10.27.09 Halloween blondies

The girls were napping simultaneously (what I like to call the "magic hour") so I seized the opportunity to bake some Halloween blondies, a recipe I saw in this month's Everyday Food magazine. They are cakey and sweet - and the M&M's make them so festive!

10.26.09 Pork and black-eyed pea chili

Dinner tonight was pork and black-eyed pea chili from Everyday with Rachael Ray. Robert went on and on about how much he loved this recipe - it's hearty, spicy, and delicious! It's a quick chili (30 minutes or so), and it's a great change of pace from a standard beef chili. Yum!

10.20.09 Pesto sliders

Dinner tonight was pesto sliders from Cooking Light. This isn't really a recipe as much as it is an assembly line - make mini burgers (ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper) and grill them on a grill pan over medium-high heat. Then just spread the bottom of a roll with store-bought pesto (I used one from Classico), top with a tomato slice and some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. So simple, but so delicious!!

10.19.09 Mini-meatballs with tomato risotto

Dinner tonight was mini-meatballs with tomato risotto from the Rachael Ray show. This was my first time making risotto, which has a reputation for being difficult, but I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was and how delicious it tasted! First, I learned that risotto isn't a type of rice, it's a method of cooking rice. The key is to stir "vigorously and often" so the rice releases it's starches, and you'll achieve the creamy texture of risotto without any trouble. The meatballs are small and cook quickly. This was a simple recipe with a lot of flavor - adding the butter, grated parmesan and basil to the risotto at the very end takes it over the top!

10.10.09 Ancho chicken tortilla soup

Lunch today was ancho chicken tortilla soup from the Rachael Ray show. This soup is hearty and spicy - and delicious! We layered our bowls with avocado and soup, then topped with crushed tortilla chips. Unfortunately I don't have a photo - we were so into the Razorback game I forgot to take one!

Note: There is a discrepancy between what she did on TV and what is written here - on TV she used a dark amber beer to de-glaze the pan after sauteeing the onions and peppers (before adding the tomatoes). I made the version with the beer, so my soup didn't need to be thinned out with water like the link calls for.

Pumpkin ginger spice granola

I made a batch of homemade granola last week, because I am a sucker for anything that contains the words 'pumpkin spice' (hello, Starbucks)! This is a delicious and very versatile treat - you can eat it dry as a snack, for breakfast with a splash of milk, or as a topping for ice cream and yogurt.

Pumpkin Ginger Spice Granola

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix the dry ingredients.
2 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Cups Steel Cut Oats (If you don't have this, just use rolled oats)
1 Cup Almonds, coarsely chopped or slivered
1 Cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
2/3 Cup Crystallized Ginger, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Allspice

Add in wet ingredients:
15 oz Pumpkin Puree
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp Oil
Mix until thoroughly combined and everything is moist. Put mixture on cookie sheets and bake for a total of 1 hour. Stir mixture every 10-15 minutes.

When 10 min remain in cooking time, add:
1 Cup Golden Raisins (we subbed Craisins)

10.09.09 Meatball and spinach no-sagna

Dinner last night was Rachael Ray's Meatball and spinach No-sagna (she gave it this silly name because it tastes like lasagna but doesn't have the traditional noodle or ricotta layers). I got the recipe from another food blog, Krista Kooks. I made the full recipe, knowing that leftovers would be welcome in our house over a weekend of yard work and watching college football.

Ingredients:

Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley (a fistful of leaves), chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 cans (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded provolone cheese or Italian 4 cheese-blend

Spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (10-oz) boxes chopped spinach, defrosted
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
A generous grating of fresh nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon ground
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Preheat the broiler.

Place the ground sirloin in a large mixing bowl and punch a well into the center of the meat. Fill the well with the egg, bread crumbs, onion, half of the chopped garlic, parsley, the Parmesan cheese, and a little salt and pepper. Mix the meatball ingredients until well combined but don't overmix. Divide into 4 equal parts, then roll each part into 5 balls. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Move the meatballs to the side of the skillet and add the remaining garlic and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, mix to combine. Shake the skillet to coat the meatballs in the sauce and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes more. While the meatballs are simmering, start the spinach.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. While the onion is cooking, transfer the defrosted spinach to a clean kitchen towel and wring all the liquid out. Add the spinach, chicken stock, and cream to the skillet. Season with nutmeg and cook for 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

Spread the spinach mixture over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.Top with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with shredded provolone or Italian four-cheese blend. Place under the preheated broiler (about 6 inches from the heat) for about 3 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.

Remove from the broiler and garnish with lots of torn or shredded basil.

Beef brisket for Crock Pot Wednesdays

I'm reposting this recipe for Crock Pot Wednesdays at my good friend Debbie's blog, Dining with Debbie. It's our favorite beef brisket recipe, and I found it at About.com in their Southern food section. I follow the recipe as is, but I would note that the meat shrinks quite a bit after cooking all day - so even though the original recipe says it serves 10, I think it's probably closer to 6-8.

• 1 fresh brisket, about 4 pounds
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 package dry onion soup mix
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

Preparation:

Place brisket in slow cooker/Crock Pot; cut to fit if necessary. Combine water, ketchup, soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, spices, garlic and pepper and add to the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Remove brisket from the Crock Pot. Skim fat from juices and transfer them to a saucepan. Stir in flour-water paste and cook on low until a thickened gravy forms. Serve brisket sliced with the gravy.
Serves 10.

10.02.09 Low-country smothered pork chops and potato bundles

Dinner tonight was hot and hearty - low-country smothered pork chops and potato bundles. The pork recipe was from a guest chef on Paula Deen's show, and the potato recipe was originally from The Pioneer Woman, but I used the adapted version from Krista Kooks. The pork chops were very flavorful and had some spicy heat. Robert and I both thought that the potatoes were fantastic - lots of flavor and very moist. We definitely plan on making these one of our go-to side dishes!