INCREDIBLE Bacon Butternut Squash Soup for a Dreary Almost Fall Eveving

I love this soup, this is my favorite fall meal...period.

Ingredients:
1 lb bacon (sliced into small pieces)
2 sweet onions diced
2 stalks celery diced
4 small-medium white potatoes diced
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup white wine
8 cups chicken broth
4 (15 oz.) cans butternut squash (I buy Farmer's Market Organic sold at whole foods)
2 cups milk

Directions:

1.  Cook bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until done.  Reserve oil.  Set bacon aside on paper towels to drain.

2.  Heat 2 Tbsp. of reserved oil back in the same soup pot.  Saute onions, celery, potatoes, bay leaves, sage, salt and pepper for 10-12 minutes or until tender.  Add 1/2 cup white wine and cook 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

3.  Add butternut squash, reserved bacon and milk, and heat until done.  Serve hot.  Enjoy!

Light Tomato Bisque for a Night in during a Steamy Summer Storm

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon chopped

2 small sweet onions diced

2 carrots diced

3 Tbsp. minced garlic

3 Tbsp. flour

6 cups water (reserved from tomatoes)

6 chicken boullion cubes

8 medium tomatoes

2 Tbsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. ground thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup skim milk
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1 tsp.  black pepper

salt to taste

Directions:

Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Cut out the tough vine area from the top of the tomatoes.  Slice an "X" shape on the bottom of the tomato.  Add tomatoes to boiling water.  Boil tomatoes for 2-3 minutes until skin starts to peel off, transfer to a bowl, reserving the hot water.  Rinse tomatoes with cold water.  Peel the skin from the tomatoes and put in a bowl.  Use a masher to mash tomatoes.  Set aside.

Cook bacon in a large soup pot until crisp.  Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and set aside; reserve bacon grease. 

In the same large soup pot, in the reserved bacon grease saute the onion, carrots and garlic for 6-10 minutes until tender.  Add flour and stir.  Add 6 cups of the reserved tomato water, chicken bouillon cubes and the tomatoes including any juice.  Add parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add Parmesan.  Using a hand blender blend soup until mostly smooth.

Put soup on medium heat and add milk, and pepper.    Add reserved bacon.  Add salt to taste.  Serve soup hot.  Great with some homemade croutons and fresh Parmesan cheese grated on top.  Enjoy!

Cherry Tomato and Mozarella Salad for a Hot & Sizzling 4th of July

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved (I like to get one package red and one package orange cherry tomatoes)

8 ounces fresh “mini” mozzarella pearls drained

5 tablespoons olive oil

36 basil leaves, chopped

3/4 teaspoon ground salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

Add the tomatoes and mozzarella to a medium bowl. Add olive oil to the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add the basil, salt, and pepper, and gently mix ingredients.

Grandma's Pie Crust

This is my Grandma's pie crust recipe and its the best pie crust ever, hands down. Enough said...

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter softened and cut into thin slices
2 Tbsp. cirsco or olive oil (I like to use olive oil for savory items like quiche and crisco for pies/desserts)
5-7 Tbsp. ice cold water

Directions
Mix together ingredients with pastry cutter until combined.  Roll out on floured surface to fit pie or dessert pan.  Bake according to directions for recipe.

This works great for pies and quiches.  Recipe makes enough for pie bottom and top.  If you need a really thick pie crust top and bottom as well, double the recipe.  Enjoy!

Peach Crisp Pie for a Sizzling Summer Night

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust (or as an alternative use Grandma's Pie Crust):
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp. butter

Filling:

8 peeled and thinly sliced fresh peaches

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp.cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. flour

Topping:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

6 Tbsp. butter, cut into thin slices

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the Crust:  Melt 5 Tbsp. butter in a 9 inch pie dish.  Remove from oven.  Add 1 1/4 cup graham crackers and 1/4 cup sugar to pie shell and mix.  Then press into bottom and sides of pie dish (be careful if the pie pan is still hot).  Set aside.

