Pumpkin Muffins

I made these muffins so I could still have a tasty breakfast without spending too much time in the kitchen before class. They taste so much better than those muffins that come out of a bag and you just add milk. No thank you. One can of pumpkin makes two batches of pumpkin muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 C canned solid packed pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil (olive oil would work too)
2 large eggs
1 t pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1 T sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon

Eggnog Pancakes

These pancakes make me feel fancy.

Eggnog Pancakes

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Makes enough for two

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
heaping 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground allspice
3 Tablespoons butter melted until browned
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The Best Bread

I have a new favorite bread recipe. This bread is super easy to make and only has four ingredients. I had to make sure I planned ahead since there's a lot of rising that needs to happen with this bread. The actual hands-on process is very easy and not nearly as time consuming as all the rising that takes place with this bread. This bread is simple and satisfying and is sure to leave your guests impressed. Seriously, I don't think I've made a better bread. It is a very nice, simple, white bread that is great with a nice southern dinner or just to snack on during the day. I would suggest planning on giving one of the loaves away since this recipe makes two. Yes, I think you could eat both loaves. Yes, I think I could eat both loaves. But we both know we should share and not indulge too much.

Simple White Bread
Originial Recipe from Joy the Baker

1 1/2 C hot water
2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
2 teaspoons of salt
4 cups of bread flour

Fruit Salad

This post is mainly to show off the nice camera on my new phone. This salad was very light and didn't make me feel weighed down like those cake batter cinnamon rolls did the other day. I used the 'vintage' setting on my camera to give the pictures that nice...vintage look. I think it's a nice change.

Inexpensive Treasures

I was browsing a resale shop today which is something I absolutely LOVE to do. I'm moving to a new place in two days and I was in search of a few last minute items for my new place. One of the things that I love about resale shops is that you can find some really great items, items that tell such a wonderful story, for such a reasonable price. I was able to purchase these ten plates (5 dinner plates and 5 saucers) for only $1.00.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

I made three batches of caramel sauce today. The first batch was made with Splenda, the second with half and half, and the third was made just the way the recipe suggested. The batch with half and half was a complete flop. Right now it's in my fridge and the half and half has seperated from the sugar. The Splenda batch worked fine, though it did not have the deep amber color I was hoping for. My favorite has to be the batch where I followed the recipe to a T. So now I have three different batches of caramel sauce in mason jars sitting in my fridge. I'm not complaining at all.

Buttered Pecan Oatmeal

This is a great breakfast recipe if you're in a hurry and looking for something filling and satisfying, or if you just have a few extra pecans on hand that you want to use.

Just make sure when you're cooking your pecans you don't decide to do the dishes all of a sudden because they will BURN and you will have to start over. Trust me.


Buttered Pecan Oatmeal
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker
Serves 1 hearty serving or 2 small servings

For the Pecans:

1 scant tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped pecans
pinch of salt

For the Oatmeal:

1 cup water
pinch of salt
1/2 cup quick cooking or rolled oats
3 tablespoons sugar (or sweetener substitute)

Accompinaments: milk, turbinado sugar, brown sugar, berries, etc.

Seven Yolk Pasta

I decided it was time to make pasta again. This time I tried a new recipe which worked out a lot better than the last one. I added a little bit of whole wheat flour in so I felt like it was a little bit healthier.

This was the first time I have ever beaten eggs but hand. You're supposed to whip the eggs with your fingers in a circular motion while slowly incorporating flour through the sides of the well.

The picture above was taken after I kneaded the dough for fifteen minutes. FIFTEEN MINUTES!

Strawberry Balsamic Flatbread

This flatbread has everything that I like, such as strawberries, cheese, the tangy taste of balsamic vinegar, and flour. Have I mentioned that I have an obsession with dough? It's probably not a healthy obsession to have, but it's just soooo good!

This flatbread was so easy to make and the taste is different than a lot of breads I'm used to. I like how the strawberries are on top of the bread instead of being crushed inside. It was also my first time to use orange zest. I guess you can tell I'm still pretty new to the culinary world.

How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet

I've never done this before in my life until this morning. I've never even thought about doing this before. I guess I thought that when you buy a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet you won't ever have to season it again. Wrong! I wanted the shininess on the bottom of my cast iron skillet again. This trusty skillet has been through the ringer, especially since Dad likes to put water in it sometimes when it's still hot.

How to season a cast iron skillet:

Place an aluminum foil lined baking sheet on the bottom third of your oven.
Place the top rack on the top third of your oven.
Over medium heat rub oil (such as crisco, bacon grease, or vegetable shortening) on the inner bottom and sides of your skillet using a paper towel and tongs.
Place the skillet in your oven upside down and heat for an hour and let the skillet cool in the oven once the heat is turned off.

