Tis the Season of the Great Pumpkin

Ok, so I'm not big on Halloween, but I do LOVE LOVE LOVE PUMPKIN!!!!!!!! I even call my loved ones Pumpkin Face! LOL! They are so cute!

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin blizzards, pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll and believe it or not, some roasted pumpkin that is mashed with butter and salt! YUMMY!!!! And pumpkin is so good for you! It has tons of fiber and lots of great vitamins, it is so fantastic!

So as I was thinking about the joyous occasion of pumpkin returning to my life, I remembered a GREAT recipe that I have that can also be made vegetarian or vegan....... Pumpkin Black Bean Chili! This is a crockpot recipe and my husband just loves it! And for my friends out there doing Weight Watchers, this whole recipe is...wait for it.... 24 points... for the WHOLE recipe!!! It might not be 0 point vegetable soup, but this is yummy, warm and filling and you could eat a ton even with a piece of cornbread and not break the points bank!!!! Please try this!! It is so good and you and your family will LOVE it!

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

1 med onion, chopped
1 med yellow pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 c. chicken broth
2 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 c. cubed cooked turkey
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 tsp chili powder (if you like it spicier, add a little more)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Ina large skillet, saute onion, yellow pepper and garlic in olive oil until tender. Transfer to 5 qt slow cooker and stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. And scarf it up!!!!!!

Trying New Recipes

I LOVE trying out new recipes.... and TERRIFIED at the same time!!! Because what if ends up being terrible?! Then you have wasted groceries and time and you have to order in pizza! :-) But it does not have to be that way! When you are looking for a new recipe make sure that it has ingredients that you like and seasonings that sound appealing and it increases the likelihood that you will love what you make. Also, remember that the first time you make something, make it to the instructions, unless this is something that you do often and you feel super comfortable making substitutions, and then try it and see what you might like to do differently and then try it again!!! Make it yours and then share it with others! This technique has brought me some of my favorite recipes!

The recipe that I'm sharing today is FANTASTIC for the fall!!! I think that I would like to add some meat to this as well, but it's a great vegetarian dish and could be made vegan with a very few substitutions. So, let us do this! I got this recipe from the Hungry Girl website, if you have never looked at it, you should. They send a daily newsletter with several bits of great information and good recipes, if you are on Weight Watchers, she gives the points for just about everything!

Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (about 4.5 lbs.)
One 14.5-oz. can creamy tomato soup
1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 wedges The Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb cheese, room temperature
One 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
One 7-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained (about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup shredded Italian Blend Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place whole squash in the microwave and cook for 3 - 4 minutes, until soft enough to cut.

Once cool enough to handle, cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Brush generously with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste.

To a very large baking pan (or 2 medium baking pans), add 1/2 inch of water. Place squash halves in the pan(s), cut sides down and poke flesh with fork.

Bake in the oven until the insides of squash halves are tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove pans(s) but leave oven on. Once cool enough to handle, remove squash halves from the pan; place on a dry surface with the cut sides up. Set pan(s) aside.

Scrape all of the spaghetti squash strands out with a fork and transfer to an extra-large bowl. Set aside the bowl as well as the hollow squash halves. Empty water from pan(s). Return squash halves to the pan(s), hollow sides up.

In a medium bowl, combine soup, garlic, dried minced onion, Italian seasoning, pepper, and cheese wedges, breaking cheese wedges into pieces as you add them. Stir thoroughly, until mostly smooth.

Add soup mixture to the extra-large bowl of spaghetti squash strands. Add spinach, mushrooms, and basil, and mix thoroughly.

Evenly divide squash mixture between the hollow squash halves. Sprinkle Italian blend cheese over the tops.

Return pan(s) to the oven and bake until filling is hot and mozzarella cheese has melted, 15 - 20 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, evenly cut each of the stuffed squash halves in half, leaving you with 4 large pieces. Serve up and enjoy! (Don't eat the skin!)

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

No Matter Where You Are........ Don't Quit!!!!

So, I have been doing a lot of thinking about my blog and more importantly how much I LOVE to cook! I have had a lot going on these past few months with working and getting married to the most amazing man in the world and I have put some of my cooking to the side.

Last night I tried a new recipe for the first time in a long while! And it felt amazing! I got into that rut and just kept cooking the same ol' stuff and it was great to mix it up! Until it didn't coe out perfect and I got really frustrated and just wanted to throw it in the garbage, but I just kept going and fixed it and it ended up delicious and my husband loved it! Then I got to thinking about how often in our life to we end up in a rut and then try and it's not perfect so then we just quit trying in whatever it might be in our life? Our work, our friendships, our marriages... no matter where you are, DON'T QUIT!!!!! Keep going, keep trying, keep praying and keep loving.

I quit on you guys and my blog and now, I'm just going to keep trying and give you guys more and help you more! So, I guess you can say that you will be reading more from me! More tips, more recipes and more loving! Here is the one that I tried last night, try it and enjoy! My husband and I LOVED it!!!!!

1 4- 41/2 lb whole chicken
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 whole lemon, cut into half
Kitchen twine
salt and pepper to taste

Mix olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, salt and pepper together. Loosen the skin between the breast and legs and rub mixture into the breast and leg meat. Place lemon halves in chicken cavity and tie legs together. Place wings up and behind bird. And salt and pepper outside skin of chicken. Place on a sprayed roasting rack.

