I’m not even sure where to begin with these dessert bars. They are honestly some of the most delicious and addicting dessert bars I’ve ever tasted—and they’re not even fully homemade (cake mix involved). I typically try to avoid using any type of box mix, but had heard so many rave reviews about these bars that I figured I should just follow the recipe.
The sweet aroma of cinnamon and pumpkin wafted through the kitchen during the baking process. I was too impatient to wait for the bars to cool, so I cut myself a small piece soon after removing from the oven. My taste buds couldn’t have been happier. The softness of the crust and smoothness of the pumpkin layer complimented the sugary crumble topping. Muirhead’s Pecan Pumpkin Butter from Williams-Sonoma made the difference in this recipe.
My brother in particular could not stop eating these delectable bites. They were his addiction for the two days they lasted until everyone (mainly him) gobbled up every last crumble.
I plan to make and bring these bars to our family friend’s house for Thanksgiving. They’re just too simple and scrumptious not to.
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We had a potluck at work a couple of days ago and I wanted to bring something bite-size and homemade. Considering we had a meeting after and I was not able to leave for dinner, I also wanted to bring something that I knew I enjoyed!
I decided to make Giada’s recipe for five-star mini Italian club sandwiches, filled with homemade pesto, crispy bacon, fresh turkey, silky provolone cheese and delicate egg crepes. These ingredients truly make for a savory sandwich. I always double the recipe when I make this sandwich because it is typically gobbled up quite fast.
The original recipe instructs to distribute the amount of ingredients listed below among two focaccia loaves. I, however, prefer to double the recipe and still use two loaves because it gives the sandwiches more height and substance. In addition, I make Giada’s homemade pesto (recipe below) instead of store-bought because its flavor is an integral part of this dish.
These mini sandwiches are impressive for any dinner party or event. Not only are they easy to assemble and transport, but they also look and taste absolutely scrumptious!
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I still had 5 Granny Smith apples leftover after making apple pie, so I decided to make use of them. Of course, I could have eaten them plain and been healthy, but I’ve never been fond of green apples. However, I do enjoy them when baked, since their sourness is typically masked by other flavors (such as cinnamon and sugar).
I searched the Food Network website and decided on Paula Deen’s five-star apple tart recipe. As I’ve said many times before, I knew this dessert was bound to be delicious, since Paula is the baking queen. Sure enough, the tart was delectable.
Initially, I was unsure about pairing cinnamon-sugar coated apples (recipe did not call to season apples) with the orange juice and apricot preserves glaze. But my skepticism was erased after taking a perfect first bite of crust, apple, custard, glaze and whipped cream. The sweet flavors of the warm tart melted in my mouth.
Next time I make this dessert, I would pre-cook the apples in cinnamon and sugar (like I did for the apple pie) since they still had somewhat of a crunchy texture after baking. Nonetheless, the apples paired beautifully with the buttery shortbread crust and sweet glaze. With all the components combined, this tart was a truly delicious dish—especially when topped with a dollop of fluffy homemade whipped cream.
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For my first attempt at making apple pie, I wanted to find a recipe that received rave reviews or five-stars. I came across a recipe from Cooking Light magazine that put a healthier twist on the average apple pie, but looked equally delicious.
I decided to use my own crust recipe (from Betty Crocker) because I already knew how to make and handle the dough. I followed the pie recipe almost exactly, only altering a few measurements. The recipe made too much buttermilk filling for a 9-inch pie pan and since I did not have a 10-inch pan, I only used about three-fourths of the filling. Otherwise, the pie might have overflowed.
Upon my first bite, it was difficult to tell that this recipe came from a healthy food magazine. The flavor and texture of the pie was wonderful, from the sweet cinnamon flavor of the soft Granny Smith apples to the subtle saltiness of the flakey crust. Sprinkling the streusel mixture on top added yet another dimension and texture to the pie. But how could I forget the homemade cinnamon whipped cream? My decision to add a bit of cinnamon to the cream and spoon a dollop on top of the pie was the perfect last touch, taste-wise and presentation-wise.
Next time I make apple pie, I’d like to try making one with a top crust; however, this recipe was still a winner!
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I borrowed my neighbor, Debbie’s, Cooking Light magazine to copy some of the recipes. I found a cider-glazed chicken recipe, which looked absolutely delicious in the photograph. Even better, the dish required minimal ingredients and a short preparation time.
The original recipe called for Boil-in-Bag brown rice, but I decided to use regular brown rice, cooking it for about 40 minutes. I also only cooked two pieces of chicken, primarily because I did not realize four people were eating the dinner. However, I did double the sauce because the original recipe did not make enough. Next time I make this dish, I would cook four pieces of chicken and quadruple the sauce.
The tangy flavor of the Dijon mustard and the sweet and spice of the cider in the sauce tasted wonderful over both the chicken and rice. Browning the pecans and incorporating them in the brown rice was a simple way to dress up the taste and presentation of the average side of rice.
This dish provides fall/Thanksgiving flavors minus the calories and fat. Think of it as a healthy twist on turkey (cider chicken) and stuffing (pecan brown rice).
