Pumpkin Scalloped Potatoes

What I love about this recipe is that it incorporates white and sweet potatoes, while the pumpkin and havarti cheese give it a rich flavor!

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 medium yucon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
3-4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup Havarti cheese, shredded or broken into small chunks
1/4 parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375. After you have peeled and sliced the potatoes, layer them in a 9x13 pan, alternating sweet and white. (great job for the kids) Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine milk, pumpkin, rosemary (just throw the whole sprig in their), and cinnamon. With a garlic press, press the two cloves and add to the milk mixture. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally so the milk doesn't burn or curdle. Heat for only about 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary and discard.
2. Sprinkle both cheeses over potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture over potatoes and cheese. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

NOTE: I look for the havarti cheese in the speciality cheese section of the food store or I ask the deli counter to cut me a slice about 1/2 an inch thick.

Vegetarian Lentil Soup with Kale

INGREDIENTS:
3 TBSP butter
1/2 large onion, diced
4 carrot sticks, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, rinsed and chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped finely or pressed through a garlic press
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup or 8oz dried lentils  - rinse under cold water
3-4 stalks of kale, rinsed and torn into bite sized pieces
fresh grated parmesan cheese, optional



1. In a large stock pot melt butter. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the vegetables to soften while bringing out their flavor. Salt generously. Add lentils and stir. Add broth and water. With a lid, bring the soup to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add kale and continue to simmer for 20 more minutes, until lentils are tender. Spoon into bowls; top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

New Baked Oatmeal

I discovered this recipe from Real Simple magazine. I give them all the credit. I have made it once a week since I found it; it's that good! Every saturday morning consists of homemade pancakes. Now Sunday morning's breakfast is baked oatmeal. I love this recipe because it's hearty, wholesome and healthy - not much sugar! I hope it becomes a regular in your rotation too.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup pecans, or walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 (1/2 a stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cool
1 3/4 cup 2 percent or whole milk
2 large eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup - the real stuff only
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 glass pan. In a large mixing bowl add oats, pecans, cranberries, cinnamon and salt. Stir well. Add to the dry mixture the butter; stir well. Continue to add wet ingredients - milk, eggs, syrup and vanilla. Mix well with a rubber spatula. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until edges are golden brown and the center is firm. Serve warm. Store leftovers for one day in fridge. Serves 4-6 people.

NOTE: For just my husband and I, I cut the recipe in half. I bake it in a round corningware dish for 28-30 minutes.

Homemade Chicken Stock

I love soups, especially in the winter. They are so rewarding, delicious, and are way better the second and third day. My mom's soups are REALLY GOOD. Her secret is that she often makes her own chicken broth. At first this really intimidated me. How in the world do you do this? Is it hard? Time consuming? Once I learned some tips and ideas from my mom and Joy the Baker, it's a breeze and totally worth it! It does take a while, but you walk away for 2 hours. Then come back to magic. I would highly recommend trying it. It's a soup changer!

**Plan to make this after you've cooked a whole roasted chicken or after you eaten a rotisserie chicken.

Makes about 12-16 cups of broth, depending on how large a pot you use and how much water you add.

INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken carcass
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 large onion, cut once
1 whole carrot cut in thirds, no need to peel, just give it a good rinse
1 celery stalk (including the leafy ends) rinsed well and cut in thirds
salt
pepper

1. In your largest stock pot (mine is an 8 qt. pot) place chicken carcass and all ingredients. Salt and pepper everything generously. Add water and fill the pot about 2/3's of the way full. Bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer on low heat for at least 1.5-2 hours. Remove the carcass and discard. Also discard the vegetables and garlic leaving only liquid. Allow to cool. Store half of the batch in a large bowl in the fridge for 2-3 days to be used in a soup. Place the rest in a freezer ziplock bag, label it, stick it in the freezer, and use it for another meal.

Wheat-Free Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I spent some time on vacation thumbing through magazines in search for delicious recipes. I found a few that are keepers! Here's one from Eating Well magazine. What I really like about this recipe is the flavor that comes from soaking the oats in milk for 8-12 hours. It gives the muffins a sweet flavor that is unique. They aren't sugary at all, but served warm with vanilla ice cream will delight your guests or family.
I do have to say, this is a recipe that you have to plan when you are going to make it because the oats soak for at least 8 hours. BUT, the assembly is very quick.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1. Combine oats and milk in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator until much of the liquid is absorbed at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375. Line a full muffin pan and half of another one with papers. Take oats and milk out of the refrigerator. Remove lid and add egg, syrup, oil, cinnamon, baking powder, and vanilla. Stir well with a rubber spatula until well combined. Gently stir in blueberries.

3. Fill muff tins about 2/3's full. Bake 25-30 minutes or until oatmeal muffins spring back when touched. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack or serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Otherwise, store in airtight container and enjoy as a snack or part of breakfast.

Red Cabbage Salad with Maple-glazed Walnuts

I'll tell you right now this recipe is straight from the March/April 2014 issue of Eating Well magazine. The only change I made was using goat cheese instead of blue cheese. You of course, can choose which you like better!

INGREDIENTS:

VINAIGRETTE:
1 TBSP crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP red-wine vinegar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

SALAD:
1 TBSP butter
1 cup walnuts
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp pure maple syrup (don't substitute the fake stuff)
1 head red cabbage sliced thin
3 scallions sliced thin
1/3 cup goat cheese or blue cheese

1. To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together 1 TBSP cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper in a small bowl.

2. For the salad, make the walnuts first so they have time to cool. Place a fairly large (maybe 9x13 size) piece of parchment paper or wax paper on the counter near the stove. (If you don't have either, a clean cutting board will due.) Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add walnuts and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add salt and drizzle maple syrup. Cook, stirring until the nuts are well coated and began to caramelize, 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat, and transfer nuts to parchment paper. It's important to separate the nuts while they are cooling so they don't all stay stuck together. Let stand 5 minutes to cool.

3. Meanwhile slice cabbage and scallions. Place in a large serving bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Stir in walnuts and 1/3 cup goat cheese. Serve room temperature.

Cauliflower, Acorn Squash & Apples

This is a very simple fall recipe. It's a perfect addition to roasted chicken or even great veggies to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. The flavors meld together beautifully; the squash is sweet, the cauliflower is earthy, and the apples are slightly tart. Together they taste wonderful!

INGREDIENTS:
1 head cauliflower
1 acorn squash
1 or 2 fuji apples
olive oil
salt
1 sprig of fresh rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 375. Rinse the cauliflower and cut into bite size pieces. Wash the acorn squash with soap and water; rinse well. Slice it in half and scoop out the seeds; either throw them out or set the seeds aside to roast. (You will have to look that one up. I haven't ventured there yet.) So with the squash; cut each half lengthwise into wedges. Either with a peeler or a knife, cut off the green skin. Then cut the wedges into bite sized pieces. Cut the apple(s) into bite sized pieces as well.









2. Place cauliflower, acorn squash and apples into a 9x13 baking dish. Cover generously with olive oil, sprinkle with salt. With a a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the rosemary, not the stem, and let it fall into the 9x13 dish. With a spoon, give everything a good stir. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.