Butternut squash soup

It's been cold lately, and all I want to cook is soup. 

This is a delicious butternut squash soup, changed up ever so slightly from my favorite Soup of the Day cookbook.

Sweetly Savory Butternut Squash Soup

2 butternut squashes (about 4 lbs) halved, seeded, peeled, cut in 2" chunks
1 lb apples, peeled cored and quartered
1 leek, white and light green parts only, rinsed well and sliced thick
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbsp chopped sage, plus more for garnish
2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup hard cider
1/2 cup creme fraiche

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the squash, apples, leeks and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp chopped sage and 1 tsp cumin. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with the oil and stir to coat. Spread all into one layer.

2. Roast the vegetables and fruit for20-25 minutes, stirring twice, until golden and the squash is tender. Remove from the oven.

3. Place roasted fruits and veggies into a dutch oven or other large pot and add half of the chicken stock. Using an immersion blender, blend until very smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or blender, working in small batches until complete.)

4. Add the remainder of the stock, cider, and 1 Tbsp sage an 1 tsp cumin and stir to combine. Bring all to a simmer, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Ladle the soup into bowls and stir 1 Tbsp creme fraiche into each. Garnish with sage leaves if desired.

My New Favorite

At the beginning of the summer, I began making green smoothies. I wanted something easy and healthy and quick because otherwise, I just want pastries with my coffee.

I found a recipe somewhere, and I've been making them almost daily ever since. Sometimes for breakfast, sometimes for lunch. It took me a few sips to like it, but now I really look forward to my daily smoothie!

A few tips. 1) I use my Vitamix and the consistency is awesome. However, I've made it with other blenders and have had good results too. If your blender can crush ice, you should be set. My suggestion (if you're not using a Vitamix) is to process your oats first before adding other ingredients to insure that they are smooth and fine.  2) The banana can be frozen or fresh; it's a bit icier and colder when frozen, so that's my preference. 3) Sometimes I add a dash or two of cinnamon!

Green Smoothie

1 cup milk
1/4 cup old-fashioned uncooked oats
2 handfuls spinach leaves
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
4-5 ice cubes

1. Place all ingredients in blender, in the order of ingredients listed. (Or order them based on your blender's suggestions for liquids, ice, etc.) Blend until smooth and pour into a glass. Enjoy!

Also, this smoothie does not have a strong banana flavor. The oatmeal and peanut butter are the flavors that stand out! I hope you enjoy…and if you have a favorite green smoothie recipe, I'd love it if you'd share!

Eat your cauliflower. And broccoli.

For the last eight months, we've been enjoying being a part of Local Organic Moms. They deliver fresh (mostly local) organic fruits and vegetables (as well as some other items that we haven't ordered yet, like meats, eggs, cooking oils, etc.) in the Georgia area.

My favorite thing about ordering through LOM (besides the adorable crates the food comes in) is trying out new-to-me vegetables. Rutabaga? Check. Chard? My new favorite. Kale, bok choy, mustard greens. All new things we're trying as a family (and mostly loving!)

A few weeks ago, cauliflower was one of our choices and despite knowing Brent's disdain for the veggie, I decided to order some and try out a Pinterest recipe or two with it. They say it makes a great substitute for mashed potatoes, you know. (Still haven't tried that yet.)

I came upon a roasted cauliflower recipe that was an instant winner. As in, we couldn't stop eating it, Brent included. I've since adjusted the recipe to what I generally have on hand, and we have been adding cauliflower into our veggie rotation regularly. Sometimes we throw broccoli into this recipe too, since the kids still like it a little more than its

white look-alike. :)

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, trimmed at base
1 head broccoli
1 small yellow onion, sliced thinly and broken into rings
4-6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Using a large knife, slice cauliflower and broccoli in 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices, slicing from top down. Some pieces will break apart, some will stay in a "slice". Use all of it.

3. In a large mixing bowl, toss veggies and onions with olive oil. Place on prepared baking sheet. Add garlic and thyme to baking sheet.

4. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through and as needed, until the vegetables begin to brown nicely. Sprinkle cheese over vegetables and return to the oven for 5-7 minutes.

5. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Using what you have on hand

If you had joined us for dinner on any of the nights that we've eaten at home in January (which is the majority of them,) it's a really good bet that you'd be eating soup from this amazing cookbook.

I love that the cookbook is organized by months, which means many of the recipes focus on what is available seasonally. AND I love that I can look up ingredients in the back and find options for obscure veggies. You want this cookbook.

I love making soup. It's comforting. It's perfect for adding all of these new-to-me fresh veggies we're getting every other week from Local Organic Moms.

And?

Soup is perfect for substituting what you have on hand.

Today's recipe for example? I altered three of the main ingredients. And I liked it so much, I may not ever use the suggested ingredients as they're written.

Also. Isn't the rainbow chard above just the prettiest thing you've ever seen to cook?

Wild Rice and Red Chard Soup with Andouille

1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
2 cups cherry tomatoes (I roughly chopped the roma tomatoes I had instead)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 links andouille sausage (I used a Boars Head salami--pictured on the left edge of the cutting board)
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch red chard, tough stems removed, leaves and ribs chopped (I used rainbow chard)
6 cups chicken broth (I prefer chicken stock)

1. Cook the rice according to package directions and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until tomatoes begin to split or caramelize, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

3. In a large pot, fry the sausages over medium-high heat until they are cooked through, about 15 minutes. (I just fried the salamis until they were warmed and the outside was browned.) Transfer to a cutting board and cut into quarter-inch slices. Set aside.

4. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot and warm over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes.

5. Add the broth and bring to a boil, scraping any bits on the bottom of the pot. REduce heat to low and let simmer.

6. Add the rice, sausage, and tomatoes and stir to combine. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Let me know if you try it!

A Christmas Peppermint Float

The other night, we surprised the kiddos with a cozy evening in (after too many nights out). On the agenda? A Christmas movie and treat.

Last year, we went the way of The Grinch...but this year, we decided for some nostalgia.

White Christmas just might be my favorite Christmas movie...so many favorite scenes...and I was excited to share it with our children for the first time. (They enjoyed it. Except for Nathanael during the kiss at the end!)

Peppermint ice cream (from Braums) is a sweet memory of childhood for me. So to go along with our movie (thanks to Pinterest and Southern Living,) here's our take on Christmas Peppermint floats:

Christmas Peppermint Floats

1 recipe homemade Hot Chocolate mix (recipe follows)
peppermint ice cream (I used Mayfield)
mini candy canes

1. Heat hot chocolate, enough for your crowd.
2. In festive mugs, place 1-2 scoops of peppermint ice cream.
3. Ladle hot chocolate over ice cream and top with candy cane. Serve with a spoon and enjoy!

Dark Hot Cocoa Mix

1 1/2 cups of a mixture of 43% cacao dark chocolate morsels and 60% cacao dark chocolate morsels*
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup instant nonfat dry milk
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa

1. Mix all ingredients until blended and store in an airtight container.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat one cup of milk per serving to 180 degrees over stove. Remove from stove and stir in 1/4 cup hot cocoa mix per serving until combined. Make sure that the chocolate chips are fully dissolved. Serve.

*This recipe from this month's Southern Living calls for 53% cacao chips, but I couldn't find those, so I used a combination of what I had on hand!

Caramel Spiced Pumpkin Latte

One thing I love about the onset of October is the all-of-a-sudden-everything-pumpkin craze. To decorate. To eat. To drink.

I find that most people, when it comes to pumpkin-flavored food and drink, lie in one of two camps: 

Yum. or Yuck. 

I happen to love most all pumpkin things...and I do happen to like the phenomenon known as Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I have found that at my three local Starbucks locations, it's difficult to get a consistent drink...mainly seasonal beverages. I was elated to find that the Starbucks located in my grocery store has a manager who makes The. Best. PSL I have ever ordered. 

But...I also like to be conscious of spending, and so I began a search for a way to make them at home. There are a bunch of recipes out there...some are too pumpkiny...some are just gross...I began to get discouraged. I finally saw one (and now I can't remember which site it was from...I'll update when I find it) and knew it had to be The One. 

And it was.

With temperatures finally reminiscent of what the beginning of fall should look like, I made some of the syrup today...and then got the crazy idea to add another favorite fall flavor to make a latte: caramel.

