Well, after spending almost a whole day last weekend watching The Food Network with my 7-year old aspiring chef of a middle daughter, we have decided to mix it up a bit on the desserts but keep all the other old favorites.  Sounds like a winning compromise.  Except for the fact that I can’t decide which dessert to make, they all sound so good!  I posted my top three selections as my status on facebook one day and got so much feedback, I promised to blog all three recipes.  I think I’m going with the Pumpkin Cheesecake and the Pumpkin Rum Pie.  Let me know what you decide! 

  Pumpkin Rum Pie

(this is from Paula Deen and Johnnie Gabriel)

1 (9-inch) premade- pie shell

1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

pinch ground cloves

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch salt

2 Tbsp. dark rum

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup Praline Pecans, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Partially bake the pie shell, according to the package directions. 

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, 1 1/2 cups of the cream, sour cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, dark rum and vanilla.  Pour into the shell.  Bake for 10 minutes,  and then reduce the heat to 300 degrees.  Continue baking for 35-45 minutes.  Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to serve.

With the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, whip the remaining cup of heavy cream on high-speed until the cream starts to froth.  Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and whip on high until the cream stands in peaks. Either spoon or pipe the whipped cream around the edges of the pie and garnish with Praline Pecans.

Praline Pecans

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a small skillet, melt the butter and sugar over medium heat.  Add the pecans, stirring until bubbly; about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and pour onto aluminum foil.  When the pecans are cool, crumble into small pieces and sprinkle the topping on top of the whipped cream.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Crust

30 gingersnap cookies

6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 Tbsp. flour

2 tsps. vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Add the gingersnaps to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until crumbly.  Transfer to a large bowl and add the melted butter.  Stir until evenly mixed.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch sides.  A cool trick I learned on the Food Network is to take your flat-bottomed measuring cup, wrap it in plastic wrap and use it to press the mixture into the pan.  Your hands don’t get dirty and it does a very even, nice job of it!  Bake the crust until golden brown, about 10 minutes.   Remove from oven and let cool completely while you prepare the filling.

Change oven temperature to 450 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Mix in the sugar, flour, salt, spices and vanilla to blend.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in pumpkin and blend.  Add sour cream and blend thoroughly.  

*I have never baked this particular cheesecake recipe in a water bath but saw it on the Food Network and decided to update this recipe with this technique because you certainly don’t want cracks in your beautiful cheesecake!

Wrap the sides and bottom of the springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Pour the filling into the prepared pan, smooth the top and put it in a small roasting pan.  Pour hot water into the roasting pan, filling halfway up the sides of the springform pan, about 1 1/2 inches.  Bake in 450 oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes longer.  Turn off oven; cool completely in oven with door ajar.  Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. 

The Neelys (Food Network again) served their version of Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Cinnamon Whipped Cream that sounded yummy.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until thick and frothy.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and beat until medium peaks form. 

Apple Pear Cranberry Pie

Your favorite double pie crust recipe (try my Short Pastry under desserts/tarte tatin)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cardamom or cinnamon

3 medium apples, such as Macintosh

3 ripe but firm pears, such as Bartlett

1 cup fresh cranberries

3 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 400.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and cardamom or cinnamon.  Set aside.  Peel and core the apples and cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges.  Peel and core the pears, cutting the wedges slightly thicker.  Add the fruit, including the cranberries,  to the flour mixture.  Toss gently to coat.  Pour filling into prepared pie crust and dot with butter pieces.  Top with your 2nd rolled out piece of pie dough and crimp edges to seal.  Prick with a fork or cut out a decorative design in the center of the dough to vent while cooking.  Bake 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking until pastry is golden brown and fruit is bubbly about 35-40 minutes.  Serve with ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Ok, maybe distasteful but I think this is the most clever Halloween costume or part-time job (which ever way you want to look at it) ever.  And is he drinking a beer to boot?  You’ve got to love his creativity.

I don’t know about you but this new set of recommendations from the government advising women to now wait until age 50 to begin screening for breast cancer has me thoroughly confused and a bit frustrated.  It has taken years and years and millions and millions of dollars to pound into all of our heads that at age 40 you go and get your boobies painfully squashed between some device in order to possibly detect breast abnormalities which could be cancerous.  Also, self-examination.  How many times have you had that fun conversation with your ob/gyn where he/she asks you if you do monthly self-exams in the shower, demonstrated how to best do it and given you a shower hanger card?  Early combined with self-detection has been the catch phrase of the past 15 years at least.  

