M&M Coconut Cookies

  Whenever I start to feel stressed and overwhelmed I tend to crave cookies.  They're easy to make and oh so comforting.  So when my friend Clarinda posted this recipe on her awesome new food blog  right in the middle of some big stressors in my life, I started obsessing about these cookies.  I literally saw the recipe, started drooling, and within 24 hours had gone to the store for the missing ingredients.  With coconut and chocolate it was just the stress relieving pleasure I was looking for and my kids loved the fun, bright colors.     Hope you have a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving! 

The ingredients: 

3/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1-3/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

2 cups coconut

2 cups  plain M & M's

Preheat oven to 350° .  Cream shortening, sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to shortening mixture.  Stir in coconut and M&Ms.

Be careful...the dough is addicting!

Spoon dough on to ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350°  for 7-10 minutes.   Enjoy!

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

The last few weeks I have found myself neck deep in way too many projects.  One of the things I've been missing out on while I've been so busy is trying out new recipes.  My old favorite recipes have been gracing our table  more and more lately and I am thankful to my "sisters" who have stepped up in publishing their own recipes, so this blog doesn't fall by the wayside.  It's honestly how I envisioned this blog in the first place--all four of us sisters, two sisters-in-law, a cousin, and my mom all taking turns sharing their favorite recipes--and how I hope it to stay in the future.  

This recipe encapsulates well what my family likes to eat on a daily basis.  It's Mexican, oozing with cheese and cilantro, and easy to make.  I envision this one becoming one of those old favorites in the future!

Click here for printable recipe.  

The ingredients:

2 cups chicken breast, cooked and diced (out of sheer laziness I used a can of Costco chicken)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (4.5-oz.) diced green chili peppers
1 can (10-oz.) red enchilada sauce
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (no substitutions)
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 container (8-oz.) low-fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Saute chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.

Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.

Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Avocado Smash

I heard about this recipe from my sister-in-law, Karey. I tried it and loved it! Karey told me she found it on the Food Network website.  (Note from Lara:  AnnaLisa made this for our family and it was gobbled up in no time flat. I was also impressed with how quick and easy to make it was. )

Click here for Printable Recipe.

Avocado Smash
from AnnaLisa

1 avocado
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
3 scallions - thinly sliced
1 lime - juiced
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
1 plum tomato - finely chopped

Remove one avocado flesh to a bowl. Add the cilantro and scallions. Pop the lime in the microwave for a few seconds. Add the juice of one lime, the sour cream and season with salt and pepper. With a fork or spoon smash up the mixture, leaving chunks for a good consistency. Chop and seed the plum tomato and fold into avocado. Serve with chips or crackers. Enjoy!

Cooking with Kids (Thanksgiving): Turkey Cupcakes

My kids truly believe that there is a cute treat to go with every holiday and I have no one to blame than myself for this holiday sugar fixation.   It wasn't enough for me to stick with Valentines, Easter, birthdays, and Christmas---no I had to go ahead and throw in Groundhog's Day, April Fools' Day, and even "Pi" Day.   So with all that precedent, of course I'm always on the look-out for more fun ideas to throw into the mix.  This is an idea I got from my friend Andie and knew instantly that my kids would love it, which they did of course!   Click here for my other Thanksgiving recipes. 

Click here for printable recipe. 

 

(My kids were debating amongst themselves at which way the wings went.  I very nobly decided not to get involved, but if you look at the group picture at the end of the post  you'll see that they never did decide! If you have an opinion, you'll have to let me know. )

The ingredients:

Cupcakes, baked
White frosting
Nutter Butters (for turkey bodies)

Black decorating gel  (for eyes)
 Red fruit roll-ups, cut into small wedge shapes (for wattles)
Vanilla wafers, halved (for wings)
Candy corn (for back feathers)

Frost each cupcake with white frosting; set aside.   Using the black decorating gel, make the eyes and stick the fruit roll-up wedge shaped down (either with the black gel or a bit of the white frosting) to be the wattle.  Push the Nutter Butter "turkey body" down into the center of the cupcake.  Place two vanilla wafer halves on either side of the turkey to be the wings and finally making two rows, place several candy corns upside down back behind the turkey to be the tail feathers. 

Cute, cute!

 

NOTE:  If you  have food allergies which prevent you from using the Nutter Butter cookies, I have found that Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies work well as a nut-free, although slightly more expensive substitute .    

Enjoy!

Spicy Mole Pork Burritos

This is a recipe I found in the Washington Post food section after it was named a finalist in the 2008 Pillsbury Bake-Off. I was intrigued by the description and by the unique mix of ingredients, so I decided to give it a try.  Because of the long prep time, I don't think I'll be making them often, but it was fun to sample a recipe worthy of being a bake-off  finalist.

(Please forgive the boring picture.  I could have sworn I took one with it unrolled, but somehow it never quite made it from the camera to the computer.)

Click here for printable recipe.  

The ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

1 cup water

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 medium clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 Tbs. apricot preserves

2 Tbs. chopped green chili peppers, drained (from a 4.5-oz. can)

1/4 cup raisins

2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbs. finely ground almonds

1 pound lean ground pork

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 can (10-oz.) enchilada sauce

1 can (15-oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

8 flour tortillas (8-inch) {red or green tortillas would make for a more interesting color combo}

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1-1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Cook the rice in the water according to package directions. When it is ready, remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the chipotle pepper, apricot preserves, green chili peppers, raisins, cocoa, and ground almonds.

