Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Bake

Hello all! The last few months have absolutely been a whirlwind of finishing the school semester, preparing for and celebrating Christmas with both sides of the family, traveling, and getting ready for a family wedding! In the midst of all the chaos, I love to stop and reflect on why we celebrate Christmas and the reason for the joy that we have in life. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that both at church here and at my home town, the pastors focused on Isaiah 9. These verses have been central in my mind this Christmas season, and as 2011 finishes, they provide a great reminder of who our God is and the promises he gives us in the coming year. Here is one of my favorite verses from that chapter.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, 

and the government will be on his shoulders. 

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~Isaiah 9:6   

One thing that I especially love this time of year is having the chance to relax with family and friends. A few weeks ago,  my husband and I had my aunt and a couple of friends over on a Saturday morning-which was the perfect time to try out this variation on French Toast. I made it the night before and let it soak overnight. Therefore, breakfast was incredibly simple! All I had to do in the morning was pop it in the oven and set the table. I also ended up using the left over blueberries to make a sauce to top the finished french toast, but I did not include it in this recipe.

Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Bake

1 loaf bread, or about 10 to 12 slices
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup maple cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2 cups (12 oz.) fresh or frozen blueberries

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

Cut the bread slices into 1-inch cubes. Feel free to cut off the crust of the bread if you would like, but it is not necessary. Also, cut the cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with the cream cheese cubes and the blueberries. Spread the remaining bread cubes over the mixture in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and dash salt. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes in the baking dish, making sure to cover all the bread. Use a spoon or a spatula to press the bread down to help it soak up the egg mixture. Sprinkle additional cinnamon over the top.

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight, or for at least several hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Remove the baking dish from the fridge about 30 minutes before you are ready to bake it. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and set.

To serve, cut into squares and top with maple syrup.

Recipe for a Good Friendship

When it comes to friendship, many dear faces come to my mind, but one particular person that has repeatedly shown her love and devotion is my friend Frances. Frances and I met many years ago, even though neither one of us can exactly remember when. In the last few years, she has become one of my closest friends. My first year of college, I moved into the dorms with her and, little did I know at the time, it was the beginning of much craziness, laughter, late nights, funny quotes, elaborate decorations and costumes, and ultimately a deep friendship to come. Frances will always be my constant. I have been particularly thankful for her the last few months as she continually helps out when times get hard and continually offers a listening ear when I need it most. This recipe for friendship is dedicated to her and all her quirks.

 Recipe for a Good Friendship

2 Friends
3 scoops of time
2 cups hot chocolate
at least 2 good movies
dash of silliness
3 cups of kindness
1 occasionally shared silver Chevy cavalier
1 heaping spoonful of patience
3/4 cup humor
3 handfuls funny quotes
1 quote book, minus 12 Valerie quotes
1 glue gun, plus buttons, paper chains, paper flowers, etc.
1 5 lb. bag of listening ears

Combine the 2 friends with the time. Add in the movies and the hot chocolate. Sprinkle in silliness as desired.

When needed, add patience, kindness, and humor to the above ingredients.

When necessary, borrow the silver Chevy Cavalier. Return promptly. Always have the glue gun within arms reach, and the quote book nearby to add the handfuls of funny quotes.

Make sure to liberally add listening ears, and for best results, enjoy weekly, or even daily.

Blondies

I made these white chocolate goodies for the 3rd Annual Fiesta of Deliciousness. And yes, the crazy name fits perfectly with the crazy event. A friend of mine started the Fiesta a few years ago. The only rules are you have to bring the best most delicious thing you can think of and bring enough to share. And the most important rule: Everything is supposed to be homemade. We usually fill whatever house we are in, and spend the entire evening eating, chatting, and playing games. The best part about the Fiesta is that you really have no idea what food will show up, but it's gonna be good. This year we had a lot of casseroles and soups, which was perfect for the chilly November evening. 

I am a huge fan of dark chocolate- like really dark. The darker the better. Because of this, I do not typically like white chocolate since it's at the opposite end of the chocolate spectrum. These are a fun alternative to regular brownies, however. I also happen to be related to several people who love white chocolate anything, so I figured I should have a few white chocolate recipes in my arsenal. This recipe is easy to under-bake because their color is so light and when they start browning on top, it seems like they should be done. Just make sure they really are before taking them out of the oven.

