A Whiff...

This is one of my favorite cold weather recipes. It smells heavenly!

Roasted Squash Soup

1 acorn squash
1 butternut squash
2 sweet potatoes
2 large onions
6 garlic cloves
½ T. cinnamon
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 T. garlic powder
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 T. cumin
2 T. oregano
2 T. paprika
2 T. chili pepper
1 T. salt
1 T. black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup small pasta

Cut squashes in half and remove seeds. Cut sweet potatoes and onions in half. Put all the pieces in a roasting pan, flesh side up. Sprinkle with spice mixture and drizzle with olive oil. Turn flesh side down, placing garlic cloves under cavity of the squash. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until fork tender.

Cool, then scoop flesh into a pot. Add pumpkin and blend with an immersion mixer. Still blending, slowly add stock. Add heavy cream. Bring to a boil, then add pasta.

Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

A Little Bit of Heat

To go with the rice...

Jalapeño Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
½ t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 cup corn niblets
1 cup cream-style corn
1/4 cup Oil
4 Jalapeño peppers, chopped
2 eggs
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour batter into a buttered, hot, cast-iron skillet or into a buttered 8x8-inch square baking pan.

Place in preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 55 minutes.

Eating on the Fly

This goes with everything! And if rice gives you any kind of trouble to cook, you'll love this one. This recipe is foolproof.

Fast Red Rice

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups white rice
1 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups water

Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Brown the rice in the oil. Reduce heat to low, then add remaining ingredients. Stir once. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Brownies for Lovers

Brownies for Lovers

3/4 cups melted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cups flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch pan.

Combine butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add cocoa, baking powder, salt and flour and stir until mixed. Then add chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Sweet!

In Mexico I indulged my taste for plantains every day. Really, every single day. I ate plantains for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love 'em and they were everywhere so I just ate and ate and ate...

Plantains are such a common food in many countries across the globe. There are as many ways to serve plantains as there are to serve potatoes, if not more. Here is another plantain recipe that is sweet, deserving of a place of honor on any dessert table.

Carmelized Plantain Tart

4 plantains
½ cup granulated sugar
2 sticks salted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup ground almonds

In the bowl of a food processor, mix vanilla, confectioner’s sugar, and butter together until mixture is creamy. Add flour and almonds and pulse until dough forms. Remove dough from food processor and press gently into a greased tart pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Tart shell will be very light brown in color.

Peel plantains and slice thinly. Drop slices into ice water until all plantains are sliced. Drain plantains and arrange on baked tart crust. Sprinkle granulated sugar over top of tart, and place in 350-degree oven for five minutes. Just before removing tart from oven, turn on broiler and broil tart until the sugar topping becomes bubbly and carmelizes.

Cranberries. And Chocolate.

I love dried cranberries. And chocolate. And nuts.

Last night, I had all three. Just not together. Until I got busy in the kitchen. Ooh, I love this recipe!

Chocolate Cranberry Clusters

1 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the almonds and cranberries.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over slightly simmering water. Stir frequently.

When chocolate is melted, add the cranberries and nuts.

Spoon out heaping clusters of the mixture onto the waxed paper. Put the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Store and serve at room temperature. That is, if they last long enough to store. Or serve.

I wish you a candy-filled, peaceful day.

Snowdance

Snowdance features an amazing woman named Elinor. She's got many talents--one of her strongest is her cooking ability. Thought I'd share her recipe for cornbread. I hope you enjoy it!

Elinor's Fast Cornbread

4 T. butter
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425°.

Use butter to grease cast iron skillet. Place in warmed oven, wait until butter melts, then swirl around in skillet until all sides are evenly coated. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. I use an old Fiestaware bowl, a yellow one, but you can use any kind of bowl you've got on hand. Then, add the egg and milk and stir until the batter is well, you know. Like batter.

If there's a little butter left in the skillet, pour that into the batter and mix it in. Then, pour the batter into the skillet. Pop the skillet into the hot oven and bake the whole shebang for, I don't know...maybe a half hour or so. You'll know when the cornbread is done. It'll be golden brown on the top and a little bit crusty on the bottom.

Serve it with dinner, or for a snack. It's good hot from the oven and cooled the next morning for breakfast. But if you really want to have leftovers for breakfast the next day, you'd best double the recipe. Yes, I'd say make two if you really want to eat your fill.

One Step Forward

You may have noticed I've been doing a lot of cooking and baking recently. I've been sharing recipes, hoping you might find some of them useful.