Lightly grease a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium high heat. When hot, add the pork and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. Drain.

Add the onion mixture to the drained ground pork; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the preserves mixture, broth, and enchilada sauce; increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until it turns a rich mahogany color and is aromatic. Add the beans and cooked rice; cook for 2-3 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Meanwhile, heat the tortillas according to package directions.

To assemble, spoon about 1/3 cup of the pork filling down center of tortilla; there may be filling left over (reserve for another use). Sprinkle the cheese over the filling of each burrito. Fold sides toward center, overlapping edges. To serve, place the burrito, folded sides down, on individual plates. Garnish each serving with dollops of sour cream and the cilantro. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Ice Cream Cake Trifle

(NOTE from Lara:  This is my cousin Trish's first post ever!  Let's give her a warm welcome to the Recipe Shoebox and to the world of blogging.  They've made this divine dessert for our family before and it was as beautiful as it was sinfully delicious!)

Click here for printable recipe. 

Ingredients:

Ice cream sandwiches
caramel topping
hot fudge topping
crushed almonds (actually, I prefer Heath Candy bars here)
whipped cream

(Try out different toppings, nuts or candies to determine your own favorite variation on this dessert)!

This layered dessert can be assembled in a trifle bowl or a 9x13 dish depending on how you'd like to see it displayed ( I suggest using glass so that you can show off the pretty layers)!




Begin by using the ice cream sandwiches as your first layer. Fit them closely and tight, cut to fit if needed.











Cover that layer with whipped cream and drizzle with caramel topping.






Sprinkle crushed almonds, and then top that with another layer of ice cream sandwiches and whipped cream, only this time drizzle with hot fudge before sprinkling the almonds. Continue to layer in this manner until you run out of room or ingredients!







Put in freezer to set up until ready to slice and serve serve... don't eat too much, it can be addicting ;-)

Gingersnaps with Pumpkin Dip

I'm a real sucker for falltime desserts, which is why this combination caught my eye at a wedding reception I attended recently. This sweet pumpkin dip is a perfect complement to the soft, spicy gingersnap. It's also great on apples, graham crackers, and Wheat Thins.

Enjoy!



Gingersnaps with Pumpkin Dip
from Karey

For Gingersnaps:
3/4 c. butter or shortening, or a combination
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (optional, but encouraged!)
1/2 c. sugar, for rolling

For the dip:
1/2 c. pumpkin
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter/shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg. Beat until smooth. Add sifted dry ingredients. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 min.

Place all ingredients for the dip in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Dip to your heart's content!

Cooking with Kids (Thanksgiving): Oreo Turkey Treats

After all those fun Halloween treats we made a few weeks ago, my kids were getting the itch to try something fun for Thanksgiving too.  One of the kids' teachers made these last year with their class and I thought they were just adorable, so we decided to try it at home.  My younger kids needed some help with the details, but my older ones (6+) had no problems and totally enjoyed themselves in the process. They're fun, cute, festive, and easy to make. Can't beat that!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:
1 pkg. double stuffed Oreo cookies
1 pkg. candy corn
1 pkg. whoppers
1 pkg. squeezable white icing (with a fine tip)
1 pkg. squeezable red icing/gel (with a fine tip)

Each child will need 2 Oreos, several candy corns, one whopper, and some white and red icing.

Gently wiggle the candy corns down in between the chocolate layers to create the "feathers".

Remove the top chocolate layer off the other Oreo. Put a little stripe of white icing and place the Oreo filled with the candy corn feathers upright into it pushing down slightly.

Place a tiny dab of frosting in front to hold the whopper "head". Decorate the whopper with eyes and a wattle and voila...

Total Thanksgiving cuteness!

Enjoy!

Pear Frangipane Tart

Did you know that you are a pastry chef? You are! Or at least you will be, once you make this tart. Believe me, if I can do it, you can do it! This one's sure to wow your Thanksgiving guests!

I found this recipe in the back of a recent Family Fun magazine, and I was instantly drooling over the combination of pear and almond flavors. Weeks later, I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I finally dove in despite my fear of the process. I was surprised to find that the recipe had such perfect instructions that everything was incredibly easy! I will type up the instructions verbatim, so I don't mess things up for you!

It's also a very forgiving recipe. I don't have a food processor (just a little chopper), I didn't have unsalted butter (just omitted the pinches of salt), I don't stock unbleached flour in my pantry (subbed half all-purpose, half whole wheat pie and pastry flour - which was divine!), and I always forget to buy parchment paper (the egg wash stuck a little bit, but the crust was fine). Be prepared to put this one in the keeper file once you try it! By the way, a little Googling taught me that it's pronounced "fran-juh-pan".

Click here for printable recipe.

Pear Frangipane Tart
from Family Fun Magazine, November 2009

Ingredients
For the dough:
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
*be sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, rather than using the cup as a scoop!
9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup ice water

For the frangipane:
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Pinch of salt

For the pear filling:
3 ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 1.5 lbs.) peeled, cored, and each cut into about 12 slices
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Pinch of salt

For finishing the tart:
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
Sugar for sprinkling
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

1. Make the dough. In a food processor, pulse the chilled flour and butter with the salt, until the butter is reduced to pea-size pieces, about 7 or 8 times. Pour the ice water in a steady stream through the lid opening, pulsing the processor 6-8 times as you do so. Do not pulse the mixture after all the water has been added (the dough should be dry and crumbly).

