Blueberry Bonanza

The farmer's market had beautiful, fresh blueberries. They went home with me, and they became two very lovely blueberry tarts. I had a request for the recipe for the first one I made, so I thought I would just include both of them here.

Blueberry Tarts

Shortbread Crust (for 2 tarts):

1 cup butter softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

To make the crust:

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the flour and mix until combined. The crust will be crumbly. Press into two fluted tart pans and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool before filling.

Mascarpone Filling:

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (I didn't measure)

1 package (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese, softened

scant 1/2 cup sugar (I think this could actually decrease or be left out entirely)

cinnamon

freshly ground nutmeg

For the Mascarpone filling:

Beat the whipping cream with the sugar and spices until soft peaks form. Add in the mascarpone and beat just until combined. Spoon into crust and top with blueberries. Drizzle the top with honey and allow to chill for a couple of hours in the fridge. 

A friend of mine recently found out that she needs to cut dairy out of her diet, and so I made a tart that she could enjoy because the first one I made the filling was almost entirely dairy. 

Lemon Filling:

1/4 - 1/2 cup honey (I didn't measure)

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. tapioca flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 lemons, juiced

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 egg yolks, beaten

To make lemon filling: 

In a medium saucepan combine honey, flour, tapioca flour, salt, water and lemon juice. You could also zest the two lemons and add the zest. Whisk together and cook over medium heat until it boils and starts to thicken. Add in the butter and stir until it melts. Pour a small amount into the egg yolks, whisking continually, and then pour the yolk mixture back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat until it thickens. Pour into the crust and place in the fridge to cool. Top with blueberries.

veggie quinoa soup

Well, it's the second day of Spring here in Missouri, and this is what it looks like in my backyard:

I know, it's kind of depressing. Missouri, I moved south so I wouldn't have more Winter. Lame.

So this day called for some soup. It's packed with good for you veggies, and a touch of quinoa for some protein and goodness. I just kind of threw this together, so no real recipe, and I'm sadly lacking in pictures, but here goes.

I started with a small onion in a big pot with some olive oil. I added a giant sweet potato all diced up (and I do mean giant. If you can't find a giant sweet potato, I suggest using two smaller ones).

To this I added 3 carrots and 4 stalks of celery that I sliced. I put in one container of veggie broth (4 cups?). Then I threw in a head of broccoli florets. I added some cayenne, turmeric, curry powder, cumin, ground ginger (I was going to use fresh, but sadly mine had gone bad), cinnamon, crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil, and chili powder.

I added a large can of diced tomatoes and about half of a small can of tomato paste. Then I filled the diced tomato can with water and added that. Then I put in 1 cup of quinoa.

I let this boil and then simmer for a while, letting the quinoa cook and the veggies get softer. After letting this cook for a while, I tore up a bunch of kale and added it in. Let it cook a little longer and voila! Dinner!

I would serve this with biscuits or cornbread, but sadly I am out of milk, so I had to settle for some saltines instead. Enjoy!

Oh, and I was featured over at my friend Hannah Cole's blog because back in September I did the cupcakes for her wedding with a little help from my cupcake Elves: me mum and the lovely Stephanie Grace over at Gracie's Bakes.  

Pumpkin Lovin'

Please, try these today. They are amazing! And you will love me forever for telling you to make them. A sweet friend who is getting married and moving out of the country in 3 weeks came over tonight so we could have a baking date one more time. I saw this recipe and wanted to try it, so I thought this would been the perfect opportunity to try it out. It's super easy, and you should have everything to make them in your pantry.

Pumpkin Poppers 

(Because you will want to pop them all in your mouth) 

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves and stir to combine. 

In a separate bowl combine oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk and whisk. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients and mix until combined. 

Fill a mini muffin tin cups until almost full. Bake about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a little bit.

Melt 1 stick butter. In a separate bowl combine 2/3 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. cinnamon. Dip the poppers in the butter and then in the cinnamon/sugar mix and try not to eat each one you dip. Enjoy!!

P.S. I finally got an SD card reader, so there will be blog posts in the near future whenever my life calms down enough for me to post some.