Repeat this process 3 to 4 times for best results.

*Note: Your skillet may appear to be very sticky once you've seasoned it, but this will wear off after a few uses. Just make sure the first few things you cook require a little bit of oil anyway.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I really need to stop making desserts. My bottom is starting to hate me for loving desserts as much as I do. But these cupcakes are heavenly. It's true, someone once called them, "A little piece of Heaven." I wonder if they have desserts in Heaven.

Probably not. But who knows.

These are actually almost too sweet for me. I'm not a huge fan of Oreos. But people LOVE when I make them.

Peach Marinade for fish

Yes, you read the title correctly.

I know it looks disgusting. I know you've probably never heard of using peaches as a marinade for fish, or any meat for that matter.

Yes, I know it sounds weird. But this is definitely delicious and worth making during the summer when you have a ton of fresh peaches on hand.

Sorry the picture is kind of lame. I was really hungry.

Peach Marinade for Tilapia (or fish of choice)

recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

2 peaches, pitted

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil

4 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tilapia filets

1 red onion, chopped

Noodle Kugel

I'm not Jewish, but I sort of felt like it today when I prepared this noodle kugel. Okay, maybe not so much, but it sure was delicious. I look for strange recipes when I'm trying to figure out what I want to cook next. Sometimes I look at the skill level, though recipes aren't as intimidating as they used to be. Sometimes I look at the ingredients, and if there are too many ingredients that I do not have, I usually move on to the next recipe (unless it's Tiramisu or something wonderfulanddelicious like that). I like things like bread, pasta, cheese, vegetables, berries, rich flavors, coffee, etc. I'm not even as much of a meat eater as I used to be. I could probably be a vegetarian if my body didn't crave protein as much as it does. And I love filet mignon too much to ever completely give it up.

When I saw this picture on Smitten Kitchen's website I knew I had to make it.
via Smitten Kitchen

Healthier Buttermilk Pancakes with Berry Compote

I love breakfast food. I don't see how some people can wake up craving shrimp and chicken wings or cold pizza. I love when I make a batch of pancakes and have enough leftover for one or two more mornings of pancakes. No, not when you go ahead and make the pancakes, put them in the freezer, then heat them up the next morning. I like to just put the batter in a glass bowl and save them in the refrigerator until the next morning so I can prepare them fresh. Fresh is always best.

This recipe came from Guilty Kitchen, a site I am loving more and more as the days go by.

Healthier Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe from Guilty Kitchen
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp wheat germ (optional)
2 Tbsp flax seed, ground (optional)
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Homemade Pesto

This is perhaps one of my greatest accomplishments in the culinary world. Yes, I used a food processor to make my pesto. Yes, I know it supposedly tastes better when you chop everything by hand. I'd rather make pesto in five minutes than thirty. I'm sure most people would agree with me.

Oat, Maple, and Blueberry Scones

I've really been into scones lately. I used to view scones as very time consuming and not worth the trouble, but boy was I wrong! Scones are so versatile! This original recipe only called for maple syrup and quick oats, but instead I used steel cut oats and blueberries and they turned out great! You could also substitute the blueberries for anything you have on hand, even raisins.

Oat, Maple Syrup, and Blueberry Scones

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 3/4 C All-Purpose flour, plus extra for dusting surface
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 very heaped tablespoon baking powder
1 very heaped tablespoon superfine (caster) or granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Scant 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
1 cup blueberries
1 egg, beaten (for glaze)

Honey Cilantro Dressing

I've never really been a huge fan of salad dressings. Probably because I've never been a huge fan of salads until recently. The bottles of salad dressing you get at the store are just pumped up with a bunch of ridiculous ingredients, such as sugar and salt. Why do I want sugar and salt in my salad dressing? Okay, some homemade salad dressings do call for sugar and salt, but I want to be in control of how much goes in my dressing.

This is my new love. Homemade salad dressings. They even make me have a deep love for salad. Sometimes.

This salad dressing is filled with great things. Things that make my taste buds do crazy things because they are so delighted to be covered in this nice salad dressing. I think I've shared too much.

Simply Fruity Pies

Hand Pies. That's what these babies are. Delicious. Easy. Addictive.

I think this could be used as a light dessert treat, but I used them as lunch and dinner items. I had two pie crusts in the fridge due to a forgotten project and I really wasn't in the mood for making a big pie. After seeing the homemade pop tart idea from Smitten Kitchen, I immediately knew what to do with my spare pie crusts that needed to be cooked soon. Without wasting another moment, I skipped to the kitchen, rolled out the pie crusts on wax paper, got my handy pizza cutter and cut the crust into nice rectangles (some triangles). I took some fresh blueberries, strawberries, and peaches out of my refrigerator, gave them a quick wash, then sliced them right over the crusts and made different combinations with the fruit. I found that my favorite was blueberry and peach.