Here's what I did:

Caramel Spiced Pumpkin Latte

1-2 Tbsp pumpkin spice syrup (recipe below)

1/4 cup hot brewed caramel-flavored coffee (I used The Fresh Market's Caramel Macchiato)

1/2 cup milk

pumpkin pie spice, for garnish

1. In a frother, (I have this one) pour 1/2 cup milk and heat for about 1 minute. Watch carefully to keep from boiling. Once heated, froth the milk until it doubles in volume.

2. In your favorite coffee mug, pour pumpkin spice syrup. I used close to 2 Tbsp. Pour coffee over syrup and fill the mug with the frothed milk. Stir gently.

3. Dust foam with pumpkin pie spice and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

yields about 2 cups

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

3-5 cinnamon sticks 

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

3 - 3 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved.  Add cinnamon sticks and remaining spices. Cook for 5 minutes; stir occasionally. Do not let mixture boil. 

2. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

3. Using a fine sieve, strain all the syrup over a 4-cup measuring cup. Rinse the sieve. Place a funnel over storage bottle/container. Place sieve over the funnel and carefully pour the syrup through the sieve once more, taking care not to spill or splatter.

4. Store in refrigerator. 

I thought it would be fun to dress up my syrup.

I found this 16 oz. bottle with pour spout at my grocery store for a couple dollars.

To make the label, I took a small tag distressed with walnut ink (purchased years ago). 

I added a strip of Basic Grey's orange dotted vellum tape (similar here) around the bottom of the tag and stamped a pumpkin in the center with a brown Staz-on ink. 

To attach and finish the tag, I wrapped a piece of twine around the neck of the bottle twice, placed both ends of the twine through the tag and tied a bow.

This would a lovely gift...I'd use a 1/2 to 1 cup bottle to get more gifts out of each batch of syrup. Add a cute mug and bag of coffee beans with a recipe in a basket and you have a fabulous hostess or "just because" gift!

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is Day 23 of 31 Days: Crafting a Creative Life. You can find an archive of all the posts from this series here. Thanks for joining me this month!

Caprese Pizza

Growing up in my family, Friday night was Family Pizza and a Movie night. We would order pizza (the thicker the crust, the better) and settle in for a movie and time together.

A few Christmases ago, Brent received Peter Reinhart's American Pie, which chronicles his search for the perfect pizza and includes many of his recipes. 

With that gift, I gained a personal pizza chef! We now enjoy small thin crusted pizzas, with fresh and unique flavor combinations. We have several favorites from the cookbook...and also like to try our hand at creating our own.

Brent usually uses this recipe for the pizza dough (also found in the cookbook) and from there, our options are endless!

Last weekend, I set out to reinterpret one of my favorite summer dishes, Caprese Salad, on a pizza. And while probably not completely unique or original...it was delicious!

Caprese Pizza

mozzarella di bufala, sliced in about 1/2 inch thick rounds

1-2 campari tomatoes, sliced in 1/4 inch thick rounds

7-8 medium sized basil leaves, torn

1/2 tsp olive oil

balsamic glaze (I use Monari Federzoni Glaze with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena but you could make your own too!)

1-2 tsp good-quality aged Parmesan cheese, grated

semolina flour for dusting

1. Prepare pizza dough according to your favorite recipe.

2. Preheat oven to 550 degrees.

3. On a pizza peel, place a square of parchment paper and sprinkle it lightly with semolina flour. Place prepared pizza dough on the parchment.

4. Gently drizzle olive oil over dough and spread with the back of a spoon or pastry brush.

5. Place mozzarella discs evenly on top of dough, followed by tomato slices. Scatter half of the basil leaves on top and then drizzle with balsamic glaze.

6. Bake pizza for about 8 minutes, until cheese has melted and pizza crust has browned.

7. Allow pizza to cool slightly and then top with remaining basil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Fresh, quick, and delicious

I love tasting something wonderful at a new restaurant and then doing my best to recreate it at home.

So back in May, Brent and I celebrated our anniversary with a progressive dinner at a few favorite spots in historic Fredericksburg, VA. Oh, I must admit I'm missing Fredericksburg these days!