And now, after all this time and all of us dutifully following the government guidelines (imposed by congress mind you), they are retracting and telling us to wait another 10 years?  They may very well have a solid, science and fact- based argument as to why we should wait.  In fact, it seems as if they do.  I’ve heard that women from 40-49 have denser breasts which leads to more false positives, more unnecessary biopsies and more stress.  That the results are not as reliable or accurate in younger women.  That if you don’t have a family history of the disease, you’re better off waiting until age 50.  But why should we believe you this time Uncle Sam?!!  Breast cancer is still the 2nd leading cause of death in this country.   The American Cancer Society, a very well-respected organization, disagrees with this decree and is fearful of the damage it may cause leading women to just throw up their hands and give up screening all together. 

And, hey, what about the fact that now our government has even taken away the only legitimate reason women had to feel themselves up once a month!  Come on.  Where does it end?

I guess it comes down to your choice (to continue “self-examining if that’s what you want to call it” and/or get a mammogram), at least for now while the insurance companies are still covering it for women 40-49.  I just had my annual exam last week and my ob/gyn advised me to schedule my first mammogram since I will be 40 in June.  I don’t know what to do now.  Honestly, most of the people I know who have had cancer detected the lump themselves or had some sort of symptoms (if it was a different type of cancer).  I don’t know personally anyone whose cancer was found through a mammogram.  But that certainly doesn’t mean they don’t find cancer that way.

I’m curious if these new guidelines will change your mind about when you get a mammogram.  I’m curious whether these new guidelines are truly scientifically founded and in all of our best interests or motivated by money or a way to save money, ration health care expenses.  It’s kind of hard not to go there with all the controversy and debate swirling around health care.   What do you think?

Since we’re on cancer…my next post I’ll be talking the best foods to eat to prevent cancer or the “Anti-Cancer Diet” and some yummy recipes featuring those foods.  In honor of my funny friend Lou recently diagnosed, who is on the road to kicking some serious cancer booty!

Ok, I admit.  I am a bit of soup junkie.  One of the many reasons I love when the weather turns colder is because I can start breaking out the cookbooks and making a different soup each week.  How can you not love it?  It’s filling and healthy, you usually only have to dirty one pot and it feeds you for days.  It’s comforting, like an old friend or a warm blanket.  There’s just something about soup. 

I also am currently obsessing over brussel sprouts (reference Eat Your Veggies) and find myself trying every recipe I find that features them.  I have had the Sprouts and Sausage Soup recipe tucked into my recipe binder for years and finally just tried it out on the family this weekend.  It was a raving success and so, so easy!  Few ingredients, quick prep and cooking time and very satisfying.  This would definitely make a good Monday night football soup served with some hearty bread and beers all around. 

Sausage & Sprouts Winter Soup  – Serves 8

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

1 lb. sausage link (turkey kielbasa, andouille, etc)

2 tsp. olive oil

6 large red potatoes

2 bay leaves

2 tsp caraway seeds

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

Trim ends off Brussels sprouts and cut in half lengthwise.  Set aside.  Cut sausage into 1/4-inch thick slices.  Put olive oil and sausage into large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is well-browned, about 7 minutes.  Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 –inch pieces. 

When sausage is browned, add bay leaves and caraway seeds.  Cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add potatoes, broth and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Add Brussels sprouts.  Partially cover pot and reduce heat to low to maintain a steady simmer.  Cook soup until sprouts and potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove bay leaves and serve soup hot with crusty bread and a green salad. 

My good friend from college, Denise (one of the D’s in the recipe title) and I are into emailing and texting each other what we’re making for dinner.  We also sometimes do the “ok, I have these five ingredients on  hand, what can I do with them?” challenge.  It’s been so fun to get to know each other as fellow  foodies and share our passion for cooking since our friendship in college was based much more on  knowing each other as fellow Coors Light drinkers  and sharing our passion for 2 am Jack-in-the-box runs.  We both love the magazine Everyday Food and we tend to lean towards Mediterranean influences like kalmata olives, capers, feta cheese — all the really good stuff.    We also like to take other people’s recipes and “doctor” them up a bit.  Put our own twist on them if you will.  So D & D’s (Daphne and Denise’s) Winter Vegetable Soup is just that, a doctored (and better if I do say so myself) version of an Everyday Food recipe Denise and I both decided to make.

