Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup

Here we are, right in the middle of what some people call the doldrums of January.  I read that this week is the most depressing week of the year.  With all the craziness going on here in our house and with our family, I'd almost have to agree!  But things could always be worse, right?  Yes.  Yes they could.

Nothing a hot bowl of soup can't cure.

Love the "kick" the chorizo gives it.  Just enough...

And wait until you see how easy it is to make!

Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup
from Gourmet

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 pound chorizo, cut into pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 cups water
1 pound kale, cleaned and chopped

Heat one tablespoon oil in a large pot.  Add chorizo and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring often.  Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.  Add 2 more tablespoons oil to pot and cook onion and garlic over medium heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook 7-8 minutes, until browned.

Add potatoes, water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are very tender, 15-20 minutes.  Mash some potatoes into soup to thicken.  Add kale and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.   Stir in sausage and cook until heated through.  Drizzle with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4 (main course servings).

Easy Oven-Barbecued Pork Chops

Before we talk pork chops, I have some exciting news!  My blog is getting a major facelift!  Lots of awesome changes coming soon...stay tuned!

Life has been pretty hectic for the past week for many reasons, so it's the perfect time to post this recipe.  Super easy to throw together, leave in the oven for an hour, and bam - dinner is served.  Hoping to get back into a groove very soon but for now, it's easy meal time!  Enjoy.

Easy Oven-Barbecued Pork Chops

adapted from about .com

6 thick cut boneless pork chops (or 12 thin cut)

2 large onions, cut into rings

1/4 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place pork chops in a 9x13 pan.  Spread onions over the pork.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour on top.  

Bake uncovered for one hour, or until chops are tender.  

White Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna

How's January been treating you?  We've been having a pretty mild month here in NJ.  Temps today are supposed to reach 56 degrees!  I'll take it...

Even when it's not freezing, comfort food hits the spot.  I don't remember my mom ever making white lasagna - we were always straight up traditional style.  And of course my Nana's lasagna is always a huge hit.  But sometimes, you need to change it up a bit.

Yeah...change is good.


White Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna
very heavily adapted from Epicurious

1 box lasagna noodles
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1 1/2 cups cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
1 large bag fresh spinach
1 onion, choppped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bag frozen artichokes, thawed
for the bechamel sauce:
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup AP flour
4 cups whole milk
nutmeg
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil noodles according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine ricotta, egg and grated cheese.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

In a pan, heat a little extra virgin olive oil and saute onion, spinach, garlic and artichokes.  Season with salt and pepper while cooking.  Cook until soft.

to make the bechamel:
In a saucepan, melt butter, then add flour and stir until lumps are gone.  Add milk, followed by nutmeg and a little salt and pepper.  Whisk constantly until thick.

Spread a little bechamel on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Cover with a layer of noodles, then add half of the veggie mixture.  Follow with a layer of noodles, and top with the ricotta mixture.

Add more noodles, then the rest of the veggies.  Top with noodles, followed by mozzarella, then pour bechamel all over the top and sides.

Bake for around 35 minutes, or until top is bubbly and lasagna is cooked through the middle and center of pan.

Baked Lobster Tails

Happy New Year, everyone!  Getting back into your old routine?  TGIThursday...that's all I have to say :)

This was the first year since I was maybe 8 years old that I wasn't up to see the ball drop.  Oh yeah, it was a rockin' New Year's Eve in our house.  Plus I did nothing as far as cooking - we went out for a late lunch with our nieces and ate enough to keep us full for the rest of the day.

Fortunately, I made our "fancy" meal a few nights before.  I guess you could call this our faux NYE meal.  It snowed that day, so our plans to go out were foiled.  Frank picked these babies up and although they were frozen, I was able to thaw them in a cold water bath in about an hour.

I prefer to keep the shells on them while baking...it keeps the meat moist.  It may not be as pretty as putting the tail on top, but it sure is tasty.