2. Place the mixture on a cool work surface. With the heel of your hand, mash it against the counter until it comes together and forms a rough dough. Shape it into a 1/2-inch-thick disk and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

3. Next, make the frangipane. In a food processor, grind the almonds and sugar into a fine meal. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse in short bursts until well blended. Set the mixture aside.

4. For the filling, toss the pears with the sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Taste the filling, add more sugar if desired, and set it aside.

5. Heat the oven to 425° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a 16-inch round, rotating it after each roll to prevent sticking. If needed lightly dust with flour as you roll. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes if at any time it becomes warm and hard to handle. Fold the dough in half twice (quarters) and transfer it to a parchment lined cookie sheet.

6. Unfold the dough and spread the frangipane in an 8-inch circle in the center. Add the pears, arranging them in an even layer on top of the frangipane. Fold the sides of the dough over the pears, pleating and tucking the edges as you go.


7. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle it with sugar. Cut the tablespoon of butter into small pieces, then scatter them over the entire tart. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° and bake the tart in the lower third of the oven until the bottom is brown and crispy and the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Cool the tart for about 30 minutes before serving it warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if you like. Serves 8 (or four if you're feeling indulgent!).

Cheddar Dill Bread

Sometimes I get so focused on making the main dish of a meal, that everything else just goes by the wayside. As a result, I'm always on the lookout for simple, easy side dishes to accompany my simple, easy main dishes. This is one I found that whipped up quickly, had the light flaky texture of biscuits, with the robust flavor of dill and cheddar. It rounded out our meal just perfectly!




The ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp. dill weed
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly; stir in cheddar and dill. In a small bowl, beat egg and milk; pour into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. (Batter will be very thick--similar to a biscuit dough). Don't overwork the dough.

Place dough into greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pecan Waffles

I have always felt that eating dinner together as a family is a powerful way to reconnect and stay in touch with our kids. After all, we all have to eat anyway and sitting down is the most convenient way to do it, so why not make it a family affair? But lately it's getting harder and harder. My kids are at four different schools this year, have sports and music practices, church activities, and homework. Suddenly our "easy" way to reconnect isn't so easy anymore. Anyone who is home will join in for family dinner, but it's becoming less and less common that all seven of us are home at one time in the evening.

So, what do we do?

The next best thing to dinner----Breakfast! Most school days breakfast is still a hurried affair with all the different schedules, but on the weekends we like to slow down and savor our breakfasts a little more. Toast and cereal make way for pancakes, waffles, muffins, and eggs. I love the extra time we get to gather all together as a family around the table and I love that after a good hearty breakfast we buy an extra hour or two before everyone's hungry for lunch.

These buttermilk pecan waffles were a little heartier and a lot more flavorful than most waffles and with the "Secret" Buttermilk Syrup recipe were yum, yum, yum and a great way to start the day with your loved ones!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:
2 cups flour (I used half white, half whole wheat)
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter, melted ( I reduced it to 1/3 cup)
3 Tbs. chopped pecans

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until light. Add buttermilk; mix well. Add dry ingredients and beat until batter is smooth. Stir in butter.

Pour about 3/4 cup batter onto a lightly greased preheated waffle iron. Sprinkle with a few pecans (if desired). Bake according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Repeat until batter and pecans are gone. Serve hot with fresh fruit and "Secret" Buttermilk Syrup. Make about 7 waffles.

Enjoy!

Pretzel Rolls

A couple of months ago my sister-in-law Karey brought these lovely looking rolls to our monthly family dinner....

Not only were they beautiful to look at, but they were also reminiscent in texture, taste, and chewiness to the soft pretzels of my youth. Ever since then I've been obsessed with making them myself. I've tried a few recipes now and found this one to be the best of the bunch. It seems the secret is the baking soda, sugar, and water bath before baking. The boiling water gives it the chewy texture and the baking soda and sugar give it the distinctive pretzel-y flavor.

These are definitely better the first day and you don't want to save them in a plastic bag if you do have leftovers, since they'll get soggy after a while. Wrapping them in a towel to save overnight seems to be the best way to store them overnight. I did make one of the batches with whole wheat flour and they didn't have quite the right chewy texture, but were definitely still delicious!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

(coarse salt and cornmeal not pictured)

5-1/2 cups flour
2 Tbs. quick rising yeast
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
up to 2-1/2 cups hot water (125°-130°) (probably will not need all of this)
Cornmeal
8 cups water (for boiling)
1/4 cup baking soda
2 Tbs. sugar
1 egg white, beaten
Coarse salt

Combine flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in stand mixer and blend together. While machine is still running, gradually add hot water until a smooth elastic dough consistency is reached (you may not need all of the water, so be sure to add slowly).

Knead for 3-4 minutes. Add dough to large greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then towel; let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

When dough is doubled, punch dough down and knead on lightly floured surface until smooth. Divide dough into 3 equal sections. Take one of the thirds and form into six equal sized dough balls. Using serrated knife (or cooking shears), cut X in top center of each dough ball. Repeat with the other two thirds of the dough. Cover with towel and let dough balls rise until almost doubled in volume, about 25 minutes.