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My mom and I couldn’t decide on what to make for dinner two nights ago, but knew that we wanted to use what we already had in the fridge/pantry. We found a bag of potatoes in the pantry and tried to think of something to make with them. My mom steamed some broccoli and created a delicious concoction of pancetta, red pepper, onion and zucchini, both of which she made as side dishes. I thought it would be fun to use the broccoli and pancetta mixture as toppings for stuffed potatoes instead and to create a few different types of potatoes. Therefore, I proceeded to hunt online for another idea.
I stumbled across a recipe for a stuffed baked potato topped with caramelized onions cooked in Worcestershire sauce, sherry and garlic. As my taste buds have matured, I’ve grown quite fond of onions, possibly because of my parents affinity for the vegetable. Therefore, this recipe looked spectacular.
After I finished cooking the onions, I delicately draped them over the stuffed potatoes and sprinkled asiago cheese on top. The bite of the asiago and the starch of the potato helped tame the sweetness of the onions, caused by the addition of Worcestershire and sherry. When constructed, the potato truly looked gourmet.
In addition to my caramelized onion stuffed potato, my mom built two others—one with broccoli, cheese and chicken and one topped with the pancetta mixture described above. All three potatoes were scrumptious—I was extremely stuffed after the meal! (Cheesy pun, I know).
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Last night, I was given the task of choosing and cooking a meal for dinner. I flipped through Giada de Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian cookbook for some inspiration and came across her recipe for chicken cacciatore. I had never made this dish before and suggested the recipe to my mom. She approved of my choice, but suggested I use my Uncle Tom’s recipe instead.
I used his recipe for the dish and couldn’t have been more pleased with the result. After simmering in the tomato mixture for over an hour, the chicken was tender and juicy with an abundance of flavor. The sauce had the perfect combination of spices, all of which complimented each other. When paired with orzo, jasmine rice and green beans cooked with chopped sweet red onion, the meal was even more spectacular.
We devoured the meal while taking turns answering the door for trick-or-treaters. My dog, Chloe, was even in the Halloween spirit. Yesterday, my mom and I spontaneously decided to take her to Petco to pick out a costume. Since we went to the store last-minute, the options were scarce. This, however, made the decision process much easier. We grabbed the last XXL bumble bee costume and called it a day. Chloe was definitely a hit with the trick-or-treaters. Hopefully we didn’t humiliate her too much! Photo of my dog in her costume below.
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After I made mini pumpkin muffins the other day, I had about two cups of pumpkin puree leftover. Since I’m not one for wasting any food, I wanted to make something else with the pumpkin. My friend, Dana, recently made pumpkin lasagna, which she said turned out absolutely delicious. I decided to do the same, but used a different recipe. I chose Robert Irvine’s five-star pumpkin lasagna recipe on the Food Network website, but made a few alterations.
I figured the finished product had to turn out well when the separate components tasted delicious on their own, from the wine infused tomato sauce to the slightly sweet pumpkin and cheese filling to the turkey, zucchini, garlic and onion mixture. Irvine’s recipe calls for spicy Italian sausage, but I decided to use turkey to make the dish leaner.
After removing the lasagna from the oven, it was difficult to resist immediately devouring the entire dish—the aroma was tantalizing. I was not even worried about the risk of burning my tongue. Subtle, but still recognizable, the pumpkin flavor blended beautifully with the other ingredients, even the dash of cinnamon. With each bite, a plethora of flavors greeted the taste buds, both savory and sweet. I highly recommend making this dish!
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Pumpkin has always been one of my all-time favorite flavors. I look forward to the fall season primarily so I can bake and cook just about everything pumpkin—from muffins to soup to pasta. I absolutely love baking these light, moist and delectable bite-sized pumpkin muffins/cupcakes.
I typically ice the muffins with plain cream cheese frosting, however, I wanted to try something different. I decided to add a few spices to the frosting and ended up with a maple cinnamon (with a touch of pumpkin pie spice) cream cheese frosting. The rich and sweet taste of the maple in the frosting was the perfect addition to the muffins—it did not overpower the pumpkin, but its flavor was immediately recognized upon the first bite.
These mini muffins are ideal for an on-the-go breakfast with a cup of freshly brewed coffee or for dessert while snuggling up on the couch by the fireplace.
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Every Thanksgiving, I always look forward to the homemade butternut squash ravioli made by the host, Kitty. The pasta is absolutely delicious. My mom randomly bought two butternut squashes and told me to decide on something to make with the squash. Since we hadn’t made homemade pasta dough in a while, I thought it would be fun to use the squash to make my favorite ravioli.
I searched online for potential recipes and chose Bobby Flay’s butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter and sage sauce. I know Bobby’s recipe are typically more gourmet and time-consuming, but I was ready to take on the challenge. Although the entire process of cooking the squash, making the filling, sauce and dough took more than a few hours, it was more than worth it in the end.
Making the dough from scratch made all the difference. The tenderness and smoothness of the ravioli was delectable when paired with the delicate butternut squash filling. Drizzling the butter and hazelnut sauce over the ravioli boosted the flavor tenfold.
Initially, I was hesitant about adding chipotle sauce to the filling because of its heat. However, after tasting the filling without the spice, I realized that the orange flavor was too sweet. The two teaspoons of adobe sauce balanced the sweetness of the orange—Bobby Flay really does know what he’s doing.
Eating this pasta increased my anticipation for Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to indulge in this savory dish again next month!
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