I know some people are intimidated by making these at home, but you shouldn't be!  It's super easy and costs WAY less than ordering them in a restaurant.  Give them a try...maybe for Valentine's Day...


Baked Lobster Tails
4 lobster tails
melted butter
lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using kitchen shears, cut the top of each tail down the middle.  Do not cut all the way through the meat - just a little deep.

Place tails in a baking pan.  Brush the tops with butter.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes, depending on size.

Squeeze lemon into melted butter and serve on side for dipping.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Sausage in Light Tomato Cream Sauce

It's been a while since we've had spaghetti squash.  Too long!  I need to integrate it more into our regular meal plan.

To all the spaghetti squash virgins out there - please don't be intimidated by it!  It's super easy to make.  Yes, it can be tough to cut, but you can either boil it for a bit, or stick it in the microwave, before doing so.  Cut it lengthwise...scoop out the seeds...done.  It's that simple.

Pardon the iPhone pic...

This dish also includes one of my favorite Trader Joe's products - their chicken sausage!  But any type of sausage or meat (or not!) would work just fine.


Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Sausage in Light Tomato Cream Sauce

1 spaghetti squash (bake 30-35 minutes at 350)
1 package chicken sausage, cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup heavy cream
grated pecorino romano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds.  Place inside up on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to let cool completely.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two until semi-soft.  Add sausage, a bit of salt and pepper, and cook until browned.  Add tomatoes, cream and seasonings.  Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 15 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, pull spaghetti squash out of skin with a fork.  Place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Place in individual serving bowls and top with sausage and sauce.  Top with pecorino romano cheese.

Candied Kielbasa

December is already flying by!  Even though I got my shopping done early, there's still so much to tackle.  We've got a few personal things going on as well that are making this month extra crazy.  Just a reminder that you can never have too many quick and easy recipes to default to.

This is also great to make as an appetizer!  I normally use turkey kielbasa, but you can use regular as well.  Mini hot dogs (or larger ones, cut up) would work, too.  And of course, big bonus that it's made in the crockpot!  It really doesn't get easier than this.

So bad, yet so good ;)


Candied Kielbasa
from Food. com

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
2 pounds kielbasa, sliced

Combine sugar, ketchup and horseradish in crockpot.  Add kielbasa and stir.  Cook on high until sauce begins to boil.  Reduce to low and cook until sauce thickens, around 45-60 minutes.

Serves 4-8, depending on if served as a main dish or appetizer.

Arroz con Pollo

Lately I've been drawn to making one pot meals.  Aside from them usually being comforting, I think the biggest attraction is that there are less dishes to do :)  Love keeping it simple sometimes.

This dish is sure to satisfy your craving for Latin food.  I know there are a lot of different versions...this is one that I adapted a bit and we loved it!  I personally prefer chorizo over regular sausage, but you can certainly sub that.

This was just as good for lunch two days later, by the way :)


Arroz con Pollo
adapted from Fine Cooking

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on, seasoned well with salt and pepper
1 cup chopped Spanish chorizo
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional...I didn't use it)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup beer
1 bay leaf
2 cups rice (I used Carolina extra long grain)
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup Spanish green olives

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Saute chicken until golden on both sides, then transfer to a plate.  Saute chorizo until browned, then add to chicken platter.  Pour off some of the excess oil, leaving about a quarter of it in the pan.

Reduce heat to medium and saute onion and garlic.  Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken and chorizo back to pan.  Add cumin, paprika, chili powder and turmeric.  Stir to distribute spices.  Cook for one minute then add tomatoes, beer and bay leaf.  Raise heat to medium high, stir and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add rice and water, and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook until rice is done and liquid has absorbed, about 25 minutes.  Toss in olives, stir and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Ranch Pork Chops

Wow, this swap reveal day almost got away from me!  Things have been crazy lately, but in a way, that proves exactly why this meal is great.  It takes practically no time to make, only uses 3 ingredients, and can easily be reheated.  (I made it a few hours in advance and did just that)  And it was dee-licious.