Another Daniel Fast Meal

This was an incredibly filling meal and again made a large pan of food that feed my roommate and I for several days. This was two separate dishes. It is a black bean chili bake served with broiled polenta squares. I started by making the polenta because it needs to sit in the fridge to set up.

Broiled Polenta Squares

6 cups water

1/2 Tbsp garlic salt

2 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 tsp dried basil

Bring water to boiling in a large saucepan. Add the garlic salt. Reduce heat to simmering and slowly pour the cornmeal and basil into the pan in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until the polenta is thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan. With a paper towel rub the sides and bottom of a 9x13 pan with water to prevent sticking. Press the polenta into the pan until well packed. Cover and allow to sit in the fridge for 2 hours or until completely cooled. 

When ready to serve, cut the polenta into squares and place on an oiled cookie sheet under a high broiler (a toaster oven will also work) until they are slightly browned and crispy on the outside. 

 Black Bean Chili Bake

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large can chunky tomato sauce

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 can corn kernels, drained

1/2 cup diced onion

1 Tbsp chili powder

sprinkle cayenne pepper

sprinkle garlic salt

sprinkle cinnamon

Put beans in a large bowl and mash until they are about half crushed. Add remaining ingredients and stir until will combined. Put in a 9x13 that has been lightly rubbed with olive oil. Bake in a 350*F oven for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. I served this with avocado on top and some green bell pepper on the side.

Baked Oatmeal

I recently went on a Daniel Fast. For anyone who doesn't know what that is I will describe it briefly for you. Basically you eat fruits, veggies, whole grains (like brown rice and oats), and beans. So for someone who enjoys food as much as I do, this can be incredibly difficult. The plus side is that I feel awesome! I feel spiritually, mentally, and physically very clean and focused. I am however, looking forward to enjoying foods that I wasn't able to eat, but I thought I would share a few recipes that I tried while on the fast with you.

This baked oatmeal is divine. It is seriously so delicious, nutritious and makes a whole 9x13 pan (which my roommate and I ate in 2 days).

Baked Oatmeal

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup dried fruit*

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

*You can use apricots, raisins, dates, cherries. Whatever suits your fancy. Just make sure to get dried fruit that does not have sugar added to it. You might have to go to a health foods store to find it.

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a 9x13 that has been lightly greased with olive oil. Bake at 350*F for 40-50 minutes or until slightly browned on top. Serve warm with some peanut or almond butter on top. You could also serve this with some baked apple slices or fresh fruit like pineapple.

Stir Fry

I had a friend over for lunch the other day, and by the other day I mean it was probably 2 months ago now. My how time flies! When I asked if there was anything specific that she wanted to eat, she said that she had really enjoyed the curry I made, so maybe something like that. I decided to make stir fry, mostly because I hadn't made it in a rather long time, and it sounded good to me.

Stir fry is super easy to make and can be altered so easily to fit different dietary needs. It is also super healthy and delicious.

Start by setting your rice to cooking because that will take the longest. I made sushi rice with coconut milk.  Next cook a couple of chicken breasts that have been cut into chunks. I cooked these in a little coconut oil and seasoned with curry powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, cinnamon, and pepper. When the chicken is finished cooking set aside and keep warm.

Add to the wok cut up veggies of your choice. I think I used onion, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus. It is best to use fresh veggies. You can also use bell peppers, zucchini or yellow squash, green beans, peas, really any vegetables you like. Allow these to cook until they are a little soft, but not all the way cooked. This gives you a nice crunch. Add the chicken back in and cook just a little longer.

Serve with the rice and eat right away. You can also use some soy sauce if you want that flavor.

This is a really great meal to make because it is fast and easy, but can be easily modified to suit almost anyone's taste buds. It is also really easy to make this a vegetarian meal.

Strawberry Cake

I have several recipes to add on here, but this one I had a request for which is why it is getting precedence. I made this for the Valentine's Day dinner that I hosted. I thought it fit well with Valentine's Day to make a pink cake, so Strawberry Cake was the winner. If you have been reading this blog for long, you know by now that I dislike using box cake mixes, and may I just say that it is extremely difficult to find a from scratch strawberry cake recipe. When I found this one I was sold. I made it once last fall, and it was so delicious, I knew it would be perfect for Valentine's. (I apologize for the lack of photos.)