Preheat oven 375°. Grease another baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal, set aside. Bring 8 cups of water to boil in large saucepan. Add baking soda and 2 tablespoons sugar (water will foam). Add 4-6 rolls and cook 30 seconds per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer rolls to prepared sheet, arranging X side up. Repeat with remaining rolls.

Brush rolls with egg white glaze.
Sprinkle rolls generously with coarse salt.

Bake rolls until brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on wire rack. Serve warm or room temperature. Makes 18 rolls.

Look at that perfect texture!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

I usually leave the recipe posting to my sister, Lara, who seems to have a little too much fun cooking and blogging if you ask me, but today I am having a grumpy day (being woke up four times in the night by a bored four-year-old will do that), so I've decided to bake. It's a little sad that baking (and eating the finished product) is like a panacea for all my problems, but it's true. This recipe here is our family's favorite pumpkin bread recipe and is sure to brighten up a dreary autumn day with its pumpkin-y autumn flavor, moist texture, and the ever so important CHOCOLATE! We usually make them as muffins, but the loaves are fun for sharing with friends. I usually use whole wheat flour and sometimes replace some of the oil with applesauce, which is still very good.

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 can (16-oz.) pumpkin
3-1/2 cups flour ( I use part whole wheat)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup oil (or applesauce to save fat & calories)
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 - 2 cups chocolate chips

Cream all ingredients together and put into greased and floured loaf pans (2). Bake 1 hour at 350°. We actually rarely make them as whole loaves, but make them in muffin tins instead. It cuts way down on the baking time and makes it easier to dole out to the kids. For muffins bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Thai Beef Salad

I'm always on the look-out for healthy and easy meals I think my family will like. This is one I found in a recent Taste of Home magazine that caught my eye for its nice presentation and well-roundedness. My kids would love the noodles, my husband would love the beef, and I loved that it was healthy and easy. Of course things don't always necessarily go as planned with cooking!

While did all end up eating our portions (even the younger kids), it definitely didn't go on any of our favorite's lists either. We found that the dressing was a tad bit too sour for our liking, so if I ever made it again, I would probably end up finding a recipe for a savory peanut sauce to use instead of the vinaigrette dressing. We actually ended up eating the leftovers without any dressing at all and with all that hearty beef and crisp red peppers we didn't miss it at all.

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
DRESSING:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup peanut or canola oil
2 Tbs. lemon or lime juice (I used lime)
1 Tbs. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot
1-1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional)
1-1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

SALAD:
1 pkg. (5-oz.) spring mix salad greens
1 small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
4 green onions, chopped
1 lb. deli roast beef, cut into strips (I had the deli slice it 1/4-inch thick for this recipe)
2 Tbs. chopped salted peanuts, optional

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients.

Drain spaghetti and rinse in cold water; toss with 1/2 cup dressing. Place in a large serving dish.

In a large bowl, combine the salad greens, red peppers, and green onions. Drizzle with remaining dressing; toss to coat. Arrange lettuce mixture over spaghetti. Top with roast beef; sprinkle with peanuts, if desired.

Enjoy!

Fresh Pesto and Tomato Pasta

With its fresh pesto and tomato flavors I knew immediately that we would love this recipe I found over at the Sisters' Cafe. The kids thought it was such fun helping me collect 5 whole cups of basil leaves from our plant to make the pesto and ended up loving it as much as we adults did. Serve it up with homemade bread sticks and a salad for a simple, healthy dinner!

(I used a bit too much of the pasta water in thinning mine, so it didn't turn out as green as I'd expected. The flavor, however, was still fantastic!)

The ingredients:Click here for printable recipe.

1 cup basil pesto (I used this recipe from Sisters' Cafe)
1 lb. penne pasta
6-8 cups diced fresh tomatoes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Basil leaves
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Prepare basil pesto. Store in refrigerator or freeze until ready to serve (see link above for a great recipe!)

Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Just before draining the pasta into a colander, remove ~ 1/2 cup of the pasta water; set aside. Drain the pasta, put back into the pot, and then stir in the Basil Pesto and the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, to create a sauce. Add diced tomatoes and toss to coat thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer onto individual serving plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and shredded Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Giveaway Winner!!!

And the winner is....

Heidi who said:

"Congrats! Keep the wonderful recipes coming :) What a great giveaway. I don't know if I want the pastry mat or the pie plate more.... I guess if I have to pick I will say the pie plate because you would laugh if you saw my poor pathetic pie plate (my good one was left at my moms house when I brought a pie and now she says it was hers!!)"

Congratulations Heidi. I'll be in touch to get your address, so I can get your new stoneware pie plate sent to you soon.

FYI (a little about my methodology): I printed a list of all the comments off, removed the ineligible entrants (people related to me or who did not want to enter), then each entry was assigned a number, then we used the ever faithful random.org to pick a random number for us.

Honey-Lime Chicken with Warm Black Beans and Spinach Salad

After the last few posts, it may appear that all we ever eat at our house is junk food night and day, but I actually do cook dinner every night too. :) This meal I tried from a church cookbook was one of those meals that qualified as healthy AND good in my book. The original recipe called for salmon so I've included those instructions in here, but since my husband is very allergic to seafood I've substituted it with thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breast tenders instead. The meat was well-flavored and tender and devoured by kids and adults alike, while the corn/bean mixture packed a little bit of a punch with the crushed red pepper and scared off the kids. Next time I will probably halve the crushed red pepper amount (or omit it) for the kids' sake.