D&D’s Winter Vegetable Soup (adapted from Everyday Food)  – Serves 4-5

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium onion, cut into fine dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 lb. acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 bunch kale or escarole (for kale, ribs cut away and discarded), leaves torn

5 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth

1 can canellini beans, rinsed

1 small package cheese tortellini

½ package diced prosciutto

3 sprigs fresh thyme (if available)

grated fresh Parmesan, for serving

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium.  Cook onion, garlic and prosciutto until fragrant, about three minutes; season with salt and pepper.  Add squash and kale or escarole and cook until greens are wilted, about three minutes.  Add broth, beans and thyme.  Bring to a simmer and cook until squash and greens are tender, about 12 minutes.  Add the tortellini in when you have about 5 minutes remaining of cooking.  Season soup with salt and pepper and serve with Parmesan, if desired.                                                                    

Every one knows chicken soup is good for the body and soul.  Whenever I stayed home sick from school as a kid, my mom would give me some form of Campbell’s chicken soup, saltine crackers and 7-up and for the most part, the world would be right again.  What I love about this Greek Chicken Soup recipe is that it’s easy and so delicious, it makes my mouth kind of pucker to think of it’s savory, tart flavor.  It’s very forgiving so feel free to add more/less chicken.  You can also use a different pasta noodle but I love it with the orzo.  It’s a great soup to take to a sick or down in the dumps friend. 

Greek Chicken Lemon Soup (Avgolemono)

8 cups (64 oz) chicken stock/broth

¾ cup orzo

1 lb. cooked boneless, skinless diced chicken breast

3 eggs

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1 tbsp. grated lemon zest (1 lemon)

salt and fresh pepper

2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Hungarian paprika, for garnish

In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the orzo and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.  About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, add the diced chicken. 

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl.  Whisk the eggs while pouring in the lemon juice.  Add the zest.  Whisking continuously, slowly pour a ladleful of the hot stock into the egg mixture.  Reduce the heat to low.  Then, while whisking the soup in the pan, slowly pour in the egg/lemon mixture.  This will thicken the soup slightly.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and serve garnished with the parsley and paprika, if desired.

I lived a whole 29 years of my life never having had a bolognese sauce.  Let me tell you, that was 29 years too long. 

So what is Bolognese sauce (ragu alla bolognese in Italian, also known by its French name sauce bolognaise)? It is a meat-based sauce used with pasta originating in Bologna, Italy.  Bolognese sauce is sometimes thought to be a tomato sauce, but truly authentic recipes have only a small amount of tomato.

The people of Bologna traditionally serve their famous ragù with freshly made tagliatelle (tagliatelle alla bolognese) and their traditionally green lasagne. Less traditionally, the sauce is served with macaroni or other durum wheat short pasta.

The traditional recipe, registered in 1982 by the Bolognese delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina, confines the ingredients to beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, red wine, and (optionally) milk or cream.  However, different recipes, even in the Bolognese tradition, make use of chopped pork or pork sausage, while chicken or goose liver may be added along with the beef or even veal for special occasions, and today many use both butter and olive oil for cooking the celery, carrot and onion. Prosciutto, mortadella, or porcini fresh mushrooms when in season may be added to the ragù to further enrich the sauce. Milk is frequently used in the early stages of cooking to render the meat flavors more “delicate” but cream is very rare in the everyday recipe and only a very little would be used. According to Marcella Hazan in “The Classic Italian Cookbook”, the longer Ragù alla Bolognese cooks the better; a 5- or 6-hour simmer is not unusual. 

In fact, I don’t even think I had ever heard of it or knew it existed even having worked in the food industry and presumably knowing a great deal about food.  I first tasted it at a gourmet supper club that I was invited to join back when we lived in Colorado.  It certainly doesn’t look gourmet at first appearance, but more like a humble, everyday meat sauce over pasta.  The fragrance was the first clue that this might be a very special and different sauce.  Rich, meaty and a little sweet.  The recipe I had that night wasfrom the hostesses’ Italian grandmother.  It was divine and I was hooked.  It instantly became my favorite pasta sauce bumping a really great vodka sauce down to second and pesto to third.  Alas, she wouldn’t divulge the recipe so I toiled and tinkered until I perfected it myself. 

