In the Kitchen with Katie

Hot & Spicy Meatloaf

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:44:00 -0500

Each week as I am preparing my grocery store list and planning meals for the week I ask Jordan what he wants to have for dinner that week. He usually says he doesn’t care and loves everything I make (what a great husband I have :). However, if he does request a meal he usually asks for meatloaf. It has become one of his favorites!

Until I got married I had never made meatloaf, but it seemed simple enough. I ended up using this recipe my first couple of times. Although this recipe is very basic, I added my own twist by using southwest spicy mustard for the topping. This spicy addition is why Jordan enjoyed it so much and inspired me to create a hot & spicy version.

To the ground beef (or I am sure you could use turkey) I ended up adding some cayenne pepper and chili powder, as well as some garlic powder for flavoring. I used seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs, but I am sure any type will do. For the topping I used Jack Daniel’s spicy southwest mustard. FYI: Jack Daniel’s is not sponsoring this post. Feel free to double the topping/glaze recipe and save half to heat in the microwave and to pour on cooked meatloaf slices. One more thought, this meatloaf would also make a great sandwich!

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons spicy prepared mustard
1/3 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, milk, bread crumbs, worcestershire sauce, and spices. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan.

In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

Source: Katie’s Kitchen Original

Chocolate Fudge Pie

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:03:06 -0500

Chocolate fudge pie, need I say more?

If I must, let me tell you about this decadent dense chocolate layer covered with homemade whipped cream tucked inside a flaky pie crust (don’t judge me, but I used store bought).

I got the recipe from Cooking Light so I allowed myself to have two pieces. Then I decided to take the pie into work so I wouldn’t eat the whole thing by myself. It is that addicting!

Jordan said it reminded him of the pie from The Help. No, not THAT pie, not the one with Minnie’s secret ingredient in it that she made for Miss Hillly. Watching her eat the terrible awful pie is what I call sweet revenge. My pie doesn’t have Minnie’s secret ingredient, but it does have a few of my own.

I leave you with two bits of advice. 1. Make this pie. 2. Read The Help and then watch the movie.

Ingredients

Crust and Chocolate Fudge Layer:

1 homemade or store-bought pie crust
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup plus half & half (total of milk & half and half should equal 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

For the whipped cream:

1 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

For topping (optional):

1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa, shaved chocolate, or crumbled cookies

Preheat oven to 350°. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in freezer until ready to use.

Combine brown sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and flour in a large bowl. Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through eggs); stir with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to brown sugar mixture; stir until combined.

Pour mixture into crust. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until just set. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover; chill at least 4 hours.

In a large bowl combine whipped cream ingredients, mix on high speed cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

Spread whipped cream on chocolate pie prior to serving. Garnish with cocoa, chocolate, or cookies (optional)

Source: adapted from Cooking Light

Goat Cheese Bacon Basil Quiche

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:01:00 -0500

I never used to be a fan of quiche. However, on Christmas someone brought into work a cheddar broccoli cheese quiche and I couldn’t get enough of it. Ever since then I have been dying to make one of my own. The great thing about a quiche is that it is so versatile that you can pretty much put whatever you want in it. Any combination of meats, cheeses, and vegetables will do.

I really wanted to include goat cheese in mine because it is one of my favorite cheeses. Bacon pretty much makes any dish better so I decided to throw that in too. The basil was a last minute decision and goes well with the goat cheese. This quiche is really great for any meal of the day!

I had trouble titling this recipe because I wanted to include all the pertinent ingredients to be included without sounding too wordy. I don’t know if I succeeded. What would you call this savory pie?

Ingredients

pie crust, homemade or store bought
2-3oz crumbled goat cheese, enough to cover bottom of pie crust
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup half & half
1 cup monterrey jack cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon, in small pieces
1/2 cup packed basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fit pie crust into pie pan. Prick bottom of pie crust with a fork. Cover bottom of pie crust with crumbled goat cheese.

Combine the eggs, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, monterrey jack cheese, basil, and chopped bacon in a small bowl then pour over crust. Try to evently distribute basil and bacon.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is firm and puffed. Let cool completely before slicing.

