Red Velvet Brownies

My dessert contribution for our celebration at Grannie's were these yummy brownies from the December issue of SL. My friend JoAnn turned me on to them. I followed doubled the recipe and baked the brownies in a half-sheet pan. I used a zip-top bag to pipe the cream cheese frosting on top after I cut them into squares.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Our menu this year encompassed old favorites and new tastes: Mustard-Crusted Prime Rib with Blue Cheese Sauce, Brussels Sprouts With Bacon, Butternut Squash Risotto (I roasted, peeled, and cubed a butternut squash and added it to the pot with the rice), and Cranberry-Pear Compote. Dessert, which featured my m-i-l's red velvet cake and b-i-l's chocolate pie, received rave reviews. Enjoy!

Cranberry-Pear Compote

In the past, we've enjoyed this fruity dish over French toast on Christmas morning (and it is terrific). This year I decided to serve it for dinner and found it to be a good partner for the prime rib and the other sides. My m-i-l reheated the leftovers and served them over toasted slices of Irish Soda Bread for breakfast the next day. Enjoy!

Cranberry-Pear Compote
Substitute apples for the pears, if you like.
1/2 cup butter
3 pears, cut into cubes
1 (12-oz.) bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 cups apple cider or water

1. Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in pears and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, fruit is softened, and mixture is thickened. Serve warm.

Mustard-Crusted Prime Rib

This was the centerpiece of Christmas dinner. A standing rib roast is a significant investment, but Andy's family loves beef and Christmas dinner should be special. We had nine adults for dinner and the butcher recommended a 10-pound cut of meat. This allowed for some leftovers, so next time 8 pounds would probably be enough. A meat thermometer is key to perfectly cut beef. The range for medium is 135° to 140° and then allow a 15-minute rest period. I cooked ours to 140° because my f-i-l prefers his meat a little more done than the rest of us. However this gave us fewer pieces of medium; next time I plan to take it out at 135°. Don't be intimidated if you've never cooked prime rib—the prep is a breeze and the cooking is all hands-off (it took this one about three hours to cook). Blue cheese is a Hughes family favorite, so I made an easy blue cheese sauce to serve with the beef. Enjoy!

Mustard-Crusted Prime Rib
1 (8- to 10-lb.) standing rib roast
Country-style Dijon mustard
Montreal steak seasoning

1. Rub mustard over the whole roast. Sprinkle generously with steak seasoning. Place roast, fat side up, in a roasting pan.
2. Bake at 425° until desired degree of doneness (medium 135°-140°). Remove from oven, and cover with aluminum foil. Allow roast to stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Blue Cheese Sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan, and sauté garlic in melted butter for 1 minute. Stir in blue cheese and cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted and sauce is combined. Season with lemon zest and black pepper, if desired.

Sweet Potato-Okra Fritters

This is another of the recipes I tried out on my in-laws for Christmas Eve. It is from the new Lee Bros. cookbook, Simple, Fresh, Southern. Admittedly everyone else was skeptical, but the unusual food combo really appealed to me. I think the name "fritters" is misleading; they reminded me of Sweet Potato Latkes, which we love, with some okra thrown in. The garlic dipping sauce is a delicious counterpart. Andy and his dad were won over in the end. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato-Okra Fritters
Obviously this is a summer dish and I didn't expect to see okra in the grocery store, but it was there (thanks to South America's seasons) and I decided to try the recipe even though okra in December is weird. We won't see this again until July.
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
6 oz. okra, sliced into rounds
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. dry breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. cream
Peanut oil
Garlic-Buttermilk Dip

1. Place sweet potatoes in a clean towel, and squeeze out excess moisture. Place sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add in okra and next 7 ingredients. Stir together mixture until just combined.
2. Pour peanut oil into a Dutch oven to the depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Drop sweet potato mixture by spoonfuls into hot oil, and cook, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until done.
3. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Garlic-Buttermilk Dip.

Garlic-Buttermilk Dip:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane grater or pressed

1. Combine buttermilk and remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweet-Spicy Roasted Nuts

My friend Jamie gave me a new Barefoot Contessa cookbook called How Easy Is That? for Christmas. Our menu for Christmas Eve at my in-laws is appetizers and desserts (we like to keep it light before our big meal on Christmas—ha, ha!). When I looked to this new book for inspiration in my menu planning, I found this recipe. I made a batch yesterday and am happy to report that the nuts are delicious—spicy, smoky, and sweet. (In fact, I have to exercise some self-control to stop eating them!) I didn't have the exact quantities of the different nuts the original called for, so I substituted what I had. You can't taste the maple syrup, but it beautifully caramelizes the outsides of the nuts. Enjoy!

