Cassie Craves...

Cheesy Salsa Mini Meatloaves

2009-11-09T10:16:00.003-05:00

This is one of those dinners that's just yummy. Plain and simple. There's not much more I can say about these delicious mini meatloaves. They were tender and flavorful, they had just the right amout of spice, and they baked up in no time. What's not to love?

This recipe is really more of a method than anything, because once you know how to make these mini meatloaves you can flavor your ground beef with anything you want. This is definitely a quick and easy alternative to a more traditional meat loaf, and this particular version is going in our regular rotation for sure. (P.S. I pimp this Mexican sour cream rice all the time, but it really is the perfect side dish for these.)

Cheesy Salsa Mini Meatloaves
source: Real Mom Kitchen

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
12 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
1 cup medium-heat salsa, divided

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix first 4 ingredients with 1 cup cheese and 1/2 cup salsa.

3. Press evenly into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Use back of spoon to make indentation in center of each. Place muffin pan on foil-covered baking sheet.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until meatloaves are done (160 degrees). Top with remaining salsa and cheese; bake 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-11-08T09:50:00.001-05:00

Monday: Chicken rigatoni bake. I found this recipe on a box of pasta years ago and I've been making my adapted version of it ever since. It's one of my favorite fall and winter comfort foods -- I can't believe I haven't shared this one yet.

Tuesday: Chile, cheese and bacon quesadillas, Mexican sour cream rice. (Yes, I make this rice a lot; no, I will never get sick of it, not ever.)

Wednesday: Corn and kielbasa chowder, rolls (and I'm probably going to add cheese, too, because if you look over my menu this week you can clearly see I have thrown calorie counting out the proverbial window. Plus, you know, the baby needs calcium.)

Thursday: Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese. Oh, yeah. (See: baby needs calcium. He also apparently needs spicy food.)

Friday: BBQ beef and bacon melts, steak fries. I make these melts just like I do my bacon patty melts, except I omit the special sauce and use shredded BBQ beef instead of a hamburger patty and cheddar and/or Monterey jack cheese instead of American. Delicious, and equally as good using shredded BBQ chicken or pork.

Saturday: Meatball subs (inspired by this recipe). This is the second time I've used this meatball recipe. I didn't post about these last time I made them because I wanted to play with the ingredients and preparation a little bit to make them fit our tastes perfectly. That's what I plan to do this time, so I'll be sure to share what I come up with.

Sunday: Saucy slow-cooked chicken thighs, Joe's potatoes, green beans

Weekend Breakfast: Bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwiches (BELTs), applesauce. The more bacon the better right now -- I can't get enough of the stuff. My poor little baby and his slowly-clogging arteries.

Baking: I recently found Peanut Butter & Co. cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter in my local grocery store, so I will be using my precious find to make these oatmeal peanut butter cookies. And then I will be eating all of the cookies, probably in one sitting.

Frozen Pumpkin Squares

2009-11-07T08:50:00.005-05:00

Well, I've officially found a pumpkin dessert that my husband doesn't like. And this is it.

Don't let that deter you from trying these, though; Andrew and I both liked them very much. I think for Joe it was more of a texture issue than a flavor issue, since essentially, the main component of this dessert is frozen pudding. I will admit that the texture of these is rather odd, and next time I make them I may substitute softened vanilla ice cream for the pudding. If I do that, I think I'll have a pretty darn perfect pumpkiny treat on my hands -- one that Joe will definitely enjoy.

Frozen Pumpkin Squares
source: Favorite Brand Name Recipes: Classic Recipe Collection

1 cup fine gingersnap crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/4 cups cold milk
2 packages (4 serving size each) vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed, divided

1. Mix crumbs, walnuts and butter in a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Press onto bottom of foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Refrigerate.

2. Pour milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mixes, pumpkin and spice. (Next time, I'll use a couple of cups of vanilla ice cream in place of the milk and pudding.) Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Gently stir in 2 1/4 cups of the whipped topping. Spread over crust.

3. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes or until dessert can be easily cut. Cut into squares. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Chicken Spaghetti

2009-11-06T09:16:00.004-05:00

I have another Pioneer Woman recipe to share with you today. And it was delicious, even though my photo of it is terrible. I don't know how to take a pretty picture of something as wonderfully messy as a casserole. So you'll just have to trust me: It tastes a lot better than it looks. (Go look at Ree's pictures. Hers are much better.)