Blondies
Makes 12

7 tablespoons butter, chopped, plus extra for greasing
4 1/2 oz. white chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup hazelnuts or macadamia nuts, chopped
3 1/2 oz. white chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups plus 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a shallow 9 inch pan with butter and line the bottom with baking paper.

In a small saucepan or a double broiler, heat the butter and the chocolate together over low heat until the chocolate is just melted, then remove from the heat and stir gently until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and eggs, then stir in the chocolate mixture, vanilla, nuts, chocolate chips, and flour, using a wooden spoon. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake in the hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. The cake should also be firm around the edges but still moist in the middle. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan completely. Remove the cake from the pan and cut into 12 squares.

Double Tree Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once, when I was in high school, we stayed at a Double Tree for an event, and I was introduced to the Double Tree Chocolate Chip cookie for the first time. I think over the course of the two days that we were there, my friend and I ate more cookies than we did regular food. So healthy, but hey, we were sophomores so it was fine. I still crave them on a regular basis.

And when those cravings appear, and we don't have the time to go on vacation (since it is usually the middle of the week), out comes this recipe. There are several quirky ingredients, but they are all worth it! It is similar to a regular chocolate chip cookie recipe, but these cookies have a little something more. My brother-in-law stayed with us for a couple days last weekend, so these scrumptious cookies made an appearance. My husband is always wanting me to make things in "man-sized" portions. He wants man-cakes, not just pancakes, and just one cookie should fit on a plate, not several. That makes these cookies absolutely perfect. Hopefully, they remind you of the warm cookies from the Double Tree, and as you eat them, imagine that you are not at home, but on vacation somewhere. That's what I did!

Makes 16 to 20 cookies
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Grind oats in a food processor or blender until fine. Combine the ground oats with the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

Cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice in another medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.

Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture with a wooded spoon and blend well. Add the chocolate chips and the nuts to the dough and mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.

Spoon rounded 1/4-cup portions of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the scoops about 2 inches apart. You do not need to press the dough flat.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the cookies are light brown and soft in the middle. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in a sealed container when cool to keep the cookies soft.

Source: Originally from Todd Wilbur's The Best of Top Secret Recipes (2003)

Double Chocolate Muffins

November is here! And I was a little shocked to discover that snow came with it this afternoon. Last year it was snowing in October, and I am thankful that winter held off as long as it has for us this year. There really is something special about the first snowfall, however. It always makes me wish that my day was free to sit with a cup of tea and a book next to the fireplace and to occasionally glance out the window and watch the sky hurl giant snowflakes down at the earth. Maybe someday!

And while sitting by the fireplace drinking tea, I would also eat one of these Double Chocolate Muffins. I am always drawn to chocolate muffins but rarely buy them. I just can't eat sweet things for breakfast. They were fun to make and even though they aren't my first pick for a breakfast muffin, they make wonderful snacks any time during the day. As soon as they were gone, I immediately started planning on when I was going to make them again. They will definitely make an appearance when Christmas rolls around. These muffins would travel well, so I'm planning on bringing them to my parents' and my in-law's when we visit for the holidays. I can't wait!    

Double Chocolate Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 /3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 12-muffin pan or line with paper liners.

Melt and cool the 2 oz of chocolate. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, milk and vanilla.

Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the brown sugar and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the egg.

Next, beat in the chocolate just until blended. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts. Beat on low speed or stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in 1 or 2 of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!

 Source: Adapted from Joy of Cooking (2006)

Tomato Soup

Whenever we had tomato soup growing up, it did not come out of a can but a mason jar. At the end of summer, right when the garden started producing the most tomatoes, Grandma would start canning tomato soup. Instead of taking a whole day to can everything she could, Grandma would do one batch at a time- which was only a few jars a day. By the time the first frost came around, Grandma's basement pantry would be full of pint sized jars filled with deliciously smooth real soup, layered with flavor. There is still nothing like it. I no longer live right next to my Grandparents. I occasionally crave her homemade soup so badly that I almost jump in the car and drive the 6 hours immediately. And no matter what, I refuse to eat tomato soup from a can.