Strawberry Cake
24 oz frozen strawberries, thawed
1/4 cup almond milk
4 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
dash cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350*F and grease two 8inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a paper towel. Thaw strawberries and drain some of the liquid off using a strainer. Puree the strawberries using a food processor or blender. Reserve 3/4 cup puree for the cake and set the rest aside to add to the frosting. In a small bowl combine the puree, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix with a fork until well blended and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer mix together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Beating on low speed, beat in the butter until moist crumbles form. Add in the liquids and mix until combined. Pour evenly into the cake pans, smooth tops, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
5 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
reserved strawberry puree

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in butter and beat until smooth. Add in vanilla. Then add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in some of the strawberry puree, but not too much or the frosting will be runny.

To assemble, place one layer of cake on cake plate, top with some strawberry puree. Place other layer on top. Then frost and enjoy!!

Notes: You can also make this cake with fresh strawberries. I'm looking forward to trying that this summer when there are fresh ripe strawberries. Obviously, you will want to hull the strawberries before you puree them. 6 large egg whites can also be substituted for the 4 eggs. I haven't tried this recipe with applesauce instead of eggs, but it seems to me like it would be delicious and make this cake even more moist than it is already. Maybe next time I make it that will happen.

pumpkin pancakes

The other morning something happened that has never happened before. My roommate and I ate breakfast together. We aren't really breakfast people. We like breakfast foods. We just tend not to like breakfast hours. We have frequently had brunch together, but never breakfast, until the other day that is. And what a breakfast to have. . .I seriously think I could dream about these pancakes. Absolutely delicious!! I adapted my recipe from Alice's Tea Cup's recipe.

Pumpkin Pancakes
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3-6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup pumpkin puree

Mix together the dry ingredients. Then one at a time add the buttermilk, butter, applesauce and pumpkin, mixing well with a spatula after each addition. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then stir again. Then allow to sit for another 15 minutes. Cook on a griddle or in a skillet until bubbles form, flip and cook for another couple of minutes. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Yum!

P.S. I'm headed off to Mexico for 10 days starting tomorrow, but I'll be back after that, and I have some yummy recipes to share with you! Stay tuned!

classic french

Chocolate Souffle. Yep. I don't even need to say anything else about it because it's just that good (or perhaps I'm tired and just don't want to take time to be descriptive and witty. . .you're choice).

Chocolate Souffle
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
sprinkle cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp white sugar

Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter a 6 cup souffle dish. Or if you don't have a 6 cup souffle dish a springform pan works as well. Coat with 1 Tbsp. white sugar.

In a bowl stir together cocoa powder, cinnamon and flour. Add butter and blend well.

Heat milk in a medium saucepan until very hot. Reduce heat; add cocoa mixture, beating with a whisk until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in dark brown sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly and add egg yolks one at a time beating well after each addition. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat the egg white until foamy and then gradually add the 2 Tbsp. white sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a small amount of egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is puffed.

This is best served immediately. The picture shows it served with a creme anglaise sauce which I will post the recipe for some other time. You do not have to serve it with this sauce. It could also be served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Tiramisu

I greatly enjoy Tiramisu. It's one of those classic Italian desserts that just send you to another planet while you are savoring every last bite, and then you lick the plate. It is the perfect combination of slightly sweet, coffee, and creaminess. I first made Tiramisu probably three or four years ago, and it has been on my favorites list ever since. Here is my version.

Tiramisu

Espresso Syrup:

1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup strong brewed espresso (or french pressed coffee)
1/4 cup coffee liqueur (or you can use brandy if preferred)

Cream Filling:

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. mascarpone cheese, softened (I use the coffee one)
1/2 lb. ladyfingers
Cocoa Powder (for dusting)

Start by making an espresso syrup by combining the water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from the heat and cool. Add in coffee and coffee liqueur and set aside until ready for layering.

Then make the filling by whipping the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Then fold the cream into the softened mascarpone. You can also add some cinnamon into this mixture.

Now you are ready to assemble the Tiramisu. Start by putting a layer of ladyfingers in the bottom of a pan. Pour half of the espresso syrup over the ladyfingers. They will soak up the liquid, so don't freak out!