I adjusted the recipe based on our personal tastes, some of the comments on Ree's post, and my time restrictions, and I was really happy with how this turned out. It's nothing special or unique, really: just straight-up delicious home-cooking at its best. I made the full batch and froze half for a later meal, and we still had leftovers -- this makes enough to feed an army! Joe, Andrew and I all really liked this one!

Chicken Spaghetti
source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 16-ounce box spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (a store-bought rotisserie chicken works perfectly for this)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 4-ounce can green chilies, drained
1 small onion, finely diced
1 4-ounce can chopped pimientos, drained
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook spaghetti in chicken broth and water until al dente; drain. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except 1 cup shredded cheddar. Pour into a casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Cauliflower Soup

2009-11-05T09:28:00.003-05:00

I've been very into cauliflower lately. I know, isn't that strange? I mean, I've always liked it, but right now I want to eat it all the time. I've had raw cauliflower with veggie dip for a snack every night this week. I should be craving things like chocolate! and ice cream! and other unhealthy sweet treats! And sometimes I do, but mostly? It seems that all this baby wants is cauliflower. He's no fun.

This did, however, give me the perfect opportunity to make The Pioneer Woman's cauliflower soup last week. And this will come as no shock to those of you who've made one of her recipes before: It. was. delicious. Joe absolutely loved it, and even raved about it to his grandma the next day (who is a very good cook, so it's nice to appear competent in her eyes). I followed Ree's recipe pretty exactly, except I dolloped the sour cream on top of our individual bowls of soup and sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top too. I served the soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for a cozy, delicious fall dinner.

Cauliflower Soup
source: slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 stick butter
1 onion, finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 32-ounce box of chicken stock
2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons flour
1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
Shredded cheese for topping, if desired

1. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and bay leaves and cook for a few minutes, or until the onion starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an addition couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.

2. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in half and half.

4. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary. Discard bay leaves.

5. Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with sour cream and shredded cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Maple-Drizzled Apple Muffins

2009-11-04T09:38:00.003-05:00

Here's the funny thing about pregnancy: It makes you crave things that you may not have even liked before you got pregnant. Let me give you a couple of examples. All my life I've hated marshmallows, but last Friday I ate my weight in s'mores, and I currently can't get the thought of these treats out of my head (I actually think I may make them tonight). The other example, which is applicable to today's post, is maple syrup. I've never been a big fan of syrup itself or of maple-flavored things (maple sausage excluded; I have always liked that), but now? I can't get enough of it. So when I saw these muffins, they immediately attracted my attention.

These muffins are soooo delicious. Studded with chopped apples and drizzled with a maple glaze, they absolutely scream "fall" to me. The maple flavor is subtle and sweet, not overpowering at all. This is the kind of muffin that warms you up from the inside out. One Allrecipes reviewer said she added dried cranberries to the muffin mixture, which I'm definitely going to try next time. I think that would make these even better!

Maple-Drizzled Apple Muffins
source: Allrecipes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped, peeled apples
12 pecan halves
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In a small bowl, mix milk, butter, syrup and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples.

2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Top each with a pecan half. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely.

3. For glaze, mix confectiones' sugar and syrup; drizzle over muffins.

Arroz con Pollo

2009-11-03T09:36:00.004-05:00

I saw this recipe a couple of months ago on Debbie's blog, and I bookmarked it immediately. I've always wanted to make arroz con pollo at home, but I guess I always thought it was a time-consuming, labor-intensive process. But it really wasn't. This meal came together relatively quickly and was absolutely delicious.

The recipe calls for the thighs to be seared in the bacon drippings so the skin gets crispy, but then they go back in the rice and broth mixture to cook through, and by the time the rice was finished the skin had lost a lot of its crispiness. Next time, I'll either use boneless skinless chicken thighs, or I'll cook the bone-in skin-on thighs completely through, separately from the rice. But that was really the only issue I had with this meal. I omitted the peas because I didn't have them on hand, and I also left out the saffron because honestly, it's not an ingredient I would ever use again. I also added some chopped Spanish-style olives to the rice mixture for the last few minutes of cooking. Joe and I both really enjoyed this dinner, and it will definitely be a repeat in our house. Thanks for the recipe, Debbie!