Sweet-Spicy Roasted Nuts
12 oz. whole roasted unsalted cashews
7 oz. walnut halves and pieces
7 oz. pecan halves
7 oz. whole almonds
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
Juice from 1 orange
2 tsp. chipotle chile powder (This has a smoky taste that regular chili powder lacks.)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 tsp. salt

1. Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Arrange nuts in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Combine syrup, next 4 ingredients, and 2 tsp. salt in a bowl. Pour over nuts on pan, and toss to coat.
2. Bake at 350° 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with additional 2 tsp. salt; toss to coat. Let cool in pan. Transfer to an airtight container.

Christmas Sweets

Each year at Christmas time, I bake an assortment of treats to share with friends. This year's boxes included different combinations of the following favorites: Salted Caramel Cupcakes, Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes, Blueberry-White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter Cookies, Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Chocolate Cookies With Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cheddar-Beer Soup

My friend Lisa made a delicious beer-cheese soup for supper club a couple of months ago, and since then, I've wanted to try my hand at it. I found this recipe in the most recent Williams-Sonoma catalog and made it tonight. The texture was thick and creamy; the flavor balance of the Cheddar and beer was just right. I served it with Homemade Croutons. This is my new favorite soup, and I think I will make it for my in-laws on Christmas Eve. (Note: To reheat leftovers, stir in some milk to help thin the soup a bit; it thickens as it cools.) Enjoy!

Cheddar-Beer Soup
4 bacon slices, cut into small pieces
2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinkly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12-oz.) bottle beer (I used Blue Moon.)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 lb. Cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven until done; drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings in Dutch oven, and add in butter. Once butter melts, sauté onion and next 2 ingredients for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring often, 1 more minute. Gradually add in ale and next 3 ingredients; cook until mixture begins to thicken. Use an immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Stir in cheese, and cook until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with bacon just before serving.

Mexican Cheesecake

Here's an easy appetizer for Christmas parties that you serve chilled (think cheese ball), so it can be made ahead (hooray!). I also think it would be good warm, but I haven't tried it that way yet. Serve it with homemade tortilla chips (store-bought is also fine) or crackers. The flavor is cheesy with a subtle spice. I had some fresh cilantro on hand that I added to the cream cheese mixture, but you can omit it. The photos show the cheesecake before and after the sour cream-salsa topping. Note: I baked this one in an 8-inch springform pan, but the recipe yields enough for a 9 inch. Enjoy!

Mexican Cheesecake
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
2 Tbsp. melted butter
3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 eggs
10 oz. grated Cheddar cheese
1 (4.5-oz.) can chopped green chiles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa or picante sauce

1. Combine tortilla chips and butter, and press into bottom of a lightly greased springform pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
2. Beat cream cheese and ricotta with a mixer. Gradually add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add in Cheddar cheese, green chiles, and, if desired, cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared crust.
3. Bake at 350° for 45 to 1 hour or until set. Remove from oven, and let cool 30 minutes before removing ring. Cool completely. Combine sour cream and salsa; spread over top of cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for a party and remembered how easy they are. If you need an impressive but super-easy last-minute dessert for a Christmas party, look no further. The intense chocolate flavor is just right for taking the edge off the holiday stress! These cupcakes are the one exception to my no-paper-liner rule—the cake is so moist, it's imperative. Enjoy!

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 (16-oz.) can chocolate syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (11.5-oz.) package bittersweet chocolate morsels
Chocolate Ganache

1. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in chocolate syrup and vanilla. Gradually add in flour, beating just until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels. Pour muffin cups lined with paper muffin cups.
2. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or just until set. Let cool 5 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan. Top with Chocolate Ganache (a spoon is the best tool for this).

Chocolate Ganache:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. instant coffee granules

1. Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute, 30 seconds, stirring halfway through. Whisk chocolate mixture until chocolate is melted and surface is glossy.

Pesto-Feta French Bread Pizzas

Tonight we had tomato soup for dinner, but I wanted to serve something besides grilled cheeses with it. After examining the fridge and pantry, I came up with the ingredients to make these pizzas. This recipe would be a great party appetizer. Dinner was ready in about 20 minutes—success! Enjoy!

Pesto-Feta French Bread Pizzas
1/2 French bread loaf, cut in half lengthwise
Basil pesto
2 Tbsp. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Crumbled feta cheese

1. Cut each bread half in two pieces. Spread pesto on cut sides of bread, and sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes and feta.
2. Bake at 400° for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is slightly melted and bread is warm.

Weeknight Burgundy Beef Stew

Apparently we've moved to International Falls—the temperature never got above freezing today (yikes!), so a hearty, warming dinner was in order. I decided to make a quick beef stew with red wine and serve it over mashed potatoes. (The best part: it was ready in 30 minutes.) While on his mission trip, Andy ate a lot of rice (not his favorite) and very little beef (his favorite). This was a good welcome-home meal. At the last minute, our friends Brian and Paige and their baby joined us for dinner, and we had an impromptu celebration for Paige's birthday. Enjoy!