How to Make Pasta

2 cups of all purpose flour (or spelt, whole wheat, gluten free flour)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of milk

1 teaspoon of oil

Make a well on a board with flour and salt.

Whisk eggs, milk, and olive oil.

Add egg mixture to flour and stir until everything is well incorporated.

Cheesecake with fruit topping

Photo courtesy of Anne. (:

Cheesecake with fruit topping
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman


Crust
1 box Vanilla Wafers
1/2 cup Pecans
1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, Melted
1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Filling
3 packages 8 Ounce Cream Cheese
1-1/2 cup Sugar
4 whole Eggs
1/2 cup Sour Cream

Topping
2 cups Blackberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, or berries of choice
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Water

Brown Butter Stuffed Penne

Noodles, filling, and herbs can be altered according to personal preference.

Filling:
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of basil (or herbs on hand)
zest of half a lemon

Jalapeño Cheddar Scones

I have a new love for scones ever since I tried the dreamy cream scones the other morning. While those are still my favorite, other members of my family prefer this recipe. My folks are spicy jalapeño fans. While I was up in Tennessee, my Aunt Jil gave me a few of her jalapeños from her jalapeño plant. There is nothing like fresh jalapeños. I halved this recipe but used one and a half jalapeños instead of just one. The jalapeños and the cheddar cheese gave these scones a wonderful flare and really hit the spot this morning when my taste buds were looking for something a little bit different.

What you'll need:
(if you half the recipe, use more than 1 jalapeño to give it more of a kick)
(*****It would be wise to wear gloves while dicing the jalapeños.)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, divided
1/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 small jalapeños, minced

Cream Scones

I USED to not be a big fan of scones, but after the description Smitten Kitchen gave, it was hard to resist these. So what was it about these that made them oh-so-delicious? The heavy cream. What have I been missing out on all of these years?!?!

These are the best scones I've ever eaten. Period.

Dreamy Cream Scones
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Makes about 24 scones

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup currants (or dried/fresh fruit of choice)
1 cup heavy cream

Sweet and Sour Carrots

This recipe came from Publix's recipe selection. Tonight I decided to make sweet and sour chicken and what a better side dish to go with it than sweet and sour carrots?! Brilliant.

Sweet and Sour Carrots
Recipe from Publix
Serves 3-4

1/2 lb. carrots, cleaned and sliced
1/8 cup red wine or apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup brown or turbinado sugar
1/2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/6 cup chopped pecans
1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Monkey Bread

I have two friends who are getting married later this month. I haven't seen the bride-to-be in almost a year, and we were planning a nice get together before the big day. Since she was so kind to make dinner for me, I wanted to make a nice dessert for her. What kind of nice dessert? I searched for days. Okay, not days, but for a little while. I wanted something that wasn't too hard to fix, but something that wasn't a very common dessert either. I've never made monkey bread, or even had monkey bread. I guess I thought it wasn't very common. The dough can be made by hand like I did it, or you can just cut up instant biscuits into fours. Another tip is putting the cinnamon and brown sugar in a freezer bag and adding the balls and shaking everything up together instead of dipping them. You can also pour the melted butter over the balls in the pan instead of dipping them. Either way, it should all taste the same: delicious.

Pumpkin Waffles

Pumpkin waffles were a great treat this morning. I found that I like these waffles still a little bit doughy and it really brought out the right texture for the pumpkin puree. These would go great with an egg on top and with a cup of coffee. These were eaten very fast by every member in my family. The prep time took a little bit longer than I had originally expected, but it was so worth it. Also, I suggest making the full batch and using the entire can of pumpkin puree. I halved the recipe and now I have half a can of pumpkin puree in my fridge and I'm not sure what I want to do with it.

Pumpkin Waffles
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar or turbinado
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Super Seeded Soda Bread

No, not soda from a can, baking soda! This recipe contains six different seeds, poppy, sunflower, seasame, pumpkin, and flax! Though, next time instead of using whole flax seeds I'll use ground flax seeds since those are easier to digest and you'll get full nutritional value.

Stuffed Shells*

These stuffed shells are out of this world exquisite. They were so good my folks requested I make them a second night in a row. The ricotta cheese filling was so divine, and really could be adapted with anything else you have in your fridge or pantry. The originial recipe called for chives as an add in, but since I didn't have any chives I started looking around for a good substitute. I added in a few thin slices of leeks, some fresh basil, and some parsley. There really is a lot of room for exploration. The sauce was super simple, just some crushed tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

It is best, I think, to make a few things ahead of time or to really start making the dish an hour and a half before you're wanting to eat. It does take 45 mintes to cook and you'll need to wait for the shells to cool before you stuff them. But they are so worth the wait! I had so much fun making the shells I really wasn't paying attention to the time at all. If you're pressed for time I'm sure you could just put a glove on and stuff away.