Arroz con Pollo
source: adapted from mocha me

4 slices bacon

4 chicken thighs with skin and bones

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika to taste
Dried oregano to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Cumin to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced (I used one red and one green)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 pinch saffron (omitted)

1 cup rice

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (divided)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed (omitted)
1/2 cup Spanish-style pimiento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped

1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven. Once the bacon is cooked, drain on a paper towel and then crumble. Set aside.

2. Season the chicken thighs with a bit of each seasoning to taste. Cook the chicken thighs, skin side down first, for 4 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate.

3. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot add the onion, bell peppers and a bit of each seasoning to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and cook constantly for 60 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, saffron, rice, crumbled bacon and half of the cilantro. Stir until mixed thoroughly; taste the broth and re-season if needed.

4. Add the chicken in an even layer and simmer over medium low heat, partially covered for 25 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. During the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the olives. Sprinkle the finished dish with the thawed peas (if using) and the remaining cilantro.

Sausage and Cheese Muffins

2009-11-02T09:25:00.004-05:00

I probably should have included this in yesterday's meal-planning post, since yesterday was November 1. But I didn't decide until yesterday afternoon that I'm going to attempt to do NaBloPoMo on this site as well as on my personal blog. I mean, how hard can it be, right? I typically post every day except for Saturday anyway, and I have a lot of recipes backing up to share. This is going to be easy, right? Right?

*crickets*

Ahem. Anyway. The recipe I'm sharing today was a huge hit in our house. They're called sausage and cheese "muffins," but they're really more biscuit-like in texture. Whatever you want to call them, they are absolutely delicious. I made these for breakfast the same week I made these baked apples for dinner, so I had a half-pound of maple sausage to use. The original recipe calls for hot sausage, which I think would have been equally as good.

I topped mine with butter, and Joe topped his with butter and maple syrup. These came together very quickly and were the perfect breakfast for a cozy Sunday morning!

Sausage and Cheese Muffins
source: adapted from Allrecipes

1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (I used maple, which was yummy, but I think any kind of sausage would work)
1/2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain.

2. In a bowl, combine soup, milk, sage and sausage. Stir in the biscuit mix just until moistened. Fill greased miniature or regular muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until muffins test done.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-11-01T08:42:00.001-05:00

I had fun sharing all of those Halloween-themed goodies with you last week. I actually think I gave myself gestational diabetes due to all the sugar-laden treats I consumed. Someone had to eat all of it! It was totally worth it, though.

And now here we are, in November. I can't believe this year is almost over. It's time to start freezing some meals in preparation for the new little man's arrival in January, so a few of the recipes on this week's meal plan will be doubled so I can freeze half for later.

Monday: Chicken and cheese enchiladas

Tuesday: Biscuits over creamed chicken

Wednesday: Macaroni and cheese-stuffed tomatoes, salad. Except instead of using store-bought macaroni and cheese like the recipe suggests, I'll make a batch of our favorite mac and cheese to stuff the tomatoes, and then freeze the rest.

Thursday: Cream cheese potato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches. This soup is incredible as-is, but it's going to be even better when I add some broccoli, bacon, and cheddar cheese to it. Which is what I so plan on doing.

Friday: Pizza joes, steak fries

Saturday: Baked gnocchi. I've been wanting to make this ever since I got this cookbook, and I think it's finally cool enough to justify the heavy, creamy calorie fest.

Sunday: Baked ziti, garlic bread

Weekend Breakfast: Pumpkin buttermilk pancakes, sausage links

Baking: Coconut-chocolate pecan pie. I'm on my own with this one since Joe hates shredded coconut, so be sure to check back to see how I do at consuming an entire pie by myself. (Spoiler alert: I'm sure I'll do just fine.)

