Apple pie

This post is devoted to another fall favorite of mine and Ty's absolute favorite dessert, apple pie! I love how this classic American dessert perfectly marries, yet spotlights the tartness of granny smith apples, the flakiness of a perfectly made pastry crust, and the fragrances of all those fabulous spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. This was actually my first pie and boy was I happy with how it turned out. You will be too! Enjoy!

What you'll need:
1 package of pie crusts (normally comes with two)
5-6 granny smith apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp. of butter

Directions:
1. Prepare pie crust according to directions on package for 1 filled crust pie.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Mix slices apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a pan and cook the apple mixture for 5 minutes. Not too long otherwise the apples will turn a bit too mushy.
5. Spoon apple slices into pie crust

 6. Arrange lattice crust on top of apple mixture. It's really easy! For detailed instructions, please see the Simply Recipes website.
7. Bake for 45 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let cool down!

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Fall is here, fall is here! It's time to pull out those chunky sweaters, patterned scarfs, and cute boots.  It's also time to get ready for some delicious fall flavors. I know I have! I'm already craving those fall-y decadent and creamy soups, heartwarming baked desserts, and roasted vegetables and squashes and meats. To celebrate the coming of fall, I made a spiced pumpkin cheesecake, my first cheesecake in fact! The recipe is an adaptation from Paula Deen's pumpkin cheesecake recipe and I have to say, it's so good and really easy to make. The hardest part is honestly waiting for the cheesecake to set in the fridge! Hope you enjoy!

 What you'll need:
2 pre-made graham cracker crust*
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* If you use pre-made graham cracker crust like I did, the recipe below makes two cheesecakes. Make sure you get two pre-made cracker crusts from the store otherwise you'll have too much filling!  Another thing is I added a lot more cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves than the recipe asked for. Feel free to add as much spice as you want. 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat the cheesecake until it's soft and moldable (enough)
3. Mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, spices, flour, and vanilla until it is fairly well mixed. Mix in blender or food processor for a really good mixing
4. Pour filling into crust. Bake for 1 hour. Some reviewers have said the pie can take longer to cook. Poke the cheesecake with a toothpick after 1 hour and see if the cheesecake is runny. If it is, keep baking and check every 10 minutes. You don't want it to overbake!

 5. Cover cheesecake with plastic liner and refrigerate for at least 4 hours!

Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

Hi, this is Tyler, this is my first guest post!  I've selected Beef Bourguignon, a very tasty dish.  This is the third time I've made it.  This dish originates in Burgundy and brings a deep richness of flavor via red wine.  I first had this dish after a long day of skiing in New Mexico and decided I had to make it myself.  My spin on it is intensely flavorful and relatively simple.

What You'll Need:
2 lbs cubed beef (very easy to find)
1 large yellow onion
1 package baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 bottle inexpensive Pinot Noir or Burgundy
2 shots brandy (optional)
1 small 6 oz can tomato paste (perfect size)
12 oz beef stock or top off crockpot
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Celery Seed
Thyme
Oregano (I use a lot of seasoning in things)

Directions:
1. Place all the beef in a large frying pan.  Brown the meat on high heat, turning the chunks to brown each side.  Some pink on the inside is ok, it's going to be cooked for a long time in the crockpot.   

2. Dump all the meat into a pasta strainer.  This will drain off most of the drippings and make your final result healthier and less greasy. 

3. Dice the yellow onion and quarter the mushrooms.  Place these in the crockpot with the drained beef.  

4. Turn your crockpot on high as you prepare the liquid portion of the stew.  Pour in the red wine, the stock, the and scrape the tomato paste in.  Optionally add a small amount of brandy for intense flavor.  Stir it all together. 
5. Add all the seasonings.  For me I can never add too much dried oregano but be sure to get your salt level right and be sparing with the cayenne.  Taste the liquid and adjust accordingly, don't be alarmed by the "booziness," the alcohol will cook off. 

 

6. Top off your crockpot and set it to low.  Let it cook overnight or while you're at work, I usually put it in before bed.
7. When you come back to you have a huge batch of stew!  Like any stew it keeps well in the fridge, I get at least 4 servings out of this, if not more. Such a good value. 

Thai Flank Steak Pita Sandwiches

Today was such a great day! Ty and I joined a bunch of our friends to go apple picking and wine tasting in southern Virginia, and it couldn't have been prettier. I loved seeing all the trees changing colors and the rolling hills and the acres of green everywhere. To celebrate the coming of fall, we celebrated with a picnic at the winery. Ty and I brought Thai Flank Steak Pita Sandwiches, which turned out absolutely perfect. It was flavorful, colorful, and super healthy. It's adapted from Cooking Light's Thai Steak Recipe. You'll love it and so will your guests, I promise!