My assignment this time around was Dawn's blog, Simple Gourmet Cooking, and there was some great stuff to choose from!  I'm definitely going to try the homemade caramel coffee creamer soon...it looks so good.  And dangerous :)

Keep this dish in mind when you're too busy to think straight - which I'm guessing will be the case for many of you this month with the holiday madness.  It's a no-brainer!



Ranch Pork Chops
from Simple Gourmet Cooking

boneless pork chops
ranch dressing
Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Trim pork chops, if necessary.  Place dressing in one bowl and bread crumbs in another.  Coat pork with dressing, followed by bread crumbs, and place on baking sheet.

Bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes (depending on thickness of meat).

Crockpot Roast with Cranberries & Sweet Potatoes

It's already snowed twice here in NJ, and it isn't even December yet!  Temps have dropped and winter is right around the corner.  This screams comfort food...especially comfort food made in the crockpot.  Nothing like coming home from work after a snowy ride home and having dinner ready for you right then and there!

This was a great dish - and a nice switch from my usual pot roast recipe that I use when I have this cut of beef.  The Dijon mustard adds a nice layer of flavor to it.  And sweet potatoes are always welcome!  Put this on your menu - you won't regret it.

Crockpot Roast with Cranberries & Sweet Potatoes
slightly adapted from The Lean Green Bean

2 sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bag fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon rosemary
black pepper to taste
2 cups chicken broth
1 4-5 pound bottom round roast

Put garlic, onion, cranberries and sweet potatoes in crockpot.  Add mustard, rosemary, pepper and vinegar.  Stir to combine.  Place roast on top and add chicken broth.

Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Remove roast and slice or shred.  Return to crockpot and stir in to cover with broth.  Serve.

Serves 5-6.

Healthy Bacon & Pumpkin Pasta

Another week in the fall, another can of pumpkin to use.  I remember the great canned pumpkin shortage from 2 years ago - for some reason the stuff went like hotcakes - so Frank returned home from the grocery store one day last year with about a dozen cans.  Needless to say, I haven't had to shop for it this year...

Now, combine it with bacon and you may be in trouble...as in, you'll love it so much, you'll have to keep going out for more.  This combination is deliciously addicting!  

Plus, it's not nearly as bad for you as many other mac n cheese varieties.  Oh and it takes about 20 minutes to make.  LOVE!

Healthy Bacon & Pumpkin Pasta

from Pinch of Yum

2 cups uncooked pasta

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 ounce light cream cheese

1/4 cup fat free evaporated milk

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt and pepper

1/3 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1/4 cup chopped scallions

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain and return to pot.  Turn heat on low.

Add pumpkin, cream cheese, milk, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix until cheese is melted and ingredients are warmed through.  

Divide between 2 bowls.  Top with bacon and scallions.

Thanksgiving Shepherd's Pie

I hope everyone had a great Halloween, because around here, it barely existed!  Bella's school finally had their Halloween parade 2 days ago.  Trick or treating was postponed over a week, then turned out to be a big dud.  A whole lot of anti-climactic excitement, thanks to that bitch named Sandy :(

I guess there isn't much you can do about it except move forward...so, let's focus on Thanksgiving!

I actually made this a few weeks ago, before Sandy trampled through our area, when I was feeling the Turkey Day spirit.  This is a perfect leftovers dish (you can easily sub turkey breast for ground turkey), or something to make when you're looking for a healthier version of the real thing.

Thanksgiving Shepherd's Pie

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk (add slowly incase it isn't all needed)
salt and pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 can corn, drained
1 1/2 cups string beans, slightly steamed (best if still a bit crunchy)

Boil potatoes until soft.  Drain and put back in pot.  Add butter, milk, salt and pepper, and mash until smooth.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat oil in a large skillet, then add onion and garlic.  Season with a little salt and pepper.  Add turkey, thyme and garlic powder, and cook until no longer pink.  Add corn and string beans.  Stir together and cook a few more minutes.  Remove from heat.