Weeknight Burgundy Beef Stew
1 lb. beef tips
Montreal steak seasoning
Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup red wine or beef broth
4 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
Chopped fresh rosemary
Buttermilk mashed potatoes

1. Sprinkle beef with steak seasoning. Sauté in hot oil in a Dutch oven until meat is browned on all sides. Remove to a plate. Add 1 tsp. olive oil to Dutch oven, and sauté onion and next 3 ingredients for 10 minutes or until tender. Add in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add in flour, and cook 1 minute. Add red wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan. Add in beef broth and next 2 ingredients. Return meat and juices to Dutch oven. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Although I don't like coconut (it's a texture issue), I love this soup. It's savory, spicy, and comforting all at the same time. I found several recipes online and combined them to create this one. There are definitely some usual ingredients, such as the kaffir lime leaves, but these are essential to getting the right flavor combination. The recipes I read called for lemongrass, which I couldn't find. My substitution: the zest from one lemon and a sautéed shallot. Lemongrass can be overpowering and the flavor of my substitution is more subtle. I used lite (how it's spelled on the can) coconut milk to save some calories and fat. Because of this, the color of the soup is slightly gray instead of white; regular coconut milk would fix this. I think this experiment is a success—enjoy!

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 qt. chicken broth
Zest of 1 lemon
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn (I found these with the herbs at Whole Foods.)
1 (3-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced
1 jalapeño, halved and seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
Salt and pepper

1. Sauté shallot in hot oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Add in chicken broth and next 5 ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes; remove and discard solids. Stir in coconut milk and next 4 ingredients; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Chicken-and-Rice Soup

It has been so cold this week, so soup was in order! When I was a child, my mom used to make us chicken and rice (a can of chicken-vegetable soup poured over rice) when Dad, who didn't eat chicken, was out of town. We loved it and that was my inspiration for this recipe. I made rice to go with Monday night's stir-fry and decided to make enough for soup. You could easily cook rice in the soup liquid if you don't have any cooked rice on hand—you'll just need to increase the liquid. Enjoy!

Chicken-and-Rice Soup
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. herbs de Provence
1 1/2 qt. chicken broth
5 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups cooked shredded chicken

1. Melt butter in olive oil in skillet; sauté onions and next 2 ingredients 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. Add in chicken stock, rice, and chicken; cook mixture until thoroughly heated (mixture could be transferred to a slow-cooker at this point).

Chocolate Cookies With Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting

The inspiration for this dessert came from some leftover cream cheese frosting that I had in the freezer from Thanksgiving’s Carrot Cake Cupcakes. I decided to make my favorite chocolate cookies and top them with peppermint-cream cheese frosting. Instead of semisweet chocolate chips, I used bittersweet chocolate chips to balance the sweetness of the frosting. These taste like Christmas to me. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cookies With Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 package bittersweet chocolate chips
Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat butter and next 3 ingredients with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture; stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
2. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until done. Remove from oven, and cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely. Spread cookies with frosting.

Peppermint-Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops red gel food coloring

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until desired consistency. Beat in vanilla, peppermint, and food coloring.

Beef-and-Veggie Stir-fry

Andy is in Senegal in West Africa on a nine-day mission trip, so I'm taking advantage of his absence by making dishes that he wouldn’t like. In reality, Andy is not picky and will eat or, at least try, almost anything. However he does like cuisine that ends in “ese” (Japanese, Chinese). I love stir-fries because of all the vegetables and the spicy, complex flavor of ginger and other Asian seasonings. Feel free to substitute your favorite veggies. I served the dish over brown basmati rice. Enjoy!

Beef-and-Veggie Stir-fry
1 small eggplant, cut into cubes
1 small piece of steak, cut into thin strips
Montreal steak seasoning
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh minced ginger
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 small orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup sugar snap peas
5 mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Thai red curry paste
1 tsp. Thai red chile sauce
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot cooked rice

1. Place eggplant in a bowl; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes; rinse and drain. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle steak with steak seasoning. Cook in 1 Tbsp. hot oil until browned on all sides; remove steak from skillet.
3. Add remaining 1 tsp. oil to skillet, and heat. Add garlic and ginger, and cook 1 minute. Add in carrots, next 4 ingredients, and eggplant. Cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and next 3 ingredients; return steak to skillet. Cook 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve stir-fry over rice.

Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans

This weekend some girlfriends and I attended the Deeper Still conference in downtown Birmingham—what a blessing! Because of my home's proximity to the civic center, we came here for lunch today. The menu was simple: chicken salad, bagel chips, Chopped Apple Salad, and Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookies. I cooked the chicken using this method the day before, shredded it, and then refrigerated it until it was time to put the salad together. This recipe is totally off the top of my head, but it turned out well. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans
6 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 cups halved red grapes
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

1. Combine chicken and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together mayonnaise and next 2 ingredients; add to chicken mixture until combined. Taste at this point and add additional mayo and honey, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Green Apple Coleslaw

This is the perfect partner for Tilapia Po'boys. It would pair equally as well with other seafood and fish dishes, burgers, or chicken. Preparation is a breeze and the balance of flavors is just right. Enjoy!