What you'll need:
1 flank steak, trimmed
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. lower-sodium soy suace
1. tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. siracha sauce
1/2 red cabbage
1/2 cup of julienne-cut carrots
1/2 cup of snow peas (make sure to remove the ends and the string on the side!)
1/2 cup of baby corn (break into bite size pieces)
1/3 cup fresh mint
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup fresh basil   
1 package of pita breads (about 12 slices)

Directions:
 1. Season steak with salt and pepper and grill ove rmedium high heat. Cook about 5-7 minutes each side. Remove steak from pan and let rest. Once well rested (about 5-7 minutes), cut steak diagonally across grain to form thin slices.
2. Prepare the red cabbage, carrots, snow peas, and baby corn, and fresh garlic.
3.  Time to make the sauce! Combine the lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, fresh garlic, and siracha sauce. Mix well.
4.Combine cabbage and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add mixture to cabbage mixture and toss well.

 5. When ready to serve, slice pita breads in half. Stuff pita halves with cabbage mixture and top with several slices of the flank steak. For a vegetarian option, keep out the flank steak and add a ton more vegetables. Everyone will love it!

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cashews

This recipe is dedicated to those lazy days you just want something a little delicious to nibble and snack on; something that's fast, easy, and yummy. I came up with this sweet and spicy roasted cashews  recipe when I was in my scavenger mode yesterday and came across a bag of cashews in our pantry (thank you Ty for tossing it in our grocery cart at the last minute)! It only took 10 minutes to make and it hit just the spot. I'm definitely going to start making this more often!

What you'll need:
1/2 bag of unseasoned cashews (even better if you use mixed nuts like walnuts, pecans, and almonds, maybe even some dried cranberries)
2 tbsp. of brown sugar
2 tbsp. of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. of butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cashews on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

 2. Meanwhile, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and butter together in a separate bowl. Season to taste.
3. Toss the cashews with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture until all cashews are coated. Serve warm!

Julia Child's Ratatouille

Rainstorms always put me in the mood for something heart-warming, cozy, and filling. Lucky for my tummy, it rained the other day and I decided to make ratatouille, an eggplant casserole with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and zucchini. I based my creation on the ratatouille recipe expertly crafted by the queen of French cooking, Julia Child. I changed a few things to the recipe, only to make it easier and a little more colorful. It'll be hard work, but it's so worth it and you'll see why. For the original recipe, please go to the following link Knopf Double Day: Julia Child's Ratatouille Recipe

What you'll need:
1 eggplant
1 zucchini or green squash
1 yellow squash (added to bring a little more color to the dish)
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper (added to bring a little more color to the dish)
1 green pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves mashed garlic
1 pound red tomatoes (about 4 large tomatoes)
3 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes (added cause Tyler and I love a little kick)
Thyme (added cause who doesn't love thyme)
Shredded mozzarella (added to top with  - really takes the dish to the next level!)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Wash all vegetables. Thinly slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, yellow onion, green pepper, and red pepper. Season with salt and set aside. Try not to mix the vegetables. It makes it easier to arrange the vegetables later.

3. Saute the eggplant, zucchini, and squash in olive oil for about 5 minutes browning each side  lightly. Remove to a side dish.  
4. In the same skillet, cook the onions and green pepper and red pepper for about 10 minutes. While that's cooking, mince garlic and mix in with vegetables.
5. Next, dice tomatoes. Mix with onions and peppers. Cook down until tender and soft. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes and thyme to taste.
6. Place the mixture of onions, peppers, and tomatoes into the bottom of an olive oil-coated casserole pan (I used fresh tomatoes and the mixture of onions, peppers, and tomatoes, as the base of the casserole). Sprinkle minced parsley over tomatoes.
7. Arrange eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash so you can see all the different colors. 
8. Do steps 5 and 6 repeatedly in that order until the casserole pan is full. Sprinkle fresh parsley, more thyme, and red pepper flakes on top.
9. Place in  heated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
10. Serve with shredded mozarella cheese and a good slice of bread to dip into the ratatouille sauce.

 

Almondy Almond Cake

I first learned of this almondy almond cake recipe from Ty's dad when he made it for a neighborhood pool party. It looked and smelled so delicious as he was making it. The fragrance of the roasted almonds and vanilla extract permeated the kitchen. It was hard waiting until the pool party to try a slice. But believe me when I tell you, it was a huge hit and well worth the wait. It was super moist and like the title promises, very almondy, which is a very good thing!

So thank you to Jim for introducing this recipe to me. You made this rainy day that much better; cause on a rainy day like today, there's nothing better than a perfect slice of cake.

What You'll Need:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsps almond extract
1 2/3 tsps vanilla extract
1 cup milk

1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan (or 2 9-inch loaf pans if you don't have one like me). Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ground almonds. Set aside.

 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the almond and vanilla extract. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with 1 cup of milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.

 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes and invert on a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes longer and then place on waxed paper.
4. While that's cooling, place sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. As that's going, start making the glaze. Combine 1/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Add almonds when finished toasting.
6. Poke little holes in the top of the cake with a fork. This will let the glaze permeate the cake. Do this gently so you don't break the cake. Once complete, pour glaze over cake.
7. Get a glass of milk and eat!!