I had a fruit and cheese appetizer that was wonderful...and so very easy to replicate back at home. It's fresh and perfect for summer appetizers...or even as a nice change to a salad. I've prepared it several times since for friends and family...and it's always a favorite part of the meal!

Manchego and Apples

2-3 apples, choose your favorite crisp apple, sweet or tart
Manchego cheese
good quality honey
Marcona almonds
sea salt

1. Core apples and thinly slice them. Slice Manchego into thin pieces, approximately the size of the apple slices.

2. Arrange apples on a serving platter or on individual plates. (I'd allot about 6-8 slices per person.) Top each apple with a slice of cheese. Drizzle with honey and top generously with almonds. Very sparingly, top with freshly ground sea salt.

Due to the apples, it is best to prepare this as close to serving time as possible.

A dessert not to be missed

In the summertime, there are three kinds of desserts I like: 

Ice cream. Homemade is best. Almost any will do.

Comfort desserts. Mom's Chocolate Sheet Cake. Banana Pudding. My great-grandmother's peach cobbler, smothered in BlueBell Homemade Vanilla. (I'm a native Texan, after all.) 

And the opposite. Something fresh and cool. Something decadent but light. Nothing very heavy or too rich.

And as the summertime always seems to fill with wedding and baby showers or ladies lunches to celebrate birthdays, this flavorful, fruit-filled, and airy recipe is the perfect one to serve.

I found the original recipe in a 2005 Cooking Light magazine...but I've tweaked it a little, choosing real whipped cream over store-bought, reducing the liqueur amount (personal taste preference), and increasing the amount of fruit and shaved chocolate. (I found I would have preferred a little more chocolate shavings than the recipe called for.)

My words of advice would be to serve it to a crowd (unless you want to be tempted to eat half of the torte) and to allow plenty of time to make the meringues.

Mixed Berries Meringue Torte

For Meringue:

2 tsp clear vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

6 large egg whites

3/4 cup superfine sugar

Filling and topping:

1 quart fresh whipping cream

1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur

1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange rind

3 Tbsp. grated semisweet chocolate, divided

1 cup halved strawberries, hulled neatly

3/4 cup blueberries

3/4 cup blackberries

3/4 cup raspberries

fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

orange rind strips, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper, drawing three 8-inch circles on the paper. (I use my 8-inch cake pan to trace.) Turn paper over (pencil side down) and secure with masking tape. Set aside.

2. Place vanilla, cream of tartar, salt and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Dived egg mixture among the 3 circles on parchment-lined baking sheets. Spread mixture over each circle, using the back of a spoon to spread evenly. 

3. Bake meringues at 200 degree for 2 hours or until dry. Turn off oven and cool meringues in closed oven for at least one hour. (I would wait for two hours.) Remove meringues from oven and carefully remove from paper.

4. Meanwhile, prepare filling. Combine whipping cream, liqueur and 1 1/2 tsp grated orange rind. 

5. To assemble, place one meringue disk on cake plate, top with 1 cup whipped cream and sprinkle generously with chocolate shavings. Repeat layers twice. Mix the berries together and carefully center them in the center of the top layer of the torte. Garnish with mint sprigs and orange rind. 

6. Serve immediately or keep chilled. 

We found this to be delicious for 2-3 days, which is how long it lasted at our house! My meringues were a little softer than I would prefer (as I was pressed for time in preparation) but they still tasted wonderful, though perhaps a little more chewy.  I also forgot to put on the orange peel strips (which were so pretty)...next time!

I hope you can make this soon. It is truly the perfect summer dessert.

Basil and olives and feta. Oh my!

A friend made this meal for us while we were visiting Georgia last month...and we all loved it. I quickly asked for the recipe, making a few minor tweaks for our family.

It is fresh and light but the combination of flavors and textures is wonderful. I'll be making it again very soon.

Greek Chicken Salad

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 jar sun dried tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or olive oil
2 Tbsp. vinegar dressing
20-30 olives, halved
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
fresh basil leaves, torn
slivered almonds, toasted
1 container fresh baby spinach
wild brown rice, cooked according to package directions

1. Sprinkle uncooked chicken with salt and pepper; cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook chicken in a medium skillet until done. Keep warm.