Green Apple Coleslaw
1/2 package coleslaw mix
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. celery seeds
1/2 cup canola oil

1. Combine coleslaw mix and apple in a bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir together vinegar and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add in celery seeds, canola oil, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over coleslaw mixture; toss to coat.

Tilapia Po’boys

Inspiration for tonight’s dinner was simply to make the opposite of Thanksgiving fare! Tilapia was on sale at the grocery store; I coated the fillets with breadcrumbs and baked them. The cute ciabatta rolls came from Walmart and were perfect for these sandwiches. Homemade tartar was spread on the cut sides of the rolls. As accompaniments, we had Green Apple Coleslaw and oven-baked french fries. We'll definitely have this meal again—enjoy!

Tilapia Po’boys
2 (4-oz.) tilapia fillets
Buttermilk
Salt and pepper
Greek seasoning
1 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs
Ciabatta rolls
Tartar Sauce

1. Soak fish in buttermilk for 30 minutes. Sprinkle fish with salt, pepper, and Greek seasoning; coat with breadcrumbs. Place fish on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Bake at 425° for 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. Serve fish on buns with tartar sauce.

Happy Birthday, Hunta!

My mom’s birthday was Saturday and we had a small party for her at Mel’s house tonight. Her friend Florence joined us for dinner; entertainment was provided by AC and LB. Mom requested Black Bean Nachos for dinner. In addition, we had Easy Queso, Guacamole Salad, and birthday cake—yummy!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I love carrot cake—in fact, it's the flavor I chose for my wedding cake! However I'm not good at layer cakes; they are always lopsided and the frosting looks bad. So cupcakes are much better for me. This recipe is from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller. The cake has a light texture. The recipe for the frosting made way too much, so I scaled it back and still ended up with enough to frost 24 more cupcakes. To get the right texture for the carrots, I grated them with my food processor and then used the knife blade to finely chop them. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup milk
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
5 carrots, finely shredded
1 cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat oil and sugars with a mixer. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add in vanilla and milk. Combine cake flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to sugar mixture. Stir in carrots and pecans. Scoop batter into lightly greased muffin pans.
2. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely; spread frosting on top of cooled cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16-oz.) box powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla paste or extract

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until mixture achieves spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

Senator Russell’s Sweet Potatoes

Most families have a similar must-serve buttery pecan-topped sweet potato dish for the holidays. This version is from my mother-in-law who got it from her daughter’s mother-in-law. My original recipe is long gone, so I make it differently each year. Even though I get tired of making it, my family never gets tired of eating it. In fact my niece Lizzie thanked me for “making the BEST sweet potatoes EVER!” Enjoy!

Senator Russell’s Sweet Potatoes
4 sweet potatoes
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans

1. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from oven, and allow to cool completely. Peel potatoes, and place in a bowl. Mash potatoes; stir in sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, zest and juice, and, if desired, cinnamon. Pour mixture into a lightly greased baking dish.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine brown sugar and next 2 ingredients in a skillet. Cook, stirring often, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Spread brown sugar mixture over top of sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake at 30° for 10 more minutes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Here's a super-simple and savory side dish that combines sweet potatoes and red potatoes. This would be a terrific substitute for regular mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving or anytime, for that matter. The chives add a nice hint of onion without being overpowering. If you have some cooked, crumbled bacon on hand, it would be a nice addition. I served this side with Fried Chicken Tenders and Chopped Apple Salad. (I know we eat this salad all the time, but it’s so good!) Enjoy!

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 red potatoes, cut into cubes
Salt
Buttermilk
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. dried chives
Pepper

1. Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil, and add salt to water. Cook until potatoes are tender; drain and return to pan. Mash potatoes, and stir in buttermilk until desired consistently. Add in butter and chives, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Honey Pecan Squares

My neighbor gave me some pecans early this week. At first I planned to make a pecan pie but then decided to make a twist on the classic. This recipe was inspired by one in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. The original calls for eight sticks of butter! That seemed excessive even to me, so I paired it back significantly. There are three unusual ingredients—lemon and orange zest and honey. You can’t taste the flavor of the zest, but it gives a brightness to the bars. The honey is used in the caramel topping and definitely comes through in the taste. My family gave these squares rave reviews at our Thanksgiving gathering. Enjoy!

Honey Pecan Squares
2 1/4 cups butter, softened and divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 orange
2 Tbsp. cream
2 cups chopped pecans

1. Beat 1 1/4 cups butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour and next 2 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly flour your hands, and spread batter in prepared pan, creating ridges around the perimeter (the batter didn't fill the whole pan).
2. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes; cool.
3. Meanwhile combine remaining 1 cup butter, honey, and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter melt, stirring often. Increase heat, and bring mixture to a boil; boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cream and pecans. Pour pecan mixture over prepared crust.
4. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely, and cut into squares.