Halloween Week: Halloween Pumpkin Bars

2009-10-30T11:33:00.006-04:00

I know, I know: I missed yesterday's Halloween-themed recipe. But this week has been long and stressful, and I've decided the only way I can cope is to take some of the pressure off of myself. On Wednesday night, that meant eating fast food for dinner and resting on the couch instead of cooking dinner and making chocolate-caramel apples (I know, don't those sound good? I'm definitely keeping them in mind for next year). But yesterday I did muster up the time and energy to make these adorable treats for a work potluck today:

Aren't they cute? They were so much fun to make. I think the guys on the right look like Easter Island statues. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Halloween Pumpkin Bars
source: inspired by Taste of Home and ...and a cookie for dessert

Baked pumpkin bars (use Taste of Home's recipe, or this one, which is truly the best)
Cream cheese frosting (canned will work, but homemade is much better)
Yellow and red food coloring
Candy corn
Black decorating gel

1. Bake pumpkin bars according to recipe directions; cool.

2. Meanwhile, tint frosting with yellow and red food coloring to make orange; spread over cooled bars. Cut bars into squares.

3. Using candy corn and decorating gel, make a face on each bar.

Halloween Week: "Scream" Cheese Swirl Brownies

2009-10-28T13:17:00.004-04:00

It's day three of Halloween Week! Today, I'm so excited to share these "scream" cheese swirl brownies with you.

Honestly, who doesn't love brownies swirled with sweet, tangy cream cheese? In this Halloween-themed version, the cream cheese mixture is tinted orange with food coloring to make them fun and festive. These are made with boxed brownie mix, which makes them even easier. And the best part? They taste AMAZING. In fact, I can't wait to go home and indulge in a couple of them tonight!

"Scream" Cheese Swirl Brownies
source: Betty Crocker

For the filling:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
4 drops red food color
4 drops yellow food color
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the brownies:

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13 x 9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Set aside.

2. In large bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread 3/4 of brownie batter in pan. Spoon filling by tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter. Spoon remaining brownie batter over filling. For marbled design, pull knife through batter and filling in wide curves; turn pan and repeat.

3. Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until chilled. For brownies, cut with plastic knife into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Halloween Week: Monster Eyeballs

2009-10-27T12:15:00.007-04:00

For day two of Halloween Week, behold: monster eyeballs.

Pay no attention to that guy on the left. He's a little...lazy.

These treats caught my eye because basically, they're nothing more than Buckeyes with miniature M&Ms stuck in the top to serve as the pupils. Buckeyes are my favorite holiday dessert without question, so I'll take any opportunity to get a jump on eating them. (Here's a question: Are Buckeyes as popular a dessert outside of Ohio as they are within the state? I'm just wondering how much of their popularity here has to do with our football team.)

After I'd already assembled these, I thought how perfect it would have been to melt some white chocolate and paint that over the exposed peanut butter section. I think I may do that if I make these again to make them look even more like real, honest-to-goodness eyeballs. Regardless, these are an easy and irresistibly delicious treat.

Monster Eyeballs
source: Epicurious

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 (1-pound) package confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 (3-ounce) package miniature M&Ms

1. Blend the peanut butter with the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Roll the peanut butter mixture by teaspoons into small balls and place on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the eyeballs.

3. Put the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and melt the chocolate in the microwave: Heat on high for 60 seconds, and then stir well. If it’s not quite smooth, heat in two or three 10-second bursts, stirring well after each burst. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate, stirring frequently, in a double boiler, over just-simmering water. Avoid overheating, which can cause chocolate to seize up into a stiff mass.)

4. Take the sheet of balls from the refrigerator; use a fork or a toothpick to dip each one most of the way into the chocolate, leaving a round or oval opening of undipped peanut butter on top. (This opening in the chocolate will be the cornea.) Hold each ball over the chocolate to catch the drips, and then return to the wax paper, cornea side up.

5. Place an M&M in the center of the peanut butter cornea to make an iris. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Store the eyeballs in the refrigerator or freezer and serve chilled.

Halloween Week: Vampire Cupcakes

2009-10-26T11:11:00.005-04:00

Welcome to Halloween Week! This week I thought it would be fun to highlight some quick, easy, and festive Halloween desserts. Halloween is a holiday I'm enjoying a lot more now that I have a little one (and another little one on the way). Everything seems so fresh and fun again -- the candy, the pumpkin carving, the costumes.

For today's recipe, I present to you these vampire cupcakes that I actually made way back in September, for the finale of my favorite TV show, True Blood. How fun are these?! I adapted the recipe from Baking Bites, but made the cupcakes a lot simpler by using boxed cake mix and canned cream cheese frosting (something I probably wouldn't do again, since store-bought cream cheese frosting in no way compares to the real thing). I've never made a white cake from scratch that wasn't dry, but have always had good luck with boxed white cake mixes, and this time was no exception. The bloody cherry center helped make these nice and juicy, too. These cupcakes are delicious and festive, and would be a fabulous addition to any Halloween party.