2. In a small bowl, combine grapeseed oil and vinegar dressing. Place all grape tomatoes, olives, and sun dried tomatoes in skillet and combine with 2 Tbsp. of the oil & vinegar mixture; cook over medium-high heat until tomatoes soften and mixture is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add chicken to the tomato mixture and pour remaining oil and vinegar over chicken and stir.

3. Generously place spinach on each plate and top with 1/2 cup rice. Top with chicken and tomato mixture and sprinkle with feta cheese, almonds, and basil leaves.

Enjoy!

Braised Lamb Shanks with Polenta

Since moving to Virginia and falling in love with Wegman's, which is such a wonderful grocery store, with so many unique items, we've incorporated a few lamb recipes into our repertoire.

Last May, Brent and I celebrated 11 years of marriage at the Morrison House Grill, with their tasting menu which was wonderful. We were served a delicious lamb shank dish that we quickly decided we would try to reinterpret at home.

We found a recipe online at Epicurious and decided to serve it atop polenta. This recipe involves a lot of cooking time but isn't difficult. And the time involved yields such tender, fall off the bone, meat.

I only wish lamb shanks were less costly...I would add them to our meal plan more often!

Braised Lamb Shanks with Polenta

• 6 lamb shanks (about 5 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 14 1/2-oz can low-salt chicken broth
• 1 14 1/2-oz can beef broth
• 5 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon peel, grated

1 tube of precooked polenta 

1/2 cup milk

• 
  

1. Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy dutch oven over medium-high heat. 

2. Working in batches, add lamb shanks to the dutch oven and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer shanks to a bowl.

3. Add onions, carrots and garlic to dutch oven and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Return lamb shanks to pot, pressing them down to submerge. 

4. Bring liquids to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.

5. Uncover dutch oven; simmer until meat is very tender, about 30 minutes longer.

6. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, mash the polenta and then warm polenta with milk over low heat until warmed and slightly spoonable.

6. Transfer lamb shanks to a serving platter and tent with foil. Boil juices in pot until thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

7. Divide polenta among plates, topping with one lamb shank and spooning sauce over all.

We usually only buy four lamb shanks, which leaves us with quite a bit of leftover sauce. The last time we made this, I froze the leftover sauce. A quick thaw and the addition of stew meat created a simple and delicious beef stew.

On using up ingredients

No one likes good food going to waste. So when I have to buy an ingredient that will leave me with surplus, I try to plan another recipe for the week that uses the same ingredient.

Brent has been making homemade pizzas (that are amazing) since Christmas of 2011. My favorite one he makes uses fresh arugula sprinkled on top after baking. It's SO good. But it uses just a handful of arugula...and we can only get arugula here by the plastic-binful. They sure cram a LOT of it into those containers!

What to do with all the leftover arugula?

Thankfully, a friend of ours shared a recipe with us for a warm arugula salad, and it's really yummy. Bacon lovers, get excited.  Brent and I will usually make this salad the day after making pizzas, heating up leftover pizzas for the kiddos. 

Warm Arugula Salad

arugula (around 8-10 oz)

6 strips bacon, diced

2 shallots, finely chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup walnuts 

ground black pepper to taste

1. Place arugula in salad bowl and set aside. 

2. Brown diced bacon in skillet. Add in the shallots and saute with bacon until shallots are translucent.

Add olive oil to bacon/shallots and heat until just warm.  

3. Pour this mixture over arugula, add in vinegar and mix well. The heat from bacon mixture will wilt arugula slightly which is what you want.

4. Add ground black pepper, top with nuts, and serve.

It is surprisingly filling...and we generally eat this as our entire meal. I hope you enjoy!

Snow days and comfort food

Today has been beautiful. We fell asleep last night, knowing that the snow had begun to fall...and knowing that we would have some happy children in the morning.

We watched the snow fall all morning...as we did math...as we read aloud...as we cut out snowflakes. The children drew next to the french doors by our deck, all too often distracted from the pencil in their hand because of all the magical white scene before them. 

Brent had a snow day (those are the best kind!) but went into town to do some studying; he brought back soup & bread from Panera for lunch. Yum.

