Corn and Zucchini Chowder

Such yummy soup! It is still so hot here in Texas, but I am so ready for soup! Sorry family, we are eating soup even if it is nearly 100 degrees! I found this recipe here.

Corn and Zucchini Chowder
(about 6 servings)

1 T Butter
2 strips bacon, chopped
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 celery ribs, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dried thyme
2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 lb.) peele, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups of water
1 bay leaf
4 ears of fresh corn, husk and silk removed and kernels cut from the cob (about 2 3/4 cup)
1 medium zucchini, diced into 1 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup half and half
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
cayenne pepper, to serve

In a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon renders its fat and begins to brown. About 3-4 minutes.
Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and thyme. Cook until veggies begin to soften, stirring multiple times.  About 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, water and bay leaf. Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat back to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are halfway cooked.
Add zucchini and corn.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for an additional 8-12 minutes or until the veggies are completely tender.
Discard bay leaf and then transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the pot.  Add half and half and cook until heated through. Adjust seasonings and serve with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Apple Crisp Pie

I don't usually make pie. Not because I don't like it, I am just not very good at it. But this recipe has given me new hope! I LOVE this pie, it is probably the only one I will ever make again, it is that good! I can't for the life of me remember where I got the recipe, so please forgive me for not giving credit where credit is due, especially with such an amazing recipe! 

Apple Crisp Pie

(makes one pie)

1 homemade or store bought pie crust (I use this recipe)

5 1/2 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples (my fav is honey crisp)

1 T fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 T flour

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

Topping

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 375.  Fit pie crust into the pie plate.  

In a large bowl, gently mix sliced apples, lemon juice, both sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Once it is blended well, pour into the pie crust.

Prepare topping by mixing all the ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl with a pastry cutter or a fork until coarsely crumbled and all the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture in the prepared pie crust.

Bake at 375 for 50 minutes. (If your crust starts to get too brown, cover just the crust with foil and continue baking.  The pie will be bubbly around the edges when it is done.  Let the pie cool (if you can).  It will set up as it cools! Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you so desire, but why wouldn't you?!?

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I found this recipe on this blog and have patiently waited for 2 long HOT months to make it.  At the first sign of a cooling trend (a rainy day) I quickly pulled it out.  I think I have found my new favorite comfort food!  I made mine in the crockpot, so super easy and I just LOVE smelling something yummy cooking all day! So the next rainy day or just a comfort food kind of day give this a try! Here is what I did...

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

(6-8 servings)

3 cans chicken broth (about 5 cups)

1-2 cups water

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen)

1 package Rice-A-Roni long grain and wild rice

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups half and half

salt and pepper to taste (I didn't use any salt)

Combine water, broth, chicken, veggies, and rice with seasoning packet in a crockpot.  Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours (until chicken is tender and easy to shred).  Take chicken out and shred and then add it back in.  In a sauce pan, over medium heat, melt butter and add flour (like making a roux).  Cook this, stirring constantly until bubbly.  Slowly whisk in the half and half.  Once this is smooth, add this mixture to the crockpot and cook for 15 more minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

* I have made this a few times since and I didn't have any Half and Half so I just used fat-free milk.  it turned out great and I think I liked it even better!  It was still creamy and thick just not as rich and maybe even a little healthier :)!

Pumpkin Muffins

There is just something magical about the smell of baking pumpkin in my house this time of year!  We have had an uncommonly warm and snow-free Fall here in Michigan (NOT that I am complaining) but it is  making it a little hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away!  So, this morning I needed something to get me in the mood for this beautiful, thankful season.  When I came across these muffins here, I knew they were just what I needed.  I adapted the recipe to my liking and the results were so perfectly pumpkin-y and Fall-ish! (Yes, I just made up both of those words)!

Pumpkin Muffins

(12 muffins)

1 2/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground cloves 

1 t ground nutmeg

1 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 eggs

1 t orange zest

1 cup pumpkin

1 stick (4 oz) butter, melted

6 oz white chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt and orange zest.  In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs and melted butter, until smooth.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients until almost all the dry ingredients and moistened.  Add the chocolate chips and mix until the ingredients are just combined. (DO NOT over mix!)  Scoop batter into a greased or paper cup lined muffin tin.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the muffins are puffed up and springy to the touch.  Cool on a wire rack.  

Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

I have never made donuts before but these caught my eye here and I just had to give them a try.  I mean they are pumpkin, people!  And donuts seem so harvest-y, don't they?  Anyway, I was prepared to do some work on these and they came together so fast.  So if you are looking for a new Halloween/ Harvest tradition (or just a delicious treat) this just might be your recipe!

Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

(about 2 1/2 dozen, plus donut holes)

3 1/2 cups flour

4 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 t pumpkin pie spice

1 cup sugar

2 T butter, melted

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

canola oil (for frying)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spice and sugar.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all the remaining ingredients except the oil (it's for frying). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in.  Mix all together until the dough is well combined.  My dough was pretty sticky.  Turn out onto a well floured surface and roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick (this may seem pretty thin but they puff up a lot when frying).  Cut with a donut cutter or I just used a canning jar lid and a medicine cup (you know the ones that come on the top of child rems Motrin?) for the middle.  

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet or heavy pan over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot (I drop a piece of dough in and it started bubbling like crazy when it was hot enough). Gently slide the donuts in tot he oil, frying the first side until the edges are lightly browned.  Carefully flip the donuts over and allow to cook until lightly browned on this side a too.  Remove and place on a plate covered with paper towels to.  While the donuts are still hot dip them in the buttermilk glaze (recipe below).  Place on a cooling rack place over a cookie sheet to air dry until ready to serve.

Buttermilk Glaze*

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 t vanilla

Whisk together until smooth.  Dip hot donuts in the glaze and then allow to air dry on a cooling rack.

*I made one and a half times this recipe for all my donuts.  I also added 1/2 t maple flavoring to half this recipe for a little variety! Super Yummy!

Sweet and Salty Halloween Treats

I saw these little beauties on Pinterest and just knew that I had to make them for a fun Halloween party I am co-hosting!  They are so super fast and easy and are just so Halloweeny!  Now, go grab the 3 ingredients and whip up a batch of these for your super spooky Halloween friends!

Sweet and Salty Halloween Treats

pretzels (I used the waffle squares but twists would work just fine)

Hershey's Hugs (kisses would also work)

candy corns

Preheat oven to 350.  Cover a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place as many pretzels as you want on the sheet.  Unwrap and place a Hug on the top of each pretzel. Put the cookie sheet in the oven for about 3 minutes, just until the Hugs are shiny.  Pull the tray out of the oven and top each one with a cant corn, pressing down slightly.  Now let these cool and the Hug set up.  I put mine in my cold garage (the fridge would work too) to speed things up.  See, now how easy was that?!!

Caramel Apples or Apple Dip

I am still working through this HUGE bunch of apples we picked, so I thought I would put up another apple recipe.  Who doesn't love a caramel apple?  I found this recipe on the newsletter of one of my favorite authors.  Her name is Marcia Lynn Mcclure, she writes clean romance novels.  The stories are always fantastic, usually set sometime in history.  They are totally sappy, cheesy, love stories and I just eat them up!  Total eye candy for me!  Anyway, apparently this recipe is one that Marcia's mom made all the time, and I can totally see why!  Now I have amazing caramel apples to enjoy while I read a Marcia book! The great this is this recipe can either be caramel apple dip or you can dip whole apples in it. Either way you won't be disappointed and you may never go back to unwrapping those store bought caramels again!

Caramel Apples or Apple Dip

(makes 10 caramel apples)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/8 t salt

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter

1 t vanilla

10 medium apples

Popsicle sticks

waxed paper

In a sauce pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to very, very soft ball stage (for dip) and soft ball stage* for dipping apples.  Once it is at this stage, remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla and completely combined.

For apple dip serve with sliced apples.

For caramel apples wash and dry apples.  Insert a Popsicle stick into to top of each apple and set aside.  Place a length of wax paper on a cookie sheet, butter the wax paper and sprinkle it with sugar (this is very important, caramel apples will stick to the wax paper otherwise). Once my caramel reached the soft ball stage I continued stirring for a few moments until the caramel was a good caramel color (do not do this for too long or your caramel will be too hard). Then I stirred in the butter and vanilla. I let my caramel cool slightly, (when I tried to dip the apples right away, the caramel just slide off the apple).  I let the caramel sit for about 2 minutes and then the caramel was perfect.  Set the dipped apples onto the wax paper and let them set up.  You can leave them like this or you can go on to dip them in melted chocolate, drizzle them with chocolate, decorate them with nuts, sprinkles, or coconut, etc.

*Soft ball stage can be determined with a candy thermometer OR if you are like me and don't have one, just get a small bowl filled with ice water and drop a small amount of the bubbling caramel into it.  If you can pick up the caramel out of the water and it holds together in a soft ball, it is ready!