For the Filling:  Mix all filling ingredients together in a bowl.  Spread evenly into pie shell.

For the Topping:  Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl.  Cut butter in with a pastry cutter until a coarse mixture forms.  Evenly cover the peaches in the pie dish with the topping and press lightly down. 

Bake pie in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until done.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.  Enjoy!

You can also substitute Grandma's Pie Crust in place of a graham cracker crust.  Simply follow the directions for Grandma's Pie Crust, then fill with filling, top with topping and backe for 35-40 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Picture below is with Grandma's Pie Crust.

Simple Roasted Potatoes for a Hot and Sunny Memorial Day

These go great as a side for a BBQ.  My good friend Anna makes this and I had to post it because it is so easy to make and tastes so amazing.

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion chopped
1 1/2 cup baby carrots
2 large russet potatoes (or 5 small White potatoes) chopped into 1/2 inch slices
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley (fresh is best, but dry will work)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place all ingredients in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish (preferably a dish with an oven-safe lid).  I use a heavy cast iron casserole dish with a lid.  Mix to coat veggies.  Cover with oven-safe lid or foil.  Bake cover for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done (veggies should be tender).  Every 15 minutes or so mix veggies to coat.  Serve hot and Enjoy!!!

Summer Rosemary Garlic Dijon Marinade for Grilled Pork or Chicken

This is a fun summer recipe perfect for grilling. 

Ingredients:
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 bulb garlic minced (about 5 Tbsp.)
8 sprigs rosemary chopped (about 1/4 cup)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl or dish.  Add desired meat (recommend chicken, pork or steak, works great for kebabs).  Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

If making kebabs, I also like to add my vegetables sliced vegetables to the marinade for at least an hour (up to 4 hours).  Remember, that if you mix raw meat and vegetables or use any marinade that was mixed with raw meat for the vegetables, you must make sure to cook the vegetables thoroughly.

Remove meat from marinade and Grill or Bake meat until done.

I usually baste my kebobs or meat with the leftover marinade every few minutes while grilling.  Remember that the marinade contained raw meat, so you must stop basting before the meat or kebabs are done and make sure to cook the basted meat long enough to ensure any marinade is also thoroughly cooked through.

Double Chocolate Drop Scones for a Spring Bachelorette Party Brunch

Easy Double Chocolate Drop Scones for a Spring Bachelorette Party

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 Tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. butter
1 egg
3/4 skim milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; cut in butter.  Beat egg and milk in a bowl, then add to dry ingredients and mix.  Add chips to mixture and stir until incorporated.  Drop batter 2 heaping tablespoons of batter per scone onto a cookie sheet, keep at least 1 inch apart.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden at edges.

Makes about 15-20.

Pecan Shortbread for a Sunny Sunday Morning

I recently went to visit my Grandma and she reminded me how much I love these shortbread cookies.  The recipe below is a slight variation of my Grandma's recipe.  As an added bonus, they will make your house smell amazing while they bake.  They taste great with coffee.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg (separated)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 cup pecans finely chopped (or almond slices for almond shortbread)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

Cream butter and sugar in mix master.  Add 1 egg yolk and mix to combine.  Slowly stir in cinnamon and flour until combine. 

Spread dough evenly onto a 10 X 15 inch ungreased jelly roll pan.  Brush egg white evenly over top of dough.  Cover with chopped pecans. 

Bake for 22-27 minutes or until golden brown.  Cut into slices while hot.  Enjoy!

Fresh Mint Brownies and Frango Mint Brownies, I am all about Options

Mint Brownies

I am a strong proponent of the argument, "You can never have too much of a good thing."  That's why I am giving two of my favorite Mint Brownie recipes below.