Put turkey mixture in a 9 inch deep dish pie pan.  Top with mashed sweet potatoes.  Cook for about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Ham and White Beans (Support for Sandy)

Once again, proof that the food blogging community is awesome.

Barbara from Creative Culinary and Jenn from Jenn's Cuisine have teamed up for a great cause.  Their idea to have bloggers participate by cooking something comforting to bring to those in need is a brilliant one, not to mention, heartwarming.   As someone who was right in Sandy's path and has seen the devastation that she's caused firsthand, it's even more special.

(and by the way, we're currently in the middle of a Nor'easter, but I digress...)

During the hurricane I baked a ham and brought much of it to family/friends.  Naturally, I kept the ham bone, and searched for something different (and easy) to do with it.  This recipe was exactly what I was looking for.  Ironically, I read about this initiative while the meal was cooking away in my crockpot...perfect timing!

It really is pure comfort in a bowl.  Plus, you can reheat it on a gas stove when your power is out...which, as many of us in this area now know, is imperative when you're in the dark for over a week.





Looking to contribute to those in need?  Here are a few options:

American Red Cross:  providing food, shelter, and other forms of support to hurricane victims. You can donate directly to the Red Cross or  you can also text the word “Redcross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

The Salvation Army:  focused on providing food, shelter, and support to victims, and takes donations for storm relief.

Feeding America: providing food, water and supplies to those who need it as part of their disaster relief program.

Participating bloggers will be tweeting using the hashtag #FBS4Sandy...please join in the conversation!  And please visit Barbara and Jenn's blogs to check out the link party that includes all of the warm, comforting dishes.  

Hope all of my neighbors are staying safe...Jersey Strong!


Slow Cooker Ham and White Beans
barely adapted from Plain Chicken

1 pound bag dried Northern beans
1 ham bone (or leftover ham, shanks, etc)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
6 cups water
salt and pepper

Rinse beans and sort through to pick out pebbles.  Add beans, garlic powder, ham, salt and pepper to crockpot.  Add water.  Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours (crockpots will vary, remember!), until beans are tender.

Remove bones and pull off meat.  Add meat to crockpot and mix.  

Serves around 6-8.

Baked Ham with Mustard Orange Glaze

It's Secret Recipe Club reveal day!  This month, I was assigned a terrific blog called Edesia's Notebook.  Lesa has a wide variety of great looking recipes...there were so many to choose from!  I took a look at her recipe index when I first got my assignment, bookmarked about 5 of them, then had a pretty busy few weeks.

And then came Hurricane Sandy.

We were hit HARD here, as I'm sure most of you know.  More devastation than this area has ever seen before from a natural disaster.  There is a TON of work to be done to rebuild, many have lost their homes and possessions, and there are still an overwhelming amount of people without power, one week later.

There is only so much you can do for others during a time like this.  My husband, who is a licensed electrician, has been spending a lot of time at the homes of family and friends, hooking up their generators for maximum usage.  It's what he does well.

And me?  My contribution was what I do well...feed people.

There's something super comforting about a baked ham.  And it feeds a LOT of people.  Perfect for a time like this.

The glaze was delicious and used ingredients that I had on hand, which was great since the majority of our grocery stores have either been out of power, or low on inventory.  We enjoyed some of this ourselves, and I made a great (and easy!) meal with the bone...come back here later in the week to check it out.

I definitely recommend this for those of you who make ham for the holidays.  Thanks for a great recipe, Lesa!


Baked Ham with Mustard Orange Glaze
slighty adapted from Edesia's Notebook

1 ham, bone-in, approximately 10 pounds
1 cup orange juice
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup brown mustard

Remove ham from refrigerator and let stand for about 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Score fat (don't cut into meat) in ham in a diagonal crosshatch pattern.  Place in a roasting pan, flat side down.  Bake for about 2 1/2 hours (15 minutes per pound).