Orange-Glazed Salmon

We are enjoying a few days’ respite at the beach. This is the best time of the year to be here! The beach and restaurants are practically empty but the weather is warm enough to enjoy sitting outside and reading. Tonight instead of going out, I decided to cook. We had this delicious salmon, Parmesan Cheese Grits (just add freshly grated Parmesan to my basic grits recipe), and steamed broccoli. The whole meal was ready in about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Orange-Glazed Salmon
1 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salmon fillets
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Parmesan Cheese Grits
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Sauté shallot in 5 minutes or until tender; add garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add salmon, skin side down, and cook 2 to 3 minutes; turn over, and remove skin. Add in orange zest and juice. Cook salmon 2 to 3 additional minutes or until fish flakes with a fork. Spoon grits onto plates; top with salmon, and drizzle with orange sauce; sprinkle with dill. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Pancakes

Potato pancakes (latkes) are one of my favorite foods, so this recipe in Barefoot Contessa at Home was a must-try! Zucchini was a staple in my farmers market basket and I wished I had found this sooner. Oh well, there’s always next year! The zucchini version is easier than the potato ones because you don't have to squeeze all the water out of the vegetable. I served these pancakes with Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Soup. All in all, this is a pretty healthful side dish. Enjoy!

Zucchini Pancakes
2 zucchini
2 Tbsp. grated red onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1. Grate the unpeeled zucchini with the large holes on a box grater. Stir together zucchini and next 2 ingredients. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; stir into zucchini mixture.
2. Melt half of butter and oil in a large skillet; drop batter into skillet with a large (2-Tbsp.) cookie scoop. Cook pancakes 2 minutes on both sides or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining batter, butter, and oil. Serve warm.

German Potato Salad #2

I've posted a recipe for this warm potato salad in the past but decided to revisit it tonight. I love the vinegary, slightly sweet, smoky flavor of this dish. It has bacon in it, so how can you go wrong? This comes together easily and in less than 30 minutes. Instead of granulated sugar, I decided to use brown sugar instead. This adds a more caramelized flavor to the onion-and-bacon mixture. Enjoy!

German Potato Salad #2
1 1/2 lb. small red potatoes, cut into quarters
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup hot water
1 Tbsp. coarse-grained mustard
Salt and pepper

1. Place potatoes in a Dutch oven, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and wipe out bottom of Dutch oven. Cook bacon in Dutch oven for 5 minutes. Add in chopped onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until bacon is cooked and onions are softened. Stir in vinegar and next 2 ingredients, and cook until liquid begins to reduce and thicken. Return potatoes to Dutch oven, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Balsamic Vinaigrette-Marinated Pork Chops

I had some Balsamic Vinaigrette left over from this salad and thought using it as a marinade would be tasty. Pork chops seemed like a good choice. I marinated the pork in the leftover vinaigrette for 8 hours before cooking them. In addition to the chops, we had Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and German Potato Salad #2. Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette-Marinated Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork chops
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Salt
Pepper

1. Place pork in a zip-top bag; pour in vinaigrette. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 8 hours.
2. Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. (There's no need to add oil to the pan—there is some in the vinaigrette.) Remove pork chops from marinade, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear both sides in hot skillet.
3. Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. country-style Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine vinegar and next 2 ingredients. Gradually add in olive oil, combining completely. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet potatoes are a terrific partner for steak, which was on the menu tonight, and this simple side was just the ticket. Roasting the sweet potatoes creates a crispy outside and tender inside. The only ingredients besides the potatoes are olive oil, salt, and pepper. Another plus: There's no need to peel the sweet potatoes; once roasted, the peel comes right off. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Wedges
3 to 4 sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1. Place sweet potato wedges on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until done, turning once. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Chicken Chili

Chili makes the perfect meal as the weather cools. I like beef chili and white chicken chili but wanted to make something different, so I came up with the idea to make a tomato-based chicken chili that combines the best of both. In addition to the expected seasonings of chili powder and cumin, I included a little cinnamon, which adds a nice depth of flavor. This recipe has a little heat to it, but it's not overwhelming. To up the nutritional value but avoid chunky veggies like you would find in soups, I pureed the onion, celery, and carrots in the food processor—this contributes to the thick consistency. All in all, I think the flavors are well balanced. On the side, I served Jalapeño Corn Muffins. Enjoy!

Chicken Chili
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, cut in half
2 celery ribs, cut in half
2 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 (4-oz.) cans fire-roasted chopped green chiles
2 lb. chicken, cut into chunks
1 (28-oz.) can tomato puree
6 to 7 cups chicken broth
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. cinnamon

1. Puree onion and next 3 ingredients in food processor. Cook veggies in hot olive oil for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in chiles, and cook 3 more minutes. Add in chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in tomatoes and next 2 ingredients; season with salt and pepper. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated. Taste and add more seasoning, if needed.