It took me a while to get back into the kitchen but now that I'm starting to find my way among the pots and pans, it feels really good. Vito and I cooked together every day and we spent so many wonderful hours in our kitchen. Months ago I couldn't stand the idea of being in the space without him but I'm slowly getting back to finding peace mixing, baking and cooking. I think he'd want me to feel good in the kitchen again. Who am I kidding? I know he'd like it.

Figuring out how to cook in smaller quantities is still a challenge. I try to cut back but consistently make way more than I can eat on my own. So, the freezer is full. And the neighbors are getting fat! No, not really, but they are tasting some of the extras. So far, no one's complaining so that's good. Eventually I'll learn how to cook less, but for now it's just okay to be wielding my spatula again.

Baby steps, right?

I hope you have a peaceful day. Any plans for this blustery day?

Neighborhood Cake

How to ward off an overly quiet afternoon? Toss together a quick cake, wrap it still warm from the oven and stroll down the street to visit with a neighbor. Yes, an impromptu tea-and-cake visit. It works.

This is one of my favorite, easy recipes. It whips together in a flash, is yummy with whatever berries you've got on hand and is pretty much irresistible so whoever you decide to share it with will probably welcome you.

I hope you enjoy it! Wishing you a peaceful, cake-filled day.

Crumb Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 ½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 egg
½ cup milk
2 T. melted butter
2 t. vanilla
1 cup sliced strawberries
8 T. butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, granulated sugar and baking powder. Add egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Pour batter into a greased and floured cake pan.

Arrange strawberries on top of batter.

Combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle crumb mixture over berries. Place cake pan in a pre-heated 325-degree oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Orange?

I love soup. It just warms every little chilly spot, doesn't it?

I love butternut squash, apples and carrots. And, if you throw all that plus one or two more ingredients into a pot and let it simmer for a while, it becomes a yummy, warming soup.

I know, I know...it's orange. But hey, what can you expect from carrots and butternut squash? Orange? Yes. Scrumptious? Definitely!

One of my favorite parts of making this soup is that it makes enough to put two jars into the freezer. The next time I get a hankering for orange butternut squash soup I'll be able to skip the peeling and chopping. Just pop it into the microwave and presto--soup!

Hope you have a peaceful day.

Mouthwatering

A few years ago I published a little cookbook called Tea Time. Every now and then, I pull out my copy and turn to one of my favorite recipes. It's fast, easy and oh-so yummy!

Thought I'd share it with you so your house might smell as heavenly as this one does! Enjoy!

And, have a peaceful day.

Chocolate Loaf

½ cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups flour
3 T. cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
½ cup sour cream
½ cup chopped nuts, optional
½ cup chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two loaf pans.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs.

Combine dry ingredients.
Add to butter mixture.
Add vanilla, sour cream, nuts
and chocolate morsels.

Pour batter into pans.
Bake for 60 minutes.
~

Flying

It's a perfect fall day here! Blustery. Chilly. Leaves flying through the air. I love days like this.

My plan? To get a small fire burning in the wood stove so the house gets nice and cozy. Then, I'm heading outdoors. It's a great day for planting mums and bulbs. Buttoning up the barns and checking the greenhouse. Securing the stuff near the pond. I'll drive the mower over the leaves, crunching them up as soon as they hit the ground.

It doesn't take much to entertain me, does it?

Then, I'll pull together some more winter squash soup(yeah, I'm hooked on the stuff!), warm some apple cider and settle in to work on a new crafty project. What am I making? I can't say just yet(it's a surprise for someone who reads this blog)but it involves some pretty colors and long needles. And, when it's done it'll hopefully keep someone special toasty warm. Got it figured out? I thought so.

Well, what's on your schedule for this pretty fall day? Whatever you do, I hope you have a peaceful day!

Bubble, Bubble...

A little of this. Some of that. And how about those?

Yeah, it's a recipe. Last night's dinner, actually.

It was late. I was tired. And hungry.

I'd just brought in a big basket of stuff from the yard. Good stuff.

Acorn squash. Butternut squash. Apples. Carrots.

You get it, don't you? I peeled. Cubed. Dumped it all into a pot. Added some vegetable broth. Salt. Pepper. And--the kicker!--pumpkin pie spice.

Cooked it all until it was soft. Then, the food processor.

Oh. My. Goodness. Yummy doesn't begin to describe this soup. And there was enough to freeze two pint jars, so in the very near future I won't have to cook. Just defrost. Nuke. And eat!

So, now you know what I was doing at ten last night. What were you up to?

Wishing you a peaceful day!

It's That Time Again...

That's right. It's zucchini time again. I love zucchini! I know, everyone moans and groans about the summertime glut of zucchini. Not me--I can never get enough zucchini!