We served this meal to a friend with vegetarian leanings and he absolutely LOVED the corn/bean salad. With the kids just wanting to eat the meat, it was a good mix for both of them!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

4 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

Juice of 2 limes

3 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

6 chicken tenders (or salmon fillets)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 box (10-oz.) frozen corn (or can)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 can (15-oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

2-3 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

6 cups baby spinach, chopped

Preheat skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper (the spice). Saute 3 minutes. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium skillet over med-high heat with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. In a shallow dish or plastic bag, combine juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add chicken breasts (or salmon fillets) to lime-honey mix and toss to coat thoroughly. Add seasoned chicken/salmon to hot skillet and cook until just cooked through: 3-5 minutes on each side.

To the cooked onions, add bell peppers and corn and cook another minute.

(I decided to throw in an orange pepper too)

Add chicken stock and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add black beans and cook until heated through. Remove skillet from heat and add juice of second lime, cilantro, and spinach. Toss to wilt spinach. Serve salmon/chicken on top of warm black bean and corn salad. Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Cooking with Kids (Halloween): Scarecrow Cookies

As I sit here typing this recipe up I'm starting to sense a theme in my mothering style. Apparently I like to entertain my kids with cooking and creating food. I've even got them perusing my food magazines and circling recipes they want to try. Hehe! I guess that's not SUCH a bad thing, except that all they ever want me to make is goodies!

This cute recipe (from Taste of Home) was one the kids saw in the magazine and begged and begged for me to buy the ingredients for. Since it's never a good idea leaving an entire batch of any goody lying around our house (especially when we always seem to have a plethora), I agreed only on the premise that we would make them to share with friends.

That was good enough motivation for my kids. As soon as I had all the ingredients in the house they eagerly decorated these cute little scarecrows and had a great time. Surprisingly not a single crow bothered us while we made them either. ;)

**If you haven't seen my giveaway yet, be sure to go check it out before it ends this Friday 10/23. **

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

1 batch of sugar cookies, cut into 3-inch round shapes and baked (find my favorite sugar cookie recipe here)
1 box of Frosted Mini-Wheats (or All-Bran) (for the hair)
1 bag candy corn (for the nose and hat decorations)
Chocolate sprinkles (to make the stitched mouth)
Sugar wafer cookies (for the hat), cut into 2-inch and 3-inch pieces
Mini M&M's or mini chocolate chips (for the eyes)
Vanilla frosting

Generously frost each of the cookies.

Then place the 3-inch slice of sugar wafer as the bottom brim of the hat leaving enough room right above it for the top rim to stick to the frosting as well.

Next add the shredded mini wheats or All-Bran for the hair ( All-Bran is what the original recipe called for and actually looked really cool, but I wanted to use something that my kids would actually eat.)

Then add the mini m&m's or chocolate chips for the eyes.

Place the candy corn nose into place.

Arrange the chocolate sprinkles into a stitched mouth shape. (This step was way too hard for all of my kids except the twelve-year-old, so most of the cookies just had sprinkles in the general shape of mouths {as seen below}).

Decorate the hat with gel or candy corn pieces as desired.


Enjoy!

Cooking with Kids (Halloween): Easy Spider Cupcakes

The month of October turns into one big giant sugar fest for our family. Two of the kids have birthdays this month, which means that in addition to the normal sugary treats of October, we also end up making cupcakes, cookies, and birthday cakes to celebrate their birthdays.

This past week was a particularly crazy one for me, so when it came time to make treats for my son to share with his first grade class, I ended up just showing the three younger kids (9, 7, & 4-years-old) the pattern from the Taste of Home magazine, and let them go to town decorating the cupcakes completely by themselves (with strict instructions not to lick the knife).

They were as simple as could be for them to do and turned out completely adorable. I only wish I had thought to take a few pictures of the process....

**Don't forget my Pampered Chef pie giveaway is ending on Friday!!! **

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:
Oreos
Shoestring licorice (the original recipe called for black, but our store didn't sell black and my kids don't like it anyway, so we used the red)
Orange frosting
M & M's
Cupcakes, baked in muffin papers

Generously frost the cupcakes with orange frosting.

Cut shoestring licorice into 3-inch segments and separate.

Place 4 segments on each side of the cupcake opposite each other (pressing them lightly into the frosting) .

Press Oreo gently in the middle of the cupcake (covering the tops of the legs).

Dip each M & M into a little frosting, then place on the Oreo to be the eyes.

Now that's a spider you won't have to squash!

Enjoy!

One Year Blogoversary/ 200 Posts / Giveaway/ Apple Pie Recipe and Tutorial!

I was surprised when I came to write my "Blogoversary" post tonight to discover that not only is it the birthday of my blog today, but it's also my 200th post. Wow! How is that for serendipity?

I started this blog exactly one year ago today in hopes that it would become a way for my sisters, my mom, and I to share and organize our favorite recipes. It got off to a slow start with mostly me posting all my old stand-by recipes while my audience consisted of mainly of people related to me. Since then it has become a hobby I love and a motivation for me to keep trying new recipes. Me and my family have really benefited with the discovery of new favorite recipes and many new friends in the process. Thank you to all of you for your support!