So I decided to come up with a remedy for my tomato soup cravings- my own homemade tomato soup. In my mind, I called it "semi homemade" because even though it is not directly from a can, several of the ingredient are, which makes it simple, but it's still not Grandma's. I was very happy with how this soup turned out. It is simple to make, and really has a lot of flavor. I used an immersion blender to make the soup smooth, but if you don't have one, you can use a food processor or leave tomato chunks. In that case, you might want to use diced tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes. Grandpa always added a little Tabasco sauce to his soup, and the red pepper flakes added a nice subtle spiciness to the soup, which you can certainly leave out if you like. And of course, nothing complements tomato soup like grilled cheese sandwiches!

Tomato Soup
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake (optional)
salt and black ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup cream or half and half

While heating a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter and the oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion and the garlic to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are beginning to soften.

Add the tomato paste, the stewed tomatoes, and the chicken broth. Stir the ingredients together and add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes so that all of the ingredients have a chance to blend together.

After the soup has cooked, use an immersion blender or a food processor to puree the soup and make it smooth. Reheat the soup on medium low. Add the 1 tbsp butter and the cream. When the soup is heated through, serve garnished with shredded cheese or basil.

Fettuccine with Ham and Cream

I love it when I find a new recipe, then discover that I already have all the ingredients I need right in my kitchen! Most of the time, I plan meals around the things that I picked up on my previous outing to the grocery store. So, it was a pleasant discovery when I saw this pasta dish in my favorite pasta cookbook and realized that I would not have to make an extra trip or wait till the next time I bought groceries just to make this for dinner. (Plus, it is always better for my budget when I don't have to make extra trips!)   When you look at the ingredient and directions, you'll see that dinner could hardly be any simpler. 

Fettuccine with Ham and Cream
Serves 4

4 ounces prosciutto crudo or other unsmoked ham (raw or cooked)
1/4 cup butter
2 shallots, very finely chopped
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
12 ounces fettuccine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and black ground pepper
fresh parsley sprig, to garnish (optional)

Cut the fat from the ham and chop both lean and fat parts separately into small squares.

Melt the butter in a medium frying pan and add the shallots and the squares of ham fat. Cook until golden. Add the lean ham, and cook for 2 minuted more. Season with black pepper. Stir in the cream and the oregano. Keep warm over low heat while the pasta is cooking.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, turn into a warmed serving dish and toss with the sauce. Stir in the cheese and serve immediately, garnished with a sprig of parsley.

Source: Pasta: Irresistible Recipes for Perfect Pasta

Apple Cake

I always end up buying more apples than I know what to do with, especially this time of year. After making a batch of slightly dry and crumbly banana muffins earlier in the week, something with really moist apples seemed too good to resist. I ended up making this cake instead of muffins however, because as I flipped though my cookbooks, it sounded exactly like what I was craving. Maybe sometime I'll try it as muffins instead! I got up early Sunday morning to try this recipe out, and my husband and I ate warm apple cake with tea before heading out the door for church. It was perhaps a little sweet for breakfast in my opinion. And in my husband's opinion- well, nothing is ever too sweet for him, no matter the time of day. Enjoy!

Apple Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/2 whole wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, or regular milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped apples, with skins on
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)


Optional Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch square baking pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.

Whisk together in a large bowl the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Be sure to pinch out any lumps in the brown sugar. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla and stir together until smooth. Then stir in the apples and the nuts, if using.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. If desired, use additional thinly sliced apples to garnish the top of the cake before baking. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack.

Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze. If the glaze is too thin or thick, add a few more drops of milk or a little more powdered sugar as needed.  After the cake has cooled, but is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Or, drizzle the glaze on individual pieces right before serving.

Source: Joy of Cooking (2006)

Macaroni Souffle

I have an amazing cookbook dedicated all to pasta, and unfortunately, I have only used it a couple of times since I got it many years ago. I think this was one of the first cookbooks I owned when I was growing up. It is full of beautiful pictures and easy-to-follow directions. One of the things I love about it most is that it is cross cultural. Although it mostly covers Italian style pastas, it also includes different kinds of noodle dishes from Asian, African, and the good old United States.

I have only made a souffle once in my life. Really the only thing I remember about the souffle is that it was strange and didn't really turn out like the picture. I think I was probably 13 or 14. So this weekend, I decided that it was high time to try a souffle again! This recipe came from my pasta cookbook, and since I had everything on hand, I just went for it.  This souffle was a great Saturday lunch, and we will definitely be making it again.



