Recipe Roundup

Squash and Goat cheese Wonton Ravioli.  (I've used wonton wrappers before to make cheese and jalapeno poppers that turned out delicious.  Instead of boiling them, I added one 1/2" cube of cheddar cheese and one jalapeno slice and fried in oil.  They were fabulous!)



Cinnamon Spice Pumpkin Pumpkin Bread. (I had some extra canned pumpkin from this fall so I made this and it turned out delicious!  I whipped the cream cheese filling so it made quite a bit, next time I'll try halving it.  I also added some cinnamon to the cream cheese....my husband said it was the best pumpkin bread he'd ever had!)



Nutella Cheesecake Squares. Don't these sound just melt in your mouth delicious!  They do to me!



Cinnamon Apple Pancakes. Sounds to me like a fabulous way to dress up plain pancakes!

Happy Cooking,

Recipe Roundup-Soups

January is a great month for soups!  Here’s a few of my favorites:



Tomato Basil Soup from Jenny Steffens Hobick.



Butternut Squash Soup from Habitually Hungry.



Roasted Red Pepper Soup from Good Life Eats.



Four Cheese Tortellini Soup from Apple Crumbs.

Do you have a favorite soup?

Easy Microwave Fudge

Need a quick and easy baking recipe for a last minute party or gift?  I promise this fudge will come out so delicious, and you only have to use one bowl in the microwave!  Making candy couldn't be easier!

Here's the recipe:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup melted salted butter

5 oz. evaporated milk

12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

1 -7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a 4 qt. microwavable bowl.  Cook on high 5 minutes, or until mixture begins to boil; stir after 3 minutes.  Mix well.  Microwave 4- 5 1/2 minutes; stir after 3 minutes.  Stir in chocolate chips until melted, being careful not to scrape the side of the bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Pour into greased 8" x 8" pan.  Don't scrape the sides, we don't want it to crystallize.  Let cool at room temperature and cut into squares.  Try really hard not to eat it all in one day!  Enjoy!

Pie Roundup

Still trying to decide what pies to make for Thanksgiving tomorrow?  (Or maybe I'm the only one!)  Here are a few I'd love to try:



Cranberry Blueberry Pie



Caramel Apple Pie



RazzleDazzle Berry Cheesecake

Welcome October

Wow, can't believe it's October already!  Where has this year gone?  I have plenty of projects on my list to complete this month!  Here are a few on my list:



Perfect my Pumpkin Pie Gelato recipe (I'll share when it's perfect!  I use David's Pistachio Gelato recipe as the base .)



Make some sour gummy candy that Glows in the Dark.  The recipe from Our Best Bites is for Jello Jigglers, but making gummy candy isn't much different!  (At least I hope!)



Or maybe these seasonal Pomegranate Jewels.  Yum!



Making more of these cute little fabric pumpkins that I designed a couple of seasons ago.

Happy Friday

Recipe: Ranch Chipotle Pasta Salad

This weekend I made one of our favorite pasta salads, Ranch Chipotle Pasta Salad.  It's super simple to put together, makes a whole bunch, is delicious as a leftover, and never survives any picnic I take it to!  In short, it's fabulous!



Ranch Chipotle Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 box rotini pasta (cooked and rinsed in cold water)

3/4 cup sour cream (I use the light kind.)

3/4 cup mayonnaise (I use light kind here too.)

3/4 cup milk (any type works fine, usually I just use 1%)

1 package ranch dressing mix (not the dip mix)

1 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder

1 cup frozen corn

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 small can sliced olives

Tomato and Avocado if desired



Mix sour cream, milk, mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix and chili powder in a large bowl to make the sauce.



Add the corn, black beans, cilantro and olives.  Mix thoroughly.  Add in cooked pasta and top with tomato and avocado!  Enjoy!

Storage Container DIY

I've had these little clear storage containers for my main baking ingredients forever.  (Well, not quite forever, but at least 6 years.)  I decided it was either time to replace them entirely or try to spruce them up.  I washed them all down so they were sparkly clean and then got to work cutting some adhesive backed vinyl with my Cricut.  Here's the finished product:





Now every time I open my cupboards I smile just a little.  If you don't have a Cricut, use some stickers or rub-ons to add a little something special to your boring storage containers.  I promise, you'll like it!  (You'll have to forgive the low amount of sugar...I was busy making these Chocolate Surprise Cookies.)



Happy Weekend everyone!

Picnic Recipe Round-up

Still trying to decide what you'd like to serve for your Memorial Day picnic?  Here are a few of my favorite summertime recipes:

Roasted Corn with Chili Lime Butter.  Seriously the most delicious corn on the cob ever!



Grilled Potatoes with Red Wine/Dijon Vinaigrette.  Yum!!



Grilled Yellow Squash and Zucchini Pasta Salad.



For the main course try Grilled Portabello and Brie Burgers.



Pomegranate Cooler.  The recipe is for both non-alcoholic and alcoholic options.

You probably noticed that there was no meat in these recipes.  My husband is vegetarian so I rarely cook meat anymore.  Do you have any good rib, steak, or burger recipes to share?

Happy weekend everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving

Deb and I want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!  We are so thankful for you, our readers!  Without you, this blog couldn't have been what it is today!

(Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Bread Recipe from Montecarte)

Apple Recipes

I love fall!  What better way to welcome fall than to cook with apples that are in abundance pretty much everywhere!  Here are a few of my favorite apple based recipes:

1. No-Fry Apple Cider Doughnuts

2. Apple Coffee Cake

3. Apple Crisp

4. Apple Strudel

Do YOU have any delicious apple based recipes you'd like to share?  Leave a link in our comments!

Spiced Cider Recipe

I LOVE the smells of fall!  The easiest way to get all those wonderful warm cinnamon spice smells is to make a fresh batch of spiced apple cider!   Here's my own easy recipe that not only makes your house smell delicious but is warm and yummy!

What you'll need:
new, clean cheesecloth (Cut into a 6" square)

clean sewing thread or string

1 gallon apple juice

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp. whole cloves

pinch of allspice

2 lemon slices

Place all the spices and lemon slices in the cheesecloth square and tie up with the clean thread.  Put your apple cider in the crock pot on low with your little wrapped spices.  Let warm up for just 20 minutes and enjoy!

Best Banana Bread Ever

I found that some of the best baking recipes for bread and cookies have sour cream in them.  Sour cream makes them amazingly soft.  Here is the best recipe for banana bread (or as my sister and I call it bow-na-na bread) that I've ever had.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter


• 1 1/2 cup sugar


• 3 eggs


• 1 1/2 cup bananas, mashed


• 4 cup flour (plus 2 tbsp.)


• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 1 tsp. baking soda


• 1 1/2 cup sour cream

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and beat.  Add bananas and beat.  Mix dry ingredients together (baking powder, baking soda and flour).

Add the well-mixed dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.  Beat until smooth.  Pour into 2 large greased and floured loaf pans and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  To test for doneness, insert a sharp knife into center of bread.  If it comes out clean, bread is done.

FYI, this bread freezes well.  If you are baking mini loaves, bake for about 35 minutes.

Enjoy!!



Note: You can easily print this recipe by clicking the print icon below.