Over the development of this blog, I have often felt badly that I posted all my old favorites first thing when not many people were looking at the blog and now most people are finding my new recipe experiments and not so much my tried and true favorites! In honor of my blogoversary and 200th post I am reposting one of my very favorite recipes--my famous apple pie recipe. Of course I'm not really famous outside my circle of friends for it, but I have won bake-offs with it and been promised a place in heaven by my bishop after he tasted it, if that tells you anything.

Perfectly flaky crust and tender, flavor filled apple pie...if only reaching eternal salvation were this easy. :)

Read to the end for my special 200th post/blogoversary giveaway!!!!

Just a quick note: While my pies have gotten prettier with time, I still have a lot to learn in the artistic department. The recipe makes an out-of-this-world perfectly flaky crust and a mouth watering, flavor filled, tender apple pie filling. The beauty part takes practice and more of an artistic eye than I have.

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Click here for printable recipe

Pie Crust--this crust was a Maryland State Fair winner from 1979 (obviously not my entry since I was in first grade that year). After experimenting with a million different ones over the years, this is by far my favorite (and everyone else's too)!

The ingredients:

1 cup Crisco (I like butter flavored Crisco)
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg + enough ice water to make ½ cup liquid

Directions:

Cut shortening into flour and salt until mostly the size of peas (DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH! Big clumps are not only okay, but desirable. You do not want to dough to start sticking together at all).
For the egg/water mixture I put an egg in a half cup measuring cup and add ice water to the top.Make a slight well in the flour/salt/shortening mixture, add the egg/ice water mixture and stir with fork until just barely clinging together. Knead with hands for 15-20 seconds just bringing in some of the loose crumbs. (Only do this until the dough is just holding together, you do not want want to overwork the dough). I think the crust handles best when used right away, but you could cover and refrigerate the dough at this point. Yields two to three 9” crusts. (I always get two, but my friend Karen always gets three. I guess it depends on how thickly you roll out the dough.)

Divide the dough into two equal sections. Then on a generously floured pie mat (mine's from Pampered Chef, although if you look at the link they're even cooler now than the one I have. I love that you can just pop it straight in the dishwasher to get it clean.) or a piece of wax paper. Use your hands to pat the dough down until relatively flat. You'll want to flip it over a few times in the process of flattening, reflouring the surface slightly each time.

Don't be scared to flour the surface VERY generously.

Making sure you start with both sides of the dough and the mat well floured, use the rolling pin to form the crust into a somewhat circular shape. Make sure that you rotate the whole mat a few times while rolling out the dough to ensure that the thickness is even throughout. (Do NOT be alarmed about streaks of shortening you see in the process of rolling out. This is normal and desirable. A pie class I went to said that those streaks are what make it flaky.)
(Never mind the skiwampus shape of this one, I pulled the edges of the V on the right together to repair it. Even after years and years of making pie crusts---crusts still rip, stick, or end up slightly off shaped occasionally. Practice makes it easier to prevent and to fix.)

After rolling it out to your desired thickness, carefully brush off excess flour and lift the entire mat into a centered position over your pie pan and release gently into the pan.


Be careful when removing the pie mat/wax paper, so that you can try to minimize any rips or sticky spots in the crust. (Making a mess is inevitable during this process, so don't stress!)Don't flute or trim edges yet, unless you are making a single crust pie. You want to leave it all hanging out until you add the filling and top crust (I forgot to take pictures of doing the bottom crust, but needless to say it's all the same, other than there isn't anything in the pan yet.)

Whew! The hardest part is done! Now it's onto the filling part...

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No Fail Apple Pie--seriously this is SO easy!

1 ½ cups sugar, divided
¼ cup flour
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ginger
6-7 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped (no substitutions--you want tart, firm apples and Granny Smith are the best) **SEE NOTE BELOW ABOUT CHOPPING.
1 Tbs. butter

Start with the pie crust rolled out into a 9” pie pan. Combine ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup flour, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and sprinkle over the uncooked bottom crust (this step seems weird to a lot of people, but I promise it turns out fine. I forgot to take a picture, but basically you'll just pour the flour, sugar, and salt mixture into the empty pie crust and stir it lightly with your fingers to evenly distribute it).

**If you don't have an apple/peeler/corer yet like this one from Pampered Chef, I highly recommend purchasing one. Not only will your kids love the thin spiral slices it makes, but it makes the apples evenly sliced in your pie. I get comments all the time on how uniform the apples are and how that makes each one perfectly cooked. If you don't have one, then just try to chop them as evenly as possible. **

Then fill crust with half of the apples. Sprinkle on another ½ cup sugar, then add the rest of the apples so they mound an inch and half or so over the edge.

Combine the remaining sugar (½ cup), pinch of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in small bowl. Pour evenly over the top of the apples. Cut butter up into small clumps and place evenly over the top of the apples and spices.
Roll out top crust and place over pie (using crust directions from above). Brush extra flour away lightly and cut an inch from the edge, pinch top and bottom layers together, then tuck and form as desired,(I use the extra dough to cut out seasonal shapes with cookie cutters to adorn the crust).

Brush lightly with milk.

Sprinkle evenly with approximately 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Make sure to poke a few holes in the top to allow steam to escape. These can be artistically place to enhance the beauty of the pie.

