Chrismas is Coming...

One of the best parts of the holidays is all the delicious food.  With Christmas quickly approaching, I decided to make a post inspired by the flavors of the holidays.
Drink...

Eggnog Martini
*recipe from Single Minded Women
In theory, this drink should be good.  However, it was not the best.  After drinking it, Doug said, "I think I need to drink something else to get that taste out of my mouth."  That's never a good thing.  However, I would try making this drink again, because I think many of the things that made it bad were my fault.  
For one, the vodka was too strong (and I didn't have vanilla vodka so I used regular.  I think vanilla would be better), so I would put in much less, or maybe even none at all.  Secondly, in the midst of my recent health kick, I decided to buy light eggnog.  I do not recommend buying light eggnog.  It's one of those things that you just get regular, or don't get any at all.  If you change those couple things, I think it could be a good drink.
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 oz eggnog
• 1 oz vanilla vodka
• 3/4 oz amaretto
• ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except nutmeg in a shaker over ice.
2. Shake, strain, and pour into a martini glass.
3. Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top.

Dinner...

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce
*recipe from: AidaMollenkamp
Sage is an herb whose flavor always reminds me of holidays.  It has such a warm, delicious taste which goes perfectly with the soft pillows of sweet potato gnocchi.  I cheated and bought frozen gnocchi, but I'll give the recipe for homemade just in case you're feeling ambitious.  
Ingredients: 

For the gnocchi:

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (yams), halved lengthwise
• 1/2 pound Russet potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups all purpose or white whole wheat flour

For the sauce:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 to 15 fresh sage leaves
• 2 shallots, quartered and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly shaved parmesan, for garnish
• Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish

Directions: 

For the gnocchi:

*Tip - Gnocchi can be made through this step up to 1 month ahead. To store, place on a flat surface and freeze until frozen through. Transfer to an airtight container and keep frozen up to 1 month before using.   

1.  Heat an oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, season with a few good pinches of salt and a few cranks of pepper, place on a rimmed baking sheet, cut-side down, and roast until fork tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 

2.  Scoop flesh out of skins then pass flesh through a potato ricer (or mash with back of a fork) and stir in cheese, egg, honey, and sat. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms. Taste and add additional salt, as needed. You’ve added flour when you touch the back of the dough and it is damp but not sticking to you hand. 

3.  Turn dough out onto floured surface and shape into a square. Divide into 16 equal pieces. Rolling between palms and floured work surface, form each piece into a rope (about 1/2 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky. However, don’t add too much additional flour as too much will make for heavy gnocchi. Cut each rope into 1/2 -inch pieces. Stop here or, as desired, use your thumb, roll each piece down over tines of a fork to indent. 

4.  Bring large pot of heavily salted water to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, simmer gnocchi until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer gnocchi to clean rimmed baking sheet. Reserve 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water and drain the rest.

* Tip - The gnocchi can be made 4 hours ahead — let stand at room temperature then dip in simmering water until heated through.

For the sauce:

This is enough sauce for half of the gnocchi. If you want to cook off all the gnocchi, go ahead and double the recipe.

1. In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it foams, add sage and cook until crisp and fragrant. Remove sage to a plate and return frying pan to stove. Add shallot and, watching it carefully and stirring often, allow the milk solids begin to brown and the butter becomes fragrant and nutty. Scrape along the bottom to prevent the solids from sticking and burning.
2. When the butter is brown, immediately remove from heat, and carefully stir in the vinegar (it may sting your eyes). Stir in pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, return to heat, and cook until just coated in the sauce. Add a lot of freshly ground black pepper, taste for seasoning and finish with additional pasta water, salt, black pepper, the crisp sage, and freshly shaved parmesan.

Dessert...