Macaroni Souffle
Serves 3 to 4

3 ounces short cut macaroni
melted butter, to coat
3 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup Cheddar or Gruyere cheese, grated
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 eggs, separated
salt and ground black pepper

Cook the macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Brush a 5-cup souffle dish with melted butter, then coat evenly with the bread crumbs. shaking out the excess from the pan.

Put the butter, paprika, flour and milk into a saucepan and slowly bring to boil, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and thick.

Simmer the sauce gently for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses until melted. Season well and mix with the cooked macaroni.

Beat in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and stir a quarter into the sauce mixture to lighten it slightly.

Using a large, metal spoon, carefully fold in the rest if the egg whites and transfer to the prepared souffle dish.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the souffle is risen and golden brown. The middle should wobble very slightly and the souffle should be lightly creamy inside.

Source: Pasta: Irresistible Recipes for Perfect Pasta (2001)

Rosemary Chicken and Stuffed Pasta

I was thinking about pasta again, so I decided that it was necessary to share this new favorite of mine. It is unique but very flavorful. I like making menus when planning for the week instead of just coming up with ideas for main dishes. Earlier this summer, I bought one of Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals cook books from Borders as they were having their going-out-of-business sale. I went all out a couple of times this summer and made the full menus, but found out I still like to make individual recipes. That's why I decided to post this one recipe instead of the whole menu it appeared with in my book. I was not used to cooking with balsamic vinegar when I found this, and I had to go out and buy a bottle before I could make dinner. Since my husband doesn't like rosemary, I actually left it out.

Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, cracked from the skin with the flat of the knife


Ravioli
salt and pepper, to taste
1 package fresh or frozen ravioli, any filling
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Marinate the chicken: coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season the chicken with rosemary, salt, and pepper, and let stand 10 minutes.

Start the ravioli: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until the raviolis expand and float to top of the water and are al dente. Drain.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken until juices run clear, 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

When the chicken has cooked midway, 5 or 6 minutes, start to prepare butter for ravioli: to a cold skillet, add butter and turn on medium heat. Let the butter brown. If you start with a cold pan, the butter should be lightly browned by the time it comes to a bubble. When the butter for the ravioli has browned, add cooked ravioli to the pan and turn in the butter to heat through. Add balsamic vinegar to the ravioli and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to reduce the vinegar and glaze the ravioli. The vinegar will become thick and syrup-like. Add cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper to the pasta and remove the pan from the heat.

Slice the chicken on an angle and serve with ravioli.

Source: Classic 30 Minute Meals: The All-Occasion Cookbook

Creamy Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

I love soup. In my opinion, it is the crown of comfort foods. I just got an immersion blender this past summer, and I'm glad it's fall so I can actually put it to use! Fall is the perfect time for soup, after all. I first saw this recipe on Annie's Eats, and couldn't resist trying it, mostly because I have never made anything like this before and it was very simple. We made it this past weekend since people were coming over for the game. Just to be safe, I made some other things to eat as well so none of our guests would feel obligated to eat such an unconventional soup. I was pleasantly surprised, however. Most of our guest loved the soup, and we ended up with only enough leftovers for my husband and I to have a small bowl the next day. I tweaked the recipe just a little to make it a little more cheesy and smooth, but it is basically the same as the original.

The croutons may seem like an extra, unwanted step but they are so worth it. So don't skip it! The soup doesn't take very much time at all to make, and I would definitely recommend taking the time to make this delightfully crisp garnish.

Creamy Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

For the croutons:

About 6 oz. whole grain bread, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Kosher or sea salt

For the soup:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 shallots, minced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Kosher or sea salt

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

3½ cups vegetable broth

1 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 cream or half and half

Directions:

To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Add the bread cubes to a medium bowl and toss with the melted butter, olive oil, and mustard until evenly coated.  Spread the bread cubes out in an even layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crunchy.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt, then mix in the potato, garlic and vegetable broth.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer, keep covered, and let cook for about 8 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Add the cauliflower and cook about 7-8 minutes more, until the cauliflower is tender.  Stir in the cheese, mustard, and cream.