I didn’t think I would ever need or want to try another Bolognese sauce until I saw the recipe in last month’s Everyday Food (September 2009) for Pork Bolognese.  I decided to give it try since (as you know if you’ve read previous posts) I love this magazine and its recipes.  I really was not expecting much.  I am a self-admitted Bolognese snob.  I will try it at restaurants that claim their version is good/authentic and unfortunately, it almost always disappoints. 

But guess what?  Their version was a knock-out.  Kids loved it.  Hubby loved it.  And I LOVED it.  So now I’m in a quandary.  I can’t decide which one I like better.  Hubby says mine and not just because it’s mine but I don’t know.  I’m truly torn.  Mine is a little more healthful because it doesn’t have milk in it and probably because of that also more true to the traditional definition of a Bolognese.  But the Everyday Food version is delicious as well.  If you’re so inclined, try them both out sometime and come back and let me know which you like or if you have a better one, please share it with me.

We’re having the Traditional Bolognese recipe over penne this week.  Mangia Mangia!

Traditional Bolognese Sauce

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef

½ cup sweet white wine

1 medium onion, chopped

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 cup beef stock/broth

16 oz. can stewed tomatoes

16 oz. can tomato sauce

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Your choice of pasta:  egg noodles, penne, spaghetti – all work well

 Saute bacon over low flame in a large skillet and drain, leaving 2 Tbsp. of fat in pan.  Remove bacon from pan and set aside.  Add carrots, onions and garlic to pan and let cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add ground beef and break up with a fork.  Cook until the meat is completely browned.  Return bacon to pan. Add wine and let simmer until it has evaporated, stirring often. Add broth and let simmer on low heat until evaporated.  Add tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Salt and pepper, to taste.  Continue to simmer, covered over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours.  You really can’t cook this too long but at least allow a minimum of 1 hour.   Serve over drained, cooked pasta and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Pork Bolognese (from Everyday Food, September 2009) Serves 8

3 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 lbs. ground pork

¼ cup tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

1 ¼ cups whole milk

1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

5 sprigs fresh thyme

coarse salt and ground pepper

cooked penne rigate, for serving

grated Parmesan, for serving

 In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium until fat is released, 5 minutes.  Add onion, carrot and celery; cook until soft, 6 minutes.  Raise heat to medium-high; add pork and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until browned, 7 minutes.  Add tomato paste; cook until pork is coated, 4 minutes.

Add wine; cook until reduced by three-fourths.  Add 1 cup milk; cook until reduced by half.  Add tomato sauce, broth, bay leaf, thyme, 2 ½ tsps. Salt and ½ tsp pepper.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.  Stir in remaining ¼ cup milk.  Serve sauce over pasta, topped with cheese. 

Brrrr.  It’s been so chilly here in Idaho.  It seems we went straight from summer into winter with not much of my favorite fall season in between. 

With the cooler temperatures, not much sounds better to me for dinner than a bowl of warm homey soup.  I’m kind of a soup fanatic and because of that we do “Souper Sunday” each weekend in our household.  I created this recipe for Pumpkin Soup a couple of years back and it’s become a favorite stand-by especially around this time of year.  It’s simple, low-fat and high fiber.  Plus it just tastes really good!  

If you want to be really creative and Marthaesque, hollow out a big pumpkin and serve up your soup in it.  The croutons are obviously not low-fat but they are delish and if you can keep yourself from shoving them in your mouth by the handful (I personally struggle with this), you won’t have to run too far to justify adding them to this healthy soup.

Daphne’s Easy Pumpkin Soup

 1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dried sage

29 oz. can of pumpkin puree (or fresh pumpkin if you so desire)

8 cups low sodium chicken broth/stock

½ cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

croutons (homemade or store bought)

 Heat olive oil and sage in large pot over medium-high heat.  Add pumpkin, stir and heat for 1 minute.  Add broth and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.  Add cream, stir and add salt and pepper to taste.  You may need a lot of salt but I prefer to use the low sodium broth and then add my own salt back in so I can control the amount that goes in.

Keep over low heat until served.  Ladle into mugs and top with crunchy croutons.   Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week.  Makes 8 servings.

Daphne’s Croutons

Baguette (french, sourdough, seeded – any will work)

1/4 lb unsalted butter,  melted (8 Tbsp.)