Source: Katie’s Kitchen Original

Whole-grain Blueberry Muffins

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:42:00 -0500

Sleep in…check. Morning run with a friend…check. Planning a trip with my husband…check. Whole-grain blueberry muffins…check. This is what made my Saturday morning perfect!

For those of you who are trying to keep your New Year’s resolutions of eating healthy this a recipe for you. For those of you who like me haven’t had the healthiest start to 2012 here’s your chance. True confessions, I have been scrounging for leftover holiday candy, drinking root beer floats from the left over root beer from the pulled pork, and indulging in our new favorite cocktail (dark n’ stormy). Did you know ginger beer has 50 grams of sugar? Now that I have gotten that off my chest I can proceed with talking about this healthy recipe.

Whole wheat flour, oats, flaxseed, yogurt, and blueberries. My husband was skeptical whether it was going to be good…I could see it in his eyes. After he ate two I knew that he thought they were pretty good for a “healthy” muffin.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup pecans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used vanilla)
1/2 packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray with cooking spray or line with muffin liners a standard 12-cup muffin tin. In a food processor, process the flour, oats, flaxseed meal, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until finely ground.

In a large bowel, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix until incorporated (do not overmix). Fold in blueberries.

Divide the batter evening among the muffin cups. Bake until tooth-pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 minutes.

Source: Real Simple September 2011

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:29:00 -0500

Happy New Year! I hope you all have had a fabulous start to 2012. Have you already broken your resolution? I am not one for resolutions, but I am a fan of traditions. One of my favorite things about holidays is the traditions my family shares. When I got married over two years it was fun learning about Jordan’s family’s traditions, but it has also been fun starting our own traditions.

One first married New’s Years I made pulled pork and macaroni & cheese and now it has become what we have ever year. Our family has a lot of food traditions! What I love about these pulled pork sandwiches is that they only require 4 ingredients and your barely do any work. This year I bought a 6lb pork butt so we had friends over to share and I was able to freeze plenty of leftovers.

After getting home from our New Year’s Eve celebrating I put the pork in the crock pot covered it with root beer and when I woke up in the morning it was done. It literally was the easiest thing I have ever shredded. Then I coated and mixed in the BBQ. For years I have been a loyal fan of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, but you could use whatever you prefer. I did not end up putting it back in the crock pot because I didn’t want the meat to shred anymore. Along with the pulled pork I made this macaroni & cheese.

What is your New Year’s tradition?

Ingredients

Pork Butt (size can vary depending on amount of people serving)
Root beer (I use Braq’s), enough to cover 3/4 or pork
BBQ sauce (enough to coat pork)
Sandwich buns

*I made a 6lb pork butt, 3/4 liter root beer, 40 oz BBQ sauce bottle

Place the pork butt in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 8 hours (for a 6lb pork butt I cooked for 8-10 hrs). Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Source: adapted from All Recipes

Holiday Pretzel Bites

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 06:00:06 -0500

Merry Christmas! I was able to celebrate Christmas yesterday with my family. It was a magical day & I was so thankful for it. Today I could not be with my family because I am taking care of those who are sick in the hospital, some of which have been there for months. Working on an oncology unit always gives me the perspective on how lucky I am that my family and I are cancer free. My patients aren’t asking for tangible gifts, but praying for a cure and to be back at home. They are truly an inspiration to me. I give thanks to God for all that He has given me. Please take a moment today to thank him for all your blessings this year and to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Okay, I’m done with my thoughts on Christmas and now I have a last minute recipe for you. These little pretzel bites are the perfect mix of sweet & salty. I made two different types. One has pretzels, hershey kisses, and M&Ms, while the other has pretzels, rolos, and a pecan. They barely take any time and would be a great treat to put in a holiday bowl or polish off a cookie tray. If you don’t have time this year put it on your to do list for next year.

Variation #1 Ingredients

2 bags waffle pretzels (I like the butter flavored ones)
2 bags Hershey hugs
1 bag Holiday M&M’s

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill baking sheet with as many pretzels as you can!

Unwrap the hugs and place 1 hug on each pretzel.

Bake at 200 degrees for 4-6 minutes, or until hugs have melted to cover most of the pretzel.

Remove from oven and gently place an M&M on each pretzel. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to set.

Source: Pinch of Yum

Variation #2 Ingredients

1 bag waffle pretzels

2 bags rolos

1 bag pecan halves

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

Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.

Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Source: All Recipes

Gingersnaps

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:42:00 -0500

When I think about different types of holiday cookies gingersnaps are one of the cookies that always comes to mind. They definitely aren’t my favorite cookie (don’t get me wrong I rarely refuse any cookie), but I feel like many people love them. My husband is one of those people who really loves gingersnaps.

This year December has been so crazy & since we were going to be away so much we decided to not get a tree. I was sad about it but did not have the time or energy to worry about it. Last weekend while I was working my husband went out and got a small real tree. He set it up in our apartment and put lights on it. Oh and on top of this all he cleaned the entire apartment completely unprompted. That night we decorated the tree and it helped me get into the spirit of Christmas. I am so lucky to have him!

I shared this story because my husband is the reason I made these gingersnaps. They are titled the perfect gingersnap because that is exactly what they are. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Please make these for the gingersnap lover in your life!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
Sugar for rolling

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine together the brown sugar, molasses, canola oil, and egg until smooth. Mix the flour mixture into the brown mixture, stirring until dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop up bits of dough by the heaping teaspoonful and roll into balls between your palms, about the size of a quarter. Roll the balls in sugar and place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 8 minutes – if you like crispy gingersnaps, try 9-10 minutes.

Cookies will be very soft but will firm up. Leave on the baking sheet several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: 17 and Baking

Peppermint Bark

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:45:00 -0500

This weekend I decided that I wanted to make cookie trays to share, but knew I only had one day off to make everything. Today ended up turning into a baking extravaganza where I made six different holiday treats. I plan on sharing them with you over the next couple of days.

The first recipe I wanted to share was the easiest. Doesn’t it look like a Jackson Pollack? This peppermint bark is it’s own piece of art. To make you simply melt the chocolate, add extract, spread into a pan, press in crushed candy canes, freeze, break apart, and enjoy! I decided to drizzle some chocolate on top because more chocolate makes everything better.

Ingredients

12 oz. of high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup crushed up candy canes
1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (optional)

Break up peppermint candy into little pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once melted, add the peppermint extract and stir.

Pour the melted chocolate out onto a 9x13 jelly roll pan with wax paper and spread out with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peppermint candy chunks on to the chocolate and gently press them in with yours hands.

Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Drizzle chocolate on top and put back into freezer until hardens. Break into pieces and serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from Simply Recipes

Baked Ziti

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:27:00 -0500

This time of year there are lots of get-togethers with families and friends. Trust me you don’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen while everyone is laughing, spending time together, and being festive. I have perfect solution to wanting a home cooked delicious meal that serves lots of people and also takes little time.

It is baked ziti! I have made this recipe many times and it always well received. Feel free to make a vegetarian version by taking out the ground beef. After listening to many reviewers I coated the pasta with sour cream instead of making it a separate layer. The mozzerella and provolone are a perfect mix and leave you with some cheesy goodness!

Trust me on this one, I’m Italian!

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
2 (28 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (or if you are ambitious homemade)
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
6 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Mix pasta with sour cream until well coated.

In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Drain off fat and add spaghetti sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a 13x9 baking dish, place about half of the pasta; top with a layer of provolone and mozzarella cheese slices. Spread on a layer of half the spaghetti sauce mixture.

Cover with remaining pasta, cheese and sauce; sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.

Source: adapted from All Recipes

Caramel Brownies with a Pretzel Crust

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:38:00 -0500

Who doesn’t love a sweet and salty treat? I recently had a pretzel topped with a melted rolo and a pecan. It inspired me. Salt, chocolate, and carmel…what an amazing combination.

My baking creativity brought about these caramel brownies. The pretzel crust is made up of ground up pretzels and butter, which I baked to help set. While the crust was cooling I decided to whip up the brownie batter. Unfortunately, the incorporation of the rolos was something I would change (and what I am writing into the recipe). This time just I placed the rolo into the already spread out brownie batter in the pan. However, next time I plan to cut the rolos in half and mix into the brownie prepared mix. Then the carmel bits will be even more distributed.

Take a break from the Christmas rush and have yourself something both sweet & salty!

