A Taste of Fall

My husband made Alton Brown's Atomic Apples for me (minus the atomic 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, thankfully). They were SO yummy. Quite cinnamon-spicy without the added pepper (which a reviewer of that recipe said makes them taste like atomic fireballs). (Sorry I don't have a picture of the apples. We WILL make more, though. :)

After eating the apples, Glen was inspired to make candied butter rum pears --

Isn't that pretty?

And it tastes pretty good, too. :) Using Alton's recipe, he substituted 6 small, mostly firm pears for the apples, and butter rum oil for the cinnamon oil, and yellow food coloring for the red. The apples are still my favorite, but these are a firm second. :)

Yogurt Sauce

This sauce is great on hummus sandwiches, but it is also good served with grilled chicken, or as a light salad dressing.

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt (regular or Greek)

1 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded, and finely chopped

*2 teaspoons dehydrated onion flakes, rehydrated in some water

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (or more, to taste)

dash of salt and pepper

Directions

In a sealable container, combine all ingredients, except cucumber and onion, stirring to combine well. Drain the water from the onion flakes, and then fold in the onion and cucumber.

Taste for correct seasoning, then cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to marry well. (Note: I like this to be fairly salty, but use caution when adding salt to this recipe, as it intensifies its flavor in cold food.)

*If you prefer to use fresh onion, oh-so-finely mince ¼- ½ of a white onion, depending on the onion strength desired.

Yummy Hummus

I love hummus! It’s a great, high-protein snack or dinner, and it is a good spread to have on hand for lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients

1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained

1-2 tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed butter –I found it at Giant Eagle)

1 whole garlic bulb, roasted*

1 large lemon

1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chilies

1 cup of coarsely chopped carrot

½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, plus additional for garnish

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

*To roast a garlic bulb:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top of the garlic (opposite the stem end), to expose the tops of the garlic cloves. Place bulb in a garlic roaster (small crock-type device, which I do not own...yet) or place on a doubled piece of foil. Drizzle top lightly with olive oil and seal up with foil. Roast for 35 minutes. Remove foil and allow to cool until easy to handle. Garlic cloves should now be soft and creamy, and you can just squeeze the garlic from the bottom of each clove's skin. Flavor is enhanced, yet it has less of that raw garlic bite.

To make hummus:

In food processor fitted with the “S” blade, place garbanzo beans, dash of salt (optional), 1 tablespoon of tahini, 3-6 roasted garlic cloves (or more, if you like!), chilies, carrot, ½ teaspoon of paprika, and juice of ½ of the lemon (to extract as much juice as possible, roll the lemon on your counter before cutting it). Place lid on processor and turn it to “on” (not pulse), to combine everything well.

While processing, drizzle some olive oil in the top (about a tablespoon or so). After everything is combined, check the consistency. (I prefer my hummus similar in texture to pudding, some like it more runny—add more olive oil or water to get the texture you desire.)

If it isn't creamy enough, add more tahini. If it tastes too nutty (from the tahini) add a little more of the juice from the second half of the lemon, then pulse a few times and taste again. Add a dash more salt, if necessary, and pepper, as desired; pulse a few more times to combine well.

Once the taste and consistency are to your liking, put the hummus in a sealable container, sprinkle with paprika, and refrigerate until serving.

This is great slathered on unleavened bread, topped with sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced red onion, and crumbled feta cheese, and yogurt sauce. It is also great as a dip for veggies.

Five Ingredient Meatloaf

This delicious meatloaf is easy to double, quick to mix and pop in the oven. It takes 1 to 1 ½ hours to bake, depending on the pan you use and how hot your oven runs. I have made this in an 8 x 8 glass dish when I’m pressed for time (since it’s thinner, it cooks quicker). Although it isn’t dry when cooked that way, I do prefer the texture and moistness of baking it in a loaf pan. (If you are feeling creative, you can customize this meatloaf easily by adding your own touches. I would recommend lightly sautéing any veggies before adding, just to be sure they soften enough during baking.)

Ingredients

2 pounds extra lean ground beef, or ground turkey

1 box of Stove Top stuffing mix (any flavor you prefer, I use Savory Herbs)

1 can of French onion soup

2 eggs

ketchup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well by hand and place in baking dish, shaping into a square or rectangle with a flat top. Tuck your fingers down the sides of the dish to pull the meatloaf away from the edges so it will cook more evenly. Coat the top and sides with ketchup, as desired. Bake for 1 – 1 ½ hours, until no longer pink in center. (To test this, after baking for an hour, I cut the meatloaf into servings and gently lift out a center piece to check doneness. Remember that the meatloaf will continue cooking some in the pan, if you are not transferring the slices to a separate serving dish.)

This is great served with macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. And leftovers make great sandwiches, served on hearty bread or buns with whole-grain mustard.