Then put half of the cream filling on top of the ladyfingers.

Add another layer of ladyfingers.


Pour the other half of the espresso syrup on them.


Then top with the remaining half of the cream filling.


You will want to cover this and let it chill in the fridge and set up overnight if possible. It gets better when it has a chance to sit for a while because the ladyfingers become nice and espresso-y. Before you serve this sprinkle the top with cocoa powder.

Then sit back and let your taste buds take you on a wonderful journey of blissful delight as you enjoy each and every bite of this deliciousness.

Getting Creative

You know I believe in celebrating people's birthdays. Well, I try to make them what they like best, so I ask for guidelines. This leads to all kinds of responses, and can lead me on new adventures in cooking. There is always a little part of me that gets nervous when I decide to get creative in the kitchen because I'm a little afraid of failing. But that's one of the things I love most about being in the kitchen. No matter what kind of day I have had, I know that when I step into my kitchen and put together the right ingredients, I will get a delicious result.

All of that to say I asked a co-worker what he wanted for his birthday treat, and he told me cheesecake with jello. I had never heard of such a thing before, so I came home and googled jello cheesecake, and after browsing through what seemed a hundred recipes, I decided to combine several of them to get what I made.

It starts with a chocolate cookie crust, topped with a chocolate cheesecake layer, topped with fresh raspberries over which there is raspberry jello. So let's just call it:

Chocolate Raspberry Jello Cheesecake

Start by melting 4 oz. dark chocolate (at least 60% dark, I would probably go all the way to 70 or 75% if possible, but I like my chocolate dark). Remember when melting chocolate to stir it frequently so it doesn't burn the chocolate.

Then crush up some chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Oreos). Combine with a little melted butter and press into a pie plate.

Bake in a 350*F oven for 7ish minutes to help it to set. If possible I would then put this in the freezer to help it set further. I did not actually get to do that with this one, but I would do it next time.


In a bowl combine about 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, some cinnamon, and about 2 Tbsp. milk (I used heavy whipping cream instead of milk and it made the cheesecake layer much thicker than I had expected), and 8 oz. cream cheese that has been softened. Beat until well combined.


Add in the chocolate and beat again until well combined.


Layer this on top of the cookie crust. At this point I would put this back into the freezer to set for a while, but I didn't do that the first time around. Top with fresh raspberries, and pour over that raspberry jello (a 3 oz. package made according to the directions). Allow to sit in the fridge overnight to set.


The only problem I really encountered that I wasn't expecting was that when I poured the jello over the top the crust kind of fell apart that's why I would suggest chilling it in the freezer after putting in the cheesecake layer, but it ended up just fine. Serve this topped with whipped cream.

Salted Brownies (sans eggs)

I love sea salt in chocolate. It's just something about that salty-sweet flavor that appeals to my taste buds. I was looking for a brownie recipe without eggs one day, and I stumbled across this recipe for salted fudge brownies. It called for eggs, but it sounded so good I couldn't pass it up and decided just to substitute for the eggs. Here is my adapted version.

Salted Fudge Brownies
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
9 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. large flake sea salt + more for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350*F. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring often.

Remove from heat and add in cocoa powder and stir until smooth.


Add in brown sugar and stir until dissolved. You could also throw in a shake of cinnamon here.


Add in applesauce and vanilla and stir until combined.


Add in flour.


Pour batter into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. I didn't have either of those, so I used what I did have. Then sprinkle with the sea salt and swirl in with a knife. Be careful to not get it too salty.


Bake for 30ish minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still a little soft. Don't over bake!


Enjoy! And they do crumble when you eat them right away when they are warm, in case you were wondering. They are best that way. ;)

An American Classic

Apple pie is classic Americana. It says 4th of July and summertime and picnics. It says family and home and country. And I love making pie, even having a job where I made pie every day for 6 months did not take away my love of baking pie.

In my humble opinion it is the crust that makes the pie. Crust should be flaky and crispy and melt in your mouth. If the crust isn't good, the pie won't be any good. I am torn as to whether I should let you in on my crust recipe. . .not right now. . .maybe later. I will tell you my secret ingredient. I replace a little water with chilled vodka. Here is my apple pie recipe.