Vampire Cupcakes
source: adapted from Baking Bites

1 box white cake mix
Oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 can cream cheese frosting (or make your own)
1 can cherry pie filling

1. Bake cupcakes according to directions on box. Cool.

2. Meanwhile, puree cherry pie filling in a blender until smooth.

3. Using a paring knife, cut a cone out of the center of each cooled cupcake. Trim off the pointy end of the cone, leaving a flat circle of cake. Set circle aside to use later and repeat this process for all the cupcakes.

4. Spoon about tablespoon or so of the cherry pie filling into each cupcake cavity, filling it almost to the top. Top off with the flat circle of cake you just removed to seal the hole and hold the “blood” filling in place.

5. Frost cupcakes. Dip a wooden toothpick or skewer into some leftover cherry pie filling and poke two fang-holes, about 3/4 inch apart, in the frosting on one side of the cupcake. Dribble a little extra filling from the holes for effect. Repeat process with all cupcakes.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-10-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

Before I get to this week's meal plan, I just want to let you guys know that I have something in the works for this week that I think is going to be lots of fun. I'll be taking a break from my normal posting schedule and doing something fun to celebrate Halloween. So be sure to check back tomorrow!

I spaced on quite a few dinners last week -- either we weren't hungry or we just ate what we had on hand -- so a couple of those meals are carrying over to this week.

Monday: Chicken fingers (from the grocery store deli), tater tots. Because sometimes it's fun to eat like a kid.

Tuesday: Cauliflower soup, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. For some reason I've been craving cauliflower like mad lately. Who craves cauliflower? Seriously, this pregnancy is weird.

Wednesday: Pizza-stuffed peppers, garlic bread. I didn't get to make these last week. I was lazy and we had McDonald's instead. (The baby wanted a Big Mac.) (I cannot control these urges.)

Thursday: Cheesy salsa mini meatloaves, Mexican sour cream rice

Friday: Chicken spaghetti. Apparently it's Pioneer Woman week 'round these parts.

Saturday: It's Halloween! It's also our town's trick-or-treat night, so we'll probably order pizza -- or something that can be eaten just as easily on the porch while we're handing out candy. Ah, screw it; we'll just eat candy. That's okay for one night, right?

Sunday: Artichoke lasagna with spinach added, garlic bread

Weekend Breakfast: BELTs (bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwiches)

Baking: Chocolate apple bread. This will be great for breakfasts throughout the week.

The Best Pumpkin Bars Ever

2009-10-23T14:57:00.004-04:00

You guys, I have found The One. The One Pumpkin Bar to Rule Them All. It's the best pumpkin bar I have ever tried, and I am ready to forsake all others and use this recipe exclusively in the future. I know, I'm being melodramatic, but these pumpkin bars really are that good.

What sets these apart from other recipes I've tried is their texture. They're incredibly light and fluffy, but moist at the same time. They have just the right amount of pumpkin flavor without being too overwhelmingly spicy. And the frosting, you guys. It's cream cheese frosting, so it couldn’t possibly be bad, and it definitely is not. I stirred some pecans into the frosting for some added crunch, which was a delicious addition.

Make these as soon as you possibly can. And then make another batch with the canned pumpkin you have left over. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Best Ever Pumpkin Bars
source: whoorl

For the bars:

4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs well, add in the sugar and butter and mix well. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix. Add the flour and spices and mix well. Spread in a 9 x 13-inch greased pan.

3. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

4. To make frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until just mixed. Stir in pecans. When the brownies are cool, frost. Cut into squares and serve.

Sausage-Stuffed Baked Apples

2009-10-21T09:25:00.003-04:00

This just may be the perfect autumn supper. I mean, who doesn't love baked apples, right? This savory version made with maple sausage is absolutely impossible to resist.

