Happy Halloween!

      I've been looking forward to today for a few weeks now.  When Dee announced that Dan was going to be in Connecticut for the weekend and that she wanted to bring the kids trick-or-treating around my neighborhood, I knew that it would be a great time to get the whole family together.  I've been scouring my magazines, emails, and websites for fun fall dishes to give a try.  Not so easy...I saw so many things that I wanted to make but they all seemed so random.  I wanted a fall themed dinner, that would feed a lot of people (about 10-15), and would also appeal to everyone.  Below you will find the recipes that made the final cut.  My eyes can hardly stay open as I type this...it's been a long day of cooking.  It's a really satisfying feeling making food for the people you love and everyone having a good time together.

Carved by Mackenzie and Annie.

So my mom wanted to help with the cooking so her and my dad worked together to make pulled pork in their crock pot.  I requested that they use apple cider to fit with the fall theme of my dinner party.  The results were delicious although my dad did not stick to the recipe I sent him, which is fine considering I have never made pulled pork and he has.  He'll have to supply the recipe for this one if anyone is interested...although while I need to follow recipes my dad can just throw things in a pot, working with what he has and it usually comes out delicious.

    My brother loves guacamole, so for an appetizer, I went with a a Tombstone Taco Dip Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  I made some fresh tortilla chips by cutting Halloween shapes from tortillas.  I received a years worth of cookie cutters at my bridal shower earlier this year but was disappointed to find that there weren't many Halloween shapes in the mix.  That's why I added a Christmas tree to my guacamole grave yard.  I also used scissors to cut my own shapes.  Jaxson got a kick out of my star and pumpkin shaped "chippies".

Ingredients

• 1    16-ounce can refried beans with green chiles
• 1/4  cup  bottled salsa
• 2/3  cup  bottled ranch salad dressing
• 2  teaspoons  taco seasoning
• 1 1/2  cups  finely chopped cooked chicken
• 1    7-ounce pouch refrigerated guacamole I used fresh avocados that I mashed with a little salt and pepper.
• 1/2    of a 2 1/4-ounce can chopped pitted ripe olives, drained
•     shredded lettuce
•     10-inch tortillas

Directions

In a small bowl, combine refried beans and salsa. Spread refried bean mixture in a 2-quart rectangular dish. In a small bowl, combine ranch salad dressing and taco seasoning; stir in chicken.

Spoon on top of the beans in an even layer. Spoon guacamole in small mounds on top of the chicken mixture. Carefully spread to an even layer.

Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours before serving. Just before serving, place tombstone characters into dip. Sprinkle the graves with chopped olives and shredded lettuce.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Tortilla Graveyard Characters: Using cookie cutters or a knife, cut 10-inch tortillas of any flavor into gravestones, cats, owls, bats, fence rails, and a tree. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until firm and crisp. Cool on rack.

     It wouldn't be a complete day without a little baking.  Earlier in the week I googled ideas for what to serve with pulled pork and came up with corn bread.  I did a little online searching and finally settled on a recipe for Golden Sweet Cornbread from allrecipes.com.   This was super yummy.  As you can see from the first picture, one of the pans did not cook all the way through.  So that was an interesting surprise when I turned the pan over.  I just cut around this gooey mess and the results were delicious.  Never make boxed cornbread from a mix again....Mom!

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

     Going along with the fall theme, I also chose a pasta dish that had butternut squash in it.  I found a recipe for  Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta.  For all my vegetarian friends, I think this would also be great minus the bacon.  My family consists of a lot of "manly" men who probably would have never given this dish a chance without the bacon. 

  

Ingredients

• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  dried rosemary
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 3  cups  (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• Cooking spray
• 6  sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices (raw)
• 1  cup  thinly sliced shallots
• 8  ounces  uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta)
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 2  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
• 1/3  cup  (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

     Annie and my mom both made very pretty Halloween cupcakes that I forgot to snap a picture of.  With all of the cooking I was doing, there was a lot of time management things I needed to think about but I love making dessert.  So I went to one of my slow cooker cookbooks, Crock Pot: Classic Recipes, and found a recipe for Pumpkin Bread Pudding.  I have never had bread pudding before and it really didn't sound appealing to me but it went with my theme and I could just throw it in the pot for a few hours and hope that it would magically transform into something great. It was interesting and everyone seemed to like it.  Dan said it tasted good but felt like it had been regurgitated.

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 16 slices cinnamon raisin bread torn into small pieces (8 cups total)

Sauce

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp bourbon (optional) Yeah...I didn't use this

1. Lightly coat crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
2. To make pudding, place milk and butter in microwavable bowl.  Heat on high for 2.5-3 minutes or until very hot.
3. Combine eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl.  Whisk until well blended.  Add hot milk; stir until well blended.  Add bread cubes; toss gently to coat completely.
4. Place mixture in crock pot and cover.  Cook on high for 2 hours or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Turn off heat.  Uncover and let stand for 15 minutes.
5. To make sauce, stir butter, sugar, and cream in saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Remove from heat.  Stir in bourbon if desired.  Spoon bread pudding into individual bowls and top with sauce.