And then all four of them went outside. By lunchtime, it was really slushy. But that doesn't stop my kiddos in the least. That girl is definitely in her element outside.

The snow on the deck was best for packing, so Nathanael began a snow fort behind that chair...and lots of snowball fights took place here...with my couch as the perfect vantage spot! I just love that grin.

Snow days are perfect for baking comfort foods. We chose banana bread today.

I love this recipe. It always turns out perfectly...nice & toasted on the outside and perfectly done in the center. This banana bread never fails me. (To make preparing banana bread easy, I peel any uneaten ripe bananas and store them in the freezer in a Ziploc freezer bag.)

Banana Pecan Bread

1 1/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
5 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana, about 2-3 ripe bananas
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with baking spray.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar over medium speed for 2 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs.

4. Add flour mixture slowly to butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. After all of flour is added, pour in the eggs and mix until combined.  Add banana, mixing on low until batter is uniform. Stir in pecans.

5. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan on wire rack, then remove from pan and cool completely.

This recipe is easily doubled, as I did today! It also freezes well.

Make sure to serve alongside a cup of hot chocolate...it's the perfect after-snow treat!

A Vintage, Edible Valentine

If you're still looking for something sweet (and somewhat healthy) to surprise someone with tomorrow, may I suggest individual fruit pizzas?

My dear friend Jen made these for our Valentines Party last year & I think they were my favorite detail of the party.

Maybe it was the sweet vintage-style valentine picks she added...or how yummy fresh fruit is on top of a cookie...but regardless, these were a huge hit! Here's my recipe for this sweet treat!

 Valentine Individual Fruit Pizzas

Cookie Base:  (or use your favorite sugar cookie recipe)
1 cup butter, room temp
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cup sifted flour

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

an assortment of fresh fruit, sliced

1. Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in the egg. Add vanilla, salt, and flour and mix until all are well-blended.  Chill dough for 3-4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Roll out cookie dough on a floured surface and cut with desired cookie cutters. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. Then bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies are just barely colored. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

4. Meanwhile, create filling by mixing together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer.

5. When cookies are cool, spread each cookie with cream cheese filling and top with sliced fruit.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Margin through Meal Planning

If there's one thing that is constant in our house, it's the question "What's for dinner?" 

It used to come only from my sweet husband...who sometimes had the tendency to ask several times a day. That fact is a family joke now, and a bit endearing to me. :) But now that they care, our kiddos ask the question too...usually right after breakfast. Especially Hadleigh. She likes to know the plan of the day.

I have to be honest...some mornings I have NO clue what to answer. If I ask them what they want to eat, these are their usual responses:

Hadleigh: "Chicken Enchiladas. They're my favorite."

Nathanael: "Something with Brussels Sprouts. Or we could go to Buffalo Wild Wings."

Madeleine: "Chicken Pot Pie. No Brussels Sprouts."

Brent: "Food."

So the first week of 2013, I was in a slump. Because who wants to go to the grocery store after vacation? Thankfully, I have a husband who enjoys cooking when he can & who knows it's a blessing to me to have a break from the kitchen periodically. So he filled in. Shopped. Cooked. Yum.

After that week, I knew I needed a plan, and so I sat on two different afternoons, surrounded by cookbooks and charted out meals a week at a time. Calendar and grocery lists. Shopping. Done. And so, the last few weeks (if you follow me on instagram, you know this!) I have been cooking up a storm.

There are two things that motivate me to cook: 

1) Having all the ingredients already in my house keeps me sane.   While I love having a Wegmans store within distance, I don't love shopping every day...nor, with homeschooling, do I have the time to do so.  I plan for a week & buy for a week. (This is what's working for me right now. In the past, I've planned for a month and then made one big trip at the beginning, with weekly trips for produce & dairy.)

2) I love trying out new recipes. When I'm in a cooking slump, it's usually because I'm relying on standbys that, while easy, don't excite me. I received several cookbooks for Christmas and really enjoy them so far...so if you need some fresh ideas, pull out an old favorite or new cookbook!

These days, I hear the word "margin" thrown around a lot. I think it's the new popular buzzword in certain circles...and it's a good one.