Fresh Mint Brownies, a Cure to April Showers

I have an out of control sweet mint plant that comes back every year bigger and better than the year before...so, I have been inventing new uses for sweet mint.  These are a fun brownie to make in the Spring/Summer and serve with ice cream and hot fudge!  I love sundae bars and these brownies definitely are a great addition.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. fresh sweet mint finely chopped (use regular mint if sweet mint unavailable)
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2 oz. Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Melt butter over medium heat in saute pan.  Add mint and saute 30 seconds. 

Add chocolate and cook until chocolate is melted and fully combined stirring constantly.

Set aside to cool.  In medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla. 

Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and stir to combine. 

Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.  Pour into a greased 8X8 inch cake pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until done.  Let cool for 5 minutes at least before slicing.  Goes great with ice cream, hot fudge or whipped cream, or simply serve by itself.

If you want to make more, simply double the recipe and bake in a 13X9 inch pan.

Frango Mint Brownies, a Cure to ANYTHING

So these are phenomenal and so easy!  They make great Christmas gifts!  They speak for themselves, just make them.

Ingredients:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2 oz. Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
15 Frango Mint Chocolates chopped (I suppose you could use other mint chocolates, but as a Chicago native I refuse to stray from Frangos)

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Melt butter over medium heat in saute pan. Add chocolate and cook until chocolate is melted and fully combined stirring constantly. Set aside to cool. In medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.   Add chopped Frango mints.  Pour into a greased 8X8 inch cake pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Let cool for 5 minutes at least before slicing. Goes great with ice cream, hot fudge or whipped cream, or simply serve by itself.

If you want to make more, simply double the recipe and bake in a 13X9 inch pan.

Hearty Home-style Chicken and Vegetable Casserole for a Rainy Spring Weekend

This is one of my favorite quick and easy hearty home-style meals. It makes me want to curl up by a fire and read a good book. I make variations of this dish at my dinner parties regularly and it is always a big hit. Plus, it’s a great way to get anyone to eat their vegetables! It reheats well and can be made ahead (no more than 1 day) and baked later. If you want to make a slightly healthier version, then just add one can of soup only and 1/2 cup of fat free sour cream. As I said, I "mess with", "tinker", "alter" (you pick the adjective) this recipe on a constant basis and its hard to screw up. Some of my recommended variations appear below. If you try a different version, let me know!

Ingredients:
Homemade Apple Cranberry Pork Sausage Stuffing Recipe (or if you are in a hurry, one package STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix, I like the cornbread flavor, but chicken or turkey works too)

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces

2 (10-3/4 oz.) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (or for a healthier version, 1 can soup plus 1/2 cup low fat sour cream)

1 (16 oz.) package frozen vegetables (mixed carrot, peas, corn and green beans)

1/2 (16 oz.) package of frozen broccoli florets (or you can simply add 8 oz. more of the frozen vegetables if you aren't a broccoli fan)

1 tsp. red pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make Homemade Apple Cranberry Stuffing according to recipe, but do not bake in oven, set aside. If you are making the Stove Top Stuffing mix, simply follow directions on the box and set aside.

Pour condensed soups into a large casserole dish (at least 13 X 9 inches). Add pepper and mix. Add chicken and mix. Add frozen vegetables and broccoli and mix. Casserole will be full. Cover evenly with stuffing. Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes until done. Serve hot.

Variations:

Replace stuffing with a sheet of pie crust. If using a premade pie crust, simply open the pie crust and place over the 13 X 9 inch casserole dish before baking. Cut off excess on edges and place on top of areas where you can see the casserole. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until crust is light brown and chicken is fully cooked. My homemade pie crust recipe can be found here:  Grandma's Pie Crust. If using homemade pie crust, simply roll out one recipe of pie crust into an approximately 13X 9 inch rectangle and place atop casserole before baking.

Replace stuffing with cheese and bread crumbs or rice krispie or corn flake crumbs. Instead of the stuffing, bake the casserole sans stuffing covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. While the casserole is baking, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Then add one cup corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside. After the chicken casserole has been in the oven for 40 minutes, take the casserole out of the oven. Cover the casserole evenly with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more to your taste). Then cover casserole evenly with the prepared corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs. Put the casserole back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is fully cooked.