The Best Cookies

This is the third time I've posted this recipe from my friend Cindy since I started my blog in 2008 (once each fall). If you haven't tried these cookies yet, you have to stop everything and make them now! They have a delicate texture and perfectly spiced flavor. If you think you don't like pumpkin, these will change your mind. The recipe is super easy, especially my microwave method for making the frosting. There are no excuses for not making them. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Brown Sugar Frosting

1. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in pumpkin (mixture will look slightly curdled); beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
3. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes. Cool on pans 10 minutes; remove to wire racks, and spread Brown Sugar Frosting over tops of warm cookies.

Brown Sugar Frosting:
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter
4 tsp. milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine brown sugar and next 2 ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir mixture; microwave for 45 more seconds or until brown sugar is dissolved. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Use immediately.

Buttermilk Pudding Cakes With Caramelized Pears

Pears taste like fall to me, so I decided to incorporate them into this dessert. The cake recipe is based on one in The Lee Bros. Simple, Fresh, Southern Cookbook and is delicious! For this dish, I used brown sugar instead of granulated because it would be a nice complement to the caramel sauce the pears are cooked in. The cakes are super-simple (no mixer required) and cook in only 9 minutes—perfect for a last-minute sweet!

Buttermilk Pudding Cakes With Caramelized Pears
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
Caramelized Pears
Vanilla ice cream

1. Beat eggs with a whisk until creamy and yellow; whisk in buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Combine flour and next 2 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, whisking until the batter is smooth. Divide batter into 8 lightly greased muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
2. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until done. Remove from pan to plates; serve with Caramelized Pears and vanilla ice cream.

Caramelized Pears:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup light rum
1/4 tsp. apple pie spice
Pinch of salt

1. Combine butter and sugar in a skillet until butter is melted and sugar dissolves; add in pears and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are tender and sauce comes together.

Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini Onions

This recipe is from my friend Jamie. We enjoyed it as a side dish to tonight’s Tuscan Lemon Chicken. The method I made up is a little different than the original (I needed to speed it up), but it’s comes together easily. The hard part is finding cipollini onions. After checking Walmart, Publix, and Target, I finally found them at Whole Foods. This would also make a great meatless entrée. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini Onions
1 lb. cipollini onions
1 lb. cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 baguette, cut into 1-inch thick slices
1 (15-oz.) can white beans, rinsed and drained
Chopped fresh basil (optional)

1. Peel cipollini onions, and cut into quarters or eighths. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Place onions, tomatoes, and garlic in a baking dish. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes or until onions are tender.
3. Toast baguette slices in oven until lightly browned. Arrange on a serving platter (I used about 8 slices); top bread with beans. Scoop onion-and-tomato mixture over beans. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

This recipe has been on my menus for the past several weeks. However I haven't gotten around to making it. My inspiration is from Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics. The original recipe calls for flattening the bone-in, skin-on chicken and then grilling it. Too much work! Andy and I don’t have a good track record for grilling chicken, so I decided to roast the chicken instead. The lemony flavor is subtle and delicious; roasting yielded succulent meat and crispy skin. Our good friends Melissa and Jeff and their sons came for dinner tonight. Melissa mounded Mashed Potatoes on the platter, topped them with the chicken breasts, and drizzled the whole thing with the sauce. (She also served as guest photographer.) Enjoy!

Tuscan Lemon Chicken
5 to 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
Juice and zest from 3 lemons
1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
2 tsp. herbs de Provence

1. Arrange chicken in a shallow dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, rosemary, and herbs de Provence. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover dish, and marinate chicken at least 4 hours.
3. Place chicken, skin side up, on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet; drizzle with marinade.
4. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until done.

Halloween Cookies

I needed an easy dessert to serve tonight and remembered this recipe. These cookies are chock full of chocolate and peanut butter—perfect for the candy season! Definitely plan to make them; the recipe is super easy. The rest of our menu included Mexican Chicken Soup, Easy Queso, Guacamole, and Homemade Tortilla Chips—in other words, comfort food!

Halloween Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 package semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 package peanut butter chips
1 package Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups, cut in half (place in freezer for about 15 minutes to make cutting easier)
1 small package Reese's Pieces

1. Beat butter, peanut butter, and sugar with an electric mixer until blended. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour and next two ingredients. Gradually add to peanut butter mixture until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Spoon dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Note: I use a tablespoon-size scoop to perfectly size cookies.)
4. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

This Barefoot Contessa recipe has been on my want-to-try list for a while now. I decided to serve it for dessert tonight, following a meal with friends that included Fried Chicken Tenders, Risotto, and Chopped Apple Salad. The cake has a very light texture and is delicious. It calls for a small amount of lemon zest, but that flavor gets lost. Next time I'll up the amount of zest because blueberries and lemons are perfect partners. I have an idea to use it for French toast—I'll let you know. Enjoy!

Blueberry Crumb Cake
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup blueberries
Streusel

1. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer until creamy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add in vanilla and zest. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in blueberries. Pour batter into a lightly greased 9-inch round cake pan. Sprinkle Streusel over top of batter.
2. Bake at 350° for 40 to 50 minutes or until done.

Streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Combine sugar and next 4 ingredients. Stir in melted butter until combined.