1/4 cup olive oil (garlic olive oil works wonderfully too)

sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the baguette into 1-inch cubes.  Toss the bread cubes with the melted butter and olive oil.  Toss well so that each piece is completely coated.  Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet, lightly salt and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Use on soups and salads.  These will keep for several days in a ziploc bag or airtight container.  If they last that long!  You can also experiment and add fresh herbs, parmesan cheese to make “Caesar” croutons, etc. You would just mix in whatever you want to add when you are tossing the bread with the butter/oil mixture.

Chocolate-Cream Cheese Cupcakes (adapted from Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook)

Can someone tell me when snacks become such a huge part of childrens organized sports? It seems as if someone somewhere along the line sent out a national mandate about snacks where kids athletics are involved.

Each parent must provide a really good (the definition of good will be in most cases determined by your child and accompanied with whining about how so and so’s mom brought cheetos, so in other words junky) snack and drink for every player for at least one game during the season.

I’m really not complaining because I like to bake, cook, etc., but I’m just curious and (forgive me) about to get on my soap box just a teensy bit… I wasn’t hugely involved in team sports as a kid but I did do my time playing Park and Rec basketball (yes, my nickname was Scrappy), Pop Warner cheeerleading for years, high school cheerleading (it wasn’t really a sport then, it is now). But I’m pretty sure that parent-provided team snacks were not part of the deal back then. What happened? Can kids not go for more than 1 hour without eating anymore?

Maybe that’s part of our childhood obesity epidemic. Even the kids that are running around getting some exercise are fueling up afterward with Krispy Kreme doughnuts (yes, two different parents brought these as a “snack” to my daughters soccer game) and sugary juice or “sports” drinks. I don’t know about you but after I run or exercise, if I can even stomach the thought of eating it certainly isn’t going to be a fried piece of sugar dough that I want to put in my body. Water good. Fruit great. Protein, even better.

I am really not anti-snack nor anti-goodies. Promise. I just really believe in moderation and I’m pretty sure doughnuts and juice are the greatest post-game snack. Nor do I like the idea that we are rewarding kids for doing something fun and physical with the promise of not so great for you food at the end. These kids (mine included) seem to play the game FOR the snack! There’s just something not so good about that. It seems we’re getting them started for a lifetime of looking at food as a reward when instead it should simply be fuel for our bodies. Now you know I don’t mean that fuel shouldn’t taste really good, because I do not by any stretch of the imagination think you have to sacrifice flavor for health.

My point here is simply if providing a snack is indeed part of being a soccer mom/football dad, maybe we should all try and do our part and make sure what we are giving are somewhat healthy snacks and drinks. I know just as well as anyone, life is crazy busy and not everyone has the time or desire to make homemade snacks. Cheese sticks are great. Fruit – bananas you don’t even have to cut them up. Low sugar granola bars with no High Fructose Corn Syrup please. Pretzels. Shoot, throw a cookie out there but balance it out with some fruit or carrot sticks. Water makes a wonderful post game drink. I just really don’t think doughnuts belong anywhere near an athletic field. Maybe if we all banded together and stuck with it, they wouldn’t even miss the junk and soon be begging us for carrot sticks.  One can dream.

To prove I am not a complete snack nazi (no snack for you!), I’m going to post the recipe for the cookies I brought when it was my turn for soccer snack for one daughter and the cupcakes I baked for the soccer party at the end of the season. They are not healthy whatsoever.  But they are homemade so at least I know what’s in them and none of it is an ingredient  I can’t pronounce or spell.  R requested our special “Brown Sugar Cookies” that have become our signature cookie together. I don’t blame her for wanting to share these with her teammates. These are darn good cookies. But to temper the fact that we were bringing cookies for a snack, we also brought cut up orange wedges and bottled water for all the girls.

And the cupcakes, well, what’s an end of the season soccer party without cupcakes?  It is a party after all!

If you love caramel and/or butterscotch, these cookies are for you.  I truly think these are one of the best cookies I’ve ever tasted.  America’s Test Kitchen recipes are the bomb!  Failproof and delicious.