Pistachio Cranberry Cookies
*recipe from: The Girl Who Ate Everything
I love pistachios.  Pistachio nuts, pistachio ice cream, pistachio pudding, and now pistachio cookies can be added to my list of favorites.  As a bonus, these cookies use a mix as a base, so they are super easy to make.  The combination of the light green color cookie dough (they look greener in real life than they do in my photo) and the red cranberries make them look extra Chistmasy.  
Ingredients:

• 1 (1 lb 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl stir cookie mix, pudding, and flour. Add melted butter and eggs and stir until incorporated.
3. Add pistachios and cranberries and mix well.
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and slightly flatten with fingertips.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The only way you can ruin these cookies is to overbake them! If you bake them too long you will lose the soft texture and they won’t be as green. They will not look done but take them out and let them sit on the pan for about 2 minutes. Trust me.
6. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

 

Love Your Leftovers

My computer broke, so I'm a bit late (ok, a lot late) writing this post.  Your Thanksgiving leftovers are probably gone by now (if they're not, you should probably throw them away), but the components of this meal are delicious enough to make even if you aren't using leftovers!  However, my original idea was to use things you would have left over from Thanksgiving and remake them into something new and equally as good (or maybe even better) than the original.
Drink...

Fall Sangria
*recipe from: CailenAscher
There's always wine involved in a good Thanksgiving dinner.  If your holiday was anything like mine, there's no wine leftover.  If you do have some left, great.  If not, go out and buy some more so you can make this delicious recipe!
I've always been a fan of sangria.  To me it's more of a summer drink, but this is a perfect fall version of the beverage. It has a great fruitiness and the cinnamon sticks add a autumn taste.
Ingredients:

• 3 apples
• 3 pears
• 3 clementines
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 Tbs honey
• 6 oz triple sec
• 2 bottles of red wine (I used a Beaujolais Nouveau and it worked well because it's already slightly fruity)

Directions:

1. Core and cut all the fruit and place it in a pitcher.
2. Add the cinnamon sticks and honey.  Stir.
3. Add the wine and stir. 
4. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  It's better if it sits overnight.  

Dinner...

Turkey, Brie, and Cranberry Grilled Sandwiches

*cranberry chutney recipe from: ClosetCooking

Everyone always has a ton of turkey leftover after Thanksgiving and let's be honest...those plain, dry turkey sandwiches just aren't that great.  This is a simple twist on that sandwich. The brie makes it super yummy and the cranberry sauce helps moisten up the turkey.  I didn't have leftovers this year, so I made a cranberry chutney from scratch.  You could use any cranberry sauce although this one was quite good because it had a bit of spice to it.
Ingredients:
for the sandwich:

• bread
• turkey
• brie
• cranberry chutney
• butter

for the cranberry chutney:

• 1 (12 ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, grated
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Make the cranberry chutney by placing everything in a large pot and boil it until it thinkens about 10-20 minutes.
2. Put the turkey, brie, and chutney on a slice of bread and top with another piece of bread to make a sandwich.
3. Butter both pieces of bread.
4. Place the buttered sandwich into a hot pan and heat until the bread is toasted and golden and the cheese is melted.

Dessert...

Pecan Pie Balls

I love Oreo balls, so I thought...why not do the same thing with pecan pie.  This is the easiest thing to make and in my opinion it's even better than the original pie - perfect for leftovers.  Plus, it's a little bit better for you because instead of eating a big piece of pie, you can just eat a little ball...that is, if you can eat just one!

Ingredients:

• leftover pecan pie (or a whole new pie, like I used)
• chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Put the pecan pie in a bowl and crumble it all together with a spoon.  Use the crust and everything.  It might look kind of gross and weird at this point, but keep going - it's going to be good!
2. Roll the mushed up pie into balls (1-2 inches) and place the balls into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Melt the chocolate chips.  I used about 2/3 of a bag of chips for a 6 inch pie.
4. After the balls have hardened up slightly from being in the freezer, dip them into the melted chocolate to coat.



looks weird, but keep going!



see...yum!