Recipe Rewind: Apple Fritters

Tonight our friend Jason, who has just moved back to Birmingham, came for dinner to celebrate his 40th birthday. We had hamburgers, Cornmeal-Crusted Onion Rings, and yummy Apple Fritters. I first posted the fritter recipe last fall and decided to post it again because it is super-simple and delicious! (Don't be afraid of the frying!) Two changes to the original: I omitted the sugar (the apples were sweet enough) and added some cinnamon and vanilla to the batter. To make them birthday-worthy, I served the fritters with vanilla ice cream and drizzled them with Caramel Sauce. Enjoy!

Apple Fritters
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon
3 apples, cored and thinly sliced
Vegetable oil
Powdered sugar

1. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add milk mixture to flour mixture. Stir apples into batter.
2. Heat vegetable oil in Dutch oven. Carefully drop batter into hot oil using a medium-size scoop. Cook until golden brown and done. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot apple fritters with powdered sugar.

Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Pasta Sauce

I had a bunch of veggies left from my market basket that needed to be used, so pasta sauce seemed the perfect solution. In addition to the vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, carrots, bell pepper), I made meatballs out of a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage. Because the sauce was so thick, I decided to fry frozen tortellini like I did here. Andy and his dad really liked this meal! I added three (8-oz.) cans of tomato juice (leftover from another recipe) to the leftovers and am planning to serve the new mixture as Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Soup later in the week. I'll report back on what we think. Enjoy!

Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Pasta Sauce
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 eggplant, cut into cubes
2 zucchini, cut into cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 (28-oz.) can tomato puree
1 (8-oz.) can tomato juice
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
Meatballs
Fried tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Sauté onions and carrots in hot oil 5 minutes. Add in eggplant and next 2 ingredients, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Add in crushed red pepper and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the tomato mixture. Add in browned meatballs, and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Serve over fried tortellini. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Meatballs:
2 links Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
Olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients. Shape mixture into balls, and cook in hot oil in a skillet until browned on all sides.

Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

Tonight a friend came for dinner. Andy and I had decided to serve steak, but I was undecided on the sides. The final menu: steak, Zucchini-and-Summer Squash Gratin, and Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes. My inspiration for the stuffed tomatoes, which used the last of my market basket tomatoes, came from a couple of recipes. The end result was just right! I'm sad that it will be next summer before we have this dish again, but I'm looking forward to it. We had this as a side, but it would also be a great main dish. Enjoy!

Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced and divided
Olive oil
1/2 cup arborio rice (Long-grain rice, cooked according to package directions, may be substituted.)
1 1/2 cups water
4 tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1. Sauté 1 garlic clove in hot oil in a saucepan for 1 minute. Add in rice, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Add in water, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook rice, stirring often, 15 minutes or until done and moisture is absorbed.
2. Slice the stem end off each tomato. Use spoon to scoop out tomato pulp into a bowl. Place tomatoes in a baking dish; drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Combine cooked rice and tomato pulp. Stir in remaining garlic clove, basil, oregano, Parmesan, and bacon; season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spoon rice mixture into tomatoes. Spread remaining rice mixture around tomatoes in baking dish.
5. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until tomatoes are softened.

Roasted Pumpkin-and-Acorn Squash Soup

Sadly, this past Saturday was the last week of my market basket subscription. (Moment of silence, please.) I have enjoyed the variety of produce in my basket throughout the 18-week season. It's also been fun coming up with new recipes that feature the fruit and vegetables. P.E.E.R., the organization that sponsors the farmers market, has a harvest dinner fund-raiser each year that features market produce; in the past a fantastic pumpkin soup has been served and this was my attempt to re-create that. The basket had three small pumpkins and last week it had two acorn squash, so I decided to combine the two in the soup. The most difficult thing about cooking with gourds is peeling them. I decided to avoid that task by cutting the pumpkins and squash in half and then roasting them. After they cooled, I used a spoon to scoop out the interior of the pumpkin and squash, leaving the peel behind. Much easier! This soup was perfect for an early fall supper. I served it with focaccia bread croutons. Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin-and-Acorn Squash Soup
3 small pumpkins, cut in half and seeded
2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 (32-oz.) box chicken broth
1 cup cream or half-and-half or milk
1/2 to 1 tsp. tarragon
Fresh goat cheese

1. Place pumpkins and squash on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool (about 30 minutes).
3. Sauté onion in hot oil 10 minutes or until tender in a Dutch oven. Use a spoon to scoop out interior of pumpkins and squash into Dutch oven. Add in chicken broth and cream; add in tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Simmer until ready to serve. Ladle into bowls, and top with a crumble of fresh goat cheese.

Cappuccino Brownie Cupcakes

This recipe is very popular with my family and friends. (my sister, Mel, prefers to call it “Melanie Brownies.”) A couple of weeks ago, I decided to see if it would work well cooked in muffin pans instead of the standard 13- x 9-inch pan. The recipe itself is super-easy; however I hate cutting the brownies into bars. Inevidently they come out different sizes and it's very messy because of the frosting. Baking them in muffin pans worked great! Because I prefer slightly undercooked brownies, paper liners are a must here, although I normally eschew them. Enjoy!