While ham is baking, combine juice, sugar and mustard in a bowl and mix.  Remove ham from oven and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Pour half the glaze over the ham and brush to coat.  Return ham to oven and remove every 10 minutes to baste, for a total of about 40-45 minutes.

Serves around 12.

Penne alla Boscaiola

Several weeks ago, I was contacted by Ginny of Cooking with Chopin regarding a wonderful cookbook (published by her mom!) called A Family Farm in Tuscany.  She asked if I'd be willing to be part of the book's blogging book tour.  Once I heard the basic premise of the book, there was no way I could refuse!  All I have to say is, I was easily transported back to my family's homeland as soon as I cracked open the cover.

Sarah's content focuses mainly on her farm, Fattoria Poggio Alloro, and how family traditions tie into it.  Any reader of mine knows that this hits close to home for me!  I loved it and could relate to a good amount of her stories.

I tried my best to narrow down what I wanted to make, and believe me, it was hard!  I also wanted to keep the dish seasonal, so that limited my choices a bit, but I can't wait to dig deeper into this amazing cookbook.  The articles, pictures and recipes are all amazing.  So interesting, detailed and REAL.

Since we love pasta in this house, I naturally gravitated toward a few pasta dishes, and ended up making this one.  Delicious, easy, make ahead, freezer friendly...what more could you ask for?

If the hurricane didn't hit us so hard these past few days, I definitely would have tried another recipe.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do so due to power outages and store closings.  I will definitely be preparing more of these amazing dishes soon, so keep an eye out for them!

The bottom line is: I HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy for yourself!  This cookbook is a gem.


Penne alla Boscaiola (Lumberjack Mushroom Penne)
slightly adapted from A Family Farm in Tuscany

1/2 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
16 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bella)
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces Italian sausage, removed from casings and broken into pieces
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes (I used plum tomatoes, and crushed them by hand)
1/2 cup warm water***
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt to taste
1 pound pasta of your choice, cooked al dente
grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In a large dutch oven, add oil, then onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook down for about 15 minutes.

Add garlic, cook for one minute, then add sausage.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until sausage is cooked through.  Add tomatoes, water, red pepper and salt.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add cooked pasta to pan of sauce and stir together.  Sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and serve.


***I didn't add water because I used whole tomatoes and the liquid from the can, so extra liquid wasn't necessary.  If you use crushed tomatoes or tomato puree, add the additional 1/2 cup water as the recipe states.

Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables

Well, you all know how much we love pork tenderloin in this house...this is yet another delicious way to prepare it.  I added fennel to the butternut squash for a little kick, and just like that - a wonderful fall meal.  

Soooo easy!!  Soooo good.

Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables

adapted from Tastebook

1 pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cracked black pepper

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into chunks (fronds and stems removed)

1 large onion, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub mustard all over pork, then cover in pepper.  Place pork in center of roasting pan or baking sheet.

Put squash, fennel and onion in a bowl.  Add oil, salt and pepper and toss to mix evenly.  Spread vegetables all around pork.  Cook for about 40 minutes.  Let pork rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

Meatless Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Happy Monday!  What was the highlight of your weekend?

Since I know some of you like to "go meatless" on Mondays, I figured I'd post this today.

I recently made these to drop off to good friends for a ready-to-go meal during a time of need (hence the aluminum tin...sorry!).  They were so delicious that I had to keep one for myself :)  Feel free to add meat if you like...but you definitely don't miss it with this great combo of beans and veggies.

These can be made ahead and transported easily, too.  A great weeknight meal...especially on Meatless Monday!


Meatless Mexican Stuffed Peppers
3 bell peppers, cut lengthwise and seeded
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried cilantro (I didn't have fresh on hand but it would be great, too!)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat oil in a skillet, then add onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes, then add rice, corn and beans.  Add all spices and mix.  Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Place peppers in a baking pan and fill each half with rice mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and add cheese on top.  Return to oven and cook another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Serve.