Ingredients

4 cups pretzel snaps
1 stick butter
1 box brownies (and required ingredients to make batter
30-40 rolos

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make crust, Place pretzel snaps into a food processor and process until into fine bits. Mix with 1 stick melted butter and mix until resembles wet sand. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom of 13x9 pan. Baked until crust is dry and set, 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Prepare brownie batter as directed. Cut rolos in half. Mix rolos into brownie batter and spread evenly in the pan.

Bake as directed, approximately 30 minutes.

Source: Katie Kitchen Original

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:12:00 -0500

This holiday season one of my goals was to make Christmas cookie trays to give out to friends, family, and coworkers. Now that Christmas is only two weeks away it seems like a pretty lofty goal. There seems like there is so much to do between now and Christmas. Even if I don’t make my trays I still wanted to take some time to try out some new cookie recipes.

I have been a little obsessed with nutella lately. I blame my husband for suggesting we get some. It is a dangerous ingredient to have in your pantry. Anyways, I came across a peanut butter nutella cookie recipe that I just had to try. I thought it would be a nice addition to any tray and I was right!

What is your favorite holiday/christmas cookie?

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Approx. 1/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Add flour, baking soda and salt. Drizzle Nutella on top of the dough then swirl it through the dough with a butter knife.

Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll into balls by hand. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Using a fork, press down the balls to flatten slightly. Bake until edges are very lightly browned (about 7 to 10 minutes).

Allow to rest 2 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

Source: Delightful Bitefuls

Beef Stew

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:43:00 -0500

I usually plan my meals out for the week and make a list of what I need to go to the grocery store. If I go without a list I leave the store overwhelmed and always forgetting something. Although I am at the store to get what is on my list I always browse to see what is on sale too. Usually I check out the meat section and buy what is on sale, which helps me plan my meals for the next week.

A couple weeks ago I bought some stew meat and I had the idea to make some stew. I had never made stew before, but thought it was a hearty meal for a cold night. Looking at a number of stew recipes I took aspects of different ones to create my own. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1.25 lbs stew meat, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1 cup red wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 rosemary sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 large potatoes cut up in small chunks
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup water

Add olive oil to pot and heat on medium. While oil is heating season meat with salt and pepper and then dredge meat in flour. Once, meat is covered in flour brown meat in hot oil.

Pour red wine, 1 cup of chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Add garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, salt, and pepper. If you are adding rosemary for flavoring be be aware that tiny sprigs break apart and are hard to remove. Once all this is added cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Once this time has place removed bay leaves & garlic cloves. Add carrots, celery, and potatoes, along with an additional cup of chicken broth. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes.

To thicken gravy using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Add to pot and stir, cook until bubbly.

Icebox Pumpkin-Mousse Pie

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:10:00 -0500

I have never been much of a pumpkin pie fan. Don’t get me wrong I will eat it, especially if it is covered with lots of whipped, but it is definitely not one of my favorites. However, not having pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving seemed like some sort of sacrilege.

Flipping through a magazine one day I came across a pumpkin mousse pie with a chocolate crust topped with whipped cream that I just could not resist. It was even more delicious than I expected and by far the most popular pie at Thanksgiving.

I am always a fan of homemade crusts and this one is no exception. It is simply a mix of chocolate wafers, sugar, and butter. I didn’t promise this was going to be a healthy pie, but who is trying to be healthy on Thanksgiving. The filling is a mousse, which is flavored by pumpkin, maple syrup, and seasonal spices. I made the first two layers the day before and let it sit in the fridge. The whipped cream I made right before serving. It made more than we needed for the pie, but was able to use it for other desserts too. Over the last year I have been making my own whipped cream and it is a million times better than cool whip and pretty darn easy.

With this pie I leave you with one final question: is making pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving a no-no like wearing white after labor day? In my head I always had this idea that Thanksgiving was the cut-off for making pumpkin baked goods. If this is not the case with you here are my other pumpkin recipes from the season:

Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Ingredients

for the crust:
30 chocolate wafers, such as Famous
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling:
1 1/2 cups pure pumpkin puree
4 ounces light cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup cold heavy cream

for the topping:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Make crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process wafers and brown sugar until finely ground. With machine running, slowly add butter and process until mixture resembles wet sand. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake until crust is dry and set, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make filling: In a clean food processor, process pumpkin puree, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth, scraping down side as needed. With machine running, add maple syrup in a slow, steady stream. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form, 3 minutes. With a rubber spatula, gently fold pumpkin mixture into whipped cream. Spoon filling into crust and refrigerate until set, 3 hours (or up to 1 day).