Brown Sugar Cookies (from America’s Test Kitchen, Cookie Jar Favorites)  makes 2 dozen cookies

A great non-food example of this happened recently during my training for my 1st half-marathon.  Everything was going swimmingly (can you say that with regards to running?) when the wheels started falling off my 39-year old never been a serious runner before now, bod.  I ended up with a hip injury and some very painful jacked up runners toes.  If you don’t know what runners toes are, lucky you.  I had some black toenails and 4 nails that were almost completely lifted up and off of my toes.  Very painful and very gross.  Let’s just say they ooze.  It’s nasty and I guess somewhat unavoidable if you run for 10 plus miles. 

My homeopathic lovin’ friend Heidi (yep, brussel sprouts Heidi – what would I do without her?) recommended I soak my feet nightly in epsom salts and then follow by rubbing tea tree oil into the injured toenails.   I simultaneously made an appointment with a podiatrist and began to take Homeopathic Heidi’s advice.  I was desperate!  And wouldn’t you know it, I wasted $120 visiting the Dr.  After he looked at my toes, he told me to “soak your feet in epsom salts, apply tea-tree oil and get new running shoes.”  He also clipped the injured toenails which I couldn’t bring myself to do but at $120 for 15 minutes I probably could have convinced the nice ladies at Rosy Nails in Eagle to do it for a hell of a lot cheaper.  My point being, while sometimes the natural route may be the path less travelled it might actually be the path worth taking.

From a food perspective, there are all kinds of foods out there that have homeopathic healing as well as nourishing properties.  One of the most versatile and multi-purpose ingredients you can (and should) keep on hand, is pure and natural honey.  I just read in Better Homes & Gardens that warm water mixed with a tablespoon of honey and vinegar can help relieve a sore throat.  The vinegar discourages bacteria growth and honey is anti-inflammatory.  And it sure tastes a lot better than just straight vinegar!  Good to know during this cold and flu season. 

In the same article, a remedy for nasal congestion recommends mixing the juice of one clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp of honey and some aloe vera. Soak two cotton balls in the mixture and insert them loosely in your nostrils for about 5 minutes.  You might not look very attractive but you’ll probably be able to breathe a little easier after the garlic clears your sinuses, the honey works as an astringent  and antibacterial and the aloe moisturizes your sore nasal tissue. 

There’s also was also a recent study done that found using honey as a cough suppressant for children over the age of 12 months was as effective (and probably easier to get down) than over-the-counter medications.  You can read this article and find lots of great information and recipes using honey on http://www.honey.com 

I have my own home remedy using honey.  Instead of buying those expensive sugar scrubs which I love because they make your skin smell so good and feel so soft, I make my own.  I take a plastic lotion jar (I go through tubs of cetaphil – it’s pretty dry here) and add brown sugar, coarse sea salt and lots of honey.  Mix together until it’s the consistency you like and use to scrub-a-dub-dub in the shower.       

My little aspiring chef, middle daughter “L” wanted me to include one of her favorite recipes using honey from her own kids cookbook.

Sunny Honey Granola (From Gooseberry Patch Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook)

But with three kiddos also comes having to prepare lunches every night, religion classes, soccer practices, football practices, showchoir practices, spelling tests, homework and the host of other unexpected activities that always seems to crop up.  Dinner was taking a way back seat and becoming a very stressful event in our household.  So, I decided to give the old menu planning advice a whirl.  I am happy to report, it has been an overwhelming success and the magazine writers were right.  I have been at it now for three weeks.  We’re eating great meals, at a decent hour and I’m enjoying the process.  When mommy’s happy, everybody’s happy.  Try it.  Like me, you might even find yourself with extra time for cocktails!

Whenever I can grab a half-hour at some point over the weekend, I pull together my dog-eared recipe magazines, cookbooks, recipe binder and my handy-dandy momagenda grocery/menu list notepad (this item is not a crucial part of the equation but it’s sure cute) and the planning commences.   If you can do your shopping over the weekend or Monday morning, you’ll even be that much more ahead of the game.  I got so overzealous one week I was making the next night’s meal the day before.  Only the more truly advanced menu planners should attempt this daring feat!

www.momagenda.com

I’m going to give you my past two weeks menus and a recipe from this week just to inspire you.  Happy planning!

October 5 -11th

Monday:  Lemony Chicken, Orzo and Maple-Glazed Brussel Sprouts

Tuesday: Turkey & White Bean Chili, Tossed Green Salad and Skillet Cornbread

Wednesday: Broccoli & Ham Quiche and Salad  — Brown Sugar Cookies (OMG – these cookies are so good, will post recipe soon)

Thursday: Crazy Bean Soup and Grilled 3-Cheese Paninis

Friday:  Pizza Night - Kitchen Closed!

