slit in each jalapeño pepper; remove seeds and membranes. Carefully place one shrimp in cavity of each pepper.

Wrap each pepper with 1 bacon piece, and secure with a wooden pick. Place in a jellyroll pan.

Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 6 to 7 minutes on each side, or until bacon is cooked. Serve warm.

Baked Shrimp & Feta

I am always looking for a new shrimp recipe, Matt would eat shrimp everyday if he could, so we need variety. This recipe uses feta which I think is a great combination with shrimp.

1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups diced Roma tomato (about 3/4 pound)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) finely crumbled feta cheese
4 cups hot cooked linguine (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oregano and the next 4 ingredients (oregano through garlic); sauté for 3 minutes. Spoon the shrimp mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Add wine to skillet; cook over low heat until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 3 minutes). Stir in tomato, and pour over the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Serve mixture over pasta, and sprinkle with parsley.

Baked Potato Soup

This soup is serious comfort food, perfect for an evening with your first snow of the season. You can bake the potatoes in the oven or make them in the microwave.

To bake potatoes in the microwave, prick each several times with a fork. Microwave 1 inch apart on paper towels at HIGH 14 minutes or until done, turning and rearranging after 5 minutes. Let cool.

5 large baking potatoes, baked
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Peel potatoes, and coarsely mash with a fork.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, and sauté until tender. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Stir in potatoes, half-and-half, and next 3 ingredients; cook over low heat until thoroughly heated. Top each serving with cheese, chives, sour cream and bacon.

Baked Scallops au Gratin

When I find scallops on sale I like to get them as a treat for Matt. This is a great recipe to try if you are a beginner with scallops. You can serve as a hors d'oeuvres or a main dish. Remember to buy the larger size, the small scallops are great for pastas.

1/2 pound sea scallops
1/3 cup Japanese breadcrumbs (panko)
2 tablespoons butter, melted (you could use olive oil but I prefer butter with seafood)
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Cavenders

Place scallops in a lightly greased 1-quart baking dish.Combine breadcrumbs and remaining ingredients, and sprinkle over scallops.Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until scallops are opaque and topping is golden.

Squash Soup with Zest of Orange

In most parts of the country you will be enjoying the cool fall weather in October. Except in Scottsdale where it is 5 pm & 95 degrees out. One of my favorite things about fall is the fall produce you can buy at local farm stands. I was talking to my mom yesterday & she was telling me about all the fun gourds & squash for sale in Brigham City, Utah. That got me thinking of Squash Soup. This is a great recipe & a little simpler than others I have ran across. I think Squash Soup is such a fun dinner on those nights when the weather is getting crisp. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
Zest of 1/4 orange
2 small butternut or acorn squashes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or broth)

Melt butter over low heat. Stir in leeks and cook until softened. Add zest, squash, and nutmeg; stir for 2 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat, covered, until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor or blender (do in two batches). Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. For a real treat serve with grown up grilled cheeses. Use a baguette & fancy cheese like Gouda.

Zucchini Pie

I had forgotten all about my zucchini pie until our tennis lessons tonight. Our coach's 11 year old daughter was there. She lives by the mantra of animals are our friends and we don't eat our friends. So I thought I should do my part & round up my best vegetarian recipe. Zucchini pie is a great recipe to keep in your rotation. You can serve it as a dinner, side dish, appetizer or even breakfast. I keep a bottle of Tabasco in my kitchen for those who like to spice it up. Enjoy!

3 cups grated zucchini (you can also use patty pans or summer squash)

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup grated Monterrey jack cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Spoon the zucchini mixture into a 10-inch round glass pie plate or metal pie pan that has been coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Fire Cracker Shrimp

My very favorite Pei Wei dish was firecracker shrimp, but they quit making it. This is my best version.

8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons diced yellow onions
10 ounces cooked egg noodles
1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons diced red peppers
1 tablespoon green onion (white part only)
1 tablespoon chili paste
firecracker sauce
2 tablespoons chili paste
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup rice wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon chili paste
shrimp marinade
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg white

Cook noodles until al dente.
Shock in generous amounts of ice water, turning with your hands to speed chilling.
Drain very well.
Coat lightly with sesame oil.
Heat wok, add 1 teaspoon of oil.
Place shrimp into medium hot oil;slightly undercook.
Drain wok, wipe out excess oil.
Add noodles and toss with 3 ounces of Firecracker Shrimp Sauce.
Mound noodles into a large shallow bowl;clean wok.
Stir-fry garlic and chili paste, add onions and bell peppers, add 6 ounces of Firecracker Shrimp Sauce and toss quickly.
Finish with sesame oil.
Place shrimp and sauce over noodles.
Garnish with cilantro sprigs.