Make toppping: In medium bowl, using electric mixer, beat cream and confectioners’ sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 3 minutes. With spatula, mound topping over pie and serve immediately.

Source: barely adapted from Everyday Food November 2011

Upside Down Apple Pecan Pie

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:30:00 -0500

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My holiday was spent cooking, eating, playing games, and spending time with my husband and in-laws in our small apartment. It was perfect! I was in charge of the turkey and dessert this year. I was very nervous about cooking the turkey, but it turned out to be a hit! I promise to share the recipe when Thanksgiving comes around next year.

For dessert I wanted to make two types of pies, one pumpkin and one apple. These two types are the quintessential Thanksgiving pies. Just to keep things interesting both the pies I made were twists on the traditional classics. Today I am going to share with you this upside down apple pecan pie, but I promise to share my pumpkin pie variation later this week.

A friend from work made this apple pie once and I begged her for the recipe. I thought Thanksgiving would be the perfect excuse for me to make it myself. It is very simple to make and can be made the day before you plan on serving it. What sets this pie apart from a traditional apple pie is the pecan brown sugar topping. There is no need to worry about a lattice crust or covering the top with leaf cut-outs because after cooking you flip the pie over.

For those of you who are pied out keep this in mind for Christmas. And for those who can’t get enough pie enjoy this soon and more power to you!

Ingredients

1 cup pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 homemade or store bought pie crusts
6 cups peeled, sliced apples
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In 9 inch pie pan combine pecans, brown sugar, and butter. Spread evenly on bottom of pan. Place one crust over pecan mixture.

In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon & nutmeg. Spoon apples into pie crust lined pan.

Top with the second crust and flute the edges. Cut 4 slits into the pie crust in several places.

Place the prepared pie onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate over top of pie and invert pie. Cool for one hour.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Crockpot Turkey Fajitas

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:00:00 -0500

With the holidays approaching and the business that it brings I wanted to share this easy weeknight meal with you. There is something to be said for throwing a bunch of ingredients in pot and having it turn into a delicious meal. Crock pots are magical I tell you. If you don’t have one please go out and get one. You can thank me later.

For those of you who do have one now you have a new meal idea for this week. Below is list of the ingredients, but this recipe is highly adaptable. I ended up adding fresh tomatoes instead of canned, which pretty much dissolved into nothing. Canned may work better in this case. I also used fresh red peppers which turned out great. They weren’t too mushy. Then at the last minute I added a can of black beans.

You really can’t mess this up! Just be weary of your crock pot cooking times. My was cooked in 2 hours on low, but everyone’s crock pot is different. I also cut the turkey into strips which I think helped it cook much faster. Let me know if you find any other combinations of mix-ins you enjoy.

Ingredients

1-1.25 lbs turkey cutlets
1 oz taco seasoning packet
15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles or 2-3 fresh tomatoes
2 red peppers
15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
Flour Tortillas
Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheddar cheese

Cut turkey into strips and place in ziplock bag. Add taco seasoning to bag and shake to coat meat.

Empty seasoned turkey into slow cooker. Add peppers & tomatoes. Stir together gently.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours or just until the turkey is cooked through and tender. Add can of black beans 15 minutes before turkey is almost done.

Warm tortillas and spoon turkey mixture evenly in center of tortilla. Serve with toppings.

Source: adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:39:00 -0500

Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? Sometimes in my attempt to be an adventurous baker I often forget how much I appreciate simple desserts like these cookies. They are probably one of my favorites! I know you all probably have your own chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I thought I would share this one with you. If you are looking to try a new recipe I promise this one will yield chewy, delicious cookies! I must worn you to please not over bake. From experience I know too much time in the oven can seriously ruin any cookie. Hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we did!

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks butter)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place sugar,brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Add baking soda, salt and flour to the sugar mixture and whisk together until smooth.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 minutes, remove from the oven then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: adapted from How to Simplify

Chicken Pot Pie

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:01:05 -0500

As it begins to get colder out it seems that I am starting to crave more comfort foods. I have never been much of a casserole fan, but I have always loved chicken pot pie. I made this lighter version one night last week. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly this meal came together and how much we enjoyed it.