5. Sprinkle with festive sprinkles (optional).

Fast Food Fancified

I rarely eat at fast food restaurants, but when I do, I really enjoy it.  Who doesn't like junk food, right?  In this post I tried to make some fast food type things, but change them up a little to make them a little better tasting or a little healthier. 

Drink...

Adult Root Beer Float
When I thought of what people drink at fast food places, soda was the first thing that came to mind.  However, many places also have floats and shakes.  So, I decided to go with a classic root beer float.  It seems silly because everyone knows how to make a root beer float.  But, maybe you forgot about this delicious drink and my post will inspire you to have one!  I made it slightly healthier by using diet root beer (although I'm sure it's debatable whether or not diet soda is really healthier).  I also changed it up by adding alcohol.  I think vanilla flavored vodka would be good in this as well.  When I was researching I also saw some recipes that used Bailey's in it.  I think I like it best the old fashioned, alcohol-free, kids way.
Ingredients:

• root beer or diet root beer
• vanilla ice cream
• vodka

Directions:

1. Mix the root beer and a shot of vodka together in a glass.
2. Add the ice cream.

Dinner...
Chicken Nuggets and Potatoes
This is my take on a classic chicken and french fry fast food meal.  The chicken is all white meat breast meat, which may be a little better than some fast food restaurants.  The potatoes are seasoned and baked instead of fried.

Chicken Nuggets
*recipe from: Table for Two
Since I was introduced to it in college, I have been slightly obsessed with Chik-Fil-A.  However, there were never any around where I lived, so I didn't get the chance to eat it very often.  Also, I know there has been quite a bit of controversy over the fast food chain lately.  So, if you like the taste of the food and either don't have one by you, or don't want to support the chain, make it at home!  It tasted very, very similar and was really easy to make.
Ingredients:
(makes 4-5 servings)
for the chicken:

• 8 chicken tenderloins or 6 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika
• Peanut oil or canola oil for frying (I used olive oil - it was fine)

for the sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp. mustard (regular prepared yellow mustard)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 tbsp. honey
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce, mix well, and set aside or pop in the fridge.
2. In a large dutch oven or stockpot (I did it in a frying pan), heat up the oil over medium high heat to 375 degrees.
3. While the oil is heating, in a gallon ziploc bag, combine flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and paprika. Seal it and shake to combine well.
4. Throw the chicken bites into the ziploc bag, close it, and shake til all are coated well.
5. Using a slotted spoon, fish out the nuggets and shake off excess flour and place on a clean plate.
6. Before you start frying, prepare a plate by lining sheets of paper towels to drain the nuggets after frying.
7. When ready, place about 10-12 nuggets in the oil and let cook for about 5 minutes (but it also depends on the size of your nuggets).
8. Remove nuggets from oil with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and set on lined plate to drain. Continue until all nuggets have been cooked.
9. Serve hot with dipping sauce and/or ketchup.

Baked Parmesan-Herb Potatoes
*recipe from: Coupon Clipping Cook
These turned out really good.  Slightly crispy and flavorful.  The best part is that they are baked rather than fried like the potatoes you get at fast food places.  And, I got to use my mandolin again! :)
Ingredients:
(serves 3)

• 2 whole russet potatoes (medium size)
• 2 whole large red potatoes
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse the potatoes and dry them off with a paper towel.
3. Slice the potatoes at a slight diagonal. (a mandolin is perfect for consistent slices) You want them about a 1/2 inch thick.
4. Add the potato slices to a large bowl.
5. Next add the herbs and spices.
6. Then add the olive oil.
7. Mix all of the ingredients together so the olive oil, herbs, and spices evenly coat both sides of the sliced potatoes.
8. Lay the potatoes on to a cookie sheet.
9. Try to lay the potatoes as flat as possible on to the cookie sheet rather than stacking the potatoes on top of one another.
10. Next sprinkle more of the herbs and spices over the potatoes if you have extra.  Then top the potatoes with the grated parmesan cheese.
11. Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the thinnest pieces are a golden color.