2- 2 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1- 1 1/2" pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix together and arrange around potatoes in baking rack.

Bake at 375 for 40 min. Move oven temperature to 450 and bake for another 20 min or until meat temperature is 170 or all juices run clear and let sit for 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!!!! (I just happened to make roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar with this and it was a great meal!)

TRY THIS!!! And even if you don't do perfect...try again or try another recipe! Believe me, I will have more to post for you! Just DON'T QUIT!!!! I will have more for you soon!!!!

Having Trouble Picking the Right Cook Book?

Looking at cookbooks can be so overwhelming! They are designed to look pretty and to entice you to buy them. But choosing the right one for you is important. You want to choose one that makes it easy for you to follow and to help you make the recipe a success.

If you are a more inexperienced cook, choose a book that has great pictures and helps show you how it works and that gives you step by step instructions that you feel comfortable with. Also make sure that you pick books that have easy recipes with simple and few ingredients. If you start out with something too complicated you could get discouraged and frustrated. You want to pick things that you will be able to do and that will taste yummy and allow you to just have fun in the kitchen!

As you become more advanced, still go with recipe formats that make you feel comfortable. This is a great time to start trying new ingredients and new techniques but don’t get discouraged!!!! Remember that you are trying something new and it may take a few times to get it right.

All in all…just make sure you are taking time to really look through a cook book before you buy one, make sure that there are at least 10 recipes that you know that you will try to make. It’s not just a decoration; it is supposed to be used! Used to make you and your kitchen happy! Enjoy!

Learn to Live the Unexamined Life

I have had so much going on lately! I just got engaged!!!! Yeah!!!! I’m the luckiest girl in the world!

So now I have a wedding to plan, but I also nanny and have the awesome opportunity to be working to teach people to cook or cook a little bit better.  It is my favorite thing to do in the world! I love to be able to teach people how to eat better for themselves and for their families.

I do also want people to know that I COMPLETELY understand feeling overwhelmed and just like you don’t want to be in the kitchen! I feel that way sometimes too!!!! But I have made it to the point where going out to eat is a special occasion and not something that is normal and I want to share with you how I do it.

The first thing is planning. I know…..planning and cooking? Really? Yes, Really! I sit down every week and decide what dishes I would like to make that week or that I might want to try and then go to the pantry and see what I already have on hand to make each dish. After I know what I have, I start making my shopping list. Now there are things that I try to ALWAYS keep on hand so that I can always whip up my favorites and I think that everyone should have these things on hand and available like…..

1. Chicken broth
2. 2 or 3 types of pasta
3. Basmati or brown rice
4. Seasonings that you like, for me it’s lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, pepper
5. Ground beef, ground turkey and some chicken breasts (I buy them in bulk and then individually freeze them or by 1 lb at a time so that I can just take out what I need.)
6. Salad items

This will make life so much easier for you! You will know that everything you need to make an awesome meal is right at hand and it keeps you from over shopping and from food going bad. If you can, take one night and make a few meals if you know you are going to be super busy, then you can just warm it up and still have time to eat with your sweet family or just know that you as a single or couple are going to have a great and healthy meal. Your life may be overwhelming and I understand, but you can do it! Get into that kitchen and let the stress melt away and then ENJOY!!!!!!!!

For the Love of Asparagus

So, I have been getting a lot of requests on how to cook asparagus. It's sooo delicious and so very good for you! So I decided to give you guys some of my favorite ways to make that are quick and easy! But first...some tips on picking it out and storing it.Make sure when you pick out your asparagus that you look at the tips. Make sure they are a not wilted or slimy! They should look dark green and feel sturdy.

• Also, be careful not to pick ones that are too thick. The thinner they are, the more tender the asparagus. What if you only have thick ones to pick from? Take your vegetable peeler and peel them down to the tender part.
• When bringing asparagus home, store it either with a damp cloth around the bottoms or even better, in a cup with some water in it. This will help keep them longer. They will probably only last 4 to 5 days tops!
• And finally, when preparing, take your asparagus and bend until it breaks naturally.
  This will let you now where the most tender part is. You can them cut all of the rest of the bunch to that length and go for it!

1. If you have always wanted to like asparagus but haven't been able to...OR for a GREAT appetizer!!!! My favorite recipe is to get some procuitto and spread a thin layer of cream cheese on it and wrap it around the asparagus. Bake at 350 degrees until the asapargus is tender and the procuitto is nice and brown. These are wonderful at room temperature or cold. I LOVE them!!!!

2. Asparagus are always good marinated in some olive oil and a little bit of balsamic vinegar with some salt and pepper and a little onion and garlic powder and I always add lemon pepper (my favorite seasoning EVER) and then put on the grill with your chicken, beef or fish. Remember- cook it until it's at the texture you like! I then like to finish it off with a little butter or extra olive oil right when it comes off the grill and then a good squeeze of lemon juice!

3. Now to my FAVORITE! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put your asparagus (I usually make 2 bunches) on a sheet pan and spread liberally with olive oil. Then season with 1 Tbsp each of sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder and 2 Tbsp of lemon pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes or until at the texture you like. I like for my tops to get a little crispy at the edge! :-)

I hope this helps you asparagus lovers and want to be lovers out there! Let me know what other things I can help with next!