Enjoy! :)

Chops and Rice

Here’s a great recipe that not only tastes good and has few ingredients, it is easy to double (or triple). Feel free to substitute chicken breasts for the pork chops, but I personally love the flavor of the pork in this dish.

Ingredients

6-8 thick pork chops (boneless or bone-in, both are good)

1 can of French onion soup (I use Campbell’s®, of course)

water as needed

1 cup basmati rice

Olive oil

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat a skillet to high heat. While it’s heating, salt and pepper your chops, if desired. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan and add your chops. Cook on med-high to high heat for roughly 4-5 minutes, on both sides, to get a good sear. (Note: I use a big cast iron pan for this, so I can keep the heat up pretty high and not burn anything. If not using cast iron, adjust accordingly.)

While second side is searing, pour your soup into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 1 ¾ cups. When searing is finished, add the soup/water combo and turn down heat. Add the rice and shift around the pork until all the rice is under liquid. Cover your pan and cook on low for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. (Give it at least 20 minutes before peeking.)

(Another note: If you use a cast iron pan, when the cooking time is done you will find that the rice has developed a wonderful seared crust in some places, giving it a slightly toasted, nutty flavor, in addition to the onion flavor from the soup.)

Serve with some steamed broccoli, and you’ve got yourself a great meal. :)

(One more note: If you are a purist and don’t want to use canned soup--sear your pork, remove it to a separate dish, caramelize a medium, thinly sliced, Vidalia onion in some olive oil, use 1 ¾ cups beef broth to deglaze the pan, put the pork back in the pan, then proceed with the above directions. But that takes the “quick & easy” part out of this dish, to be sure.)

Super Easy Pesto Pizza

This is a great pizza to do anytime you need something quick to make that tastes great and doesn't come out of a box (although it isn't exactly a from-scratch item). I will post a picture soon.

Ingredients

1 lb. prepared pizza dough (Wal-Mart sells white dough for $0.88 and wheat for $0.98)

Jar of pesto sauce (I use Classico brand--heavy on garlic and no pine nuts)

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Baby tomatoes (optional)

Corn meal

Pizza Stone (Optional, unless baking on a grill)

Parchment (if using a pan in the oven)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, or heat all burners to high on gas grill and close cover (sans stone; you will bake the pizza on the cold stone).

Dust stone or pan lightly with corn meal. Cover pan with parchment, if desired, before dusting with corn meal.

SHORT VERSION:

1. Stretch dough to fit stone or pan
2. Spread pesto on dough
3. Cover with cheese and sliced tomatoes
4. Grill (with cover down) or bake for 10-15 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.


EXTENDED VERSION:

Dough is easier to handle if taken from refrigerator 15 minutes before stretching, but that isn't necessary. Remove dough from bag and stretch it into a large circle-like shape to fit your stone or pan.

An easy way to to this is to put the dough on top of your two fists, and work your fists around inside the dough (it will stretch down over your fists some). When it starts to thin out, grab it around the fatter edges and then turn it like you are steering a car, squeezing the edges out so it stretches more. Don't aim for perfection here--mine usually looks more like a parallelogram than a circle. :)

Place stretched dough on stone or pan. Spread with pesto sauce, to taste. I like a decent covering, but a thin layer is good, too. (Again, Classico brand pesto has a great flavor that won't overwhelm everything with a strong taste of pesto.)

Cover with shredded cheese, and then (if using them) slice baby tomatoes in half (however many you like) and put them on top of cheese, cut side up. They will nestle down in the cheese as the pizza bakes.

If baking on a stone on your gas grill, place the stone on the grill and put down the cover. Leave burners on high. Cook, without lifting grill cover, for 10 minutes. Check for doneness (you want the crust golden brown and the cheese to be bubbly). If not done, cook for 2-3 more minutes (with cover down) and then check again. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

If baking in oven, put stone with pizza into oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Cool pizza on stone for 10 minutes and then enjoy!

Roasted Chicken and Veggies

I have a black and white roasting pan, the "cow" roaster, that I bought for four dollars at Gabe's. It was the best four dollars I've ever spent at that store. If you don't have a covered roasting pan, just put your chicken and veggies in a cooking bag to seal in the moisture.

Ingredients

Whole chicken, whatever size you want
Root veggies (these roast the best, as others tend to dissolve with extended cooking)
I use
-- one bag of baby carrots
--2 medium to large onions, peeled and cut in 4-6 wedges

1 lemon

Seasonings--depending on what you're in the mood for, you can use any of the following:

Thyme (Fresh, stuffed under the skin, is nice for these first two herbs)
Rosemary
Curry Powder (I really coat the chicken with the curry)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Remove the giblets bag and rinse your chicken. Pat dry, and place in your roaster (if using a bag, sit it on a cutting board (one that can be easily sterilized) or on a piece of parchment). Season liberally, inside and out, with salt and pepper (if desired) and any other seasonings you are using.