When I have a plan for our meals, specifically dinner, I have some margin...for the day and the week. I don't have to spend time thinking or running out to the store or deciding what pantry staples can combine to make an edible meal. I can quickly answer the "What's for dinner, Mom?" question and then enjoy the spare moments that follow. 

There are often many times that I don't want to take the time...to fly by the seat of my pants...to be more spontaneous (like this week!) But I know that the need to plan dinner won't change anytime soon--or ever--and so committing time to organizing a good plan is one way I can use my time wisely to create a bit more margin in our life.

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As it's Wednesday, how about a recipe to add to your list for next week? This is a yummy one! I adapted (ever so slightly) from Smitten Kitchen's new cookbook. I increased the grapes and olives, as my grapes seemed much smaller than hers...and because we love olives in our family.

Harvest Roast Chicken with Grapes, Olives and Rosemary

3 pounds chicken parts (thigh drumsticks and breast with skin and bones)

Salt and pepper 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 cup small seedless grapes 

1 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Two small shallots thinly sliced 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

1/2 cup chicken broth 

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 450° with the rack in middle. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. 

2.  Heat oil in ovenproof 12 inch heavy skillet (cast-iron if possible) over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in two batches, brown the chicken skin side down first, turning over once, about five minutes per batch. Do not move chicken until the skin releases itself and has a nice brown color to it. 

3. Return all chicken to the pan skin side up and pour in the grapes, olives, and shallots.  Roast the chicken in the oven until it has just cooked through and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. 

4. Transfer the chicken, grapes, and olives to a platter and cover with foil.  Then add wine and chicken broth to the pan juices in the skillet; bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up any brown bits until it has reduced by half, about 2 to 5 minutes.  Strain sauce, if desired, then pour it over the chicken. Garnish with fresh rosemary.  Enjoy!

And in case you're curious if your little ones will enjoy?

I'll let the picture speak for itself:

Today, I'm linking up with Edie over at Life in Grace for her once-a-month series this year on using our Time.

Let me know how you like the recipe & if you have any ideas to share about how you meal plan!

Grinch Punch Party

Our children LOVE the Grinch. Watching the movie...reading the book...searching for inflatable lighted Grinches on our Christmas light drives.

So this year, when I saw the recipe for "Grinch Punch" on Pinterest, I knew it would be a hit for this year's viewing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Grinch Punch

Lime Sherbet

Sprite

Simple Syrup

Green sprinkles/sanding sugar

fun straws

1. Pour simple syrup into a wide bowl. Pour sprinkles into another similar bowl. Dip each serving glass first in the simple syrup and then in the sprinkles, coating the rim.

2. Place two to three scoops of lime sherbet (we used a rainbow one as we couldn't find lime) in each prepared glass. Pour Sprite to fill glass.

3. Add a straw and serve! (We used milkshake straws, which work great for younger children trying to drink ice cream through a straw!)

My kids (and I!) loved it. Nathanael said it tasted kind of like key lime pie. :)

Enjoy...just like the Grinch would now!

Traditions: Cookies

When I was a little girl, we discovered a bakery in Asheville that made the most delicious gingerbread men all year long. It was always a special treat to get one...and I remember that Mom would often surprise us and stop by on our way home from school to pick one out.

I was sad when the bakery closed...but this year, I think I've found a recipe that comes very close to those original cookies I loved!

My children love the Gingerbread Baby books by Jan Brett. And so they requested to bake gingerbread men and houses (and a pirate...can you spot him?) for this year's Christmas cookies.

This recipe, adapted from Annie's Eats is sure to be the new standard for gingerbread cookies at our house! Let me know what you think!

Gingerbread Cookies

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

16 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1 large egg

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and all the spices to combine; set aside. 

2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed, using the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the molasses and egg and mix until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover the dough and chill for at least one hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Divide the dough into three parts. Keep chilled until ready to work with each part. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface, about 1/4 inch thick. Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters. Immediately place shapes on cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator, about 10 minutes. Return unused dough to chill. Meanwhile, work on second part of dough. Repeat until all dough has been used.

5. After chilling the cookies, bake in the oven (one pan at a time) for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rach and cool completely. Decorate as you choose!

(I prefer my gingerbread men simple! )

What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

Comfort Food

This past week, we've been plagued with some icky tummies. 