Moose and Otis in their Halloween costumes.  Moose is the bat and Otis is the pumpkin.  Needless to say, the hats didn't stay on long! The pups did come along trick-or-treating. 

Buzz wearing his "eyes" and carrying his woobie.  "To Infinity and Beyond!"

Ace the lobster taking a nap before trick-or-treating.

One very tired Halloween-er...who isn't ready to stop being Buzz quite yet.

FYI Pastry puff and pie crust are not the same thing...

    Over a month ago I dog eared a page in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine because it had a recipe for Apple Pie Pops that I thought looked really cute.  I was waiting for it to get closer to Halloween to make them.  Well while at Home Goods, (looking for a warm blanket since I am seeing how long we can go before we turn the heat on) I found a set of leave shaped cookie cutters-similar to the shapes I saw in BHG.  They reminded me of the recipe in the magazine and I decided then and there that when I got home, I would make them.  Since my next stop was the grocery store, I quickly googled the recipe for the Apple Pie Pops to see what I ingredients I should pick up.  I quickly jotted a note, on one of the many Post-It pads that has found it's way into my car.
     Standing in the frozen food section, I was expecting to easily find a roll of pie crust, as it was listed in the recipe.  When I didn't find it, after carefully scanning the aisles, left to right, top to bottom-I spotted sheets of puff pastry.  "That must be what the ingredient list meant," I thought to myself as I threw it in my cart.
     While unpacking the groceries, I began to second guess myself but being the impulsive person I am, I decided to just go for it.  Conclusion, puff pastry and pie crust are NOT the same thing.  Duh, right?  I kept peeking into the oven, hoping that the pops would look like the picture in the magazine.  What I saw were obese leaves, slowly loosing their shape.  Luckily, my guests tonight are not that picky and enjoyed the flakiness of my puff pies.  I guess I'm going to go on another scavenger hunt in another grocery store to find pie crust sold in a roll...maybe it's not even in the frozen food section?  I'll let you know...

"Puff Pies"  When Jaxson saw them, he said, "Disgusting, that cake's dirty."

Ingredients

• 2  large  apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 1  tsp.  apple pie spice
• 1  tsp.  lemon juice
•   Dash  salt
• 1  Tbsp.  cornstarch
• 2  Tbsp.  water
• 1  15-oz. pkg.  rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust (2 crusts)...Maybe if I read this more closely I would have found the right product!  Careful reading is important.
• 10    paper or wooden lollipop sticks I found candy apple sticks in the baking aisle
• 1    egg, separated
• 2  tsp.  water
• 2  Tbsp.  sugar
• 1/2  tsp.  apple pie spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, cook apples, the 1/4 cup sugar, the 1 tsp. apple pie spice, the lemon juice, and salt over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until apples are nearly tender, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl combine cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water until smooth. Add to apple mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and well combined. Mixture will thicken quickly.
3. Unroll pie crusts. On a lightly floured surface, roll each crust to a 12-inch circle. Using a 3-inch round or leaf cutter, make 10 cutouts in each circle of dough.
4. Arrange 10 of the cutouts on the prepared baking sheet. Press a lollipop stick firmly into the center of each dough cutout. Spoon a scant tablespoon of filling in the center of each cutout. You will have leftover filling.
5. In a small bowl whisk the egg white and 1 tsp. water until frothy. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to brush mixture around the edge of each dough shape. Place a second cutout of dough on top of the filling. Use a fork to seal the edges, taking care that dough is sealed around lollipop stick.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and remaining 1 tsp. water. Brush atop pie pops. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice. Sprinkle over pops.
7. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on the baking sheet. makes 10 pops.

A spur of the moment week night dish.

Feta, Herb, and Sun Dried Tomato Chicken from myrecipes.com 

 

Ingredients

• 2  cups  water
• 1/2  cup  sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh basil
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 2  tablespoons  butter (I used 1/4 tbsp. of Smart Balance)
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 1/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  teaspoons  thinly sliced fresh basil (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan; add tomatoes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and slice into thin strips. Combine tomatoes, cheese, 2 teaspoons chopped basil, oregano, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each piece to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Cut a horizontal slit through one side of each chicken breast half to form a deep pocket. Stuff 1/4 cup tomato mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Fold 4 (16 x 12-inch) sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil in half crosswise. Open foil; place 1 1/2 teaspoons butter on half of each foil sheet. Lay one stuffed chicken breast half on top of each portion of butter. Place 1/8 teaspoon grated lemon rind on top of each stuffed chicken breast half, and drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon chicken broth. Fold foil over chicken, and tightly seal edges. Place packets on a baking sheet. Bake packets at 425° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Unfold packets carefully, and thinly slice each chicken breast half. Garnish each serving with 1/2 teaspoon sliced basil, if desired. Serve immediately.