Cut the lemon up in pieces and place inside the cavity. You may also tuck some slices under the skin. The object is to allow the lemon to flavor the chicken.

Place a few of the onion wedges in the chicken cavity, and then put the rest in the roasting pan (or bag). Place all the carrots in the pan (or bag), then put the chicken on top (no need to truss). Add 1/2 - 1 cup of water to the roasting pan and cover. (You will only need 1/4 cup water in a cooking bag.)

Place roasting pan in oven and roast for 15-20 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. If using a chicken with a pop-up timer, go with that.

If you seasoned with curry power, this is great with baked sweet potatoes and and Tandoori Nan bread (available at Wal-Mart in the bakery).

Providing there are any, process until smooth any leftover broth and veggies and use to make chicken soup with the leftover chicken. Just add some egg noodles to the broth and simmer until done. Yum!

Creme Brulee

This is an amazing dessert that should only be eaten once a year. It is calorie-dense, but, like tiramisu, it doesn't taste heavy.

Glen made this creme brulee by using Alton Brown's recipe. The first picture shows the sugar crust on top.

When you break the crust with your spoon, the inside is full of creamy, vanilla goodness.



Glen made this recipe completely from scratch, down to making his own vanilla sugar (by steeping vanilla beans in granulated sugar) for the crusty top.

This is incredibly good. Once-a-year good. Beware, lest you consume more than one at a time, the richness will hit you after you eat them. :)

Homemade Pretzels

Glen made the pretzels and I did the salting. These were very yummy, but will be better next time with less salt. (I must have been thinking about sugar when I salted these pretzels.) Glen also made from-scratch mustard*, which was very good, for dipping. Both recipes are from Alton Brown, of the Food Network's show "Good Eats."

*The mustard recipe needs to be reduced (cooked down on low heat) in a sauce pan until it thickens up. The recipe doesn't state this and all the comments complain of the runny-ness of the mustard.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

We make this on St. Patrick's Day (when we can all be together for dinner). It is delicious, and the leftovers are great, too. Irish Soda bread is a wonderful accompaniment.

Ingredients

Corned Beef Brisket (whatever cut or size you prefer)
1 head of green cabbage
1 (or 2) large onion(s)
4 medium russet (Idaho) potatoes
Olive oil

Place brisket and its juices in a large Dutch oven, covering with water. Add seasoning packet that came with it, and cook for the recommended time according to its weight (there should be a chart on the package).

About 15 minutes before brisket is done, clean cabbage and onions and cut into wedges. Clean and peel potatoes and cut into large chunks.

After the brisket cooks, remove from the water to a baking dish, cover with foil, and place in your oven to keep warm.

Add the cabbage and onion wedges to the brisket water and cook until crisp-tender (check after 15 minutes). Add potato wedges and cook until potatoes are tender (a fork should go through a chunk easily). Drain (and reserve cooking water for a base for vegetable soup, if desired).

To serve, slice the brisket against the grain (the grain normally runs in the direction of the long side, so you would cut it along a short end). Place the slices on a serving dish and arrange the vegetables around them.

Serves 8-10, depending on size of brisket.

Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

We always make this on St. Patrick's Day, along with Corned Beef and Cabbage. It has a crispy crust and a tender inside. Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store in a sealed baggie.

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk*

Preheat over to 375 degrees

In large bowl, mix dry ingredients with a fork or whisk. Make a well in center, add buttermilk and mix until incorporated.

Turn dough out onto well-floured counter. Dust liberally with flour and lightly knead just to bring everything together well. Do not over-work.

Butter the bottom of a deep-dish pie plate (glass or ceramic, not metal). Gently shape the dough into a ball and place in plate. With a serrated knife, cut a large cross shape on top of loaf.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until bread is golden and firm to the touch. Remove from plate and place on cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before slicing with serrated knife.

*Can substitute liquid buttermilk with powdered buttermilk (using the required amount of powder and water to equal 2 cups of buttermilk), or use regular milk soured with one teaspoon of white vinegar per cup.

Scottish Meat Pies

These are traditional meat pies that are often served with a deeper well in the top used for placing mashed potatoes, peas, or gravy.

Pastry Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 oz. lard
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

Filling Ingredients

1 lb lamb shoulder (or 1 lb chuck roast beef)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cloves of garlic, minced


For the pastry, place the lard in a saucepan with 10 oz of water and bring to a boil until the lard melts. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl and pour in the liquid. Stir with a wooden spoon until cool enough to handle, then knead until smooth. Cover and leave in a warm place until firmed up some.

Cut your meat into large chunks and place in a food processor with the standard "s" blade. Add two tablespoons of flour, seasonings and garlic, and pulse until mixture is well shredded and everything is incorporated.