Another fun option is to replace the chicken bread with the shredded chicken from a fully cooked whole rotisserie chicken.  Baking time is reduced to 40-45 minutes.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole for My Warm Weather is Finally Here Dinner Party

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

I made this in March for a dinner party with friends and it was a big hit.  I got the idea from a pinterest pin, but altered the recipe to make it slightly healthier (albeit, its not great for you...but, it is so good).  As I always say, eat everything in moderation.

This is a picture of the casserole prior to being put in the oven.

Ingredients:
1 package bacon, diced
12-16 small-medium red potatoes or white potatoes cut in half (about 4 lbs; peeling optional)
4 oz. low fat cream cheese (1/2 a block)
1 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 stick butter
1 plus 1/2 tsp. salt (more to taste if necessary)
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup or more if desired diced fresh chives (I use fresh from my garden)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the diced bacon into a skillet and cook on medium heat until crispy.  When done, strain bacon and place on a plate covered in paper towels to drain.  Set aside.

While bacon is cooking, boil water for your potatoes (add one tsp. of salt to the water).  Once the water is boiling, add potatoes and cook on med-high to high heat until the potatoes are soft, about 20-35 minutes.  Drain potatoes.  In bowl combine, drained potatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, black pepper and most of the chives (reserve about 1-2 Tbsp. for topping).   Mash potato mixture over low heat until butter is fully melted and mixture is creamy.  Add more salt or pepper to taste if necessary.  Spoon potato mixture into medium casserole dish.  Top with cheddar cheese, bacon and remaining chives.  Cook in preheated over for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

You can put this together ahead of time (at most a day ahead), refrigerate it, and then bake before serving.  If you make the dish ahead, do not bake until just before serving.  Cover casserole with aluminum foil.  Place covered casserole in a cold oven, set over to 350 degrees.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until warmed through.

Peanut Butter Puppy Treats for a Spring Doggie Birthday

Spring Has Sprung,

Time for Puppy Treats for Oscar and Zoey's Birthday

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Raspberry or Strawberry Jelly; or Applesauce (feel free to substitute Apricot or Peach Jam, but remember the pits from peaches and apricots are poisonous to dogs; do not use grape jelly as grapes are bad for dogs)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together.  Add wet ingredients and mix to combine. Place 1/4 of dough at a time onto a sheet of wax paper and roll or pat out into a 1/2 inch thick sheet.  Use a dog bone shapped cookie cutter (or other cookie cutter of your choice) to cut out the treats.  Please onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 16 - 20 minutes until very lightly browned.  The bones do not spread much, if at all.  My dogs love these, hope yours do as well.

Oscar (left) and Zoey (right)

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cookie Bars
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange extract

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese , softened (1/2 a brick)

2 tablespoons butter , softened

3 cups powder sugar

1 teaspoon orange extract

Topping

1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped into small pieces

Grated orange rind from one navel orange

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 10X15 inch pan with parchment paper. 

Cream the butter.  Add sugars and cream until fluffy.  Add eggs and orange extract and mix until incorporated.  Place flour, baking powder and ginger in a bowl.  Add the flour mixture in heaping spoonfuls to the batter mixing slowly after each addition.  Add the cranberries and white chocolate and mix just until incorporated.  Spread the batter out evenly in the prepared 10X15 pan.  Batter will be thick.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until light brown.  Place aside to cool.

After the cookie bars are cool, make the frosting.  Cream butter and cream cheese.  Slowly add powder sugar by the heaping spoonful mixing after each addition.  Add the orange extract and mix until incorporated.  Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars.  Layer of frosting will be thin (be patient).  The frosting is very sweet; so do not make extra frosting and spread it over cookies as they will be too sweet!

Top the frosted cookie bars evenly with the chopped dried cranberries and grated orange.  Cut into bars and serve.  Enjoy!