Bake at 425° for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375° and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Watch the pie carefully the last 20 minutes or so, being ready to place some foil over edges or top if they are browning too quickly. The filling will bubble out slightly when the pie is done...be patient!

It's best if you let it cool completely, then reheat before serving. Serve warm with cool whip or vanilla ice cream. Good luck and feel free to email me with any specific questions.

Enjoy!

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Whew! You made it through my novel---Now for the giveaway!

One winner will get to choose one of the following pie making implements from the Pampered Chef:

PRIZE #1:
Apple/Peeler/Corer--peels, cores, and slices your apples into kid appealing, perfectly even, spiral slices. My kids have actually taken over peeling and chopping the apples, because they think it's so fun to do. And even if you don't have any little helpers in your house, you will find that this will save you oodles and oodles of time in preparing the apples for apple pie.
PRIZE #2:
Pastry Mat: This nifty little silicone mat is SO nice for rolling out dough of any kind. We use ours (which is an older version of the same thing) for pie crust, sugar cookies, bread dough, and biscuits. I love that it's flexible, no slip, will roll right around my rolling pin for storage, AND will pop right into the dishwasher for cleaning. With all the measurements right on there, you'll never have to estimate size again. Ours is several years old, very well used, and still looks brand new. You will love this!



PRIZE #3:
Deep Dish Stoneware Pie Plate: I ♥ Pampered Chef stoneware!!! This is the best material for baked goods bar none. I went to a pie making class with a professional chef and she said ceramic stoneware is far and above the best material, metal next (even disposable pans), and the worst is glass because it'll make your baked goods soggy. I've given away most of my glass pie pans now. I have lots of other stoneware pans as well, which I love, but this pie plate is one of my favorites. I use it for my pies (of course), but I also love it for when I just have a few items that still need to be baked (the last few cookies of a batch or something) and I don't want put the whole big pan in the oven.


Now all you need to do is leave me a comment telling me which one you want and for extra entries:

~ Subscribe to my blog or follow me via Google Friends Connect (on the right) and leave me a separate comment. Current subscribers/followers can add an extra entry, too.

~Blog about it or email friends. Anything to share this contest. :) Leave me another separate comment telling me how you shared it.

~That would be up to THREE separate entries per person, just make sure you leave the separate comments.

This contest will end on Friday, October 23 at 11:00 pm EST. Open to residents of US and Canada only. Winner will be announced in a blogpost next Saturday 10/24. Good luck!

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Cooking with Kids (Halloween): Chocolate Mice

This fun idea for Cooking with Kids came from my sister-in-law Karey's aunt Pat (got that?) who emailed me several weeks ago with some pictures. She had made them as a cute treat for a wedding she helped with and thought they would be fun for us to try and boy was she right! The kids had a fantastic time making these for Halloween and thought they were the cutest little treats EVER! They did end up a little on the messy side, but that didn't stem the kids' enthusiasm in the smallest degree. They'd be cute for a kids' party too. Click here to see some of my other fun Cooking with Kids ideas. Thanks Pat for a great idea!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

Hershey Kisses

1 jar maraschino cherries

Dipping chocolate

slivered almonds

Frosting in contrasting color (so it'll stand out on the chocolate)

Melt dipping chocolate by placing in microwave for 90 seconds, taking care to stir well every thirty seconds.

Holding maraschino cherries by the stem, dip the cherry into the melted chocolate making sure you cover the entire cherry.

Dip the very bottom of the Hershey Kisses into the melted chocolate quickly attaching them to the dipped cherries.

Place cherry and kiss combination on wax paper and place the almond ears before the chocolate is set (the ears were too hard for the kids, so I had to help them and even I wasn't too successful at making them look nice).

After chocolate is set (you can place them in the fridge to speed up the process) pipe frosting "eyes" and "nose" onto each little mouse. You may need to use a toothpick to assist you in this process. Better put away the cat while you eat these cute little fellows!

If all that chocolate didn't give you enough of a sugar rush, then you may want to consider drinking the maraschino cherry juice to give you a jolt.

Enjoy.

Caramel Rolls

I am an impatient cook. I like things to move fast, which means that cooking bread can be a frustrating experience for me. I do like homemade bread, but since I usually cut down rising times and take any other short cut I can think of, my bread often does not reach its full potential.

Lucky for me I have my sister living with us for a while who is much more patient than I am. When she asked me if she could make us these caramel rolls one day I didn't have think hard about what my answer would be...yes, yes, and how quickly will they be done?

She patiently followed the recipe perfectly, set the timer to make sure it rose long enough, and tediously took her time creating each perfectly shaped roll and the results were perfectly soft and delectable. As imagined, they were quite sweet, but the texture was oh so perfect and I can't wait for her to offer to make them again!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

2 Tbs. active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1-1/2 cups lukewarm milk (95-100 degrees)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup oil

6-3/4 to 7-1/2 cups flour, divided

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

CARAMEL SAUCE:

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream or half & half

Prepare caramel sauce first, by combining in a medium saucepan butter, brown sugar, and cream. Bring to boil; cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; pour sauce into greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Cool completely at room temperature.

Next dissolve yeast is warm water; let rise. In a large mixing bowl, combine lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, eggs, oil, and 3-3/4 cups of the flour; add yeast mixture, mixing until smooth. Knead dough with up to 3-3/4 cups of the remaining flour; place into greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover; let rise until doubled.

