With football season in full swing, I felt it appropriate to feature my version of a common game day snack–guacamole. Though everyone has his/her own take on the dip, I stand by this simple, yet flavorful recipe. What really amplifies this version is the addition of Cotija cheese crumbled on top. The saltiness of the cheese wonderfully compliments the other ingredients.

Per usual on Saturdays, I spent the day watching college football. Though we’ve had a rough year, I still support my Ohio State Buckeyes just as much as I would any other year. Our win against formerly ranked #16 team Illinois gave us some reason to celebrate in all of this mess.

Like Christina over at Sweet Pea’s Kitchen, who actually went to the OSU game, I grew up in Columbus, OH. Both of my parents attended The Ohio State University, so, I’ve bled scarlet and grey ever since I could walk and talk. Believe it or not, my family has a Buckeye room at our house in South Carolina (the photo doesn’t even do it justice).

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By Sue

My mom, Sue, is behind multiple recipes posted on my blog, but for some reason, I haven’t featured her on here yet. I find this really odd, particularly because she taught me everything I know today in regards to cooking and baking.

While visiting home last weekend, she made her version of my grandma’s renowned scalloped potatoes and ham. She altered the recipe a bit, but it still has the rich, hearty flavor with melt-in-your-mouth gooey cheese.

This meal will always hold a special place in my heart because it reminds me of my grandma, Doris/Mickey/Maxine–oh, just call her grandma/grammie/grams. I have fond memories of her making this dinner for my family when we lived in Ohio. Fifteen years later, we still ask that she make it every time she visits us in California. At 82-years-old, the woman can still make some mean scalloped potatoes and ham!

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Since Greg so generously made room for me on the pumpkin band wagon with my trifle, I figured I’d try sneaking another dessert on board.

I made these fluffy pumpkin spice cookies with orange buttercream frosting over the weekend. Upon each bite, the palette is hit with the slight tartness of the orange followed by the spice of the pumpkin. My brother took them to work today and said they were a hit with all of his co-workers. :)

Need more pumpkin inspiration? Head over to Maris’ site at In Good Taste for her baked pumpkin doughnuts. Check out Mary’s pumpkin cake with caramel icing over at One Perfect Bite. Also, Erin’s pumpkin spice hot apple cider at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts.

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I have a couple of people to thank, so I’ll make this quick. In need of a healthy and hearty side dish? Filler for a burrito? Topping for crostini? Dip for chips? Look no more my friends. I leave you in good hands with this recipe.

First, I want to mention the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online, who visits blogs and grants wishes. A while back, I left a comment on Angie‘s blog over at Angie’s Recipes, who had just been visited by the Fairy Hobmother. Unexpectedly, I received an e-mail from the Fairy who offered me an Amazon gift card, so I can treat myself to something nice.

Make a wish in your comment on this post and you too could get a visit. Good luck and thank you again, Fairy Hobmother!

Also, thank you to Patricia over at Belle on the Boulevard for passing the Versatile Blogger Award to me, and to Erin over at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts for passing the Butterfly Award to me. xx

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Since it seems everyone else has jumped on the pumpkin band wagon except me, I figured I’d fix that over the weekend. Though pumpkin isn’t the star of this dessert, the flavor is still recognizable.

This trifle is as decadent as it looks. One large spoonful will surely fill you up, complete with apples and pears roasted in browned butter, creamy cinnamon pastry cream, silky pumpkin-caramel sauce and soft ladyfingers soaked in Sherry. Told you it was rich.

If you’re looking to impress guests on Thanksgiving, I think this dessert would do the trick. :)

Thank you to Jaime over at A Dash of Domestic for passing the Versatile Blogger Award to me!

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Towards the end of my “staycation” last weekend, I took my mom to Larchmont Village, a quaint street in LA lined with shops and eateries, seemingly out-of-place in the big city. Larchmont is comparable to a mini version of downtown areas such as Laguna Beach, San Clemente or Greenville, SC.

Conveniently, my mom and I made it in time for the Larchmont farmer’s market on Sunday. We purchased a variety of fruits and vegetables, including succulent strawberries, fresh pasilla/poblano chiles and plump bell peppers, most notably the chocolate bell peppers (which I’d never seen before).

I decided to use the chiles and peppers in a roasted red pepper soup with pasilla chile cream. The soup was delectable, with the distinct flavor of the bell peppers, complimented by the slight kick of the cool pasilla chile cream.

If you’re making this for your family, I suggest doubling (or even tripling) the recipe. :)

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By Andy

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend. I enjoyed a little LA staycation with my mom at the Andaz hotel. We spent the weekend relaxing, eating, gossiping and of course, consuming lots of wine! But unfortunately, it’s back to reality.

I’ve been wanting to feature these flakey and airy Gruyere cheese puffs ever since Andy made them while visiting home. They’re a great appetizer or side dish, delicious plain or when paired with a slice of fig or some fig spread (we bought our spread at Whole Foods).

Thank you so much, Paul, over at Sons of Thunder Patron for passing the Versatile Blogger Award to me!

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Per usual, I bought ground turkey at the market, without any recipe in mind. But I did know that I wanted to create something different from anything I’d already made, such as the ground turkey tacos picadillo, turkey burgers with lemon-honey mustard sauce, turkey chili and turkey burgers with sun-dried tomato mayonnaise.

Though this isn’t the most visually appealing dish, the flavors make up for it. I decided to keep the seasoning for the ground turkey gravy simple, making rosemary the prominent flavor. The meal was hearty, comforting and delicious–an ideal dinner for fall. :)

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OK, call me predictable. Prosciutto…again! I wouldn’t dare let the extra meat go to waste though. So, it looks like you’ve got to deal with yet another recipe featuring prosciutto.

I made these stuffed shells on a whim, with ingredients already in the fridge and pantry. The pasta was delectable, with the rich flavor of the mushrooms covered in the creamy ricotta.

Spruce up the homemade marinara sauce with fresh or dried spices from your garden. Greg from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide explains the process of drying out spices here.

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I’ve recently been inspired to recreate delectable dishes I’ve eaten at various restaurants. I give full credit to my friend, Ellen, for this idea.

I’ve already attempted to recreate the white truffle mac & cheese from Taste on Melrose, the Moscow mules from The Hudson LA and the Burrata pizza from Bottega Louie in Downtown LA.

Most recently, I took a stab at imitating the Californian asparagus with parma prosciutto, ricotta salata and fried egg from Eveleigh on Sunset.

Though I wouldn’t consider my interpretation up to par with the dish at Eveleigh, it came pretty close. The combination of the silky and salty prosciutto, slightly charred asparagus and gooey fried egg was divine. The dish is best served hot, so timing the preparation correctly is crucial. No one wants to eat cold eggs!

If you remember, I recently featured a product review for Swanson Health Products. Linda over at Savoring Every Bite just posted a fabulous recipe for medjool date and walnut bread for Swanson’s blogger recipe contest. Be sure to check it out and show her some love!

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