These were absolutely delicious just as I made them, but you could play with the filling in lots of ways. The original recipe calls for dried figs, which I omitted, but I think they would have been delicious in these. Golden raisins or dried cranberries would be excellent too. And some brie would take these absolutely over the top. I made them during the week, but when I make them again I'll do it over the weekend, since these take a little bit longer to prep and cook than I prefer for weeknight cooking. But oh, these were so good. They were a literal taste of autumn. Served with a simple salad of mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, this was a comforting, warm-you-up fall supper.

Sausage-Stuffed Baked Apples
source: adapted from Blue Ribbon Family Favorites

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound bulk maple pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 baking apples, halved and cored (I used Honeycrisp)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until sausage is browned and onion is softened. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

3. Fill each apple half with some of the sausage mixture. Place apples, filling side up, in a baking dish; cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes or until apples are tender.

Mom's Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

2009-10-20T10:40:00.003-04:00

I think everyone has their own version of these sandwiches. Some people make them with cream of celery soup; some people add saltines to thicken up the mixture. The version I'm sharing today is my Mom's. It's pretty simple, but no less delicious for it. I've been eating this sandwich for as long as I can remember, and it's still one of my favorite comfort foods. As Joe said when I made a batch the other night, "I could eat ten sandwiches and still never have enough of these."

My mom always made these with shredded chicken breasts she'd baked in the oven. Over the years, I've experimented with different preparations for the chicken -- poached breasts, store-bought rotisserie, the shredded and boned canned stuff -- and I've found little difference among them taste-wise. My favorite thing to use is rotisserie chicken, because I like the addition of the dark meat and the fact that there's not nearly as much sodium as in the canned stuff. You'll be seeing this on my menu frequently this fall and winter, because these sandwiches are so quick, easy and delicious to prepare, they work great as leftovers, and they remind me of home.

Mom's Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk (more or less depending on how thick you want the mixture to be)
Lots of black pepper
Salt to taste

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours. Serve on sandwich buns with American cheese, if desired.

Cream Cheese- and Pesto-Stuffed Chicken

2009-10-19T10:51:00.004-04:00

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know that I love stuffing chicken breasts. I just think it's such a great way to add flavor to chicken, which really doesn't have a whole lot of flavor on its own. And there's so much opportunity for innovation, too, which is always fun and a good way to stay out of a cooking rut.

I first saw this recipe on Carrie's blog quite a while ago, and I knew immediately that I wanted to try it. I can't believe it took me this long to get around to making it, and now that I've tried it, I can't wait to make it again. It may sound like there's really not a lot going on with this recipe, but to date it is absolutely the best stuffed chicken recipe I've ever tried. The filling is so creamy and flavorful and downright decadent, and it pairs perfectly with the crispy breading. You absolutely have to try this one, immediately. We served the chicken with steamed broccoli florets and garlic and cheese orzo, and I think it was one of the best meals we've had for a while. Seriously -- so good!

Cream Cheese- and Pesto-Stuffed Chicken
source: adapted from Eating Well

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon basil pesto
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine cream cheese, pesto and pepper in a small bowl with a fork.

3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up each breast; season inside and outside with salt and pepper. Place one-fourth of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

4. Lightly beat egg with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in the egg, then dredge in the breadcrumbs.

5. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Place the chicken, browned-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Garlic and Cheese Orzo

2009-10-19T10:37:00.003-04:00

There's nothing particularly fancy about this pasta -- it's just a delicious, simple, and quick side dish. It's something I'll definitely be turning to in the future as a side for all kinds of things.

I have a habit of reading a recipe through once and then making it without looking at the recipe again -- even if it's something I've never made before. That's what I did this time, and for some reason I got it in my head that this pasta was supposed to have onions in it. The original recipe doesn't call for them, but I'm actually really glad I added them. I thought they added a nice sweetness to the dish and worked really well with the cheese and garlic.

We did have some leftovers that I knew Joe and I wouldn't eat, so I mixed the pasta with some broccoli and sent it for Andrew's lunch at daycare the next day, which he really enjoyed. I usually suck at side dishes and lately I've been making an effort to change this. This one was definitely a hit with the whole family.

Garlic and Cheese Orzo
source: adapted from Rachael Ray

Salt
1/2 pound orzo
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Ground black pepper

1. Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat to boil the pasta. When the water reaches a bubble, season it with salt and drop the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions then drain and reserve.

2. When the pasta is ready, place a large skillet over medium heat with the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until aromatic and tender. Add the cooked pasta, cheese and parsley to the pan, season with pepper and toss to thoroughly combine.