Cappuccino Brownie Cupcakes
This makes 24 cupcakes.
4 oz. bittersweet, unsweetened, or semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cappuccino-Buttercream Frosting

1. Melt chocolate squares and butter in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute and 30 seconds; stir until combined.
2. Stir in sugar. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, stirring until blended after each addition. Gradually stir in flour, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until done.
5. Cool completely, and spread with Cappuccino-Buttercream Frosting.

Cappuccino-Buttercream Frosting:
1 (1.16-oz.) package instant mocha cappuccino mix or 1 heaping Tbsp. mocha cappuccino mix
1/4 cup warm milk
1 cup butter, softened
1 (16-oz.) box powdered sugar

1. Dissolve mocha mix into warm milk.
2. Beat butter and mocha mixture with an electric mixer until blended; gradually add in powdered sugar.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

First, let me say that this photo doesn’t do this delicious soup justice; chalk it up to poor photography skills. For my birthday I decided to have some friends over for a lunch of little food (translated: food Andy doesn’t care for). The menu included Tomato-Goat Cheese Tarts, Chopped Apple Salad, this soup, and Cinnamon Apple Cake. We had so much fun! The soup was inspired by a recipe I saw on Tasty Kitchen. I made a few changes: cooking the mushrooms in a combo of butter and oil, adding in some chopped onion and dried tarragon, and using my immersion blender to puree the soup a bit. I'll definitely make this again. Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Soup
Olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup white wine
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups whipping cream
1 to 2 tsp. dried tarragon
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup water

1. Cook onion and next 3 ingredients in hot oil in Dutch oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables soften. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and add in mushrooms and butter. Cook until mushrooms turn brown and soften, about 10 more minutes. Stir in wine and next 2 ingredients; season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat to a simmer. Use an immersion blender to puree mixture, leaving some chunks. Stir in cream and tarragon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thoroughly heated. Combine cornstarch and water; stir into soup mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes or until soup thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plum Upside-Down Cake

Growing up, my mom made a cake that used plum baby food—it was delicious! I have fond memories of that cake, but you can't buy plain plum baby food anymore, so it's been years since she's made it. When I found this recipe in a old issue of Martha Stewart Living, I had to try it. The cake has the flavor of spice cake, but what sets this recipe apart is the brown sugar and butter that caramelize on the plum halves while it bakes. It’s is also great for breakfast. Enjoy!

Plum Upside-Down Cake
3 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
5 red plums, halved and pitted
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Melt butter in a springform pan in a 375° oven. Remove pan from oven, and sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter. Place plums, cut sides down, in butter mixture.
2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add in eggs. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream. Spoon mixture over plums in prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until done. Cool completely, and invert onto serving plate.

Greek-Style Tilapia

Tonight Andy's parents and my mom were here for dinner. I decided to make an easy but impressive meal: Greek-Style Tilapia, Risotto, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. These are all recipes I've posted before, but they are worth revisiting. Because fish cooks so quickly, I didn't start it until the risotto had been cooking for about 15 minutes. There is a hint of fall in the air and this menu seemed just right for the change of season. Enjoy!

Stuffed Summer Squash

Squash has been an abundant item in my farmers market basket for the past few weeks. I decided that we would have a veggie plate for supper featuring market basket produce and knew squash needed to be one component. However, I wanted to do something different, so I stuffed it with chopped tomatoes and breadcrumbs. It was a tasty accompaniment to the Sweet Potato Latkes and Fried Okra and Green Tomatoes. Enjoy!

Stuffed Summer Squash
2 summer squash, cut in half
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used these.)
1 tsp. dried basil

1. Use a spoon to hollow out squash. Place in a baking dish; drizzle squash with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine tomatoes, next 2 ingredients, and salt and pepper to taste; scoop mixture into squash shells. Drizzle with additional olive oil. Pour a small amount of water into baking dish.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

Greek-Style Chicken With Feta

This is a very quick and healthful weeknight meal; it is based on Chicken Souvlaki. The main change is the addition of halved grape tomatoes, compliments of last week’s market basket. Instead of serving the chicken mixture in pitas or with pita chips, I spooned it on top of brown basmati rice. A sprinkling of salty feta and a spoonful of Tzaziki Sauce are the perfect finishing touches. Enjoy!

Greek-Style Chicken With Feta
Olive oil
1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 small green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into cubes
Greek seasoning
Zest and juice from 2 lemons
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and pepper
Freshly crumbled feta
Hot cooked brown basmati rice

1. Sauté onions and bell peppers in hot oil for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Toss chicken with Greek seasoning, and add to pan with vegetables. Stir in lemon zest and juice, and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste; cook 10 more minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Sprinkle with feta and serve over hot cooked rice.