One thing my girls love when they're sick is applesauce.  And I love homemade (and warm!) applesauce, especially as fall turns to winter. 

If fruit has a comfort food counterpart, it's applesauce.  I thought I'd share a simple and delicious applesauce recipe for the crockpot.

Cinnamon Applesauce

10-12 apples, I use several varieties or whatever I have on hand

1/4 to 3/4 cup sugar 

4 cinnamon sticks

1. Core and dice apples. If you want a smoother applesauce, peel the apples first. I love the thicker texture of the whole apples.

2. Place all apples in a crockpot. Add sugar and stir to combine.(I used about 1/2 cup...and it turned out slightly sweeter than I'd prefer. I'll go with a bit less next time.) Stir in cinnamon sticks, so they're mostly covered by the apples.

3. Cook on High setting for 3.5 to 4 hours. Turn off heat. Allow to cool for one hour.  Mash the cooked apples by hand (I use a potato masher) or blend in a blender for a smoother, more even texture.

4. Serve warm or refrigerate! Enjoy!

Thankful & a Recipe

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

Ours was lovely.

We were home in Asheville for Thanksgiving for the first time since we moved to Texas back in 2004. 

Pictured above are: my Mom's beautifully set table...my favorite plate of the year (and this year with deviled eggs and brussell sprouts...so delicious, thanks to my sweet sister-in-law!)...gorgeous pumpkins...vintage (maybe even antique!) place settings...a phenomenal pumpkin cake, if I do say so myself...a crystal jar full of years of counted blessings...loved how the kids table was also part of the adult table...the whole group together...and in the middle, the ladies in the kitchen. Loved getting to cook with my Mom and sisters! 

What a blessing it was to be with all of my family and Brent's parents this Thanksgiving...we were just missing Brent's brother and his family...California seems desperately far away this time of year.

I'm slowly easing back into routine after weeks of colds and the flu followed by Thanksgiving...so thanks for being patient here on the blog! 

So how about a recipe?

In my opinion, there is still plenty of time to enjoy pumpkin deliciousness ...so here's a copy of the recipe I used to make the cake pictured below (and above!) It's not too pumpkin-y. Brent and my Dad don't care too much for anything pumpkin...but they both loved this cake. So I think it could definitely still work leading up to Christmas time. 

To break up the prep time, make the crunch topping and cakes one day and then leave the frosting and assembly for the next. Allow time to chill the cake to aid in easy slicing. And invite as many people as you can to share it, or you will be tempted to devour the entire thing yourself.

Layered Pumpkin Cake

Crunch Topping
3 cups walnuts, finely chopped
3 cups vanilla wafers (about 75 cookies)
3 cups brown sugar
3 sticks butter

1.  Melt butter.
2. In a food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb. Also pulse walnuts until finely chopped. Add in brown sugar and mix well. Add melted butter and blend together.
3. Divide mixture into 3 greased cake pans, pressing into bottom and spreading it evenly into the cake pans. Reserve about 2 cups of the mixture which will be baked to use on the sides of the cake. Set pans aside and begin cake.
4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks of softened butter
1 16 oz can solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs

1. In mixer, beat sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl frequently. Add in pumpkin and all the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs. Mix just until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, just until blended.
2. Divide batter equally into 3 prepared cake pans, smooth it out and make it as even as possible in the pan.
3. Place remaining crunch mixture in another cake pan or pie dish and allow to bake for the same amount of time as the cakes. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  
4. Allow pans to cool about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire racks and allow to completely cool.
8. When the extra crunch topping has cooled, use the food processor to make medium-sized crumbs...you want them to be consistent. Reserve until assembly.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
16 oz  mascarpone
2 sticks softened butter, softened
1 lb  powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla

1.Whip the cream cheese, mascarpone, and butter until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar while mixer is on a low setting. Add vanilla and mix well.  Set aside until needed.

After your cake is completely cooled, place one cake layer on a cake pedestal, crunch topping facing up. Add frosting and spread a thick layer over cake. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Frost the top and sides of cake generously. Sprinkle the crunch topping evenly over the top of the cake and carefully on the sides. You can do this lightly (which is pretty) or more heavily, as I did above (which is extra yummy!)