Roll out dough into a 15x6-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up into a long skinny tube; pinch shut. slice dough into rolls, 3/4-inch thick. Place dough, face down, into prepared pan with caramel sauce; let rise. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. Let cool 10 minutes then invert onto serving tray. I spooned whatever caramel sauce remained in the pan over the rolls. Makes 12.

Enjoy!

Calico Corn Cakes

I feel like a simple chef. Most nights I make fairly easy main courses, super easy sides (like a salad kit or carrot sticks), and have a daughter who makes desserts a couple times a week. It's really quite a rare occasion when I actually plan and cook an entire three plus course meal from scratch on a weeknight.

Some meals though just cry out for something more... Like breadsticks with pasta, or bread bowls with creamy soups, or corn bread with chili. Well last night I was making homemade tostadas (recipe coming soon) and I felt like it just needed a little something extra to go with them. I made a quick glance through my Simple & Delicious magazines and soon found this recipe for Calico Corn Cakes. They looked just perfect. Simple, easy, and savory. They were as simple to make as pancakes (except for the sauteing the vegetables), colorful and fun, and we loved them. They were a lot like a chunky, filled cornbread without the long baking time. Just what we needed for a fast side dish for a southwestern meal!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green peppers ( I used red peppers)

2 tsp. canola oil

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup yellow corn meal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 Tbs. diced pimientos (optional)

Garnishments: salsa, sour cream

In a small skillet, saute onion and green (or red) pepper until tender; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, oregano, baking powder, cumin, egg, and milk just until combined. Fold in the corn, pimientos (if desired), and onion mixture.

Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray; drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet.

Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired. Yields 6 servings.

Enjoy!

Layered Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Once a month all of us DC area family meet together (all 25 of us ) for a meal. Since my two sisters-in-law are way better cooks than I am, it keeps me challenged finding something "worthy" to share with these culinary whizes! This salad was a beauty to look at with its rich colorful layers and was good and hearty too. Next time I make it, I'll make a creamy dressing in addition to the vinaigrette since the kids tend to prefer the creamy ones (and me too).

Click here for Printable Recipe.

The ingredients:

SALAD:

1 bag spinach

1 bunch red leaf lettuce

3/4 lb. Swiss cheese, grated

1 pkg. mushrooms

1 cup cottage cheese

2 tomatoes, diced

1 lb. bacon, cooked and chopped

DRESSING (this makes enough for 2 salads):

3/4 cup white vinegar

1-1/2 Tbs. minced onion

1-1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups oil

1-1/2 Tbs. poppy seeds

For dressing, combine all ingredients and mix together in blender. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

For salad, finely chop spinach and red leaf lettuce and combine as the first layer of the salad in a clear trifle bowl (or other glass bowl). Add the chopped tomatoes as the next layer, then the sliced mushrooms, shredded cheese, then crumbled bacon on top. At this point, salad can be covered and refrigerated before serving. Just before serving mound the cottage cheese to the center of the top layer of the salad.

You can pour the dressing on individual servings (which is how I prefer it since I'm not really a big vinaigrette fan) or you can pour it over the salad (after everyone's had sufficient time to admire its beauty) and then mix it all together.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Pumpkin Soup with a Hint of Citrus

The arrival of October has brought with it a new found excitement in our house. I am ecstatic that all the back-to-school nights are finally done for the year and for the kids it means Halloween and lots of family birthdays. My almost-seven-year-old son was so excited about October's arrival that he asked me to make him a special pumpkin soup in celebration. Of course, I am not one to argue with cute children asking for healthy meals, so I obliged him!

The kids were eager to help me in the cause and couldn't wait until dinner time to try out this cheesy version of pumpkin soup. Other than the time it took scooping out the flesh from the pumpkin, it was pretty quick and easy to make and certainly looked the part of a beautiful autumn feast. Glen and I enjoyed the cheesy flavor with the hint of citrus to it, but the kids were only so/so on whether they liked it or not. They all finished their bowls, but it definitely did not go on their favorite list. My thought is that's its worth having once a year to celebrate the arrival of October in style, but probably not one we'll add to our every day menu!

(Darn it's often getting dark now when I finish the meals.

I need to make a lightbox or something to improve my photography)

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

8 cups chopped pumpkin flesh (from ~5 lb. pumpkin)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

1-1/2 cups light cream

2 Tbs. grated orange zest

2 Tbs. fresh orange juice

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 lb. Gruye're or Swiss cheese, shredded ( I used Swiss)

salt and white pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives

Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out any strings and seeds. With a sturdy knife, cut away the hard peel. Coarsely chop the flesh until you have about 8 cups. (NOTE: I cut the top third of my pumpkin off, used my melon baller and scooped out as much as I could from the top section before proceeding to the bottom. That way I could save the bottom for serving the soup in).

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it begins to turn golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the stock, chopped pumpkin and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender; 15-30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

In small batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. Return the puree to the pan and stir in the cream, orange zest, orange and lemon juices, nutmeg and ginger. Reserve a handful of the cheese and sprinkle the rest into the soup; stir over low heat until the cheese melts and blends in. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pour into pumpkin shell or individual bowls and garnish with reserved cheese and chives. Serves 10.

NOTE: Do NOT simmer, as it will make the soup separate.

Enjoy!