No Shell Taco Salad

It's recipe swap time again!  This time, for Blogger's Choice, I was assigned Tina's blog, Tasty Treats by Tina.  I had a few things bookmarked, but ultimately I chose a dish that I threw together with some leftovers that made a great lunch!

Normally I wouldn't think of putting cucumbers in a taco salad, but like I said, I was basically cleaning out the fridge with this one :)  So, anything goes...feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand.  I would have loved some jalapenos in here...and olives...what can I say, I was overdue to go shopping!

Obviously, a shell would be fantastic for this (or even chips underneath) - but if you're keeping it low carb, this is the way to go!  You don't even miss the carbs with this one.  Thanks for a great salad, Tina!


No Shell Taco Salad
adapted from Tasty Treats by Tina

1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 chopped onion
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/2 cucumber, sliced
cherry tomatoes
romaine lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream

Place meat to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat.  Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir to combine while cooking.  Once fully cooked, remove from pan and drain fat.

Combine all veggies in a bowl.  Add meat and cheese.  Mix salsa and sour cream in a small bowl, and use as dressing for salad.

Quick Pumpkin Soup

I love soup.  Especially when I'm under the weather.  And for the past few years (coincidentally, since Bella started school) my first cold of the season has been right around this time.  It's a great reason to try out new soup recipes...and this one is a keeper!

I skipped the "extras" since I wasn't really up for cooking, but would definitely add them next time.  It was really good without them, though.

Fall in a bowl...love it :)


Quick Pumpkin Soup
slightly adapted from The Humble Gourmet

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, smashed
4 cups chicken stock/broth
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1 cup pancetta, fried until crunchy (I omitted, but will definitely add next time!)
Basil Oil (recipe follows, and I omitted this too)

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan, then add garlic and brown.  Add stock and bring to boil.  Add pumpkin and mix well.  Add chile powder, paprika and salt.  Mix well.

Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer, and cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and add creme fraiche.  Using an immersion blender or stand blender, puree soup until smooth.  Serve immediately with pancetta and oil on top.

Maple Roasted Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Fall.  Have I mentioned it's my favorite season?  And for so many reasons.  With one of the biggest being - the FOOD.

After all, it's always all about the food...isn't it?

Maple Roasted Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
slightly adapted from Handle the Heat

6 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
1 yellow onion, cut in wedges
3 sweet potatoes, cut in chunks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange chicken, onion and potatoes in a 9x13 baking dish.  Drizzle oil over chicken and vegetables and season with salt, pepper and thyme.  Toss to coat.  Drizzle with syrup.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 70-75 minutes.  Turn vegetables halfway through.  Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Salmon with Basil Mayonnaise & Tomatoes

It must be October!  I have my first cold of the season.  It's actually more than just a cold...it feels like someone twisted my neck and upper back and then threw something at my head before sticking it down my throat.

How's that for a description?  Hope it's a good enough explanation for not writing a new blog post these past few days.  I'm hoping to get some rest today, aside from my plan to make the soup that cures everything.  And I'll continue to drink gallons of hot tea.  Flush it out, I say ;)

But enough about me.  Let's move on to the delicious stuff.  I made this dish back in August, when tomatoes were still in their heyday...but since they're baked, you could make this anytime and still yield a good result.  We really loved this and plan on making it again soon.


Baked Salmon with Basil Mayonnaise & Tomatoes
from Life's Ambrosia

2 salmon filets
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
tomato slices
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray.  Place salmon on sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic.  Place tomatoes on top of salmon and drizzle with oil.  Bake for about 10 minutes.

Combine mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove salmon from oven.  Tent foil on top of fish and leave covered for 10 minutes.  Remove fish carefully from pan and plate.  Dollop mayonnaise on top of tomatoes and serve.