Dessert...

Chicken and Mashed Potato Cupcakes
*recipe from Hello Cupcake by: Karen Tack 
These aren't necessarily something that you would get at a fast food restaurant, but they go along with the chicken and potato entree.  They were so easy to make and I was really impressed by how much they look like a dinner rather than a dessert!
Ingredients:

• box mix of your favorite cupcake flavor (or you could be ambitious and make your cupcakes from scratch)
• ingredients listed on the box to make the cupcakes
• vanilla frosting
• caramel syrup
• yellow Starbursts
• corn flakes cereal
• white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Make the cupcakes according to the directions on the box and let cool.
2. Melt the chocolate chips.  Pour the melted chocolate into a Ziploc bag and snip a small corner off the bottom of the bag.  Pipe the chocolate into a bone shape on a piece of wax paper.  Put the bone shapes in the fridge to harden.
3. Crumble the corn flakes in a bag until they are crumbs.
4. Frost the mashed potato cupcakes with the vanilla icing.  Drizzle the caramel sauce over the icing to look like gravy.  Add a yellow Staburst in the center to look like butter.
5. For the chicken cupcakes; 
1. Cut a triangle shaped piece off one of the un-frosted cupcakes. 
2. Frost the top of a cupcake and put the triangle piece of cake on top with the point of the triangle on top (this will be the part of the chicken drumstick that is sticking up where the bone will be inserted).         
3. Frost the triangle cake piece.
4. Coat the entire top of the cupcake in the crushed corn flakes. 
5. Insert the white chocolate bone into the top of the cupcake.   

Autumn is in the Air!

My favorite season has arrived!!  Since it has been feeling more and more like fall here, I decided to make a seasonal dinner.  There are a lot of spices and flavors in this meal that make me feel nice and cozy on crisp fall day!
Drink...

Ginger Apple Cocktail
*recipe adapted from: The Tampopo Post
I have to admit, I was a little unsure of how this one would taste.  Plus the original recipe calls for bourbon, and I didn't have that, so I used Irish Whiskey instead.  However, no need to fear...this drink is delicious and full of Autumn flavors!  The whiskey also worked really well with it.
Ingredients:

• Apple Cider
• Ginger Beer
• Bourbon or Irish Whiskey

Directions:

1. Put 1 part whiskey or bourbon, 2 parts apple cider, and 2 parts ginger beer into a glass with ice.
2. Stir.
3. Garnish with a dried apple or an apple slice.

Dinner...
This was a perfect Fall meal!  The squash was delicious and ridiculously easy.  It had just the right amount of sweetness and flavor.
The pork was incredibly tasty.  The apples add a nice sweetness while the prosciutto added a good salty flavor.  
This is a recipe to impress for your next Fall Fete! 

Pork with Dried Apples & Prosciutto 
*recipe from: Eating Well
Yum, yum, yum.  So simple, yet so delicious!  I thought this was perfect except that I might add a little more cider and chicken broth because my sauce reduced a lot and I was wishing there was a little more for the pork.
Ingredients:
(serves 2)

• 2 thin-cut boneless pork loin chops, (8 ounces), trimmed of fat
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 thin slices prosciutto, (1 ounce), chopped
• 1 cup apple cider
• 3/4 cup chopped dried apples
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided (see Tips for Two)
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage, or 1/4 teaspoon rubbed dried sage
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:

1. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until browned on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to the plate.
2. Add cider, apples, 1/4 cup broth, vinegar and sage to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Stir together mustard, cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl. Add to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Return the pork and prosciutto to the pan and simmer, turning the pork to coat, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar Butter Sauce
*recipe from:  Savory Sweet Life
I have had similar recipes before that were a little to sweet.  I liked this one because my squash was slightly sweet, but it didn't taste like I was eating dessert.  I also loved it because instead of having to roast in the oven for 45 minutes, the squash first cooks in the microwave for 15 minutes and then just goes under the broiler.  So simple!
Ingredients:
(serves 2)