Apple Pie
5-6 apples
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
Sprinkle cinnamon
Sprinkle nutmeg
2 Tbsp. flour
2 pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350*F. Peel, core and slice apples. Toss in the brown sugar, flour, and spices until evenly coated. Fill the bottom pie shell and top with 2-3 Tbsp. butter cut into pieces. Top with top crust. I chose to do a woven top crust on this pie. Sprinkle the top of the pie with some cinnamon and bake on a cookie sheet for 40ish minutes. I bake it on a cookie sheet in case it overflows the pie pan. I would rather clean a cookie sheet than clean an oven.


I have used several types of apples, but right now I am stuck on granny smith's because I like the tartness that off sets the sweetness of the brown sugar. I also go back and forth on what to use to sweeten my apple pie. I said brown sugar here because I probably use it the most, but I also really like to use honey. This will make for a slightly more runny pie, though, because there is more liquid.

just because. . .

. . .everyone deserves birthday cake (or pie or cookies or whatever their dessert of choice is). This is one of my personal beliefs. Life is meant to be celebrated, to be savored, to be enjoyed in every capacity to the fullest. Whenever possible, I like to make that happen for the people in my life. In a day and age of fast food and grocery store baked goods, I have an ability to cook and bake that is rare (especially among my age group), so I don't take it for granted, and I try to bless everyone in my life with my abilities whenever possible.

Chocolate cake is a staple, and I have a go to recipe that will please almost anyone, and it's vegan (shhhh, don't tell anyone I said that). I used to have a running competition with a friend that dessert could be delicious and healthy. I would make dessert and after a proclamation that it was indeed delicious, I would proclaim in return that it was also healthy. This cake is my ultimate achievement of delicious and healthy.

Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
about 1 tsp. cinnamon
6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with a paper towel and then grease the pans.

Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add in the applesauce, almond milk, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until mixed. Stir in the water. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

I get paranoid about over baking, so I always start with a lesser amount of time and check and then add more time. My oven also cooks a little hot, so I start with 15 minutes and then add 5 minute increments. I think it takes about 20-25 minutes for this to bake. It is done when the middle of the cake springs back up when you lightly touch it.

Allow the cakes to cool completely and then remove from the pans and frost. This is where the cake stops being vegan, but just because of the frosting I choose to use. If you use a frosting without butter in it, then the cake will remain vegan.

Chocolate Frosting
1 stick butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Add the powdered sugar and almond milk alternately, beating well between each addition. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. I find that this usually makes just a little more frosting than I need, so I like to lick out the bowl when I'm finished, but you do whatever you feel like. ;)

And make this cake the next time someone tells you it's their birthday. They will thank you, trust me!

My recipe is adapted from the recipe for Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake and Frosting.

Eating Healthy

I love eating squash. It's soooo good and such a fun Fall/Winter food, and it's really good for you too! You can do so many different things with squash, but this is how I have been enjoying it lately.


I used one medium sized sweet potato and one medium sized butternut squash for this. I cut the ends off the butternut squash and then peel it with a potato peeler and then cut it in half and dig the seeds out. I believe that you can roast the seeds just like you can with a pumpkin, but I have not done that myself. I then just cut it up into nice sized chunks. I washed the sweet potato and then cut off the ends and cut it into chunks. I threw these into an oven-safe dish.


Then I topped it with spoonfuls of coconut oil, which I happen to be obsessed with currently. It is so good for you and gives you a taste of the tropics. Yum! I also topped with my favorite seasonings. I used a bit of cayenne pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, and sea salt, but feel free to use whatever you like. This is about achieving a flavor palate that appeals to your taste buds. Put this in a 350*F oven for 15 minutes and then stir. Repeat in 15 minute cycles until you have reached the tenderness level that you desire. I like my squash soft almost to the gushy point, but not quite there. You can eat this by itself for a healthy and nutritious dinner or you can add something to it.


For instance if you happen to be obsessed with toasted cheese sandwiches (like me) you can eat the squash as a side for your toasted cheese sandwich.