Puree with an immersion blender (or a food processor, vented to allow the steam to escape).  Mix in additional water or broth if the soup is too thick.  Season with additional salt to taste.  Serve warm topped with additional shredded cheese and the croutons.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

Crock Pot Ravioli

If there is one thing my husband and I can never get enough of- it's ravioli, or any cheese stuffed pasta, for that matter. Although I've made tortellini and ravioli from scratch before, most of the time for convenience sake, I like to get the fresh or frozen kind at the grocery store instead. This is a simple and delicious recipe I stumbled across the other day. With our busy schedules, it was nice to have something to throw in the slow cooker, and then know that supper was covered when I got off work. I added a few of my own twists, but the end product was nearly the same as the original recipe I found on The Nest. The original recipe made 10 servings, which I reduced so that my husband and I would only have leftovers for the next day instead of all week!

Cheesy Ravioli Casserole

Makes: 5 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 shallot, chopped (optional)

1 jar four cheese-flavored tomato pasta sauce

1 small can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

various Italian seasonings (such as oregano, basil, etc.)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 package frozen beef or cheese-filled pasta

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

Parmesan cheese

1. Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In Dutch oven or 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Cook onion and garlic in oil about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and your choice of Italian seasonings.

2. Place 1 cup of the sauce mixture in slow cooker. Add 1/2 the package of frozen ravioli; top with 1 cup of the cheese. Top with remaining package of ravioli and 1 cup cheese. Pour remaining sauce mixture over top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and oregano on top.

3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until hot.

Pumpkin Soup

Nothing launches me into the realization that it's finally fall like seeing pumpkins at the grocery store. I decided that this was the year to use real pumpkin more than canned pumpkin in random fall favorites. Pumpkin is one of my older sister's favorite things, and since she and my nephew came for a visit last weekend, I figured it was a perfect time to pull out my Pumpkin Soup recipe. I got this recipe from a cookbook I've had for as long as I can remember called French. 

Serves 6 to 8

1 large onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 cups cubed pumpkin
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
parsley or chives to garnish (optional)

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and the shallots to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until just softened.

2. Add the potatoes, pumpkin, broth, and spices to the pan, and season with a little salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor and process until smooth, adding a little of the cooking liquid if needed. You can also use an immersion blender, if you have one! Return the puree to the pan and stir into the cooking liquid. Adjust the seasonings and reheat gently. Garnish with the fresh herbs.

This is a poem for my kitchen...

This is a poem for my kitchen

so     it has to be bright

it has to be warm

it has to be clean

This is a poem for my kitchen

so     it must have counter space

it must have coffee beans

it has to have a toaster

This is a poem for my kitchen

so     if it is dirty it won't clean itself

if it is cluttered something will break

if it is cold, turn on the oven

This is a poem for my kitchen

so     let's be sure to have flour

let's be sure to bake cookies

let's make certain to invite people in

This is a poem for my kitchen

so     let it create

let it inspire

and please please please let it be colorful

This is my kitchen's poem

so it is

full of friends 

full of family 

full of love

What's in a name...

The Argyle Apple sums up my life in more ways than I ever thought possible when I first thought of the name. I am going to be a teacher soon (I will be graduating from college in May!) and what is the iconic teacher symbol? The apple, of course. No classroom would be complete without one. Ironically, apples have also been my favorite fruit for as long as I can remember.

Speaking of food, one of my greatest passions happen to be just that. I have always loved eating, cooking, baking, experimenting and creating with food from the time that I was a little girl. In fact, I wrote my first cookbook back when I was only 5 or 6 years old, complete with ingredient lists and illustrations.  Maybe someday I’ll write another one and actually get it published…

There are few things in this world as wonderful as argyle. I was first introduced to this diamantine pattern during my second year of college. I had a friend who loved argyle socks, and wore them on a regular basis. Shorty after, I went to Target (one of the best places to find them by the way) and I bought my first pair. They were knee high and consisted of the most unusual assortment of colors: teal, tan, and something I like to call papaya. They also had gold glitter thread running up and down in that well known pattern. I still wear them on occasion, even though my argyle sock collection has greatly increased since back then. 

And that is mostly why the Argyle Apple was my resting place for my blog name. Ironically, the idea was not as original as I first though, however. I found out this morning that in Australia there is an argyle apple tree. I really hope to own one someday, since they apparently can be converted to houseplants.