Saturday: Chicken Marbella, Mashed Idaho Taters and Salad

Sunday:  Split Pea and Smoked Ham Soup, Garlic Bread — Tarte Tatin   

October 12 -18th

Monday:  Pork Bolognese* Penne, Green Salad

Tuesday: Beef Soft Tacos and Cheesy Black Beans

Wednesday: Whole Wheat Flatbreads with Lamb and Yogurt*, Cucumber & Tomato Salad

Thursday: Turkey Meatloaf with Fontina and Mushrooms*, Green Beans & Hazelnuts

Friday:  Dinner out - Kitchen Closed!

Saturday: Seared Cod with Pesto, Crispy Potatoes, Roasted Tomatoes and Green Salad

Sunday:  Greek Chicken Lemon Soup, French Bread and Roasted Broccoli  – Tarte Tatin

*Recipes from Everyday Food – September 2009 issue  

So what’s on the menu for this week you ask?  Well, the kiddos have requested chili and cornbread again so that’s up for tomorrow night.  I tend to like to make most things from scratch as I like to know what’s in the food I eat and serve my family.  That being said, I’m also not a complete purist (or a complete masochist) and I will go for convenience if it’s healthy and cost-effective. 

For me, Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Brand Chili Kit fits that bill.  Almost every major grocery store (including Wal-Mart) carry it.  My mom used it when I was growing up and I always liked her chili.  I use it now and my kids like my chili.  Nuff said.  It’s inexpensive and it has only very simple, real ingredients in it.  Plus you can easily doctor it up to make it your own.  I like that.  It used to come in the cutest little paper bag but for some reason (probably cost) they changed to a box.  It’s only the spices in the kit so you still need to add your preference of meat, tomato sauce/tomatoes, beans and whatever else says chili for you.  You can make it mild or hot using the spices provided.  http://carrollshelbyschili.com

With chili, must come cornbread.  At least in our house.  I like to make cornbread in my cast-iron skillet and serve it with butter and honey drizzled over the top.  Here is my recipe:

 Cast-Iron Skillet Corn Bread

The green I’m talking about are the green veggies in my three favorite vegetable recipes.  At least one of these is on the menu every week in our household.  They are each a great way to get those veggies in and actually enjoy them in the process.  When my kids ask “What’s for dinner mom?”  and one of these recipes is part of my response they actually have been heard to cheer “yes! I love brussel sprouts!”  Crazy, I know…but I promise, completely true.

Roasty Toasty Broccoli

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and trim broccoli removing all stalks. My kids like to have some really tiny pieces mixed in with the larger ones because they get very crispy and crunchy, in otherwords, even more yummy!  Pat dry trimmed broccoli and put in a large heap on a baking sheet.  Pour the olive oil over the broccoli and toss with tongs or a fork and spoon to evenly coat all pieces.  (You could also do this is a bowl but why dirty another dish that you’re going to have to wash?)  Spread broccoli pieces out over baking sheet and salt.

Put on top rack of oven and roast for 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.  For a variation, you can also offer fresh grated parmesan at the table.                                                                                                                Serves 4-5 people.

I have to give credit to my good friend Heidi for this next recipe.  She invited us over for dinner one night sometime back and I asked what I could bring.  She said, “Well, I’m making brussel sprouts, we’ll have some grilled steak and blah, blah, blah…”  Basically she lost me at brussel sprouts because they were the one vegetable that both hubby and I detested.  I brought a BIG salad to that dinner since I knew we would not be eating those sprouts.  Heidi proved us wrong and turned our whole family into huge brussel sprout lovers.  It’s all in the preparation.  I think I had only previously tasted them boiled — ugghhh.  No wonder I didn’t like them.  Thanks Heidi! 

Maple-Glazed Brussel Sprouts

Saute over med heat, stirring frequently until the sprouts start to get brown and a little crispy on the edges. Just before serving, drizzle maple syrup (only real will do) over entire pan and stir. Serve immediately.

*Allow at least 15-20 minutes for them to cook thoroughly.                   Serves 4-5 people.

Green Beans With Hazelnuts (adapted from Everyday Food – Sept 2009)