Apple Crisp

This time of year makes me think of comfort food and apples and trees that look like they are on fire with color.  Michigan in the Fall is AMAZING!  I am really going to miss it!  One of our favorite Fall activities is picking our own apples and pumpkins at one of the many orchards around here.  So with apples coming out of our ears, I of course turn to dessert to use some of them up.  Apple crisp is one the top of my apple dessert list, especially when it has extra crumble on top and good vanilla ice cream melting over the top.  Hungry yet?  Ok, here is the recipe... I found it over at the Parsley Thief. (I did alter it just a bit)

Apple Crisp
(10 servings)

6 apples, peeled and cored (I used Fuji, fresh off the tree)
1 t lemon zest
1 T lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

Crumble topping:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 t salt
1 cup oatmeal
2 sticks cold butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350.  Slice the apples into bite sized chunks.  Place in a large mixing bowl and combine with the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Toss to combine and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

In the bowl of a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal and butter.  Beat on low for for 1-2 minters until the butter is incorporated and the mixture crumbles.  You can also do this with a pastry cutter or your fingers.  Sprinkle all the crumbles evenly over the apple mixture.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbling.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Caprese Salad Skewers

I have seen this salad pop up all over the internet. I love that these are bite sized and individual.  Besides they are so easy and beautiful.  I have made them a couple of times now and they are always a hit.  The last time was for this Fall Baby Shower I put on with my BFF Abby.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Cherry tomatoes

fresh basil leaves

fresh mozzarella (I used and LOVE these little marinated mozzarella balls.  I found them at my grocery store.  The brand is Galbani)

balsamic vinegar

toothpicks

sea salt (optional)

fresh ground pepper (optional)

Place a tomato, basil leaf and mozzarella on a toothpick and repeat until you have the desired amount.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

(If you don't use the marinated mozzarella, you may want to sprinkle the skewers with sea salt and fresh ground pepper)

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I have had these on my "to try" list for sometime. I keep seeing them pop up on different food blogs so I decided it was high time I gave these bad boys a try! Oh so glad I did! I may just never make apple crisp again...these are that good. I originally saw them on A Hint of Honey.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

(directions borrowed from A Hint of Honey)

INGREDIENTS 
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Apples:
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Caramel Sauce:
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper 

(I just greased my pan and they worked just fine). Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.

5. To make the streusel, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, and butter with your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set.

7. To make the caramel sauce, whisk together the sugar and butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat until it melts. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Drizzle over cooled bars.

Fills a 9x13 pan.

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

I absolutely L.O.V.E. this soup! I stumbled across this recipe at Simply Recipes. Ok, I am a huge soup fan, but I tend to like soups that have some sort of meat in them. However, my 5 year old told me the other day that he HATES meat and would only eat dinner if it did not have beef or chicken in it. So I decided to find a vegetable soup that I could make that used some of our winter vegetables from our garden. Well, if I had recipes that were this tasty that didn't have meat, I could totally be vegetarian! So make your self some crusty bread and get to work on this surprisingly delicious soup! (Don't let the kale scare you, it is so wonderful and very mild in this soup!)

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

(6 servings)

3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

2 large tomatoes, quartered

1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut lengthwise in 1/2 inch thick wedges

6 whole cloves garlic

1 T olive oil

6 cups or more of vegetable broth

4 cups finely chopped kale

3 large sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1-15 oz can of great northern beans (I used white kidney beans, it is what I had on hand)

Preheat oven to 400 (reduce by 25 degrees if using a convection oven). Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange carrots, squash, tomatoes, onion and garlic on the sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the vegetables until they are browned and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Cut squash and carrots into 1/2 inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic and place in a food processor with tomatoes and onion. Puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup vegetable broth onto the baking sheet and scrap up any browned bits. Transfer both the broth and the puree to a large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until the kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the carrots, squash and beans to the soup. Simmer another few minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serve hot with crusty bread.

This soup can be made a day ahead.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I came across this delightful recipe in Mother Earth News Magazine and thought I would give it a try. Given my LOVE of butternut squash I knew it would be worth it and it definitely was! This is such a yummy, Fall, unique dish. It was even wonderful reheated! So, if you are looking for a new Fall dinner, you just may need to give this a try.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

(8 servings)

1 T olive oil

1 (1 1/2 to 2 pound) Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

4 cups whole milk

pinch of nutmeg

12 no boil lasagna noodles

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the 1/2 cup of water into the pan, cover and let simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. When the squash is tender, mash the squash in the pan or a food processor. Season the squash puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once it is melted, add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, whisking as you go. Bring to a low boil over medium/high heat whisking often. Continue whisking often until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly butter a 9x13 pan. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of noodles. Spread half of the squash puree on the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the cheese. Repeat layering once more, finishing with a layer of noodles covered by the remaining white sauce.

Tightly cover with foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Remove cover, add the rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese to the lasagna and continue baking for 15 more minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.