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

A favorite in our house!

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

zucchini blossoms
2 cups whole milk
4 Tablespoons
flour
An egg, lightly beaten
Salt
Olive oil for frying

Trim the stems of the zucchini blossoms, remove flower parts from inside the blossom and wash gently them gently. Pat them dry, using a delicate touch. Combine the milk, flour and egg.

Heat the oil in a deep pan.

Lightly salt the zucchini blossoms then dredge them in batter. Immediately drop them into the oil and fry them until golden. Drain on paper towels, then serve them hot.

Make more than you think you'll need. Believe me. Make more.

From the Kitchen

I love dried cranberries. I made these last night and they were heavenly!

1 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the almonds and cranberries.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over slightly simmering water. Stir frequently.

When chocolate is melted, add the cranberries and nuts.

Spoon out heaping clusters of the mixture onto the waxed paper. Put the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Store and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Midnight Craving

Fried up a batch of these last night. i wanted something sweet, but not too sweet, so these were perfect. Topped with whipped cream, they were delicious.

I hope you enjoy them!


Pan-Fried Apples

5 tart apples
2 T. butter
½ cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. nutmeg

Peel and thinly slice apples.

Melt butter in a large skillet.
Add all ingredients and saute
until apples are tender.

Old-Fashioned Lemonade

Before I forget, I've added some new items to my Etsy shop, Sew Cherry Pie. I hope you'll take a peek! Thank you!

Just a fast, simple, yummy recipe this morning. I've got a garden to tend, so please excuse me if I dash. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Old-fashioned Lemonade

lemons
1/2 cup to 1 cup sugar
cold water

Use one cup water for each lemon. We usually make five cups at a time, just because that's the number of cups our glass pitcher holds.

Roll the lemons on the countertop, then cut and squeeze the juice out. Combine everything and let chill. Serve over ice.

Hint: A dash of vodka in this, especially after a long, hot day of gardening, works really well!

Mystery Ingredient

Too easy for words, this recipe. My mom clued me in and when I gave it a try I was blown away. Not only is it the easiest recipe ever, it tastes yummy, too.

Want to guess what's in the measuring cup? It's the only thing I added to the cake mix.

Still guessing? Hmm?

Some chocolate icing and this cake's a winner!

Confession

I'm going to come clean with you. The kitchen is still a trial for me. This cooking for one? It stinks. Really, I can't stand cooking just for me. And I'm finally getting tired of eating Amy's frozen dinners.

So, last night after yet another dinner of cold cereal, I decided to half cook. Half cook, is that a real kitchen-y term? Whatever. I figured that if I baked something halfway decent that I could grab and eat, maybe with a cup of chai or glass of milk, it had to beat cold cereal. Sounds logical, doesn't it? Alright, maybe it sounds half logical.

Still, it's progress.

The recipe I chose is one I've been making for years. My sweet man loved these muffins, and so do I. In fact, I doubled the batch last night so I'll have half meals for a week or so.

Fast, simple and yummy. It doesn't get much better than that! I hope you enjoy these, my half cook recipe for the week.

Applesauce Muffins

2 cups biscuit mix
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 cup applesauce
3 T. milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. melted butter
½ t. cinnamon
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Lightly grease muffins tins.

In a large bowl mix together biscuit mix ,
1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 t. cinnamon.
Add applesauce, milk, egg and oil and mix well.

Pour batter into greased tins.
Place in a pre-heated 400-degree oven
and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, stir together remaining cinnamon and sugar.
Dip the top of each muffin into the melted butter
then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Makes a dozen muffins.

Sunday Baking

Yesterday was on-and-off rainy, chilly and damp. Too wet to do much outdoors but a long-ish kind of day, if you know what I mean. I never had a problem with having too many hours to fill but the times have changed and some days seem made with extra hours. Sunday is especially crummy.

So....

Not one to sit around and have a pity party, I decided to find something to do. Since I couldn't go outside and play (not without galoshes and a raincoat!) I did the next best thing. That's right, I got out my mixing bowls and raided the pantry. Baking has a soothing rhythm to it, I think. And it's one of those activities that has a solid beginning, middle and end.

Oh, the end... Let's just say I skipped dinner last night. Why? Well, let me share the recipe with you. If you give it a go, you'll understand why I was too stuffed for real food on a Sunday evening!

Gingersnaps

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup dark molasses
3 cups sifted flour
1/4 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cloves
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat well.

Sift together remaining ingredients, then combine with the butter mixture. Chill at least 30 minutes.

Form dough into small balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar and place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.