And there you have it, a healthy, easy to make dinner perfect for a cold winter day.

mmm. . .hot chocolate

Photo courtesy of my lovely roommate KB

Tis the season for hot chocolate. The weather is colder and with Christmas approaching I find that this hot chocolate is becoming a staple in our house. I prefer sipping chocolate to regular hot chocolate, so this is my version. I also am not a huge fan of super sweet things, so this is not a super sweet hot cocoa either. Here's my version of hot chocolate. This makes about 2 servings, and the measurements are not exact, so make it to taste.

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 heaping Tablespoons tapioca flour
sprinkle cinnamon
freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup water
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a saucepan and add the water and 1 cup of half and half. Mix until combined. Then add the last cup of half and half and the vanilla. Continue stirring until the hot chocolate has thickened to the perfect thickness for your tastes. This will become pudding if you let it go long enough. Also it is really important to continuously stir it or else it won't thicken evenly.

Observations:

Freshly ground nutmeg is the only way to go. Don't use the ground nutmeg from a container. Find whole nutmeg and grate it. You will not regret it, I promise. This makes hot cocoa soooo much better.

For all my friends whose bodies don't agree with milk you can most certainly substitute almond milk for the half and half.

For those of you who enjoy a little something special in your hot chocolate you can add peppermint schnapps, southern comfort, rumchata, whiskey, brandy or other liquor of your choice. We most often drink ours with peppermint schnapps.

However you decide to alter your hot chocolate, I hope you will enjoy it. . .all winter long. Merry Christmas!!

P.S. The days are going to start getting longer now!! :)

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 ish Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned oats
raisins
chopped dark chocolate

Cream together sugar and butter. Add applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Mix well. Add baking soda, flour and oats. Mix in raisins and chopped dark chocolate. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. And enjoy. I also added some peanut butter to this latest batch. Enjoy!!

scottish whisky cake

My sweet baker friend (who is coming home at the end of this month. . .eeeeee!!!) posted this recipe a while ago, and I was looking for the perfect opportunity to try it out. I had a group of friends over for dinner on Sunday and decided that I wanted to give it a try. Here's my take on her recipe.

Scottish Whisky Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. whiskey
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups dark brown sugar
6Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine coffee, whiskey butter, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour into a large, heat resistant bowl. In a small bowl combine applesauce and vanilla. Stir into chocolate mixture. Then stir in flour mixture until just combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. My oven runs hot so I baked it for about 30 minutes.

When the cake is almost done baking make the following whisky butter sauce.

Combine 1/4 cup whisky, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup butter, and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved.

When cake is done remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minute. Poke holes in the cake using a toothpick and pour the whisky butter sauce over the cake slowly until it is all absorbed. Allow to cool and serve to happy people. This can be topped with whipped cream.

the makings of something delicious

Get ready for some Julia Child deliciousness a la Meli.

a bit fishy

I was on my way home from work tonight (after getting off early) and trying to decide what to make for dinner (because I got off work early) when I realized that I really wanted some fish. I have been craving asparagus lately too, so I decided to stop at the grocery and get some asparagus so I could throw this all together.

Preheat oven to 350*. Start by making a nice white wine sauce for the fish. Melt about 3 Tbsp. of butter in a saucepan and add some fresh chopped garlic as well as some basil leaves, a good pour of white wine, some fresh ground pepper and a dash of cinnamon.


Put the fish fillets in an ovenproof pan then pour the sauce over them. Drizzle with some olive oil and pour in another good splash of white wine.


Place asparagus and some diced tomatoes in the pan with the fish. Place in the oven and bake for 20 ish minutes.


While that is baking, cut up some fresh pineapple and melt about 2 Tbsp. of butter in a skillet. Pour in a dash of rum (I used guava rum because I had some on hand. And I recommend it if you can because the flavor was fantastic!). Sprinkle it with cinnamon and drizzle in some honey. Then add in the pineapple. Allow to cook for just a bit, but not so long that the pineapple gets mushy.


To plate up this delicious meal add some diced, uncooked tomato to the top of the fish and asparagus with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Make sure you get a little of the sauce from the fish spooned over it and spoon on some of the sauce from the pineapple over it as well. I was sad that the grocery didn't have green asparagus because it would have made the plate so much prettier, but alas they did not have any.