This recipe was really easy.  I once watched a video online about how to cut chicken for stuffing.  It was helpful.  This chicken turned our really juicy and tasted great.  

Pumpkin Bean Soup

    These days I get a few emails a week with recipes and I often click on links in browsers that share ideas for meals.  A few weeks ago I saved a recipe for Pumpkin Bean Soup to my favorites.  I came across this recipe again last night and since I had all of the ingredients, I'm going to try it out today.

Ingredients

• 1  15-oz. can  pumpkin
• 1  14-oz. can  unsweetened coconut milk
• 1  15-oz. can  cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1  14-oz. can  vegetable broth
• 1  tsp.  dried leaf sage, crushed
•     Salt and ground black pepper
•     Cracked black peppercorns, optional
•     Fresh lime slices, optional

Directions

1. In medium saucepan combine pumpkin, unsweetened coconut milk, beans, broth, and sage. Heat through.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with black peppercorns. Drizzle with lime. Makes 4 servings.


This was super easy to make.  It took about 20 minutes start to finish.  I used my immersion blender to blend it all together, so the consistency was a bit creamier.  Honestly, I can't say for sure if I like it yet.  I just tasted it quickly before throwing it in the fridge for lunch tomorrow.  It may not be a favorite but it was worth a try!

Here are some of my favorite shots from the pumpkin patch today.  Such cuties. 

What a beautiful day for the pumpkin patch...

     Today we are heading to the pumpkin patch to take pictures of Jaxson and Ace and maybe pick out a good jack-o-lantern worthy pumpkin.  This trip inspired me to do some fall cooking.  Last night I threw all of the ingredients for pumpkin oatmeal into the crock pot.  This morning I awoke to what spelled like pumpkin pie.  The oatmeal turned out pretty good, although it was a little bland so I sprinkled some brown sugar on top.  It was very filling and made a ton.  I already sent some to my mom's house and have plenty for breakfast for a few more days.

Ingredients

6 cups water
3 cups pie pumpkin or sweet potato (I used sweet potato)
1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp. cinnamin
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Stay tuned for my next pumpkin inspired recipe later today...

Closets and Lemon (or orange) Ginger Chicken Thighs

    So you would have thought that during a long weekend I would have done a ton of cooking and experimenting in the kitchen...not me!  I did bake cookies for a wedding shower on Friday night and a pot of squash soup yesterday for lunch this week but that's it.  I spent the weekend shopping and then finally taking on the task of flip flopping my closet and Arnauld's.  This involved moving all of my clothes from the closet downstairs to the upstairs closet and moving all of Arnauld's things downstairs.  I've always dreamed of having a large organized closet.  I've never had a closet big enough...even now I don't think everything will quite fit but I'm going to try.  I wanted it to look pretty too, like a celebrity's closet-which is actually more the size of my entire house.  So I painted the closet the color of a Tiffany's box.  It's a color I would never use in a regular room since everything is more earthy, but I like the color and it's perfect for my closet.  Arnauld's things are all in and looking great.  Mine are all over the place still since my dad has promised to help me put down a floor in the closet.  Hopefully it will turn out to be everything I have dreamed!

     So after a busy weekend, the kitchen was feeling neglected so I made dinner tonight.  I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  Tonight was the second time I made this, the first time I used chicken drumsticks and lemon.  Tonight I used chicken thighs and orange (because I didn't have a lemon).  It was my first time making thighs and legs.  It is a really simple dish, perfect for a weeknight and it's really tasty.  Tonight I also made steamed broccoli and couscous. 

Ingredients
1 Lemon (or orange)
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
8 chicken thighs (I used boneless and skinless)
2 tsp vegetable oil
Sliced green onions and lemon wedges (optional)

1. Finely shred peel from lemon and juice lemon.  In bowl combine the lemon peel, ginger, and salt.  In another bowl combine lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp. water.
2. Rub lemon peel mixture on the chicken.  In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Place chicken in the hot oil.  Cook 7 minutes or until well browned.  Turn chicken and add lemon juice mixture.  Reduce heat; cover and cook 14-18 minutes longer or until no pink remains.
3. Transfer chicken to plates.  Skim fat from pan juices, if desired.  Drizzle chicken with some of the pan juices.  Top with green onions and serve with lemon wedges.  Serves 4.

Just for fun, here is a picture of my pups wearing their very stylish Halloween collars. 

 

Update: 

My dad put the floor down in my closet today.  He's the best.  Here are some pictures before putting my clothes in...that will take a while!

What HE Cooked...

    I spent the weekend with my sister and her family in North Carolina.  While I was away, Arnauld cleaned the house, did the laundry, went grocery shopping, AND planned and executed a very delicious dinner.  Needless to say, arriving home to all of that made me one happy girl.
    This week my mom made some fresh pesto sauce using basil from my grandma's garden.  Arnauld went to his favorite recipe spot, allrecipes.com and made this for an early dinner tonight:

Teena's Spicy Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Then here is just one of my favorite guys. 

 Thanks to Dee and Dan for a fun weekend in NC! xox