This recipe is originally from Heidi Swanson, one of my favorite women right now. She keeps things healthy and simple, just the way I like it! She also has a ton of great recipes at http://www.101cookbooks.com/.

This recipe also makes a huge serving of food. I prepared just enough pasta for the night and made all of the sauce and ricotta filling so I could store the leftovers in the fridge.

Homemade Naan

Naan is an Indian flatbread and it's becoming increasingly more popular here in the United States. It's also super easy to make! I followed this recipe and didn't have to make any modifications! I loved it, my folks loved it, and it's definitely on the list of something I'll need to make again. I put a few in the freezer just so they would keep a little bit longer. This naan went wonderfully with the feta dip I made yesterday.


Homemade Naan
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour Or Wheat Flour
• ¾ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Warm Milk
• ½ cups Yogurt
• ½ Tablespoons Oil, As Needed
• Garlic and Rosemary to season (or herbs or butter of choice)

Feta Dip with a kick

 Looking for a nice party pleaser or a cheese dip to eat throughout the week? I really wasn't, but I stumbled across this recipe and immediately wanted to try it. I knew my folks would like it since the jalepenos gave it a little bit of a kick, perhaps more than just your average cheese dip. The crumbled feta gives it a nice texture in your mouth and the garlic and lemon zest really gives it a nice flavor.

"Crazy Feta"
Recipe from How Sweet It Is
Yields 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 bricks of feta cheese, 8 ounces each
3 whole jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon
1 bulb garlic
the juice of half a lemon
the zest of half a lemon
salt and pepper

Strawberries and dumplings

Strawberries and dumplings? At first it sounds like an odd combination, but then you start to really think about it and it's brilliant! Especially when strawberries are in season.

And if you're like me, you have a weakness for all things made out of flour.

Brussels Sprouts

Who doesn't like brussel sprouts? Okay, my Dad doesn't, but who else? Well, probably a lot of people, but they really shouldn't.

Here's a handful of facts about brussels sprouts from health diaries:

Like broccoli and some other members of the Brassica family, Brussels sprouts contain something called sinigrin, a glucosinate that may prevent colon cancer, according to research.

One cup of Brussels sprouts contains 1,122 IU of Vitamin A.

That same cup also contains 669 IU of beta carotene.

A cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains about 60 calories.

1/2 cup contains 80% of the RDA of Vitamin C.

And well, they are just plain cute. Vegetables can be cute, right? Brussels sprouts definitely win my vote.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

I know it's not fall, but I love foods containing pumpkin during every season. I also love ice cream during every season.
So why not have pumpkin ice cream in the summer? I couldn't find a reason why not to have it, either.

I think this would go great with a nice cup of coffee.

Everything goes great with a nice cup of coffee.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Recipe from Food.com.

Cucumber Avocado Salad

I had an avocado going bad in the fridge and some fresh cucumber from Paul's garden that I wanted to find some way to make a delicious salad with. This recipe was very simple and I found all of the ingredients right in my fridge. I liked the lemon-lime salad dressing because it didn't come from a bottle with any added sugar like most bottled salad dressings.

Okay, I have to admit, I wasn't in love with this recipe. I guess you have to really love avocado and cucumbers to love this recipe, which Mom does. She probably could have eaten the entire bowl of this stuff.  Which is the main reason why I am adding this recipe to this blog. I wish I had liked it more, and I will definitely make it again and eat some because I should like this more.

Did you know avocado's lower bad (LDL) cholesterol and raise good (HDL) cholesterol?

I didn't until yesterday. But this is just another reason to eat more avocados.

I have two more in the fridge that I'll need to eat soon anyway.

Lemon-Ricotta Poppyseed Pancakes

I had these pancakes yesterday morning and they were so good I decided to make them two mornings in a row so I could take pictures this time. The recipe doesn't call for milk, but instead ricotta cheese! I found this recipe while searching Martha Stewart Recipes. I cut this recipe in a third since I didn't need 16 pancakes and I even had a little bit leftover to put in the fridge to make another morning. I also heated up a handful of mixed berries with a pinch of turbinado sugar in a small saucepan while I was cooking the pancakes for a nice compote.

Lemon-Ricotta Poppy Seed Pancakes
(originially from here)

Makes 16 pancakes

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 2 large lemons
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• Vegetable oil, for griddle
• Maple syrup, warmed
• Berries, for garnish