• 1 acorn squash, cut in half with seeds removed
• 1/2 cup water
• a couple pinches of salt
• a couple pinches of nutmeg
• a couple pinches of cinnamon
• 2 – 1 Tablespoon pats of butter
• 4-6 Tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven on HIGH-Broiler.  
2. Pour water in a microwavable casserole dish large enough to accommodate the squash.  Place the acorn squash flesh side down in the dish and microwave for 15 minutes.  Remove from microwave carefully because the dish will be hot.  
3. Remove the acorn squash and transfer to a baking sheet with the flesh side facing up.  Place a small pat of butter in each half and rub the entire flesh sided surface.  Any remaining butter should be left in the middle of the squash.  
4. Sprinkle the squash with salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Finally sprinkle between 2-3 Tablespoons of brown sugar around the rim of the squash and allow the remaining sugar to join the butter in the center (This will be your brown sugar sauce).  
5. Broil on high heat for 5 minutes.  You should seem some the rim of the squash with caramelization.  If not, broil for an additional 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and enjoy!

Dessert...

Maple Walnut Cupcakes
*recipe from: Martha Stewart
These are not your typical cupcakes.  They're not super-sweet at all.  When I first tried them, I thought they tasted more like a buttered muffin than a cupcake.  However, after eating them every night for the past week, I have really grown to love them and their subtle flavors.  I typically like things much, much sweeter, but these are a nice change of pace.  
Ingredients:
(makes 2 dozen cupcakes)
For the Cake:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups (5 1/2 ounces) walnuts, chopped medium-fine

For the Maple Buttercream:

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup pure maple syrup, best quality
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

For the Candied Walnuts:

• 1/2 lb walnut halves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 tbs milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Make the cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Into a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined. With the mixer still on medium speed, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in walnuts with a wooden spoon.
1. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cupcakes are golden and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool slightly. Invert cupcakes onto the rack; then re-invert and let them cool completely, top sides up. Frost tops with Maple Buttercream and garnish with candied walnuts. 
2. Make and Frost with the Maple Buttercream:
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; set aside. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the maple syrup to a boil, and cook until it registers 240 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. With the mixer running, slowly pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream, until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue beating until bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at a time, until thoroughly incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more.
3. Make and top with the Candied Walnuts:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread nuts in a single layer over a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn brown and the smell of roasting nuts fills the kitchen.
2. Stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla immediately. .
3. Add walnuts to sugar syrup, and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto waxed paper, and immediately separate nuts with a fork. Cool, and store in airtight containers.

Boo! Happy Halloween!

I feel like Halloween got a little lost in the shuffle among all the hurricane devastation, but I still made some delicious treats that will hopefully cheer up your holiday!  These foods are all pretty kid-oriented and would be perfect for a Halloween party (although grown-ups will enjoy them just as much).  To top it off, they are all super-simple to make!
Drink...

Boo Cups
*recipe from Meet the Dubians
So....I thought these were going to be a drink when I made them, but they definitely were not a liquid.  I would call them a dessert, but I already had another dessert I made.  So, into the drink section they go!  They were quite tasty, but basically just tasted like creamy orange Jello (not surprisingly based on the ingredients).
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup boiling water 
• 1 pkg.(3 oz.) Jello Orange Flavor Gelatin
• 2 cups ice cubes 
• 2/3 cup thawed Cool Whip, divided 
• 8 miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Add boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. 
2. Add ice; stir 3 to 5 min. or until gelatin is thickened. Remove any un-melted ice. 
3. Whisk in 1/3 cup Cool Whip until well blended. 
4. Pour into 4 dessert dishes. It will be pretty liquidy at this point but will firm up nicely in the fridge.  Refrigerate 30 min. or until firm. 
5. Drop remaining Cool Whip by spoonfuls onto desserts to resemble ghosts. Add chocolate chips for the eyes.