Roasting the chicken brought out so much flavor and made it easy to shred. To make it even easier I am sure you could buy an already roasted chicken. I only added carrots and peas, but I am sure you could add any vegetables you would like. The simple milk and flour mixture make a creamy delicious sauce. Using phyllo sheets instead of a biscuit topping makes for a lighter crust. I am sure you have many of these ingredients to make this for dinner tonight!

Ingredients

2 bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves (about 2lbs)
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 frozen phyllo sheets (each 12x17 inches), thawed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken on rimmed baking sheet; season both sides with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; remove skin and bones, and shred meat.

While chicken is roasting, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots & thyme; season with salt & pepper. Cook until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring one minute. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens, about 6 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in peas, lemon juice, and chicken. Pour filling into 2 quart baking dish.

Stack phyllo on work surface. Cut phyllo dough until it approximately fits the size of the baking dish. Stack two layers of the dough on the work surface and brush with olive oil. Repeat process with remaining four layers. Place stack phyllo over filling, and press down with 1/2 inch rim so phyllo fits inside rim of baking dish, with edges sticking straight up around rim.

Bake until crust is lightly golden and filling is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Source: barely adapted from Everyday Food Fresh Flavor Fast

Minestrone Soup

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:15:20 -0500

It has been getting cold out and I have been craving a good hearty soup. I am convinced there are healing properties in soup. Trust me on this one, I am a nurse. And if you don’t believe me take a look at this. As flu and cold season is in full swing I thought I would share a this minestrone soup recipe with you.

This soup is chock full of delicious vegetables. It is filling enough to be a meal and is great served with some crusty bread. Requiring little work this is a great weekend meal that will give you leftovers for the week. Since there are only two of us I decided to freeze some to have at a later date. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on right before serving.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil (I used 1 tablespoon dried oregano)
2 large stalks of celery, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 dried bay leaf * (I didn’t have so I omitted)
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with their liquid
1 cup dried fusilli pasta
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or white beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until translucent. Add broth, tomato paste, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, and tomatoes with their juice and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add pasta and beans and simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: adapted from Whole Foods

Pumpkin Bars

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:42:00 -0400

Do you remember the canned pumpkin shortage last year? Maybe my fear of another shortage is what has been making me stock up on canned pumpkin. I also take into consideration there is a limited period of time where you can justify making pumpkin items. Some friends recently sent me a pumpkin macaroni & cheese recipe and a baked pumpkin oatmeal recipe that I will have to give a try.

These pumpkin bars were something I made recently for friends. I thought they were pretty good, but when I first made them I was on the fence about posting about them. However, they were a hit and when some people asked me for the recipe I decided to share the recipe.

I expected these bars to be more like pumpkin blondies, but they ended up being more cakey. This also could be because I substituted a stick of butter for a half a cup of applesauce. After reading some other reviews of the recipe I ended up only using 6 oz of chocolate chips instead of 12oz. I thought this was the perfect amount. I didn’t have pumpkin pie spice so I substituted 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ginger for 1 tablespoon of the it. Please let me know what you all think of these!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose & 1 cup whole wheat)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter, applesauce, and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35. Cool completely in pan. Cut into squares.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

Caramel Popcorn

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:29:00 -0400

Happy Halloween! Sadly I did not get the chance to carve a pumpkin or dress up in a costume this year, but that didn’t keep me from making a festive treat in honor of the holiday. A couple weeks ago I attempted a caramel corn recipe I found in a magazine and I was very disappointed. The popcorn was too saturated with the caramel glaze. For the amount of butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar it used it barely made any popcorn. I thought I would try again today in hopes that Jordan and I would have something to snack on as we passed out candy tonight.

This caramel popcorn recipe coats the popcorn with the perfect amount of caramel making it crunchy and delicious. This recipe also takes very little hands on time. I have a popcorn maker which made it even easier. About 1/2 cup kernels made 12 cups popped popcorn. This would be a delicious treat to put into gift bags to hand out as well.

Ingredients

12 cups popcorn
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.

Place in large jelly roll pan and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Source: Adapted from All Recipes