Roll out crust to 1/8" - 1/4" thickness. Use a (3 1/2" - 4") biscuit cutter as a pie mold. Place the biscuit cutter on the crust. Using a knife, cut a circle about 1-2 inches larger than the biscuit cutter. Lift out this large circle and tuck it into the biscuit cutter, pressing the extra crust up the sides. Slip the biscuit cutter off of the crust and you have a little crust "pot" to hold the meat filling. Cut a crust lid for your little pies using the biscuit cutter.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If you have a baking stone you'd like to use (nice, but not necessary), place it in the oven while it heats up.

Add 1/4 cup of meat filling to the crust "pot." Place the crust lid on top and gently press down onto the filling, crimping the sides together. You may have a small well on top, where the crust edge comes up higher than the pie itself, about 1/8". The pie crust will puff slightly while baking. Cut two vent slits in top of crust with a sharp knife.

Brush tops and sides of pies lightly with beaten egg. Place directly on baking stone, or on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and juices bubble through the vents. (Note: we forgot to brush with egg, so the picture shows pies not as golden as they would be otherwise.)

Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 7-10, depending on how thick you roll the crust/how much filling you use.

These are great with mashed potatoes (or turnips) and steamed broccoli. My husband likes to dip his bites of pie into Lea & Perrins thick Worcestershire sauce.

Crockpot Balsamic Chicken and Broccoli

This basic recipe is from a fellow homeschooling mom, and it is super-easy to double or triple. I added a few touches, and it is just as good as any take-out Chinese food.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
1 cup brown sugar, packed tightly
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 C. lemon-lime soda
1 cup of Basmati rice, cooked
1 (12 oz) bag of frozen broccoli florets (I used a self-steaming bag)
1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch
1/2 cup of toasted, sliced almonds

Place cut-up chicken into crock pot, and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix next four ingredients together, stirring to incorporate sugar (break up any hard pieces). Pour over chicken. Next, pour over the soda (it will slightly fizz).

Cook over low heat for 4-8 hours, or until chicken is no longer pink.

About 20-30 minutes before serving, cook Basmati rice. Then, 5 minutes before serving, steam the broccoli florets until done to desired tenderness. (I like mine to be slightly firm.)

With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from crockpot and place in a large serving bowl. Carefully pour Balsamic mixture into a medium saucepan or skillet. Mix arrowroot starch with enough water to dissolve it, then add to the mixture. Cook at medium high heat, whisking until the sauce thickens slightly.

Gently toss chicken and broccoli together in bowl. Pour over sauce and stir to coat.

If using toasted almonds for a garnish, place them in a dry skillet (I use cast iron) and heat over medium heat, stirring gently, until they become fragrant and start to lightly brown (it won't take long).

Serve chicken and broccoli over rice, topped with the toasted almonds.

This is delicious!

Serves 6

White Chicken Chili

This chili recipe came from the label of a can of "Bush's" Great Northern beans. It is mild, but could be spiced up by adding some canned chopped (drained) jalapenos. (The amount depends on how hardy your stomach lining is.) The recipe calls for cooked chicken, so it's a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey. If I don't have leftovers, I use a large can of white meat chicken, drained and shredded with a fork.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 (16 oz) cans white beans (navy or great northern), drained and rinsed well
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken breast*

Optional toppings:

shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
sour cream
salsa

In large sauce pot, cook onion in oil for 3-4 minutes. In small bowl, combine flour and cumin. Add to pot and stir, cooking for 2 minutes (mixture will be paste-like, just keep stirring). Gradually add chicken broth, while stirring constantly. Add drained, rinsed beans, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and heat through.

Serve with toppings, if desired (but tastes great alone, but pairs well with whole wheat sweet potato muffins).

Yield, 6 modest servings.

*To make this vegetarian, instead of chicken add another can of beans, or a cup of frozen white shoe-peg corn and 1/2 cup of small-diced firm tofu.

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Muffins

These muffins bake up beautifully moist and tender. Not too sweet*, they are the perfect accompaniment to my white chicken chili.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potato (I used canned; you can also use pumpkin)
2/3 cup brown sugar (just spoon into the cup, do not pack)
1/4 cup oil (I used safflower)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (seems like much, but it isn't)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I used Saigon cinnamon, for stronger flavor)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray

Mix the first four ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the remaining (dry) ingredients in a large bowl. Add the wet to the dry, mixing vigorously until combined---do not over mix! The batter will be thick and you'll need to use some elbow grease to mix it well. Stop when the flour is combined.

Spoon into muffin cups until level. Bake for 12-20 minutes, until puffed and toothpick in center of muffin comes out clean. Put pan on rack to cool for 3-4 minutes, then turn out muffins to finish cooling. (Taste best when cool.)

Enjoy!

* If you want to sweeten them more, you could fold in 1/4 - 1/2 cup chocolate or cinnamon chips to the batter.