Dinner...

Mummy Dogs
*recipe from: Our Best Bites
Hot dogs are delicious.  Crescent rolls are delicious.  Combine the two and you get a super-yummy treat!  It doesn't get much easier than this!
Ingredients:

• hot dogs or Lil smokies mini hot dogs 
• crescent roll dough
• mustard

Directions:

1. Wrap the crescent dough around the hot dogs to mummify them.  Be sure to leave a spot open for their eyes.
2. Place them on a baking sheet and bake according to the crescent roll package directions (I believe it was 11-13 minutes).
3. After removing them from the oven, put two drops of mustard on them for eyes.

Dessert...

Brownie and Pretzel Skeletons
*recipe from: Wants and Wishes
I saw these on Pintrest and couldn't resist making them.  They are so cute and easy to make.  I think they would look great on a dessert table at a Halloween party, or would make great party gifts if you wrap them up and make a Halloween tag!  
Ingredients:

• 1 box of brownie mix and the ingredients listed on the box to make the brownies.
• pretzels
• white chocolate
• jumbo marshmallows
• edible ink marker
• lollipop or cake pop sticks

Directions:

1. Bake the brownies according to the package directions.  Allow them to cool and cut them into small squares.
2. Melt the white chocolate and dip the pretzels in it so they are coated.
3. Use the marker to draw a skeleton face on the marshmallows.
4. Assemble the skeletons:
1. Put a brownie piece on the bottom.  
2. Stand a lollipop stick up in the brownie.  
3. Stack the chocolate covered pretzels on top of the brownie by placing the stick through the holes of the pretzels.  
4. Add a marshmallow to the top of the stick.

Hurricane Sandy Supper

Since the hurricane has been all everyone is talking about lately, and we have been stuck inside our apartment for the last couple days, I decided to do a hurricane blog post.  We couldn't go out to the grocery store for ingredients, so we created a drink, dinner, and dessert using only the random ingredients we had in our apartment.  For a last minute, "Chopped"-style dinner, it turned our quite nicely!
Drink...

Lemon Meringue Pie Martini
*recipe from Pinnacle Vodka
I think Hurricane Sandy may have introduced me to a new favorite drink! We still have cake vodka from my birthday in April (vodka doesn't expire, right?) and I never quite know what to do with it.  I found a bunch of recipes on the Pinnacle website for and happened to have all the ingredients for this one.  It is delicious - it's like drinking dessert!
Ingredients:

• 2 oz of cake flavored vodka
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• splash of cream

Directions:

1. Pour all the ingredients into a shaker with ice.  
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass.

Dinner...

Sausagey Storm Supper
Doug created this dinner out of random things we had leftover in our fridge and it was excellent.  I would definitely have it again.  He used Trader Joe's sweet apple chicken sausage (left over from my stuffed squash blog post), but he says you can use any kind of chicken or pork sausage.  
Ingredients:
(serves 2)

a good way to use up random leftovers 

• A few strips of bacon
• 3 chicken sausages (we used Trader Joe’s apple-maple syrup chicken sausage)
• Butter
• 1 tsp flour
• 1/3 lb. haricot verts (green beans)
• ½ white onion, diced
• 3–4 oz. white wine
• Dash of maple syrup (the real stuff)
• Salt 

Directions: 

1. Cook the haricot verts, put aside.
2. Heat a pan on medium heat, add bacon, remove when crispy. Reserve bacon; when you have a free minute, chop the bacon.
3. Cut the sausages in half lengthwise, place in same pan, cook over medium heat until heated through (or cooked if using raw sausage).
4. Remove sausage from pan. Make a roux by adding a couple pads of butter (approx. 2–3 tablespoons) to the hot pan, and whisking in 1 tsp. of flour. 
5. Let the sauce bubble, and when you’re happy with the consistency, add the wine to the pan, scraping up any bits of bacon fat or sausage from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for a couple minutes.
6. Add maple syrup, stir.
7. Add the onion, let cook for 3–4 minutes, being careful that sauce does not reduce too much. Add salt to taste.
8. Having chopped up the cooked sausage into bite-size pieces, add it back to the pan, along with the haricot verts.
9. Stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients in the pan. Simmer for 3–5 minutes to meld the flavors. Add salt if needed.
10. Place mixture in bowl or on a plate, and sprinkle with chopped bacon. Bon appétit! 