Weekly Meal Planning

2009-10-18T10:26:00.000-04:00

Monday: Breakfast for dinner -- banana nut pancakes and bacon. I'll be doubling the recipe this time, because I'm pretty sure we all could have eaten more the last time I made these.

Tuesday: Pepperoni- and cheese-stuffed chicken breasts, butter and garlic angel hair pasta (from a box, I know, I suck), roasted broccoli

Wednesday: French bread pizzas, mozzarella sticks

Thursday: Tuscan grilled chicken sandwiches, oven rings. I might use sliced provolone cheese instead of fresh mozzarella on the sandwiches this time, like Katie did in her version.

Friday: Pizza-stuffed peppers

Saturday: Skillet beef stew, mashed potatoes, rolls

Sunday: Artichoke lasagna, garlic bread. I'll probably add spinach to the lasagna, too -- yum!

Weekend Breakfast: Eggs and biscuits with sausage gravy

Baking: Maple-drizzled apple muffins

Walnut Pear Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2009-10-16T09:22:00.004-04:00

The house where I grew up had an enormous back yard, and at the very edge of the property was a pear tree that produced a lot of fruit, year after year. Every year, as soon as fall arrived, my brother and I were out there collecting the harvest. They were the best pears I've ever tasted, impossibly sweet and juicy. We always had more fruit than we knew what to do with, but my mom always loved trying to come up with new ways to use them. She canned them, dried them, paired them with pork chops and chicken, and baked with them a lot. So while other kids were celebrating the arrival of fall with pumpkins and apples, my brother and I were celebrating it with pears. To this day, I have to say that pears are my favorite autumn fruit.

My love of pears is what initially drew me to this cake. And it actually ended up reminding me a lot of the pear streusel muffins my mom used to make when I was a kid. Needless to say, I absolutely loved it. It came out a little dry, but I think that's only because I cooked it a little longer than I should have (the recipe calls for a 9-inch springform pan, but mine is 10 inches). I think streusel is one of the world's most perfect culinary creations, and it worked so well with the sweet, soft pears in this recipe. I'm filing this one away to make every single autumn.

Walnut Pear Sour Cream Coffee Cake
source: Better Homes and Gardens

1 cup broken walnuts
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 medium pears, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Combine the 1 cup nuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. For topping, cut the 1/4 cup butter into 1/3 cup flour to make coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup of the nut mixture. Set nut mixture and topping aside.

2. Toss pears with lemon juice; set aside. In a medium bowl combine the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to batter. Beat on low speed after each addition until combined.

3. Spread two-thirds batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture. Layer pears over top. Gently spread remaining batter over pears. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake 10 minutes. For a chunky top, sprinkle with 1/2 cup more nuts. Bake 45 to 50 minutes more or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan, if using. Cool at least 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

Zucchini Alfredo

2009-10-15T10:11:00.002-04:00

I discovered this recipe by accident. I went to Allrecipes in search of something completely different, but this dish happened to be the featured recipe of the day on the site. I printed it immediately. It sounded like something all of us would really like, and we did.

I loved the creaminess of this dish, and with a few additions, the sauce had really great flavor. One Allrecipes reviewer mentioned that you could omit the pasta all together and eat this as creamed zucchini instead, and she was absolutely right. The sauce is definitely thick enough for that -- in fact, when I make this again, I may add more milk to thin out the sauce a bit more. It was definitely delicious as-is, though, and Andrew especially enjoyed it (as I knew he would; we're so lucky that anything with green vegetables = love to my boy).

This one is definitely a keeper, and a dish that I'll for sure make again!

Zucchini Alfredo
source: adapted from Allrecipes

1 box penne rigate (or pasta of your choice)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cups shredded zucchini

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent. Mix in zucchini, season with red pepper flakes, and cook about 10 minutes, until most of the moisture has evaporated.

3. Pour the milk into the skillet, and stir in cream cheese until melted. Mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and additional basil, if desired. Serve over the cooked pasta.

Chicken Cacciatore Risotto

2009-10-14T10:13:00.005-04:00

With temperatures in the 40s, cloudy skies and biting winds, and snow in the forecast for the end of the week, today seems like the perfect day to share this risotto recipe with you. Risotto is one of my absolute favorite comfort foods; it's the kind of meal that just warms the soul -- and the body, especially when the weather's getting chillier.