Dessert...

Maple Creme Brulee
I have made creme brulee many, many times before and have never had any trouble with it.  Sadly though, this recipe was a failure.  My creme brulee never set properly and therefore was liquid in the center.  We were very disappointed we couldn't eat it.  I'm not quite sure what went wrong.  Since I have never had this problem before, I'm going to blame it on hurricane Sandy and say it was because of the change in atmospheric pressure or something (although, I have never made it with maple syrup, so it could be that too).  So, if you're making creme brulee, don't do it during a hurricane!  
Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 tsp maple syrup
• 6 tsp granulated sugar (for the caramelized tops)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar it dissolved and the yolk mixture is thick and light in color.
3. Add cream and syrup and whisk until blended.
4. Fill a creme brulee pan halfway with water.  Put the filled ramekins into the water bath.
5. Bake until the edges are set and the center is still slightly loose, 50-55 minutes.    
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Put ramekins in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
8. Sprinkle sugar on top and use a torch (or a broiler) to caramelize the sugar.
9. Enjoy! Hopefully you won't find a liquid center in yours like we did!

An Apple A Day

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, you won't be seeing the doctor for a long time after this meal!  All the recipes use apples.  They were all delicious and some parts of the meal can be made ahead to save you time. 
Drink...

Starbucks Hot Caramel Apple Cider
*recipe from: Stephanie O'Dea
This is supposed to be a replica of Starbucks cider.  I have never had their cider, so I can't really say how it compares to the original.  I thought it was very good and very easy to make, but it basically just tasted like mulled cider to me.  The best part of this recipe was drinking it out of an apple mug.  All you have to do it slice off the top of an apple.  Then cut a circle around the inside and scoop out the flesh of the apple with a spoon.  Rub lemon juice around the inside of the apple and the rim so it doesn't turn brown (as you can see, I skipped this step and mine started turning brown).  Then, pour the hot cider inside your cute apple cup! :)
Ingredients:

• 4 cups apple cider
• 3 tablespoons caramel syrup (the ice cream topping)
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream (I omitted this)
• 4 apple mugs

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a pot.
2. Cook on low on the stove or in a crock pot for up to 4 hours.
3. Pour into the apple mugs and enjoy.

Dinner...
Apple Chips and Stuffed Squash
Both components of this meal are simple to make, but take a little bit of time cooking in the oven.  I would make the apple chips ahead of time, so they will be ready to go for dinner.

Apple Chips
*recipe from: The Italian Dish
I guess I've never had apple chips before, but they are sooooo good!  This is a recipe I will definitely be making again.  I just wish I had a bigger oven so I could make more at a time.  They take a little while to cook, but require almost no work.  Once they're in the oven, you can almost forget about them!  I purchased a mandolin solely for making these chips and you definitely need it.  There is no way I could have sliced them thin enough otherwise.  And, I'm happy I have the mandolin because now I can make a lot more apple chips (and maybe slice some other fruits and veggies easier)! Check out my new kitchen tool below! :)

Ingredients:
(makes about 25 chips . . . you'll want a lot more!)

• 1 large Granny Smith apple
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. (I used greased aluminum foil)
2. Using a mandolin, slice the apples as thinly as you can.  
3. Mix the sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow bowl and dip the apple slices lightly in the mixture, just lightly coating them.  
4. Lay the slices on the baking sheets, about 12 slices per sheet.  
5. Bake for 1 hour.  
6. Remove one pan at a time and flip the apple slices over with tongs. When you return pans to oven, also rotate them - put the one that was on the top rack on the bottom.  
7. Bake for one more hour.  Remove pans from oven. Apple slices will start to harden up pretty quickly.  Remove with tongs. 

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
*recipe from: Lightlife 
This recipe was REALLY good and was such a great fall dish.  Despite having a lot of apple components, I couldn't really taste much apple in the dinner, but I still highly recommend it.  
Ingredients:
(serves 4)

1 pkg Gimme Lean® Sausage (This is a vegetarian sausage recommended in the original recipe.  I didn't use but instead used Trader Joe's Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage, which goes really well in this dish 2 cups water 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped 6 stalks of celery, chopped fine 1 tsp dried sage 1 tsp dried thyme 8 cups of toasted bread crumbs  1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 medium apple, diced, any kind 1/3 cup apple cider 2 large acorn squash, cut in half and seeded salt and pepper to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 450°.  Brown sausage in a non-stick skillet sprayed with a little olive oil, breaking it up and crumbling it with a spatula as it browns. Set aside.  Bring water and olive oil to a boil in a covered pot over high heat. Stir in onion, celery, sage, and thyme.  Cook, covered, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.  Stir in stuffing cubes, salt and pepper, applesauce, apple cider, apple, and the browned sausage, mixing to combine. Taste for seasoning. Divide the stuffing evenly among the acorn squash halves.  Arrange the halves in a roasting pan and pour water around (not on) the squash to 1 inch.  Spray a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan with olive oil spray. This will prevent it from sticking to the stuffing. Cover the pan tightly, tending slightly with the sprayed side down. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.  (I took the cover off the squash for about the last 15 minutes of baking to re-toast the stuffing, but it was too long because as you can see, my bread got burnt) Dessert...
Caramel Apple Parfaits
*recipe from Cinda B
I know I typically say that everything is really good on this blog.  However, I am not joking about this one.  It was decadant and amazing.  This would be a showstopper if you were having a dinner party.  When I was making it, I really was wishing I could just skip a couple steps and start eating.  I was thinking that maybe I could just use store bought caramel instead of making my own, but I am SO glad I didn't, because the homemade caramel was exceptional and was well worth it.  Just please make this.  It doesn't need it, but it would be great with ice cream too.  I topped it with one of the apple chips for a garnish.  This recipe makes a lot (I halved it and there still were almost 4 servings).
Ingredients:
For the Cake 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons molasses 1 large egg 1 cup regular yogurt For the Caramel Sauce 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon For the Apples 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter 8 large Fuji or other crisp apples—peeled, cored and thinly sliced (12 cups) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 quart whipped cream Directions: For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°.   Blend flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a bowl and set aside.   In a mixer, blend butter with brown sugar and molasses at medium speed until combined.   Add in egg and beat till smooth.   Add dry ingredients in small batches, alternating with yogurt until all is blended together.   Scrape the batter into a large non-stick baking pan and place on the center rack of over.   Bake for about 20 minutes or until surface springs back easily to touch.  Let cool completely. For the Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar and water and cook over high heat until sugar dissolves.   Stop stirring for about 4 minutes until a deep amber caramel forms.   Remove from stove and add heavy cream and cinnamon.  Once the caramel cools slightly place back on burner and continue cooking until the sauce is slightly thickened.  Pour the caramel into a bowl. For the Apples: In a skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.   Add 6 cups apples and stir over high heat until lightly browned.  Add half of each of the sugars and continue cooking until the apples become caramelized.   Pour into a large bowl and set aside, and finish the remaining ingredients exactly the same way. To Put it all Together: Cut the cake into 6 inch squares.   Spoon 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce into dessert cups or parfait glasses.   Layer 1 tablespoons of apples and 1/2 cup whipped cream to each glass.  Layer 2 or three cake squares next.   Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with caramel sauce and top with whipped cream.