This recipe is adapted from a cookbook I inherited from my stepsister. She was getting ready to donate a bunch of cookbooks to charity, but I couldn't resist going through them first to see if there were any I wanted. This particular cookbook caught my eye immediately, since it contains recipes from the Mediterranean countries -- an area whose food I unequivocally love.

The recipe as it's written in the cookbook is very basic, consisting of only chicken, chicken broth, tomato sauce and some garlic. But to me, that's just not chicken cacciatore. When I think of chicken cacciatore, I immediately think of mushrooms, onions, and green peppers in a thick tomato-y sauce. So I added all of those things to the recipe, and I must say that this turned out wonderfully. Even Andrew liked it, and the leftovers heated up really well for lunch the next day.

Chicken Cacciatore Risotto
source: adapted from Viva la Mediterranean

1 cup arborio rice
5 to 6 cups warm chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 ounces mushrooms, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 14.5-ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. In a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, heat a small amount of olive oil. Add onion, bell pepper and mushrooms and cook until peppers are crisp-tender and mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add rice to pan and cook until it begins to brown and smells nutty, then add about 1 cup of warm stock to the pan. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed. Keep adding stock and stirring until the liquid is absorbed until rice is completely cooked (the whole process should take anywhere from 18-22 minutes).

3. Stir in chicken, diced tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and parsley until heated through. Top servings with additional parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

Chicken Bacon Broccoli Alfredo Pizza

2009-10-13T09:45:00.004-04:00

We liked the chicken taco pizza we had a couple of weeks ago so much that I couldn't wait to start experimenting with different toppings using the same method. First up was an idea I saw ages ago on Courtney's blog for chicken bacon alfredo pizza. I took her idea and ran with it, adding broccoli to the topping, because I love the taste of broccoli with alfredo sauce. We liked this pizza a lot. Next up to try: BBQ and buffalo chicken versions!

Sorry for the poor photo quality. Unless I can somehow manage to get dinner on the table by 4:30 PM, it's looking like I'm going to have to start using my flash more. I wish Daylight Savings Time lasted all year!

Chicken Bacon Broccoli Alfredo Pizza
source: inspired by Cooking Up a Family

1 12-inch pre-baked thin Italian pizza crust
1/2 cup alfredo sauce (purchased, or you can get fancy and make your own)
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian-blend cheese
6 strips of bacon, diced
1 cup cooked broccoli

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook bacon over medium heat to desired crispness; set aside on paper towels to drain.

2. Place pizza crust on cookie sheet. Stir together chicken and alfredo sauce in a small bowl; spread over crust, stopping about one inch from the edges. Top with cheese.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza is thoroughly heated.

4. Top with broccoli and bacon.

Quick Mozzarella Sticks

2009-10-12T10:38:00.004-04:00

First of all, I just have to say this: I have a deep, deep love of breaded mozzarella sticks, so in my book there is absolutely no way these can compare to the more traditional version. These mozzarella sticks are, however, a quick and easy at-home version of the traditional ones, and while they will never take the place of my seasoned and breaded cheese sticks, they're a perfectly acceptable and satisfying substitute. They were heartily enjoyed by all three of us.

How clever is this idea? Seriously. Using egg roll wrappers in place of the more traditional breading -- it's nothing short of genius, and something I can't believe I never thought of. I think I should have deep-fried mine for just a little bit longer than I did, just so the cheese would get meltier (no, I don't care if that's not a word), but really, I can't say a single bad thing about this recipe. I can see myself making these for my boys (and all their hungry friends, too) far, far into the future.

Quick Mozzarella Sticks
source: seen on Tried and True Cooking with Heidi, originally from Simple & Delicious Magazine

12 pieces string cheese
12 egg roll wrappers
Oil for deep-fat frying
Marinara or spaghetti sauce

1. Place a piece of string cheese near the bottom corner of one egg roll wrapper. Fold bottom corner over cheese. Roll up halfway; fold sides toward center over cheese. Moisten remaining corner with water; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and cheese.

2. In an electric skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil to 375°.

3. Fry sticks, a few at a time, for 30 to 60 seconds on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with marinara sauce.